It’s impossible to know when the first massage was given. The Chinese have been writing about their techniques for at least 5,000 years and it can be safely assumed that massage existed in some form or other long before being documented. Different types of massage have developed throughout the centuries and each has been improved or used as the basis for creating a slightly different approach. There hasn’t been any new or updated technique truly worthy of the label “revolutionary” for a long time. To find that, we have to look at the newest innovation in massage table.

Just before the beginning of the year, Oakworks, one of the top manufacturers of massage and medical tables announced the release of the ABC massage table. ABC stands for adjustable breast comfort and was invented by Rebecca Savich, who appreciated the benefits of frequent massage sessions but not the discomfort created by laying face-down on a solid surface. Tables designed with cut-outs were better than those without but still provided a fairly uncomfortable experience. After several years of learning how to navigate the world of inventions, she has now partnered with Oakworks and the ABC system is a reality.

Massage tables equipped with the ABC system have an adjustable pad area that can be raised or lowered with a powerful foot pump and release valve. These can be operated by the massage therapist without any interruption at all to the session. The design allows for all body types and sizes and provides more than adequate support for whatever technique that is being used by the practitioner while reducing pressure on the breast area.

While the original intent of the ABC system was to increase the comfort for women during a massage, it actually does much more. When the client is on his or her back, the pad, which is well-cushioned, can be raised above the level of the table. This not only opens up the chest but also creates far easier access to the back and neck for the massage therapist. With the back in this position and using the attached face rest to support the head, range of motion work can be done far more easily and effectively.

The most innovative massage table design in the world will not bring your clients back if your technique is not sound or if your attitude and professionalism are not exemplary. As competition increases, your clients will have more choices and many of them will also offer a quality service. What will set you apart is the ability to provide the absolute best experience available. Once someone has the opportunity to compare sessions on the traditional table with the ABC table, it may well be the deciding factor.

When times are tough, as they have been for awhile, the natural inclination is to tighten our belts and make do with the equipment we currently have. Often, that is the wisest course. When it comes to your massage tables, however, that may well prove to be a costly error.

The newer tables on the market, like the ABC Massage Table from Oakworks, are such a leap forward that they simply cannot be ignored. The difference in the level of comfort afforded all clients, but especially women, is exponential. Surveys have shown that once a female client has experienced a massage on a table with an adjustable breast contour design, she will travel farther, spend more and risk leaving a trusted therapist to visit a center that has an ABC table.

No doubt you have worked hard to develop the loyalty of your clientele. Are you confident that what you currently offer will suffice in the future? The field of massage therapy has gone through a change generated by an influx of new therapists. How will this affect your business?

Most things in life tend to go through cycles, and that usually holds true when talking about occupational demand. The most recent downward spiral in the economy was detrimental to many, if not most, occupations. Massage, however, was one of the exceptions.

It should not be surprising that times of economic upheaval create an increased demand for techniques that alleviate stress. The more interesting aspect of the recent trend is that the same climate that created more need for relaxation techniques like massage also sparked a surge in the number of people changing careers and opting to become massage therapists.

When the economy tanked and people lost their jobs by the thousands, many saw it as an opportunity to leave behind corporate type work environments that were not making them happy, even when business was good. Massage therapy seemed to offer a way to not only make a decent living but also provide a service that they could feel good about because it is something that people genuinely need.

Inevitably, though, just as we’ve seen this happen in the past with teachers and nurses, the supply will fill the demand and competition for clients will increase. This means that it is essential to start now to do the things that will give your practice the advantage it will need to remain strong in the future.

Continuing education, sharpening your skills and learning alternate modalities are all excellent methods of giving you an edge. However, to keep your clients satisfied and continuing to give you those crucial referrals, it is essential that you stay abreast of innovations in equipment. This is especially true when it comes to your massage table.

The silver lining in the constant bombardment of bad news is that the need for massage services should remain strong for a long time. There is no reason that an experienced practitioner with excellent skills and a good quality, comfortable massage table should not be able to do quite well.

Rebecca Savich, Inventor and President of Contour Table Systems, who has created an innovative new massage table designed to support women’s breasts and people of all body, shapes and sizes.

Note: Refer to audio player below to listen to this episode.

After a 3 day cross country drive from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania, Rebecca Savich spent 5 days trying to get in touch with Jeff Riach, President of Oakworks, (a leading Manufacturer and Retailer of massage tables).  “I drove to Pennsylvania without an appointment but figured when I did get a hold of him, I wanted to be there and ready.”  When Rebecca finally spoke to Jeff, he invited her to come in for a meeting the next day.  He was going to give her 15 minutes.  The 15 minutes turned into 2½ hours, they shook hands that day and “The Utopian” and “The Euphorian” began to take form.

Rebecca’s company, Contour Table Systems signed a deal with Oakworks, Inc. in August 2009. “Although I have lived in Los Angeles for many years, I am proud to have been born and raised in Pennsylvania. I love that Oakworks is based in Pennsylvania and that their products are manufactured in the USA.  For me, it’s like paying homage to my home state. The fact that they are a family-owned business with incredible ‘green’ values, made them the right choice for me.”

As a naturally endowed woman, Rebecca faced major discomfort when lying face down getting a massage. “It’s a Catch-22 situation.  I received massages often because my back aches from carrying my breasts, but the massages that were meant to help my back, would hurt my breasts!” Her own “breast distress” turned into a personal quest to invent a device that could be built into massage and medical tables. The ABC System (Adjustable Breast Comfort system, patent pending) was born.

It has been an amazing journey for Rebecca to finalize the deal. Her story is riddled with obstacles, determination and many ups and downs. “I owe a great bit of gratitude to my friends and family who supported me through this. But most of all, she dedicates her project and success to her mom. “Without her, I would not have been able to do this,” she says of her mom Sandra K. Savich (1948- 2005) in whose honor Rebecca has set up the Sandra K. Savich Foundation. Contour Table Systems is dedicated to donating a portion of its proceeds to various charities through her foundation.

A bit of a renaissance woman herself, Rebecca graduated from the Art Institute of Philadelphia where she majored in music marketing, media and project management. She created and wrote “The Adventure Brigade,”’ an online children’s animation program in development. She is an award-winning photographer, a certified scuba diver and has been a member of Screen Actors Guild since 1996. For more information visit ContourTableSystems.com.

Abbreviated Transcript of Interview with Rebecca Savich

Eric Michaels: What prompted you to invent a device for massage and medical tables that adjusts for different breast sizes?

Rebecca Savich: I am a naturally large breasted woman. When you carry that kind of weight, you need to get massages because your back is always sore. I had tried many different masseuses, many different places and tables and it was pretty much the same thing – they would roll up towels, put them under your shoulders and the pressure that they would apply to help my back was actually making my breasts sore which was counter productive…

Eric Michaels: Tell us about your ABC System. Other than adjust ability for breast comfort, can the Contour Table Systems platform perform other functions?

Rebecca Savich: Well the ABC System itself is a cushioned platform that moves up and down throughout the table. The whole top is a cut out and it moves so that’s where the adjustability comes from but the great thing about this is, that it does actually have other functions, whereas it raises above the table – so when the client is laying on their back it can actually use it as a head rest so the therapist doesn’t have to hold up the back of the neck…

Eric Michaels: Please tell our audience about how your tables work and who would most benefit from them.

Rebecca Savich: The first table that came out last year is called the “Utopian”. It’s a portable version and with this table it is simply, the platform itself is raised up and down with an airbag that is used with a quick pedal so it just puts air into the air bladder and it makes it go up and it has a simple release valve that allows the air to go out so it can lower and it’s light weight…it benefits everybody – men and women….

——————

Want the entire audio version of this eHealth Radio Episode? Rebecca Savich discusses & answers:

• Other than a massage therapist, what other professionals would benefit from using these tables?
• Why did you choose Oakworks as your manufacturer and developer?
• Don’t Miss Special Conclusion Tip…

Web Sites: ContourTableSystems.com MassageTables.com

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Note: The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of the show host or it’s owners.

Innovative Businesses that could shape the future Part 1

We compiled a list of 10 businesses that we thought were out of the ordinary. Just not the regular old economy businesses, but something new, something innovative and something that looks interesting. There are so many innovative business concepts that we could compile a list of 100. We decided to start with 10. Maybe, at a later time we’ll come up with more innovative businesses.

[...]

Innovative new massage table designed to support people of all body shapes

Rebecca Savich, the extraordinary young inventor created the ADJUSTABLE BREAST COMFORT (ABC) SYSTEM that reduces pressure on women’s breasts. The large range of motion work and vertical elevation fits all clients when they are lying face down or on their backs.

You can visit Contour Table Systems to learn more about them.

By STEVE SNYDER – Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News
June 1, 2010

How’s this for a resume: Photographer, scuba diver, bartender, actor, author, and now …

Inventor.

All this from a woman, Rebecca Savich, who grew up next to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in the southeastern corner of Lebanon County and now calls Los Angeles home.

Or more specifically, Sherman Oaks. Ever hear of Ventura Boulevard? Just to the south is Beverly Hills.

Anyway, before we stray too far away, how about we learn a little more about our scuba-diving inventor from Millcreek Township?

Way back when she was a student at Elco High School, Savich was featured in a front-page story of the Lebanon Daily News because she was selected to do an underwater photo shoot in the Caribbean.

After graduating from Elco in 1988, she lived for a time in New York City and worked for Bob Gruen, a photographer who won fame for his work rock-and-roll stars, notably John Lennon. Later, Savich moved to Los Angeles, did some writing and bartending, and joined the Screen Actors Guild. She appeared on some episodes of “Suddenly Susan,” and “Murphy Brown,” and was a stand-in for Christina Applegate during the sitcom “Jesse.”

“I’m still in the union and pay dues but I haven’t done anything (in acting) in 10 years,” Savich said last week.

Her current endeavor is “The Adventure Brigade,” an animated online, interactive project for which she holds a trademark. But that’s another story for another day.

“I like projects,” Savich said.

“I’m not a 9-to-5er.”

She’s lived in Los Angeles since 1995, except for two years in Florida.

Oh, and about that invention …

In 2006, Savich began working on what has become the Adjustable Breast Comfort system for massage and medical tables, for which she has a patent pending. The massage tables are manufactured by Oakworks, a massage and medical table-building company located in the southern York County town of New Freedom, and have been on the market since January. The ABC system tables have already been sold across the United States and in Italy, Canada and Korea.

As her business’s website, www.contourtablesystems.com, says, Adjustable Breast Comfort system “is the revolutionary answer to the issues women face when lying down on a table due to its effective balance of support and reduction of pressure on women’s breasts. A powerful foot pump and simple release valve allow therapists to adjust the contour of the table top during treatment without interrupting the flow of the session, ensuring maximum comfort and excellent results.”

Savich is not exactly the shy, retiring type.

“I’m naturally endowed,” she said, “and I get a lot of massages. Finally they’re paying off.”

(Laughter heard from a cell phone about 2,646 miles away.)

When she located Oakworks as a potential manufacturer last year, Savich packed up her car and drove east.

“I figured I could get an appointment with the president,” she said. “After five days of calling constantly, I got an appointment. They gave me 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes lasted two-and-a-half hours. … They started the prototype the next day.”

During June and July, Savich lived with family and friends while Oakworks did development work.

In August, Savich signed a deal with Oakworks, which “gave me my own line,” Savich said, as well as a five-year license for the patent. That line, the Utopian, is featured on her business website.

Now, she travels to trade shows, including a three-day convention in Las Vegas in May, to promote her invention.

Savich dedicated the ABC project to her late mother, Sandra, who was going to fund it before she fell ill and passed away in August 2005. Savich used her inheritance to help cover the project’s expenses. She set up the Sandra K. (Mark) Savich Foundation, which provides funding for several charities.

“That means more to me than anything, that I’m honoring my mother,” Savich said.

In addition to her mother, Savich said her influences include her grandfathers, Frederick Mark, who was a box designer for the Lebanon Box Co., and George Funk, a machinist at Hershey Foods.

She has two brothers, George Savich III, who owns the End Zone Tavern in Richland, and Mike Hall, who works at Kay Jewelers in the Lebanon Valley Mall.

Anyone who wants to reconnect with Savich can send her an e-mail on her company’s website, or send her a message on Facebook.

“I try to get back home a lot,” Savich said.

And when she does, “I go all over the place. I love Pennsylvania. … I’m still exactly the same person I always have been.”

Not surprising, is it?

December 15, 2009 — OAKWORKS®, Inc., the premier U.S. manufacturer of spa, massage, and medical equipment, today announced the launch of the Utopian Massage Table with patent pending ABC System, the revolutionary new Adjustable Breast Comfort System designed by Rebecca Savich, President of Contour Table Systems. Pursuant to an agreement entered into in August, 2009 Contour Table Systems named Oakworks its manufacturer.

Jeff Riach, CEO and Cofounder of Oakworks with Linda Riach, said; “Rebecca’s massage table design is incredible! We are extremely happy to have been chosen as the company to bring this advance in table design to market. “Over the last 4 months Oakworks has been working closely with Rebecca and massage professionals across the country to refine Rebecca’s idea into a very well executed product at an affordable price. The response to the preproduction models at recent industry trade shows, ISPA and the AMTA National Convention, has been overwhelmingly positive. The Utopian massage table with ABC System is available now. To address the comfort issues that women face, the ABC System will be incorporated into a wide range of products manufactured by Oakworks during the coming year.
The Utopian massage table with ABC System is the revolutionary answer to the issues women face when lying down on a table due to its effective balance of support and reduction of pressure on women’s breasts. A powerful foot pump and simple release valve allow therapists to adjust the contour of the table top during treatment without interrupting the flow of the session, ensuring maximum comfort and excellent results. No other system allows adjustment while the client is on the table, nor the ability to fit any size client. The pump easily lifts even the largest clients on a super soft and conforming pad. The wide range of vertical elevation fits all women when lying face down and when lying on their back, allows the pad to be lifted well above level to create better access to the back. Range of motion work is now possible like never before for both men and women. Using the pad as a head support is also a great feature, along with the ability to adjust the pad height for the client while they are on the table.

In 2006 Rebecca Savich began designing a number of breast comfort devices to be used in massage and medical tables. “I get massages often and being a naturally large breasted woman, I couldn’t get comfortable on the tables, and sometimes, the pressure would cause pain and swelling.” So she began the long process of patents, engineers, and prototypes. Finally, in 2009 when the design was well enough developed and a patent applied for, she began her search for a good partner who could help her bring her idea to market. “Oakworks seemed like a natural choice because they are a family owned business with incredible values and they are located in Pennsylvania where I grew up. When I did some more research and found out that they were the leader in their industry and had won numerous awards for product design and customer service, the decision was easy. They are great to work with!”

After a 3 day cross country drive from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania, Rebecca Savich spent 5 days trying to get in touch with Jeff Raich, President of Oakworks,
(a Manufacturer and Retailer of massage tables).  “I went to PA without an appointment but I figured when I do get a hold of him, I wanted to be there and ready.  Jeff is a busy guy, he runs a company with 150 employees.”  She got through to him on the fifth day and he told her to come in the next day.  He was going to give her 15 minutes.  That 15 minutes turned into 2 ½ hours!  Rebecca Savich, founder of Contour Table Systems and Jeff Riach, Co-founder and CEO of Oakworks shook hands and
‘The Utopian’ began to take form.

Savich, a naturally endowed women, faced major discomfort in the prone position while getting a massage. “It’s a catch-22 situation.  I get massages often because my back gets sore from carrying my breasts, but the massages that were meant to help my back, would hurt my breasts.” That ‘Breast Distress’ turned into a personal quest for Savich to invent a massage device that could be built into massage tables as well as medical tables.  The ABC system was born!  (Adjustable Breast Comfort system, patent pending).

Savich officially began the long road of inventions in 2006, and signed the manufacturing and distribution deal with Oakworks in August of 2009.  “Jeff saw the value and necessity of my device right away and began their prototypes.”  And after just three prototypes by the end of the year, the first hand full of Utopian massage tables were sold.

What makes this so seemingly simple massage table so revolutionary?
Savich answers, “The ‘Utopian’ works just as well for both women and men of all sizes and body shapes.  Equipped with a powerful foot pump and a simple release valve, therapists can adjust the platform on the table top, without interrupting the patients relaxation.  The platform can also rise above the table to be used as a headrest while lying supine.  And if you slide the client further up the table, putting the back of the head in the headrest, the platform rises further above the table to lift the upper back. This opens up the chest and allows new stretching for the shoulders.”

Why Oakworks?
“Oakworks is an incredible company.  They manufacture in the USA, they’re family owned and went GREEN long before it was considered ‘cool’.  They are a ‘Global Cooling Busines’.  This means that they have a zero carbon foot print.  They work with ‘Trees for the Future’ a non-profit that audits them and let’s them know how many trees need to be planted for them to offset their entire utility usage.”

“There is, of course, another part to this story. Everything it took to get to the deal with Oakworks. It was not an easy road! I would love to share this! I want to inspire others to follow their dreams!”