Back to school, back to school!

Hanson Grant is the founder of Think Board, a Mass Challenge Finalist, senior at Babson College, and one of Boston’s Top 25 Innovators Under 25. As a sophomore at Babson, he set out to reinvent the whiteboard.

How Think Board Was Born

All Grant needed was a space to write down his ideas, but papers get lost, whiteboards are too bulky, and dry erase paints are too expensive. Most people use large writing spaces for collaboration and expansive ideation, but current solutions are limited. That is whereThink Board comes in.

Think Board is a clear film that turns any smooth surface into a dry-erase board. Think Board’s vision is to provide students, parents, innovators and entrepreneurs a new thinking space; by allowing them to turn any existing surface into a dry erase canvas for creativity!

So, what makes Think Board different? Think Board is nearly invisible, which allows users to turn an existing surface into a dry erase canvas, without sacrificing the appearance of the room or office.

With the help of digital printing, we can even personalize and customize Think Boards, with any logo, graph, or name. With this technology we have the ability to penetrate new markets that no dry erase provider has in the past.

Think Board is currently focusing its time, energy and resources into education. Students of all ages love using it – whether in their room to practice math problems, or in their dorm room to organize their busy lives.

We have done a number of tests proving that using Think Board can increase efficiency and effectiveness in a classroom or at home. The physical connection made between hand and pen, versus hand and keyboard allows for better memorization and enhanced creativity.

Think Board has seen a large percentage of sales coming from college students, as well as mothers and fathers of grade school children. Students are finally excited to begin their work in class on their desk, or at home on their personal Think Board. We have been seeing parents putting Think Boards all over the house. The most popular places include their child’s wall, desk, playroom, or even refrigerator for a family shopping list or calendar.

The most exciting part of focusing on students of all ages is receiving feedback from the customers to see how they are using Think Board in their own unique way. One kind mother wrote to us saying the following:

“My daughter loves her Think Board. She is running her own little dance class on our second floor landing. Brilliant!”

Think Board is not going to stop here; the company’s goal is to overlay Think Boards onto every school desk across the country. Think Board School Desks are in ten schools around New England at the moment, and the demand is rapidly increasing.

Teachers are stating how students run to their desks during the beginning of class to start their in-class assignments. Students enjoy the opportunity of writing on their desk, being creative, and receiving immediate feedback from their peers or teacher.

High performing students can write at an accelerated pace, while students who need support receive it in real time and can repeat activities as needed. The teacher is able to circulate and respond to multiple students in a time efficient manner. The traditional paper and pencil model requires collection, grading and returning of papers.

Students get far more writing practice using Think Boards and are able to receive critical face-to-face feedback and support from peers and the teacher, which is lacking in paper-pencil model.

Think Board on the Today Show.

With so much potential at home and in the classroom, Think Board is in search of a corporate benefactor to help sponsor this program and make Think Board School Desks affordable in every school district. Until then, Think Board will continue focus on getting the product into the hands of as many students as possible.

If you can see a use for Think Board, or know someone who could benefit from having a Think Board in their life, please check out the link below and share on social media!

What makes a great gift?  Every time the holiday season rolls around, this question gets tougher and tougher.  We want to give our friends and loved ones a gift that is unique, one they won’t get from someone else.  We want our gift to stand out, not blend in.  Instead of buying clothes or a piece of technology that will be outdated in a matter of months, buy a gift that gets better with time. 

It’s time to think differently about the value of our gifts this holiday season.  Stand out, and buy a Think Board for your college student, family member, friend, or co-worker.  A Think Board is a thin, clear sheet that can be applied to any smooth surface, and transform it into a dry-erase surface.  You’ll be remembered for giving this gift. 

The recipient will use Think Board to organize themselves and express their creativity in ways they previously hadn’t been able to.  Think Board gets our creative juices flowing, and you cannot go wrong if you decide to gift a Think Board this holiday season. 

So, without further ado, here is the Think Board Holiday Gift Guide!

K-12 Students

Get your Think Board today!

Stay Focused

When engaging in a busy lifestyle, it can be hard to stay focused and efficiently carry out tasks. Some chose pen and paper, and others may chose a small daily planner. 

While these may work for you, a dry-erase board will allow you to write your ideas down in an organized fashion, clear your mind and focus on high priority tasks.  

Stay Organized with Think Board

A Microsoft study about the use of whiteboards revealed that people are able to brainstorm and organize more efficiently by arranging information visually!

A great way to organize different topics and ideas is through color-coding. By using different colors for different subjects, it becomes much easier for you to focus on one task at a time.

Another great technique is using check boxes. By checking off the tasks as you complete them and leaving them on the board, you motivate yourself to complete the ones that have yet to be finished.

One thing that is overlooked when thinking about using your whiteboard is the size of your writing. Writing important tasks larger than minor ones spatially helps your brain internally organize in terms of urgency. A Think Board may be the best resource for this, since they come in all shapes and sizes, and can help with staying organized and idea generation.  

You should also try to leave some extra room for external thoughts you may have about a certain subject. Seeing empty space on a whiteboard will encourage you to fill it with something. Many good ideas can stem from general keys of thought. Think Board is perfect place to let your ideas flow from your brain, to a physical surface where you can visualize them! 

As exams slowly approach, many students are looking for ways to study, stay organized and stay focused. It's important to stay on task while increasing the productivity of work or school, but also important to have a little fun! 

1. Writing Down Notes and Ideas 

It's proven that writing down your notes and ideas help you not only remember the content better, but also allows you to have a new space to analyze and work through any problems you may have.

Working through mathematical problems on whiteboards can help you see what is going on from step to step. Similarly, trying to list advantages and disadvantages of options you are presented with can help make a decision much easier.

2. Make Lists 

One of the best ways to increase your productivity is to make lists. Lists can help you internalize thoughts as well as remember them in an organized fashion. In the process of creating a list, you may find that often times you can remember what was on it without even looking.

The cognitive science behind handwriting proves that writing trumps typing 100% of the time. Whether you're just trying to write down a list of groceries, or making a list of terms for your next exam, Think Board can help! 

3. Map Out Your Thoughts 

With Think Board, it's easy to map out all of your thoughts and organize them in a similar way to which your brain does. By writing all of your ideas and thoughts on a whiteboard, you are able to compartmentalize information much more efficiently and productively. Get creative, and organize like no other! 

4. Go Explore: Don't Stay in One Room 

Another perk to having a Think Board is being able to place it wherever you want. Whether you want one in your office, in your room, in the kitchen, or your desk, you can put a Think Board to any indoor, smooth surface!

If you place your whiteboard somewhere where you see it every day, you are constantly being reminded of the content it contains, making it easier to remember. 

Whether you're a college student looking for something to motivate you and boost your productivity, or a professional in the business world trying to stay organized and on top of your work, Think Board is the secret ingredient you've been looking for to achieve success.