DPR Patent Drafting Co.

ABOUT THE DRAFTER AND HIS BUSINESS

A STORY OF FUNDING EDUCATION

My roommate was confused and caught off guard when I entered the apartment with a new computer box, fax machine, scanner, office supplies, and anything else I thought I needed to start up the business I had obsessively talked about for the past month. He immediately jumped from the couch.

"What are you doing?, what's with all these boxes?, you don't have any money to buy this stuff!", he exclaimed.

"I know", I said staring at them and spacing off while scratching my head, "that's the rest of my student loans right there."

"What are you thinking?, you better have rent next week, and the gas bill will be ridicules this winter", remembering what he just read off the news.

"Well, I'm starting that business I have always been talking about. I got my dad to help me and get me off my feet with a few cases here and there, and hopefully it will take off to replenish these expenses", still starting at the boxes as they came back into vision. I started grabbing the empty beer cans and pizza boxes from the table, clearing the way for what I would be calling my new "office area."

"Your not even a business major, you don't know the first thing about business."

I thought for a little, and a whole speech instantly entered my head, a long awaited speech I had saved one night for whoever deserved it.

"You see, that's the problem with us college kids. We are so programmed to believe that whatever we major in will be what we will be doing for the rest of our lives. Chances are, we will have nothing to do with what we major in. I'm majoring in mathematics, do you think I will find a job purely for the sake of math and nothing else? No. You need to go to grad school if you want to do that, especially math. I will be lucky to end up in a cubicle doing something that has nothing to do with math, like everyone else and their particular major."

Then unto my philosophy of business

"As far as me doing this and not majoring in business, its along the same lines, but business has far less structure than something like mathematics. Business is more like art. School will teach you one thing, but going out in the real world is another. You may learn and memorize all those bold face definitions in the text books, but you don't really know them until you have defined them yourself when running a business. No matter what your grades are, either you have a talent for business or you don't, and you sure don't need a college to get into business. That is why I'm starting this business. My dad's got some work he can give me if I want it, I will take advantage and try to make something out of it, its a risk, its already business. I already have more experience than anyone at that business school. Its experience that really counts in the long run."

"Well, lets see if the risk was worth it. You better have rent ready", as he precariously smirked. I only hoped it wasn't out of spite from what I had just said, but rather because it made sense and he had subliminally acknowledged it with his grin.

It was on that day, September 30th, 2001, I started DPR Patent Drafting Co as part-time work while attending my junior year at the Ohio State University. It was a just as big a risk for me as an ongoing roller-coaster ride, but there was not a day that went by that I wouldn't regret doing it.

My roommate and friends kept a close curious eye on its evolution, as well as mine working with it. I even had my brother working on a few cases for some extra cash. The business not only taught me valuable lessons about business itself, but other self educating issues such as advertisement, web designing/programming, and market research.

The business did become a burden my senior year because my classes at that time had become incredibly tough, and it was during this time I forced myself to tell the few committed clients I had that I would no longer be able to draft that remaining year. I had my eyes set on graduate school in mathematics, and after applying to just one school (as any graduate would say - a stupid idea).

I remember that horrible day when I received the letter I didn't get in, knowing that graduation was just a week away. I sat down on my couch and realized I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. That whole summer, I went around dropping off desperate applications and resumes to local restaurants, grocery stores, and other stores. I remember walking up to a manager saying that I just graduated from college and would be willing to work even his 3rd shift at his in-and-out store. Applying to big financial firms, or any big firm over the internet, was just as unsatisfying. You were on a one year waiting list, even before being considered.

Then, I remembered DPR and patent drafting my junior year.

So I sent out a desperate mass emailing to all patent attorneys and agents, letting them know I was willing to take in work after graduation. It was because of that year of work during my junior year that a patent attorney responded from Fort Worth, Texas and told me he would give me some office space if I moved down there. That's all I needed before I found myself in a Ryder (R) truck and saying goodbye to all the friends I had made in Ohio. Through reference and positive feedback, DPR soon became a full time job and one of the well-known drafting firms solely for the purpose of patents. With the recent self education of website designing and programming (including this website), I was also able to take on website projects for a few clients as well.

Working in the office and surrounding by everything that had to do with patents, my curiosity in patents became an interest, and the interest became a commitment to get back into school to get one step closer to being a patent agent, and maybe one day a patent attorney. I was recently admitted to the Graduate Electrical Engineering Program at George Washington University. I will be moving there the beginning of August to settle in the area I have always loved. During my studies in DC, I hope to continue patent drafting as a side job by keeping DPR open to all my current and future clients.

I thank all those who gave me work, who are giving me work now, and those who will give me work in the future. Thank you for helping fund education.

-7/20/2004