Shannon's space

. . . and for joining us here where there's a bit more space to explain what this is all about!  Hopefully, we can answer any questions you might have - like . . .

Q: What is TreasureBooking?
A:  In a nutshell -  TreasureBooking takes the "scary," and the king's-ransom expense out of multimedia so that now - anyone can have a ball preserving their memories in a whole-new vein of creative options! 

We're working to provide walk-in studios where folks can come in with their shoebox full of old pictures, videos, cassettes . . . and walk out with amazing keepsakes. 

We can do it for you - or you can be completely hands-on - or somewhere in between.  You'd not only have all the equipment you'd need, but a coach on hand to help you smash the learning curve flat.  Get help setting up and get any questions answered as you go. 

You'll find out how easy and fun it is to make movies, home-made radio shows, a multimedia trivia game for your next family reunion, a pictorial timeline of your family history - the works!

Your job is just to have fun "saving your family" in a themed, social atmosphere. 

Q:  Why should I vote for TreasureBooking?
A:  We wish there was enough prize money for all of the wonderful ideas that are submitted to IdeaBlob - but if we are chosen, you should know that we plan to take our success and use it to help many, many others become winners as well.  Here's how:

• We can help you win.  If you like what you see - you shouldn't have to wait long to enjoy the benefits.  We're prepared to make TreasureBooking available to everyone in the US.  First, through online services and second through franchising.  We want to be as close as a click or a quick drive down the street!
• We can help communities win.  Free samples is the best form of marketing.  We have already been offering free multimedia classes through the public library system and would be able to expand that if we had a real studio to invite folks to. 
• We can help moms, students and people with disabilities win.  TreasureBooking has a "Take It and Make It" service where we'd train and provide paying projects for those who need to work from home.
• We can help worthy causes win.  When you hear "Special Olympics" - doesn't a smile just cross your face?  That's because they've done a great job telling their story.  How many other great groups are there that could benefit from greater public support if only they could capture the magic of their story and share it?  TreasureBooking can do that - and we'd do it for free.  We can also help schools, churches and clubs quickly raise money with win/win fundraising services.  And, of course - we'd make philanthropic donations.

Here's a few other reasons to vote for us:

• TreasureBooking addresses a HUGE need.  In a little more than 5 years, Scrapbooking has become a 3 BILLION dollar industry.  That's just pictures.  Not only do we cover pictures, but also - videos, cassette tapes, records . . . the works!
• TreasureBooking is more than an idea.  Two moms have been developing this company for over three years (during naps, preschool and evenings).  "TreasureBooking" is a nationally registered name.  We're established as an LLC.  We've got the equipment and a host of products developed.  We haven't advertised, and yet - there's been a steady stream of customers.  We've gone slowly up to this point because family comes first, but now, with full-time school - we're really ready to really move.
• We're prepared.  We're know how to produce quality multimedia products.  We've also spent hundreds of hours studying and practicing good business - innovation, management, marketing, strategy . . . We've won awards (including a citation from President Bush - senior) for leadership opportunities in other endeavors. 

Thank you for your time - and hopefully - your vote in the IdeaBlob competition!

There are THREE reasons to vote for the FreshBox:

1. It will benefit you - by saving you money and by keeping your food (even the big stuff) fresh far longer

2. It will benefit humanitarian causes - by helping to feed many more in need with food
    that would otherwise have spoiled. There are also potential medical benefits that the FreshBox may serve.

3. Success here would uncork the genie - allowing us to unleash
    a host of other innovations waiting in the wings that would provide . . .

• many new jobs (especially for stay-at-home-moms, those with disabilities, and students)
• new services and products (such as inexpensive public multimedia studios, a super-heroes camp for kids, a brand-new high-tech sport, and many other concepts and inventions)
• philanthropic undertakings (including a feel-good, reality TV show benefiting 3rd world countries;a way to help existing service organizations gain far more public support, etc.)

BACKGROUND
The FreshBox placed in the New York American Inventor's Competition this year. 
It placed in the top 5% out of over 1,000 contestants. It has also been granted provisional patent rights. I’ve had the blessing of being able to co-develop this with my brainy brother-in -law who has a doctorate in engineering.

CONCEPT
The FreshBox is made up of stackable drawers that - when closed - will quietly vacuum all the air out.
Pushing a button close to the handle allows the air in again, so it is easy to re-open.
This means that food storage for consumers can now be as simple as opening and closing a drawer.

It's expandable.
Each drawer contains a simple one-way valve system that allows users to stack one drawer on top of another to hook up to the base unit's vacuum.

It also incorporates filters that absorb ethylene gas – the stuff that makes produce both ripen - and rot. For example, strawberries will look great after a week in vacuum storage, but will taste fermented because of that gas – so you need both. There’s a screen along the bottom that helps keep excess moisture down as well.

Vacuum storage is nothing new and it works wonderfully. BUT - it’s not found in every kitchen yet.

Why?

Because up until now - it has been expensive (special bags and bottles) and time-consuming.

Current systems out there, deal with each food item individually, so you have to stop and take time to plug in each container and wait while the air is noisily sucked out before you can put it away. And the containers take up fridge space even if they only have a little food left inside. Larger items – such as a loaf of bread, a box of donuts or a bag of apples just don’t fit.

The Fresh Box deals with food as a whole, so you can fit a lot more using less space. There’s plenty of room for the larger items too, such as a loaf of bread, a box of donuts, and pre-prepared salads (saving prep time since you can make your all of your salads for the week at the same time).

It’s faster, quieter and far more cost-effective.

The FreshBox is also versatile.
The entire system or individual drawers may be kept in or out of the fridge.

It can be designed for the great outdoors (with solar or manual power generation) or for the high-end kitchen.
Its application goes beyond food, with possibilities in the flower bouquet industry, document storage, and even the medical field.

BENEFITS TO SOCIETY
• HOMES: Far less waste and far more money saved
• FOOD BANKS: Organizations like Second Harvest would be able to store their donations far longer
• FOOD INDUSTRY: FreshBoxes can assist in transportation as well as in-store product freshness.
• HEALTH INDUSTRY: We will research the potential for organ donations and longer shelf-life for some medications
• RECREATION: Portable FreshBoxes may be taken camping, on trips, outings…
• THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES: In places where electricity and refrigeration are unavailable, the FreshBox could do much to make food last longer and relieve hunger.

When successful, we plan to donate FreshBoxes to worthy causes and to those who cannot afford it.
Not only is this a win for those who receive these gifts, but Cause Marketing is a great way to generate business!

Thank you for considering a vote for the FreshBox!
We will work hard to bring it to your home and to benefit communities world-wide.