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Entrepreneurial couple Kramer jumps full into trampoline trend
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Entrepreneurial couple Kramer jumps full into trampoline trend

Marco and Ria Kramer's trampoline park in Heerenveen turned out to be such a success that they felt they had to let go soon with a second branch of Jumpstyle in Friesland. 'It was exciting, because other parties also smelled their chance,' the entrepreneurial couple knows. 'Fortunately, we were able to go ahead in time thanks to the last piece of funding from the FOM.' Last December, the double-sized Jumpstyle park in Drachten opened.

The Kramers' accountant (Bentacera) pointed them to the Frisian Development Company (FOM) when they still needed a small portion of funding for their plans. 'Because of the success in Heerenveen, we could invest our own money and this time we also had the bank on board, but the FOM was the deciding factor,' Marco says. 'There was no time to continue saving ourselves, because there was too great a chance that a competing trampoline park would open. We knew exactly what we wanted, had found a suitable spot in Drachten after weeks of driving around, and had the blessing of the municipality. Then you are very happy when the funding is easily arranged.

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Golden opportunity

The Kramer couple from Bolsward clearly have a feel for the growing trampoline trend, which until 2017 had barely penetrated the northern Netherlands. They themselves discovered the existence of these parks by chance in the west, when a planned day at the coast threatened to rain. Online, the family looked for an alternative, and both sons - then ages 11 and 6 - liked trampoline jumping. After the jumping session, Marco and Ria were just as enthusiastic as their children, albeit for a different reason. "The boys wanted this more often and when we discovered that in the north there was only a trampoline park in Groningen, we immediately knew: this is a golden opportunity!

'An opportunity that also came at the right time,' says Marco, who had been running a successful painting business for 20 years at the time. 'Due to shoulder problems, I was orienting myself to other work for the future. At the trampoline park I felt very strongly: this is it!' Ria - who held an HR position with a large supermarket chain - also saw the possibilities and the couple tackled it thoroughly. 'First we visited almost all the parks in the Netherlands with our boys. That way we discovered what elements are important to the children, but also what parents like. We got inspiration and also saw how things could be even better. That way we were able to get it right the first time at our first Jumpstyle location in Heerenveen.

They have thought through the concept very well and are tremendously driven. Also, getting kids to enjoy exercise in this day and age is a big plus.
Diederik Jongema, Investment Manager FOM

Entrepreneurial couple Kramer jumps full into trampoline trend

Everything must be right

'It is remarkable how highly Marco and Ria value safety, quality and customer experience,' says FOM Investment Manager Diederik Jongema. 'They have thought through the concept very well and are enormously driven. Moreover, getting children to enjoy exercise in this day and age is a big plus. All those facets together make us confidently invested in Jumpstyle's second branch in Drachten.' For the Kramers, it goes without saying that they have their affairs in order. 'With outings like this, everything has to be right. Our customers deserve a good time and we like to see them come back.'

Jumpstyle therefore offers fun for children - from small to large - but also conviviality for parents. 'From a good cup of coffee to a comfortable couch, from a view of your children to friendly staff: everything that we ourselves find important as a family, we also offer to our customers,' the couple explains. 'We can live up to that because we have a good and very flexible team from the beginning. Everyone has something to do with children, there are experienced supervisors at the trampolines and we are all ready to tackle. Seeing the work and doing what it takes is important to us, and that's why we work just as hard ourselves.'

Entrepreneurial couple Kramer jumps full into trampoline trend

Free entrepreneur

The Kramers consider themselves fortunate that they abandoned the original plan to become a franchise park in time. 'We first thought of franchising out of the need for some security. Until we realized that then you are bound on all sides. We have definite ideas and then you have to be a free entrepreneur. Fortunately, we got that chance thanks to our first investor, a customer of the painting company who believed in Jumpstyle. The banks didn't dare at the time, the concept was too new for Friesland. Of course we found it exciting ourselves, but it could hardly be missed that a trampoline park here would be as successful as elsewhere in the country.'

Marco and Ria's positive gut feeling was right: from the opening of the Heerenveen branch in the summer of 2017, the business immediately took off. 'That first phase was still a learning process,' say the entrepreneurs. 'Especially the systems for reservation and checkout we have streamlined a lot. Our website has to be good, but to find us, social media are the channel. Kids see videos online and come to Jumpstyle because they want that too. Better to have one good vlogger in your business than ten ads in the newspaper. We see that again now in Drachten, where we have made the park twice as big and where it also fills up effortlessly since the opening in December.'

In addition to free jumping, children's parties and group sessions for schools, Jumpstyle also offers classes in free running and tramp fitness. See www.jumpstyle.nu, which lists not only branches in Drachten and Heerenveen but also the independent trampoline park in Assen, with which the Kramers have an online partnership.

Check out the website of Jumpstyle
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