hen he was 12 years old, Adrian Lindsey rode his bicycle to the neighborhood basketball courts carrying his ball under one arm; he dropped the ball a lot. When he complained to his mother, she encouraged him to try and solve the problem. With pencil and paper, young Adrian invented a unique carry bag designed like a basketball net. He called his invention the All-Net Sak.

       Lindsey, now 19, is from Akron, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. In 2007, he e-mailed Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers (“Cavs”), about his invention, and an assistant put Lindsey in touch with the director of an entrepreneurship program Gilbert had launched in Michigan. Through this connection, 60 of his All-Net Saks were given away at a Cavs game, and the product also went into the Cavs Team Shop.

       Getting his invention into other stores wasn’t easy. Lindsey and his mother tried many retailers; managers all liked the All-Net Sak but wouldn’t take a chance on it. Another barrier he faced was production costs. Product-design quotes started at $20,000. Mother and son did the design themselves, and then found a small marketing firm in Akron that made the product look more professional for just $75. A promotional products company, also in Akron, that specializes in the manufacture of bags made the costs reasonable, and family members contributed $500 for the development of a website.

       Lindsey achieved some product exposure by donating 60 All-Net Saks to kids participating in the LeBron James “King for Kids Bikeathon” in Akron. He also volunteered and donated part of his revenue to help the East Cleveland Shaw High School marching band perform at the Beijing Olympics.

       In 2008, Lindsey was inducted into the Young Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame of the National Museum of Education in Akron.

       “You have to believe in yourself,” he has said. “There’s going to be good times and bad times, but if you stick with it, you can push through the difficult times.”  n