The Bounce Boot Camp is all about making fitness for kids more fun by using a bounce castle. We all know how much fun kids have on a bounce castle. So why not use one to motivate kids to get active and leave the couch?
This inspiration came to entrepreneur Thomas Hill who is an ex-Green Bay Packers NFL player and a fitness instructor. He thought of leveraging the bounce castle to help kids get fit by giving them plenty of motivation through fun and play.
One in three kids in the US are suffering from obesity. And things could get worse. An innovative approach to fitness and physical activity is needed so that kids get on their feet, lose pounds and become active like they are meant to. This is where the Bounce Boot Camp comes in. Can Thomas Hill’s business idea give kids the motivation they need to get fit?
Are They Still an Active Company?
Yes, Bounce Boot Camp is still active. It has not spread far and wide as the founder envisaged, but its 2 established camps are doing well.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Thomas Hill, the creator and founder of the Bounce Boot Camp sought investment in return for a 20 percent stake in the brand.
However, the Sharks were not impressed, and he found himself without a deal.
There were several problems that the Sharks took issue with, due to which the deal did not crystallize.
The Sharks first inquired about the founder’s background. In response, Thomas Hill replied that he had specialized in children’s fitness. After that, the Sharks moved on to one of the primary business objectives – revenue. They asked how much he made via his Bounce Boot camp.
Thomas Hill replied that with the Bounce Boot Camp, he had earned $43,000 in sales over 6 months. Bear in mind that this was for working one day of the week since Hill also had a full-time job and pursued this business idea part-time. Even then, the profits were fairly modest.
Mark Cuban said that the business model still needed to develop to become tried, tested, and proven. Kevin O’Leary pointed out that there is nothing proprietary about the bounce boot camp. Anyone could do it after buying the equipment.
Citing issues like these, the Sharks bowed out.
Our Review of Bounce Boot Camp
The Bounce Boot Camp is no doubt an innovative approach to youth fitness. It is an obstacle course with slides and bounce castles that allow for a fun-filled fitness routine. Designed specifically for kids, it is meant to extend an enjoyable and memorable fitness session that will have young ones coming back for more.
How did Thomas Hill get this idea in the first place? Inspiration struck when Thomas Hill got inside a bounce castle on the advice of his little daughter. After spending time for just a few minutes inside the bounce castle, Hill found that his heart rate was higher and that he was sweating profusely. In other words, it was the perfect workout. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to design a fitness course centered around inflatable infrastructure? And thus, Thomas Hill hit upon a great idea for kids’ fitness that he could turn into a business.
The business works by setting up these inflatables in the right place when they receive an order from a customer. When the order is received, the bounce castle and other inflatables are deflated and packed into trucks from where they are transported to the designated area specified by the customer.
Here, the equipment is unpacked and the inflatable infrastructure is inflated. The brand sets up inflatables as per the instructions of the customer. Example, if a customer wants a fitness course made with three bouncy castles, then that is exactly what they’ll get.
One thing to note is that each bounce camp requires plenty of open space to set up. Hence, most of the time, the company finds itself setting up the bounce camp in schools, parks, and other such large spaces. This poses a key business problem. Thomas Hill sometimes has to pay for renting out the space for the day. This expense is the main business cost. However, this cost is avoided at times when the company is invited by clients who already have an open space.
Each session lasts for about an hour. Customers can sign up for more if they prefer. Of course, they will have to pay accordingly.
Plans for these sessions begin from $100 and go up to a max of $250. Another fun aspect of the bounce boot camp that excites children is that they get various colored dog tags when they are promoted for their efforts. This is not dissimilar to the different colored belts you find in martial arts training. Kids can get dog tags with the title of a colonel, junior colonel, major, sergeant, private, and cadet.
Bounce Boot Camp Pros
- A fun way for kids to get fit
- Great for birthdays and parties
- Inexpensive
Bounce Boot Camp Cons
- Not hugely profitable
Who is Bounce Boot Camp for?
Bounce Boot Camp is for kids who want a fun-filled way to get fit. It is great for birthdays and parties as well since kids have a lot of fun on the inflatables. Schools can also hire the Bounce Boot Camp so that their students get fitter.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any alternatives for Bounce Boot Camp.
Our Final Thoughts
The Bounce Boot Camp review touched upon various facts about the innovative approach toward kids’ fitness. Although this idea did not take off the way its founder envisioned it, its New York location seems to be doing pretty well. You can check out their website for more information.
