tracey smythe

treehouse secrets

to provide interactive entertainment venues that ignite the imagination

• Startup type: Company
• Status: Active
• Stage: Prototyping

5 years as an Operations Manager for a wholesale pastry manufacturers with a high callibre clientele. 12 years as an Administration Officer for Gaming Clubs. Currently half way through a Frontline Management Apprenticeship.

I am currently working in a toy store and have hosted over 500 children's birthday parties and holiday programs for the past 10 years, in a community of 6,000 locals. I co write/ direct/ produce/ design/ choreograph an annual local primary school drama production consisting of a cast of 80, 11 and 12 year olds(and to think the business world shakes me) for the past 5 years.

I have developed an intuitive instinct and professional structure of sharing joy of theatrical interactive entertainment. I started 20 years ago making children's dress ups and selling through the lucrative hand made craft market industry. I then developed 'Make Believe' a range of 'create yourself' wand kits, star mobiles etc., a range of 7 products that retailed for under $9.95 each, intended for the toy store market. My immaturity saw me perfect manufacturing without a sound marketing stratergy or skills. I also invested heavily into black and white packaging(to stand out on the shelf in the over coloured world of plastic toys) only to have generic packaging for groceries introduced at the same time. I survived but it was never the business it could have been, because I wasn't the person I am now.

20 years on I have witnessed children loose the capability to use their imaginations, 10 years ago I could get kids up to 12 year old to dress up and take on characters in their drama driven birthday experiences, over the past 5 years my audience has regressed to under 6 year olds as any older and they want to be at the hairdressers getting their nails painted?

Although I have seen an uprising in mood to address this and in the last 8 months I have had an increase in 8 - 10 year olds, girls and boys, this has been inspirational.

Without play, who will be the inventors and the innovators?

I have blended a balance of entertainment, interaction, connection and sensory environments perfect for tourist destinations around the globe. Treehouse Secrets franchise prototype is ready to be functional within 8 months.

Now to uncover an angel that can see and believe in the potential of the philosophies that drive Treehouse Secrets and what we have to offer the world. I know you're out there and this will be.