This week on the Bold Inventor Show, JD Houvener and co-host Matt Kulseth welcome a true grassroots innovator: Sean Miller, founder and creator of the Turfboard. What started as a snowboarding alternative in the off-season has evolved into an epic journey of design, setbacks, and resurgence. Sean shares his wild ride from snowy peaks to grassy hills, revealing what it really takes to create and relaunch a sports innovation.

🏂 What you'll hear in this episode:

🌱 Origin of Turfboard: Sean recounts how the seed for his all-terrain snowboard sprouted during a post-college road trip and snowless mountain runs. The itch to recreate the snowboarding experience on dry ground launched a decades-long pursuit.

🛠️ Prototype Evolution: Hear about Sean's mad-inventor roots—from early aluminum castings to vulcanized rubber tires—and why he had to invent everything from scratch. Learn how the board evolved from intimidating and heavy to modular, safer, and family-friendly.

🏗️ Engineering and Passion Collide: JD digs into the board's features—hand brakes, shocks, adjustable bindings, custom tires—and how Sean engineered for performance, safety, and accessibility. A true showcase of passion-driven innovation.

🏞️ Business Lessons from the First Go-Round: Sean opens up about early manufacturing mistakes, working with investors too soon, and why patience and product readiness are crucial in hardware startups.

🎯 Comeback Plans: With his kids off to college, Sean is ready to reboot the Turfboard. He's looking at ski resorts, influencers, and strategic partners for a grassroots rebirth of the concept—literally.

🤝 IP Protection & Next Steps: JD and Matt offer insight on what intellectual property protection could still apply, including new mechanical innovations, design improvements, and possible licensing models.

📦 Shipping, Scaling, & Vision: The discussion includes a reality check on shipping logistics, board sizing, and how modern materials and 3D printing could reduce costs and improve the board’s scalability.

💥 Bonus Segment: Shark Tank Critique The hosts and Sean analyze the success of 11-year-old entrepreneur Carson Kropfl, whose Locker Board invention wowed the Sharks and eventually sold to Wham-O. JD breaks down the design patent, Matt analyzes the trademark, and Sean offers a rider’s take

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DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

This week on the Bold Inventor Show, host J.D. Houvener dives into the human side of innovation with Natalie Turner, founder of The Six ‘I’s® of Innovation and author of Yes, You Can Innovate. Natalie joins live from the UK to unpack her game-changing framework that helps individuals and teams unlock their unique contributions to innovation—and create meaningful value from ideas.

👁️ What are the Six I’s?

• Identify – Spot emerging trends and opportunities
• Ignite – Spark new ideas and rally others
• Investigate – Analyze and assess feasibility
• Invest – Secure buy-in and resources
• Implement – Deliver real-world solutions
• Improve – Reflect, iterate, and grow

🔬 At the core of this method is purpose—the “why” behind innovation—and the belief that everyone can play a role in the innovation process, not just designers, engineers, or inventors.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

🧠 Why self-awareness is critical to innovation
Natalie explains how her self-assessment profiling system helps you discover your innovation strengths—and your blind spots.

📊 How to read and use your Six I's profile
See examples of both individual and team-based profiles to understand how organizations can align innovation roles with actual strengths.

📕 The power of codified IP
Natalie shares her own entrepreneurial journey, how she built a global innovation training company from scratch, and how her Six I’s model is now taught worldwide.

🤝 Why collaboration beats solo genius
Innovation doesn’t live in isolation. Whether you're an igniter or an implementer, knowing where to partner is the key to progress.

📈 Real-world use cases
From global companies to solo inventors, Six I’s has helped thousands align purpose with action—driving innovation culture, leadership, and sustainable growth.

🎁 Special Offer
Listeners get 10% off the Six I’s innovation profile assessment using code BP10 at 6-i-innovation.com

Whether you're a solo inventor with a big idea or a team leader trying to inspire change, this episode offers fresh tools to help you innovate with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

📖 Get the book: Yes, You Can Innovate
🔎 Take the profile assessment
🎤 Learn more about Natalie’s keynote speaking and training at 6-i-innovation.com

Hashtags:
#InnovationStrategy, #SixIs, #NatalieTurner, #InnovationLeadership, #CreativeMindset, #BoldInventorShow, #InventorsJourney, #PurposeDrivenInnovation, #DesignThinking, #InnovationCulture

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

In this powerful episode of the Bold Inventor Show, host J.D. Houvener and trademark co-host Matt Kulseth welcome Aaron Walker, the tenacious inventor and founder of Twist Resist—a revolutionary strength training device developed specifically for physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Aaron’s journey is anything but ordinary. From repeated dirt bike injuries to building prototypes in a mobile gym inside a box truck, Aaron shares how twists of fate—both literal and physical—led him to develop a machine that mimics circular, joint-specific strength movements rarely addressed in traditional PT or gym equipment.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

🌀 What makes Twist Resist unique
Rotational strength and circular resistance aren’t just buzzwords. Aaron walks us through why linear bands and cables don’t cut it—and how his device better replicates real human motion.

🛠️ The decade-long invention journey
From garage prototypes to university-supported research and PhD feedback, hear how Aaron evolved his device from a sketch to a functional machine now being beta tested across PT clinics.

⚙️ Bootstrapping a hardware startup
With no outside funding and 10 machines now completed, Aaron explains the real cost of building a medtech hardware company from the ground up.

📈 Business model crossroads
Should Twist Resist license to a big brand, go D2C, or pursue fitness studio integration? Aaron shares his current strategy—and how he’s developing protocols for therapists to use his machines effectively.

🧪 Validated by science
A University of Southern California study found Twist Resist to be up to 40% more effective at muscle activation than traditional resistance methods like cables and bands.

🔐 Protecting the IP
Twist Resist is protected under a comprehensive U.S. utility patent. JD breaks down what it covers, and how Aaron used early filing to build confidence during development.

💬 Real talk on pain, perseverance, and patenting
Aaron’s honest advice to other inventors? It’s not fun, it’s expensive, and the sacrifices are real—but the impact is worth it.

If you're in physical therapy, sports rehab, personal training, or product design for medical and fitness tech, this is a can't-miss interview. Aaron’s story proves that even solo inventors can develop life-changing tools when passion meets persistence.

📬 Reach Aaron at: aaron@twistresist.com
🔗 Learn more at: twistresist.com

Hashtags:
#TwistResist, #PhysicalTherapyTech, #RehabInnovation, #RotationalStrength, #FitnessInventor, #BoldInventorShow, #StrengthTraining, #PatentSuccess, #HardwareStartup, #SportsRehab

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.