HSBC’S HELPING HAND BOOSTS BOOGIE BOUNCE!

Boogie Bounce – the original ‘trampolining to music’ class – is well on the way to becoming a world brand and household name.

In a move that every small business owner dreams of Jenny Belcher, Queen of the trampoline and founder of Boogie Bounce, has been given a helping hand up the expansion ladder by HSBC.

“This financial backing will enable us to become a global empire,” says Jenny, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. “Since our launch 21 years ago I’ve dreamed of teaching the world to bounce. Now, thanks to HSBC, that dream is becoming a reality.”

The financial buffer has enabled Jenny to launch her Boogie Bounce Home Market – allowing bouncers to experience the joy and magic of a Boogie Bounce class in their own homes.

Jenny explains: “Boogie Bounce has been transforming lives for 21 years now – with 50,000 people attending classes each week and more than 700 instructors across the UK.

“We’ve seen how bouncing has brought miraculous results and improvements in everything from osteoarthritis and obesity to depression and diabetes. Instructors also talk of the joy of being empowered to run their own business and achieve an enviable work-life balance.

“But I was also acutely aware that some of the very people who would benefit most from my classes might not be able to get to them. It can be for all sorts of reasons – from lack of time and childcare to low confidence or shortage of money. Then, one day, it dawned on me; if they couldn’t get to a Boogie Bounce class – we’d bring Boogie Bounce to them!”

The result was a ‘Home Kit’ – comprising a Boogie Bounce trampoline with T-bar handle, a DVD with two class routines plus three months free access to the Boogie Bounce App to keep home bouncers motivated.

“We were able to slowly launch the home market this summer but needed to invest in more stock to really get things moving,” explains Jenny.

“We were thrilled when HSBC recognised that we were a strong business with a brilliant idea and a proven track record and agreed to back us."

“With the help of an overdraft from HSBC – arranged by Business Banking Relationship Manager Dan Pawar - we have now purchased five containers of equipment with a retail value of £368,000 without any further borrowing. The impact on the business has been phenomenal. Long term, we estimate it will double both our turnover and profitability but the increased revenue has already enabled us to take on three more full time members of staff specifically to promote the home market.”

HSBC’s Ashley Driver, Head of Centre for Business Banking Direct UK said: “HSBC is committed to supporting British businesses to realise their ambitions. We are delighted to be able to support Jenny and Boogie Bounce to increase the UK workforce and expand their international offering.”

Jenny already has more plans for expanding the business. “We will also be launching a customer services department – offering even more local employment opportunities – and building an exciting new website and app with local companies,” she says.

“Even more excitingly, we are finalising arrangements for our launch in the USA – making it our ninth overseas country offering Boogie Bounce.

“A pilot scheme of Boogie Bounce USA Inc has exceeded all expectations in Chicago and another is set to launch in Los Angeles. We’re looking forward to showcasing Boogie Bounce at major fitness exhibitions and marketing to large gym chains.”

The expansion is a far cry from the company’s humble beginnings in Jenny’s front room more than two decades ago. She had bought a mini trampoline to rehabilitate from a knee injury but found bouncing alone ‘mind-numbingly’ boring.

Then she found her two young children on it – laughing as they made up bouncy dance routines to music on the radio. “It was a real ‘lightbulb’ moment,” she says now. “Their simple idea of combining dance with funky chart music provided a brilliant cardio-vascular workout that was safe and fun but also gave unparalleled toning and strengthening benefits.

“Friends asked to join in and, within six months, I’d qualified as a fitness instructor and was teaching Boogie Bounce full time.”

Boogie Bounce is now a family-run business with Jenny working alongside husband Andy and two of their five children - Emily and Sam.

The addition of a T-bar safety handle, devised by Andy, led to the birth of Boogie Bounce Xtreme. “Our bouncers love it,” says Jenny. “The handle not only offers security for beginners or those with health issues – but also enables bouncers to work much more effectively on the trampoline and execute dynamic Boogie Bounce moves to strengthen and tone the body.”

What is Boogie Bounce?

Boogie Bounce is an exclusive low impact exercise programme offering cardiovascular, toning, fat burning and strengthening benefits. NASA agrees that ‘bouncing is the most efficient and effective exercise yet devised by man’ – while studies by NASA scientists have shown that bouncing is 68 per cent more effective than jogging but requires less effort.

For more details or to arrange an interview with founder Jenny Belcher please contact Claire Nicholls at Boogie Bounce marketing on 0121 354 1190 or claire@boogiebounce.co.uk

For more information on HSBC contact Bethany Haller on 0121 265 2760