So let's say you have invented something wacky and wondrous. Obviously you have smarts. But what else do you need before the money and fame starts rolling in?

Not to discourage you, son (or daughter), but innovation is hard. I would say it requires: (a) patience, (b) unwavering self-belief, and, perhaps most importantly, (c) the willingness to tell everyone else that they are wrong. 

You may have heard in marketing circles that the customer is always right. If you've invented something truly disruptive, throw that sentiment out the window. Henry Ford said, "If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse."