Calvin E. Flowers
Founder, Chicago’s 1st Black Inventors/Entrepreneurs Organization
With over 20 years of Professional work experience Calvin Flowers has a rich history of leadership guiding companies towards their goals. As Founder, Inventor, President & CEO of Tel-Lock, Inc, this accomplished corporate strategist and marketer’s vision and expertise in business performance have driven notable enterprise growth for the company from 1996-Present. He invented, patented and sold Tel-Lock’s primary product nationwide to stores such as Walgreens and Supervalu. Offering a rare blend of creative and operational strengths Flowers has launched an exciting company, and serves as Director of Operations, overseeing new product development and new product recruitment. He cut his teeth managing and clerking for F&F Auto Salvage/Renuit Auto Repair and the Chicago Housing Authority. From 2004- Present He has served as the Chicago 1st Black Inventors/Entrepreneurs Organization’s Founder, Chairman and Executive.
Calvin received his Bachelor of Arts and Science-Mathematics in 2006 from Chicago State University in Chicago, IL
Awards and Volunteer Experience
- FaithCorp Fund 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year
- ABC’s Harry Porterfield’s “Someone you should know”
- Chicago 1st Black Inventors/Entrepreneurs Organization, NFP
- Who’s Who in Executives and Businesses 1998
- Served on the loan Committee for Metropolitan Family
Blacks Gone Geek Salutes Inventors and Entrepreneurs!
An Interview with CALVIN FLOWERS, Founder, Chicago’s 1st Black Inventors/Entrepreneurs Organization
by Sheila Marionneaux
BGG: We were so fortunate to meet you at the October 2009 BDPA Chicago Chapter Program meeting. At one point in your presentation, I think you threw the audience off, or maybe, WE threw YOU off, when you asked by a show of hands – “how many inventors were present?” and no hands went up!!
CF: Yes, (chuckles) I was somewhat surprised! I felt that everyone in the audience, being IT people, should have raised their hands. But I could see the processing of information on faces as I began to expound on the subject. Analysts are just not used to thinking of themselves as inventors.
BGG: Exactly, and getting IT minds to begin think of themselves as inventors or innovators is why we really want to shed light on this subject.
CF: Being an inventor is merely creating something that has not previously existed, whether programming a code to perform a certain function, or getting an idea from thought stage to practical application, is basically “inventing.” IT people are inventing everyday.
BGG: Calvin, your organization is about “providing its members with exclusive resources that will enable them to bring their invention to fruition and provide ongoing support”. This is such a niche of a service, so needed in these volatile times - how did you come to establish CFBIEO?
CF: My first invention, an enhancement of a telephone jack product, received so much publicity (Walgreens and other retailers were distributing it nationally), which resulted in people calling me constantly. When I got around to returning the calls, I learned they were not calls about marketing my invention; they were from other people wanting to learn how to accomplish what I had achieved! They wanted to know how to get their products to market! And so through a grass roots effort, about 12 of us formed a foundation in support of this effort. We are able to provide networking and resources for inventors and entrepreneurs.
BGG: I’m curious about how you chose your professional path. Can you share your background with us? What inspired your motivation to succeed in your field?
CF: I’m a product of Chicago Public Schools, and attended Simeon (at the time it was called Simeon Vocational High School, a.k.a. “the Warehouse”). This was a trade school, and so I learned to think about learning and owning a technical skill. I wasn’t really thinking about scholarly achievement, just that I would own a skill to provide an income. At some point one of my teachers told me that I was not “college material.” This didn’t set so well with me, because I am not the type who lets others decide my course of actions. It started me to thinking differently. I wanted to be in a position to hit my stride, sort of find my place, without limitations, so I decided to transfer to Calumet High School.
This move was pivotal for me, because I realized that if I were going to be “college material”, that I would have to move from the lower half of my class rank, to the top half, and a C-average was not going to cut it.
My focus shifted, I worked very hard, and I became a “B” student, achieving a 19 composite score on the ACT. I went on to graduate from Chicago State University.
BGG: I hope our young people are reading, because it is so important to have self motivation, especially when others tell you what you are not capable of doing. I can relate to that!!
BGG: Speaking of young people, does your organization have a youth component or initiative?
CF: Absolutely! Our Young Inventor’s Program started about 2 years ago, and we are still growing the program. Of course as with so many other important initiatives, we are hoping to find avenues of consistent funding. We were able to partner with the Chicago Children’s Museum on a project where we had our young students participate in solving a consumer problem. The kids took on the assignment with a lot of excitement and actually came up with some pretty creative innovations. They enjoyed the event, which really planted the seeds for many of the kids to think alternatively about what they could do with their lives. There’s the routine job track— which is totally honorable, but when you think about entrepreneurship and inventing, you discover a whole different set of dynamics associated with being your own boss and running your own program.
This month we also held a kick-off program of thirty 8th-graders held at the Wrigley Company’s Innovation Center as part of our “What’s Possible” program. The students were able to ‘job shadow’ the engineers and lab technicians to learn about quality control of certain products (like Gummy Life Savers candy). The kids were exposed to a rich learning experience and we’re looking forward to other companies like McDonald’s and Walgreens to provide similar technical exposure for the kids.
BGG: Very awesome!! Tell us, for adults, what types of workshops and training do you provide for your members?
CF: We offer exposure to everything from product-to-market & distribution information support, to legal representatives who will provide either pro-bono or discounted services for those wanting to protect their inventions, or even considering to license out their intellectual property. We try to provide a balance so that we cover all of the basics with technical aspects of the invention life cycle (from concept to market). But also we concentrate on success stories, having presenters who have launched their ideas into production or have licensed ideas. We find this is inspiring to keep others on track to reach their goals.
BGG: Mr. Calvin Flowers, thank you for the work you’re doing to keep our community aware of career options, in these times of mass layoffs and job volatility. We are providing a link to your website so that people can learn how to independently add to their bottom line!
CF: Thank you! My greatest achievement and rewarding feat is being blessed to have provided a good life for my family. I am blessed to have been able to raise my children up the right way. My daughter has found a role model in me, and my sons, I am so proud to say, have managed to rise above peer pressure to hold on to their focus. There is so much to detract our youth today, but I want our family community to be aware of options for a better way of life.
For information on Calvin Flowers and Chicago 1st Black Inventors, please visit: http://www.cfbieo.org
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