Lisa Ascolese is a born inventor whose first idea came to her when she was 9 and still struggled to tie her shoes. She came up with a method to glue her shoelaces together instead. Her TV debut came about in roughly 2002, when she created the Bun Tie. After receiving compliments on her handmade hair accessories, “I got some fabric, elastic, and string and started making them in different colors,†she says.
For more than 25 years, the 55-year-old Freehold, New Jersey-based entrepreneur has successfully patented, marketed, and launched dozens of products in national retail department stores and on QVC, ShopNBC, and HSN as an independent broker. One of her earlier products, a personal management tool called the Perfect Pocket Organizer, generated $6,000 in sales in less than six minutes (the duration of one QVC segment).
Today, Ascolese not only pitches and sells her own products, she also works as a broker, helping celebrities like Nicole Ari Parker and companies such as Westinghouse Lighting Corp. and Sylvania Lighting Co. get their products shown on television and ordered by retail buyers. She also conducts workshops called Inventing A to Z (the tile of her book) that teaches how to bring products to market.
There are scores of female inventors like Ascolese who wish to turn their dream idea into a reality. Entrepreneurs who have a who have an innovative business concept, product, invention, or startup company but need financial backing and guidance to jumpstart your venture., need look no further. The Casting Firm, Oxygen & FremantleMedia (American Idol, America’s Got Talent), along with a team of investors and self-made moguls, are on a nationwide search for that next million or billion dollar brilliant new product line or concept.
The Investment Club is an exciting new entrepreneurial series that will profile aspiring entrepreneurs give them the opportunity to pitch their concept to some of the country’s most successful business leaders, and showcase their company or product in front of millions.
“We’re looking for women who need help taking their great business idea or startup to the next level. Our goal is to give people with big ideas the resources, knowledge and capital to quit their day jobs and pursue their true passion,†says casting director Cherish Hamutoff.
If selected, a team of self-made moguls will mentor and guide that inventor along the way. Entrepreneurs will have the chance to team up with some of the country’s most successful business leaders for a chance to turn their small startups into full time careers.
Whether you have a start up, an operating business, or just a fantastic prototype and business plan, you can contact CastMe@TheCastingFirm.com. Provide your name, age, contact number and email address along with a brief description of your business or product and why you would be great for the show, photos and/or links to your product or business.