‘I launched my trampoline business with £200 – now I’m turning over £3.5million’ (Image: Kimberlee Perry)
A woman from Harlow is turning over millions of pounds from a trampoline fitness class she launched with just £200.
Kimberlee Perry, 40, started ((BOUNCE)) in her local village hall in 2014 after purchasing eight second-hand mini-trampolines for £200.
Word spread and within six months, the classes expanded across 17 studios in the UK. Today, ((BOUNCE)) is available in 350 studios and has a projected turnover exceeding £3.5million.
Ms Perry, who previously worked in real estate in Sydney before moving to the UK, told Express.co.uk: “I was raised as the eldest of four in a strict and sporty Australian family and my parents instilled a relentless drive for success in sports in me.
“My rigorous routine would include swimming competitively, training at 5am, dancing and playing netball multiple times a week, as well as surfing and swimming at the beach after school and at weekends.
Kimberlee Perry started ((BOUNCE) in a humble village hall just under 10 years ago (Image: Kimberlee Perry)
“By the age of 21, I moved to the UK, where the sporting facilities and funding differed vastly from those in my homeland. I didn’t know a single soul, so I started joining classes at gyms and netball teams and recognised it as a great way to connect with others, create friendships and foster a sense of belonging.”
However, when Ms Perry fell pregnant and was “overlooked for a promotion”, the fitness fanatic was prompted to seek a career change.
She said: “During my maternity leave, I decided to study again and revisit my passion – which was always fitness. So I enrolled in an online ETM (exercise to music) course while being a full-time mum.
“I juggled online lectures while pregnant. I was determined to complete my studies and had a fire in my belly. I made a significant leap, despite knowing the fitness industry notoriously didn’t have a lot of money in it, but I knew I would find a way.”
Taking the “leap of faith”, Ms Perry invested £200 from her savings on eight second-hand trampolines sourced from eBay.
At first, Ms Perry said: “It was just held in my back garden but we outgrew that quickly. I phoned around local places to find a spot during the day to run my classes until someone said yes. So, it started in a community centre in Harlow called Harrington Sports Centre.
“The community centre helped us grow as they already had a lot of footfall for other things, people were picking up the leaflets and lots of people were seeing the trampolines and us in there.
“From there it evolved from a casual mummy group to a real mix of people, with and without babies, who wanted to commit to exercise. It became a social network, we’d do the class then have a drink and laugh downstairs at the bar together.”
The demand kept growing and Ms Perry soon found herself conducting multiple classes daily. When she “reached a point” where she physically couldn’t accommodate any more sessions, Ms Perry trained up regular attendees as part of a structured franchise programme and the business “organically grew” from there.
Ms Perry said: “I embarked on this journey to create something inclusive and enjoyable for everyone – whether you’re a mum of a little one that you have to bring to class or someone in their 70s who loves the social aspect. The fact that ((BOUNCE)) took off so quickly surprised me in some ways, but when I reflect on the endorphins and dopamine our classes provide then I’m not surprised at all.”
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However, she noted: “The traction for ((BOUNCE)) was a whirlwind – everything happened so rapidly that I barely had any time to think.
“Juggling the quick growth with raising my son posed its challenges, but I managed to make it work. Witnessing the positive impact we’ve had on people is truly priceless and has made it all worth it.
“We have enabled women of all ages and backgrounds to find joy in exercise and regain their confidence. Also, we’ve been defying traditional expectations and redefining female entrepreneurship in the fitness industry. It’s an amazing feeling.
“Today, ((BOUNCE)) stands with 350 studios across the UK, attracting 50,000 attendees monthly. Global expansion is well underway with franchise venues established in over 10 territories worldwide. This financial year, we project a turnover exceeding £3.5million.”
Expanding from trampolines, the business now offers a host of other resistance-based fitness classes, incorporating elements from boxing, cycling, reformer pilates, weightlifting, and yoga disciplines.
Additionally, Ms Perry said: “We’ve ventured into manufacturing our own branded equipment, including trampolines, spin bikes, boxing bags, and reformer pilates beds. We also introduced a line of body-positive ((BOUNCE))-branded clothing that challenges traditional sizing labels, encouraging customers to shop based on how they feel rather than fixating on sizing.”
Ms Perry is gearing up to launch the classes in India, with plans to expand to Hong Kong and Singapore later this year.
Ms Perry said: “For me, success is feeling proud of myself and comfortable in my own skin. At 40, I am fit and genuinely feel good about myself. Leaving school at 16 without any qualifications fueled a burning desire to prove myself, and through relentless hard work, unwavering passion, and sheer determination, I’ve demonstrated that you can still be successful.
“The real cherry on the top though, is the positive influence ((BOUNCE)) has had on others. From our amazing ((BOUNCE)) franchisees to all of the wonderful attendees that walk through our studio doors daily, (BOUNCE)) really is a community and one that we want to keep on growing.”
