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FEATURED MOM INVENTORS > BRENDA DRONKERS
Pump It Up was founded in 2000 by California mom Brenda Dronkers, who was joined by fellow mom Terry Dillenburg in 2002. Since then the company has grown to 250 Pump It Up franchises across the country, which offer families and kids an indoor private party facility with huge interactive inflatables to climb and play on. The company prides itself on providing a safe, clean and fun atmosphere for people of all ages. Customers must be happy - in just 7 years the company has grown to $53 million in annual revenues. Mom Inventors interviewed Brenda Dronkers to learn more about the Pump It Up story:
Why did you start this company and when? I started the company in January of 2000 in order to be able to stay at home with my kids and to have flexibility in my schedule. What were your initial goals? I wanted to be able to have time for my children, start a faith-based business centered around kids, and fill a need in the marketplace (a lack of good, creative places to have a birthday party). I brought my partner, Terry Dillenburg, into the business in 2002, and we began franchising. Describe yourself and your family. What is your background and how does it relate to your company? I have three natural born children ages 18,17 and 11, and one adopted daughter who is 17. Terry, my business partner, has a 17-year-old stepson and two grown daughters, ages 25 and 27. 
Have you ever experienced an epiphany that changed the direction of your life?
The epiphany that led to the creation of Pump It Up changed our lives forever. It came while I was at a church festival. I noticed that all of my children, despite wide gaps in their age groups, were having a blast jumping on two simple inflatable structures for a long period of time. I thought, "Wow, what if I put a whole bunch of different kinds of inflatable play structures in a clean, safe indoor environment and we rented out the facility for private parties?" Literally, that's how Pump It Up came to be. Later, another epiphany that Terry and I both experienced was that running a faith-based business can present even greater challenges - we have to work very hard to maintain the family-focused core and protect it from others who try to tear it down or change it for the sheer sake of profit. But each challenge makes us stronger! What process did you follow to develop a prototype? We actually did not develop a prototype. Believe it or not, my first operating facility became our prototype. We made some minor tweaks along the way, but not many. What process did you follow to determine your product's marketability? I used traditional marketing surveys, and I would encourage others to use them as well. What process did you follow to find a manufacturer for your product? I surfed the Internet to find my first manufacturer. Since then, Terry and I have become much more diligent because we're now shopping for 250 franchisees, not just our own facility. We are constantly meeting new vendors to ensure we are staying on top of trends for our franchisees, and we keep our fingers on the pulse of the best products out there. Were there any setbacks in product development that had to be overcome? There are always setbacks! Most of them are minor, like first prototypes not coming out right, etc. I can't really think of one particularly bad setback, just many little issues that we have encountered and eventually resolved along the way. Each challenge was a blessing in disguise that helped us reach our current success level. I'm sure there will be more ahead. Setbacks are a natural part of running a successful growing company. What was the biggest learning curve in terms of developing your product? I think in franchising, we learned that we should have hired the best advisors from the beginning, instead of trying to cut costs. What may have saved $100 here and there ended up costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Don't take short cuts! 
What secrets have you learned in terms of publicity and marketing your product?
For us, publicity has been essential. One of our first tasks was hiring a PR firm to put our brand on the radar screen in major media. We have been featured in Fortune, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Working Mother, Newsweek and more. The exposure has helped us build credibility and awareness of our concept, both to consumers and to potential franchisees. We also host a website for all of our franchisees. We provide our franchisees with marketing and advertising programs and encourage them to follow the program for success in their communities. Many of our franchisees also use radio and television. What was the biggest learning curve in terms of marketing your product? We learned that if you provide an excellent service, your best marketing will be word of mouth! How long did it take to get your product from idea to market (conception to product launch)? It took me 10 weeks to open my first facility, and one year to begin franchising. How have you managed to juggle the roles of business owner and mom? What falls by the wayside (laundry, work-out, etc. etc.)? It has not always been easy to balance the roles. Fortunately, both of our husbands have been able to retire, and we have their support on the home front so that we can focus on the business. Meanwhile, our children's activities are always a priority, and their needs always have and always will come first. What kind of support system do you have in place personally and professionally? Honestly, we are thankful that we have each other. We are yoked on faith, which gets us through a lot. Plus we have hired experienced professionals within the company who share our goals and vision. We also have our wonderful husbands and family to help us through the exhausting process of running this business. 
How did you finance your business (personal contributions, loans from friends & family, loans from bank, credit cards, outside investors?).
We started the business with $20,000 each, and have invited angel investor to invest. We have never taken out a bank loan. How much money have you invested so far? Still, to this day, only $20,000 each. What is your company's current financial picture and what are your projections? The system-wide revenues are $53 million this year. We are continuing to grow, and are thankful for the success that we have experienced. What has been your greatest success or "high point" in the process? For us, it has been the reward of putting so many people into business for themselves. It's also very gratifying to know that by putting them in business, we are enabling them to contribute to their communities. Giving back to communities is a huge priority for us. Knowing that we have provided a way for people to run a successful business and also support local charities and worthy causes is extremely gratifying. Have you experienced a "low point" and if so, how did you rally yourself to get back on track? Sometimes being a strong leader means that you have to make tough decisions and let people know when they have made mistakes. Or you have to let somebody go because they are taking away, rather than adding value, to the company. As a Christian, when you have to be "mean" in business, you are accused of not being a Christian. That is tough to swallow. Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? What keeps you going? Truly, our faith has been our greatest source of strength and inspiration. It keeps us going...and there are days we really need it. 
Did anyone in particular help you along the way?
We have brought in talent along the way to help us grow and build our infrastructure. Each one of these people contributed equally to our success, so I wouldn't single anybody out. What advice would you offer other moms developing their products/ideas? Go for it! Believe in yourself and what you are doing, and soar! Is there a resource that proved to be invaluable that you would like to share with other moms? Yes. It is very easy to find. Everyone has it. It is your heart. Follow your heart. Listen to your heart. It will never let you down. Is there anything else you would like to add? Owning your own business or developing your own product can be rewarding in so many ways. This gives you an opportunity to leave a legacy for your children, and to accomplish something for yourself. I wish every woman the best of luck in all that they do. Success is yours!! | ||||||
