Laurie wrote, “We had many quizzical expressions coming from those who came to the registration counter and there were some funny comments too. I had the Oven Claw Pro on the table at the registration counter with the fliers. I announced the door prize asking everyone to put their business card into the bowl for the door prize drawing. At first glance, some asked if it was a back scratcher, others said it could be used as a weapon in case of intruders. When I explained its use and also that it is a great marketing tool to give to clients, I could see the light bulb effect go off. During the call to order at the meeting, the board president did not have his gavel, so we improvised using the Oven Claw Pro as our gavel. It got some more laughs as we said not only is this a handy tool in the kitchen but equally effective to call a meeting to order.”

We here at Leikam Enterprises, LLC also thank all those who contributed with their ideas as to what we could do to improve our exposure. We have taken action on several ideas and intend to follow through with others. A few examples of these contributions are:

1. Contact appliance manufacturers to see if they would be interested in your product as an add-on sale or even as an item that comes with a purchase.
2. Why not have Appliance Distributors, Kitchen & Bath Dealers be able to buy a small quantity of these and give them away as door prizes, or small gifts.
3. Home Shows
4. Put them on consignment to local dealers
5. Appliance centers. Show people how it works, maybe even give a few away.
6. Set up at kitchen and bath trade shows.
7. Rent a small area from a major appliance booth at a trade show.

You might be able to use some of these ideas too.

Leikam Enterprises, LLC and Green Earth Packaging, LLC have teamed up to help support and to ship Green Earth’s portable toilets Green to Go Bio Loo for Haiti. Leikam Enterprises sells the Oven Claw Pro Oven Claw and will donate $5.00 to Green Earth Packaging Green Earth Packaging so that a family in Haiti can have a portable toilet.

Palo Alto, California USA, March 18, 2010 – In addition to medicine, water and food, the survivors of the Haitian earthquake need toilets especially now as the rainy season has hit and disease from sewage has begun to ravage the tent cities. Leikam Enterprises, LLC and Green Earth Packaging, LLC have teamed up to supply the people with self-contained portable toilets supplied by Green Earth Packaging.

Leikam Enterprises will donate $5.00 for every Oven Claw Pro sold through its website. According to the President of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Lee Leikam, “The Oven Claw Pro is currently selling on a variety of websites from between $22.00 to $30.00. Now people can order their Oven Claw Pro at the Oven Claw website for $19.95. Out of that $5.00 will be used to purchase a toilet. From each sale the company guarantees that Green Earth Packaging will provide a Green to Go Bio Loo to a family in Haiti. Currently hygiene and privacy are two important challenges faced by the Haitian people especially during the hurricane season. These will help reduce disease and offer some dignity to the people trapped in the open.” (Contact Bill@ovenclaw.com)

Shortly after the earthquake in Haiti, Leikam Enterprises, LLC sought to find a way to help hard hit Port-au-Prince and other outlaying areas beyond the city. By teaming up with Green Earth Packaging, LLC in Lafayette California, these two companies have found a way to work together to help the Haitian people. The Green to Go Bio Loo itself not only degrades but so too does the inner liner. The latter contains silica that speeds up decay of the fecal matter and eliminates odor. These are sorely needed by the people especially as the hurricane season approaches. Leikam said, “We have an obligation to help avert widespread disease throughout the people’s encampments. If these units are not delivered, death by disease may kill many more thousands of people above and beyond the actual earthquake.”

Palo Alto California – On May 26, 2009 the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) issued design patent US D592,907 S to William C. Leikam, president and founder of Leikam Enterprises, LLC. “It’s really very exciting for all of us here to have this patent in hand.”

When the final design was completed to Leikam’s satisfaction he was advised that he needed to hire a patent attorney to do the research and file the proper paperwork. However, he decided to do some of his own research first and then, if an attorney was essential he would contact one and move forward. Leikam said, “When I first began I didn’t even know that the generic name for this kitchen utensil was an oven rack puller. Without that, I couldn’t move ahead because I didn’t know what I was searching for. I asked friends and family what it was called but no one knew.” That led to complete frustration on his part. As it turned out, he was doing a search through the PTO’s database when he accidently stumbled across its name. That opened up everything. Online he found that there was a number of oven rack pullers on such websites as eBay, Crate and Barrel and in several other online stores but none of them looked anything like the Oven Claw Pro.

With this information and finding that his design was unique, Leikam contacted a patent attorney on a consulting basis, discussed the process, the costs, etc., and then went online to see whether or not he could apply for the patent himself. He didn’t have the estimated $15,000 – $20,000 that he was quoted. “I didn’t have that much money but from my consultation with the attorney, it seemed like a simple enough job. It would just take a lot of careful research to complete.” He went to work on it and did an in-depth search of the PTO’s database for oven rack pullers and anything that might be related. “The more I dug, the more confident I was that I could apply for a patent and be successful.”

Finally, Leikam contacted an online company that put together the information into an application at a minimal cost. Without going into all of the details, his application was transferred to a second company who finalized it and submitted it to the PTO. In the end his patent cost less than $2,000, a far cry from the original quote. When asked, what he learned from this, Leikam responded, “It was one of the best things I’ve done for the company thus far because now we own intellectual property (IP) and that means that we can license the Oven Claw Pro. In addition, by having it patented it has made all the difference in the world for attracting national distributors. Finally, I found that if one doesn’t give up even when completely frustrated – and believe me there were times when I wanted to give up – it’s possible to be awarded a patent without having to directly hire an attorney to do the hard work.”

About Leikam Enterprises, LLC
Leikam Enterprises, LLC was founded in 2008. We are launching the company by manufacturing and distributing the company’s first product, the patented Oven Claw Pro. Our mission is to deliver high quality, efficient and safe kitchen tools to the marketplace and to design products that make the gourmet’s kitchen a safer place.

We are constantly looking for green Earth friendly alternatives and when available use recycled and renewable resources in the manufacturing of our hardwood products. Our products are manufactured in the United States and we proudly display Made in the USA.

Remember, you can purchase your Oven Claw right here on our website. Just click this link and get your Oven Claw. http://ovenclaw.com/shopping.htm If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can purchase it at Dreager’s Markets (www.draegers.com) and at Select Appliances in South San Francisco (http://www.selectappliance.com/). Finally, you can Google the Oven Claw and find other places where it’s being sold.

It came as a surprise. When I answered the phone that morning and the person on the other end said that she was a writer for Business Week in New York, that Leikam Enterprises and our Oven Claw Pro was chosen to be included in their feature “America’s Most Promising Startups.” At first I couldn’t say anything. She asked if I had a little time for an interview and I replied, “Sure.” Once I’d supplied the information she asked whether I had a picture of myself using the Oven Claw Pro. I told her that I would get one for her. What a scramble that was.

With everything accomplished, we moved ahead and waited. This morning (Tuesday, April 07, 2009) I was advised that the article about our company had been published in Business Week’s America’s Most Promising Startups . The article can be read online and there’s even a picture of me using the Oven Claw Pro. In part the article reads, “Although there are other similar devices on the market, Leikam, 68, says the Oven Claw is sturdier and better designed. The 18-inch long grabber can easily extract a cooked turkey from the oven without making a cook reach her arm inside (and possibly be burned).”

If you cannot click on the hot link above, copy and paste the following link into your browser. http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/06/0627_fresh_entrepreneurs/3.htm

Please copy and paste this blog into an email and forward it through your personal email list. It will help us a great deal.

With manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas along with American dollars, the Oven Claw™ is one product that will remain manufactured in the United States by American workers. Although the Oven Claw™ could be produced in China or Mexico for far less than the cost of American production, Bill Leikam, President and owner of Leikam Enterprises will ensure that the Oven Claw™ is produced in the U.S.A. In a recent interview, he said, “Our consultants have encouraged us to outsource our product to ‘ensure a better return on your investment’ but we refused.” Additionally, “I think more and more companies are beginning to see the light. We want to be part of the solution to America’s distress not another part of the problem.”

Although oven rack pullers have been around for years, the Oven Claw Pro™ is the highest quality kitchen tool of its type on the market today and woodworkers employed by US companies make them. At 18 inches, made of sturdy maple, the Oven Claw™ allows a kitchen chef to securely retrieve large meals such as a 15 pound turkey or goose from the oven. Russ Zipkin owner of Select Appliance and designer of the Russell Range said, “This strong wooden oven rack puller/pusher is perfect for all ovens, especially those large heavy duty racks found in high-end professional style stoves. Many cheaply made imitations simply won’t work.”

When asked the President of Leikam Enterprises what makes the Oven Claw Pro™ better than all of the rest, he said, “Its length and strength are ideal for people who are handicapped such as people confined to wheelchairs. The Oven Claw Pro’s™ 18 inch length allows a person to reach across the oven’s door without having to reach into the oven, withdraw the oven rack to a safe distance and then remove the hot food. In short it extends one’s arm. No other oven rack puller can do all of those things with such ease and confidence.” He added, “We are excited about our new product and look forward to being part of the solution to jobs in America.”

Bill Leikam

Are you looking for something to spice up your kitchen?

Do you tend to hide your kitchen utensils in a drawer because they are just utilitarian?

Do you have a kitchen gadget container on your counter where you tuck all of your frequently used utensils?

Are you looking for a bargain?

If your answer is yes to the above, the Oven Claw™ will add a nice touch of elegance to your kitchen and you’ll proudly display this tool. The Oven Claw™ is designed to hang near your oven where it’s easy to reach. Then, when you use it, you’ll be virtually safe when you remove your food from the hot oven. In most cases it will cost less than $20.00.

And

The Oven Claw™ is for you if you’re sick and tired of accidently burning your arm when you reach into the oven to withdraw your food.

The Oven Claw™ keeps you away from that blast of hot air when checking your food.

The Oven Claw™ is ideal for children who are new to using the oven to cook. Parents have said that when their kids first begin using the oven they are often afraid because of their fear of being burned.

The Oven Claw™ makes cooking safer for the frail and elderly.

The Oven Claw™ is ideal for cooks who have palsy. You’ll find it a God-send because it keeps you away from hot areas of the oven that can burn you.

The Oven Claw™ is useful for people who have injured their hand or arm because the hot oven rack can be withdrawn to a safe distance with one hand.  

Think Oven Claw™ one of the few hot oven rack pullers made in the U.S.A. from fine hardwood. It’s sturdy and will last for years to come. It’s a must have.

As we build and move ahead, you will see on our website a list of stores and websites that will be selling all three versions of our Oven Claw™: the Pro version (18”), the Standard version (12”) and the Toaster Oven Claw™ version (7”). In addition, we intend to manufacture the Oven Claw™ in a variety of woods. You will then have a broad choice of colors available that will match your kitchen’s color scheme.

Before getting back to Part II of my previous blog, I’d like to invite you to sign up for the upcoming launch of our 18” Pro Oven Claw™. All you have to do is to go to our contact page. Just give us your name and your email address. We absolutely do not share any of your information with anyone. See our policies. (If you wish to make a comment about our website or the Oven Claw™ please do so. We’d love to hear from you.) Once you sign-up you will be added to our opt-in list and when we send out notices you will receive it in your email in-box. This will give you advanced notice when we launch this product. Along with the notice you can also enjoy the benefit of getting a coupon that you can use when we release the Toaster Oven Claw™.

In any case, we would like to hear from you. Our visitors are our life-stream and we would like to get to know you and you can get to know us.

The Oven Claw™ Goes to Market – Part II

In Part I of this article (“The Oven Claw Emerges–Part I”) I told how the Oven Claw came about and ended when people responded well. With that positive feedback I wondered whether I could place it in stores and so with twenty Oven Claws™ in hand, I drew up a list of stores and visited a number of them. Remember, these few were hand turned and my cost was $20.00 each. In order to make a profit I needed to sell them wholesale for at least $25.00 each. At that time I knew very little about the actual market, actually walking into a store and talking either with the owner or the manager. The key thing I learned was that retailers often sell at 30 to 50% of their wholesale cost. In the end I happened to hit some high-end stores and sold them while at other stores, they rejected it because it was too expensive. That I hadn’t expected. When all was said and done our return on investment (ROI) was either non-existent or only a couple of dollars each; hardly enough to make a viable business. I remembered what one of the guys who turned the first prototype said. “You’ll never make it unless you have it manufactured in China or India. There’s no profit in your oven gadget.” His words rang in my mind but I decided that I wouldn’t let that get in the way. I thought, “There must be a way to get the Oven Claw™ manufactured for a cost that would give the company an acceptable ROI.” I told my team where we stood. I said, “Stop everything. We need to put your focus on finding an acceptable manufacturer.” It didn’t take long and we had several such companies calling us. We eventually eliminated several and settled on one company. We made the deal and are expecting delivery of our first supply by late November. Once they arrive we will be in the market.

A few things I’ve learned:

1. Be persistent, there’s always a way to make your dream come true.
2. Put together a competent team. They will be invaluable.
3. Trust yourself even when you have doubts and listen to your team.
4. When you engage in an area of business that’s new to you, understand that you will make mistakes but learn from them. They won’t knock you out of the game.
5. Know that you are constantly in a learning mode and that you’ll never know it all.

When I began to design the Oven Claw, I didn’t even know what it was called. I had seen one being used but Tanya didn’t know. It was simply their Oven Buddy. She knew that it was a great tool that kept her from burning her arms or hands when she needed to withdraw hot food from the oven. She swore by it. As time went on I described it to friends and acquaintances and asked them what it was called but interestingly enough, no one knew. I thought, “Well, if no one knows what this thing is called, maybe it’s not that widely known or widely used.” That led me to think that just maybe there was a market for it. Out of such ignorance, I decided to carve one of my own designs from soft pine. That version didn’t impress me but it did form the first rough pattern that I then worked from.

I continued to be bothered by the fact that I still had no generic name for it. Finding out what it was called, took a lot of digging but I finally discovered that it was called an oven rack puller / pusher. With that, I searched the internet and found eight to ten different designs; a few good looking ones, the rest almost toy-like. What most struck me, however, was how similar in design they were and how flimsy some of them looked. At that point, I hadn’t yet developed the design as it presently stands but I did think that whatever emerged my hot oven rack puller had to be sturdy enough to withdraw a hot oven rack laden with a large turkey. It needed to be elegant so that it would fit in a modern, high-end kitchen. Additionally, I understood two things:

1. Develop my hot oven rack puller into a well known oven utensil and
2. Create one that would virally sell in the high-end marketplace.

By that time my design had begun to emerge and soon I came to the point where I needed to take it to a woodturner to turn the first prototype. I was excited by the outcome. I showed it to friends and they were impressed and said that they wanted one. Since the first wood worker was not equipped to turn a larger number of them, he referred me to someone who was a professional woodturner. It was then that I had twenty five of them made and gave them away as Christmas gifts. Along with the gift, I included a brief letter asking for honest and clear feedback. Several people replied that they were happy to receive it but that they wouldn’t change from using their oven mitts. (Habit is sometimes hard to break.) Many more replied with very positive feedback, loving its design, loving its usefulness. One person replied that she had wanted something like this because she was tired of having burnt, dirty mittens lying around. It was enough to urge me onward. (Next installment – The Oven Claw Goes to Market – Part II)

Everywhere we turn these days, someone is jumping on the green bandwagon, claiming that their products are Earth friendly and yet there is still far too much waste that finds its way into the local dump. Too often manufacturers fail to see that scrap can be used. When scrap is used we can call it being quasi-green meaning that we leave a minimal carbon footprint or unnecessarily use natural resources.

Have you recently taken a look at kitchen utensil displays either online or in local stores? Bins and racks filled with plastic and other synthetics that are far from green. (Plastic is made from oil.) Take a look in your own kitchen. What is the ratio between plastic and renewable materials such as wood? Why are these utensils being bought so readily? Is it fashion? Ease of cleaning? There’s nothing else available? A large part of the reason why we see so many plastic utensils is that almost all of these utensils are manufactured in China, cheaply. Many have their production off-shore because there is a far higher profit than if they were to be made in the U.S.A. (See our earlier blog “Oven Claw: Made in the U.S.A.)

If these companies would just look around, they’d see that there is another way. Ages ago, when I was kid it was common to watch workers tear down old buildings board by board and stack the wood in piles. This scrap lumber would be used to build new structures. This is in stark contrast to today when bulldozers crush everything and large trucks haul the remains to the dump. During those early days people especially in the lower middle class used every scrap of various materials around the house. For instance, my mother saved bacon, steak and other drippings left after cooking. She used this grease to make bars of soap that for the most part she used for washing clothes. Every scrap of cloth gleaned from making our shirts was saved and eventually used to make warm quilts. There were many such examples of this kind of utilization in not only our household but others as well. There was very little waste. Reports indicate that since the early 1990s more and more companies are trying to use scrap instead of using only new materials. At the same time people purchasing products strongly prefer new materials and shun used.

What does all of this have to do with the Oven Claw? As we build out our market, we will use more and more recycled wood and ensure that our manufacturers use every scrap. As it stands at the moment, our manufacturer does not waste any part of the tree. In this way the Oven Claw is not what one normally thinks of as a green product but it is more akin to what I saw as I grew up; using every scrap possible. Why not change your buying habits and reject plastics? Use wood products in your kitchen and save our natural resources.