Sales soar for adult ball pit start-up
Ball Mania, the firm behind the UK’s largest adult ball-pit for hire, has seen revenues double quarter-on-quarter since it launched in April.
The business, backed by a Government-backed Start Up Loan, is based in Media City, Salford and transports its modular construction ball-pits nationwide to parties, weddings, club nights and corporate events.
The adult ball-pits can cater for 15-50 adults, containing anything from 100,000 to 500,000 balls.
Ball Mania now forecasts a further 30% growth by the end of the financial year.
Founder Andrew Woodrow approached The Start Up Loans Company and secured £25,000 of low-interest funding to kick-start his business idea. He used the capital to purchase the ball-pit materials and assist with cash-flow.
Woodrow, who employs six part-time staff to assist with the production of each event, enabling him to hold them nationwide, now plans to open his first fixed ball-pit arena in Manchester and has his sights set on international expansion, with plans to test the appetite for his ball-pits in the French and Spanish markets in the next three years.
Andrew Woodrow, founder and CEO of Ball Mania, said: “As I was growing up, ball-pits were a central part of parties and fairs, but there’s nothing on the market like this for adults. Adult-life can often be stressful, so I wanted to create a fun experience where adults can de-stress and remember their childhood. There’s definitely a growing trend of kid-inspired activities for adults, so I’m excited to see what’s in store for the future.”
“Although I was set on my business idea, I understood the need to access the right funding to get the venture off the ground. That’s where The Start Up Loans Company came in – after submitting my business proposal, I secured a £25,000 loan to turn my start-up dream into a reality.”
Joanna Hill, interim CEO at The Start Up Loans Company, said: “It’s fantastic to see Andrew doing so well after only six months of trading. Ball Mania is certainly a unique and interesting business, and it’s this sort of innovation that does so well in the start-up market.
“While access to capital is often the biggest barrier to business growth, there’s plenty of help out there – both financial and mentoring support – available to help fund your ambitions. We encourage anyone considering their own business to make the most of the help available.”
