The GoateeSaver Tour 2008

INVENTOR TRAVELS 8,686 MILES ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS

The last time America heard from Scott Bonge of Little Rock, he was setting out on a cross country trek to meet as many people as he could and inspire them to "dust off their dreams." That was before a car accident put a dent in his plan six days into his tour.

For many people, it would be enough to call it quits. But not Scott. The man, who is definitely no stranger to adversity, is now more determined than ever.

Scott's story is simple, yet a bit complicated. Simple because it started with Play-doh, plaster and Popsicle sticks. Complicated because his road to success has been filled with potholes and detours.

Going back a few years, his idea was to come up a device that would help him create the perfect goatee. "I was tired of being frustrated with trying to get my own goatee even on both sides of my face," he said. "If it ended up crooked, I would just shave it off. So one day I thought, if I've got this issue, other guys have to have the same problem."

He and his wife, Christy, went to work moulding the perfect shaving contraption. "At first, we started with Play-Doh. She would literally mold it over my face," Scott said. "Then we graduated to plaster. There were times I would literally have only a small hole to breathe through."

Ten prototypes later he took his creation to an engineer, but the first few told him he was wasting his time. "They basically told me I couldn't do it because it was 'too complicated,'" he said.

But Scott was determined because he had nothing to lose. He had recently gone from a six-figure income to the unemployment line. He invested his own time and money, made a few tweaks here and there, and ultimately came up with what is now known worldwide as the GoateeSaver.

It no longer looks anything like the child's art class creation it once did. Today, the invention is plastic, sleek and refined. It even moves up and down and the sides adjust thanks to its chrome turnbuckles. It's a true work of art.

The unique mouthpiece was released in June. It now appears on more than 120 gadget websites, and has been featured on several radio talk shows, television stations, newspapers and magazines around the globe. The GoateeSaver has even made a guest appearance on late night talk show host Jay Leno's chin.

But Bonge's road to success is just the beginning of his journey. He is a regular guy who believes in giving back, and he wants to show others it takes determination and believing in yourself to succeed. His message to others: follow your dreams.

As he makes his way across the country, he wants to show others they can make a difference. He is taking his invention, and message, on a cross-country tour. Bonge is driving town-to-town with the goal to meet and inspire as many people as he can. His route, along with a blog of his journey, is posted right here on www.goateesaver.com. If you'd like to meet him, or schedule an interview, please email Tiffany Morrin at tiffany@goateesaver.com or call (717) 228-8940.