JOHN LYDDON, JAWZ INVENTOR 
When John Lyddon moved to the Santa Cruz mountains, he was worried that his young
 children might be in danger from wildcats that prowled his heavily forested 67 acre 
ranch.  Using a tractor with a bucket and chain, he began to laboriously remove brush, 
trees and boulders to discourage the wildcats from coming close to his house.  He 
believed that there had to be a better method than dismounting his tractor and struggling 
with a grapple, chain and bucket whenever he needed to remove a bush, tree, boulder 
or fence post.  
Lyddon had envisioned a vice-like tool that operated in a horizontal plane that could 
grab and lift objects then move or replace them with precision.  He traveled to the 
World Ag Expo (the world’s largest equipment trade show) in search of such a device.  
When he found no such tool, he began to discuss his idea with equipment makers who 
were attending the show.  One of them agreed to make a prototype of Lyddon’s 
concept.
After testing his prototype and refining his design, Lyddon hired a patent attorney and 
now holds a U.S. patent plus patents in 15 other countries.  “I knew I was not the only 
person who need this tool,” says Lyddon.  Lyddon’s Jawz is the only product on the 
market that operates on a horizontal plane.  Many end users currently use specialty or 
specific function tools, which Lyddon is trying to change.  The Jawz can replace many 
tools being used on the market which translates into big savings in money and time 
switching from one tool to another.
Perhaps the most important contributor to his success is that in 1998, Bobcat’s patent 
on quick release technology expired, allowing an army of new light construction 
vehicles to be introduced to market.  Jawz’s compatibility and utility with these new 
vehicles has given it quite a large market and a huge potential for success.  
Lyddon’s product was birthed from a genuine and personal need, which is the 
hallmark of any great invention.  Lyddon’s story is a great example of how inventions 
are often born from a great frustration or dissatisfaction.  When I coach inventors, I 
like to ask them, “What irritates you?  What causes you to get stressed out or 
angry?”  You can ask yourself that problem.  Now, would you buy a product that 
could eliminate that irritation?  Of course and that is what makes it a great invention.  
So the next time you lock your keys in your car or you cut yourself in the kitchen, 
think to yourself, “Is there a way to prevent this?”  If you think of a solution, you 
might have the next great invention worth millions.

 
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