| Every school child is imbued with a history of the | | | | Thomas Jefferson's most practical inventions; many in |
| American Revolution that glorifies the great | | | | use to this day. The Great Clock, invented without a |
| accomplishments, political, military and social, of the | | | | minute hand, is still on display. To set the clock, |
| famous founding fathers. We learn that George | | | | Jefferson invented a folding ladder, that is still used |
| Washington; the Father of the United States was a | | | | worldwide in libraries. He invented a great Sundial that |
| great military leader, farmer, politician and stoic face | | | | is still a marvel of engineering. The beds in the house |
| of the revolutionary movement. Benjamin Franklin | | | | are ingeniously hung from ropes that enabled them |
| was an inventor, publisher, diplomat, self-made | | | | to be lifted and lowered to increase living space |
| millionaire and audaciously wise man. John Adams was | | | | when not is use. On either side of the great fireplace |
| a wonderful raconteur, writer, philosopher and brave | | | | in the salon are dumbwaiters. These were used to |
| leader. | | | | have servants send up wine and victuals without |
| While we know much about these, and so many | | | | appearing physically. |
| other great pioneering founders, we have lost much | | | | As a man of the pen, Jefferson was continually |
| knowledge of the flavor and contributions that they | | | | reading, in deepest thought and preferred to work in |
| made to improvements of every day life in colonial | | | | silence. To facilitate his work habits he created the |
| times. And accordingly, we have lost an example that | | | | revolving chair as a means of maximizing his |
| can be so easily transferred to our modern world. | | | | productivity. The ability to swivel, which we take for |
| These amazing men invented and improved according | | | | granted today, was revolutionary and enabled the |
| to the needs they confronted in a pre-industrial age. | | | | user to have access to several work spaces and |
| Washington, as an example, was a wonderful | | | | additional materiel from a single control spot. |
| brew-master and produced highly desired whiskey. He | | | | The revolving bookstand was a similar invention. This |
| traded his brew very profitably and was greatly | | | | ingeniously simple device enabled Jefferson to work |
| admired in Europe for the quality of his grain whiskey. | | | | with multiple books and reference materials |
| His barter with European merchants for trade goods | | | | simultaneously from a spinning stand of multiple, |
| was one of the earliest examples of ongoing | | | | slanted easel ledges. The ability to cogently study |
| international trade between the colonies and Europe. | | | | and compare literature in a timely way is again |
| Of the famous men of the revolution, however, | | | | something we take for granted but was an |
| none was so compelling, diverse, rounded and brilliant | | | | important improvement in the 18th century. |
| as Thomas Jefferson; farmer, educator, statesman, | | | | Thomas Jefferson was particularly proud of the |
| politician and practical inventor. We know Jefferson | | | | Portable Copy Press he designed. This small, |
| was the founder of the University of Virginia, chief | | | | unobtrusive press enabled him to make multiple |
| writer of the Declaration of Independence, Secretary | | | | copies of important documents while he traveled |
| of State, two term President and builder of | | | | Europe as a diplomat. People were amazed at the |
| Monticello. Today he is mostly forgotten as an | | | | facility and functionality of the machine. Almost as |
| inventor. And yet, Jefferson's contributions as an | | | | famous as the Portable Copy Press was the travel |
| inventor were most significant in his time and a | | | | case customized to carry the unit. It was essentially |
| wonderful example applicable to our present day. | | | | the first portable office with compartments for pens, |
| Thomas Jefferson created products, inventions and | | | | ink, a variety of supplies, and, even a nightcap. |
| enhancements based on the practical needs of his | | | | The genius of Thomas Jefferson, and so many of his |
| environment. As a dedicated and studious farmer, he | | | | contemporaries, was their ability to create practical |
| was constantly seeking to improve crop yield. During | | | | devices that improved theirs, and their society's |
| his diplomatic work in Europe he was introduced to | | | | circumstances. The created things they needed. Profit |
| the Dutch Mold Board Plow. As he saw the device in | | | | was not their principal motivation. They were driven |
| use he noted that it was unwieldy and not as | | | | by the need for more functional products that would |
| utilitarian as it needed to be. Nevertheless he saw the | | | | enhance their ability to be more productive. |
| germ of an idea and worked to improve it. The result | | | | This is advice I give almost daily in my consulting |
| was the re-engineered Mold Board Plow of Least | | | | business. Many people dream about inventing the |
| Resistance. This advanced plow enabled 18th century | | | | next Post-It Note, paper clipper, zipper or Play-Dough. |
| farmers to plow the ground more deeply, more easily | | | | The successful inventors, entrepreneurs and small |
| and to conserve valuable seed thus increasing crop | | | | businesses I have worked with always become |
| yield and profitability. | | | | successful because they answer a need by providing |
| While serving as Secretary of State Jefferson was | | | | a product or service featuring better features and |
| vexed by the need, and difficulty in keeping | | | | benefits. Invariably, these advances arise from their |
| diplomatic and military secrets. His answer was the | | | | life's experience, either work, hobby or home. |
| ingenious Wheel Cipher. Made from wood, with 26 | | | | Focusing on what we each know and live daily is the |
| spinning bands (one for each letter of the alphabet) | | | | best path to entrepreneurial commercial success. |
| this became the world's most advanced method of | | | | Washington, Franklin and Jefferson invented things of |
| transporting and protecting state secrets. | | | | value to their world. That model works just as well |
| A visitor to Monticello is exposed to a number of | | | | today. |