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OUR STORY
Paula and Andy’s partnership began in a Sydney gym, in 1998. The pair met running side-by side on the treadmill… a powerful metaphor, given that they’ve been running beside each other ever since.
Both qualified Personal Fitness Trainers at the time, they shared a passion for health and wellbeing, guiding and helping others to reach their wellness goals. Endlessly curious about their own and others' potential, they added Personal and Business Coaching to their credentials. Andy started working with a Business Coaching company and Paula trained as a Life Coach. The couple married in 2001, settled into their little Bondi apartment, and ran their respective businesses, coaching clients on their business and personal goals.
While they loved working with their coaching clients, both Andy and Paula were eager to better themselves, personally and professionally. They felt a burning desire to get off the sidelines and have a ‘lived experience’ of the entrepreneurial journey, and the multitude of personal growth opportunities that come with it.
ripples.
"when you create a difference in someone's
life, you not only impact their life, you
impact everyone influenced by them
throughout their entire lifetime...
In 2002, Paula had a ‘big idea’ moment on the streets of New York. She discovered a great tasting, ball-shaped snack, that she felt was truly special. Her creative juices started flowing and she wondered…’What if I could create a delicious, high protein, healthy snack that’s convenient and supports people to be their best?’ At the time, there were only a few protein bars on the supermarket shelves in Australia, but nothing unique like this. So, Paula returned home, with snacks in hand, and put the idea to Andy. His excitement mirrored hers and the concept of the ‘Bounce Ball’ was born.
Paula took the first big step and contacted the US snack manufacturer, who agreed to partner with them and make products specifically for the Australian market. As this was an area entirely new to them, Paula and Andy had to learn on the go, starting with researching the process and requirements for importing products into Australia, making sure they ticked all necessary boxes. With a limited budget, they fumbled through the tasks of branding and packaging, marketing, sales and distribution. It was grass roots stuff, but they made it work. Their growth mindset came to the fore – their desire to bring their big idea to life was much greater than any fear of failure.
...no act is ever too small.
one by one,
this is how to make an ocean rise."
- Danielle Doby
Naively building a business from the ground up, without any previous experience in the food space, took a lot of guts, as well as support from the people around them. Blissful ignorance played a vital role. By their own admission, had Paula and Andy known the extent of the challenges ahead, they may not have taken such a leap. However, knowing they had each other’s back, they moved forward courageously, relying heavily on their intuition to guide them as to the next best steps.
Paula and Andy knew their idea had legs, because doors started opening easily. Sales of the product took off and consumer demand grew organically. As the business gained momentum, Andy pulled back from his business coaching clients to run the Bounce business full-time. He put his business coaching tools to good use, developing the business vision and mission, as well as the overall business strategy. He took on many other roles too. Utilising his natural sales charm, and armed with tubs of balls and many a ball joke, he knocked on doors and put on the first 200 stores. Meanwhile, Paula juggled various other roles – product development, branding marketing, finance and administrative roles.
"The best way to
predict your future
is to create it."
Abraham Lincoln
When their first child, arrived on the scene, they moved to the Central Coast of NSW, to a home big enough to cater for their growing family, a Bounce office, and a garage big enough to house and distribute products. The business eventually outgrew their home, and they recruited a team to take the business to the next level.
The Bounce Balls gained major traction on supermarket shelves in Australia, and Bounce became a market leader, sparking the emergence of a new “ball” category. The business was riding high on this wave of success when Andy and Paula decided to spread their wings and take on the US market. In 2014, they moved to Oregon with their young family, once again, rolling up their sleeves and leaping into the unknown. After some initial success in America, along with some humbling lessons, the couple eventually decided to return to Australia, regroup and focus their energies on the Australian business, which subsequently transitioned to local manufacturing. The couple still play an active support role in the company.
From its humble beginnings, to a now internationally recognised brand, Bounce has been through many phases of growth, marked by both success and failure. Over the lifecycle of Bounce, Paula and Andy have learned to embrace the many pain points, synonymous with being in business, as an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve personally. They’ve come to deeply understand
and appreciate the entrepreneurial journey – a sometimes stressful, often messy, yet exhilarating rollercoaster ride - for the personal growth it delivers.
Paula and Andy both firmly believe that success is not only measured by results, but by who you become along the way. Their experiences, personally and professionally, over the past 20 years, have fueled their desire to return to their coaching roots – to share their experiences and learnings, offer guidance and support, and partner with others, as they navigate their own unique business and personal journeys.
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