Features 19
The motivation behind Bounce came from Dave’s desire
to contribute to something more meaningful than a big
corporation’s profit margin.
Some of you may already be familiar
with Bounce Hub Café at USQ
Toowoomba, as it’s where we fuel
ourselves with our daily dose of
motivation (also known as coffee) and
gear up for a day with the books. But
if you haven’t already been fortunate
enough to hear the story behind
Bounce, you might be pleasantly
surprised by the values and mission
you’re supporting each time you
purchase your beloved cup of coffee.
‘It’s about more than what’s in the
cup’ might just sound like a catchy
slogan, but it’s actually the basis of
how USQ postgrad student Dave has
paved his journey towards impacting
the lives of those around him. When
you line up for your morning coffee
at Bounce, you’re guaranteed to leave
with a spring in your step. This isn’t
a coincidence. When asked what
he enjoys most about running his
business, Dave is quick to tell you how
much he loves being able to impact
someone’s day in such a positive way
and via such a small interaction.
‘It’s great to start our regular
customers off on a good path for
the day with a smile or conversation,
and know that they came to Bounce
to get that buzz (from us, not just
the coffee). It’s even more rewarding
to bring someone who is shy or
uncomfortable out of their shell and
make them feel welcome and like
they can be themselves at Bounce.’
Delivering A-grade customer service
isn’t all that Bounce is about. The
business model Dave created for
Bounce has a strong social focus to
promote opportunities, awareness
and an agenda for individuals with a
disability or who may have difficulties
fitting into mainstream society. The
team at Bounce also contribute to
numerous charitable and community
initiatives, such as ‘can for a coffee’
for the local soup kitchen, cupcakes
for breast cancer and ‘sip for a swag’.
If you’re anything like me, you would
have been immediately inspired by
the concept behind Bounce and
might find it hard to believe that
someone like Dave hadn’t always
aspired to follow this kind of career
path. ‘Leaving school, I was just as
confused as everyone else and had
the intention of travelling when I had
saved enough money. But when the
opportunity to open a café presented
itself, I took it with both hands, and
it’s paid off.’
That’s right, Dave certainly hasn’t seen
a shortage in dividends and I’m not
referring to the monetary kind. ‘The
most rewarding thing about running
Bounce is seeing someone who has
been out of the workforce suffering
from mental illness to be given an
opportunity to start back and then,
by building their confidence, to see
them excel. ‘This has been the case
for many of our employees, but one
in particular who has risen up and
now runs the original Bounce store in
the CBD herself is Haley.’
The motivation behind Bounce came
from Dave’s desire to contribute to
something more meaningful than a big
corporation’s profit margin. By owning
his own business, he knew he would
get out what he put in and have the
ability to work to his own agenda,
passions and dreams to create what
he envisioned. This meant creating a
business that wasn’t just a reflection
of himself but the community, the
customers and the staff.
While we’re already impressed by
Dave’s efforts to support a great
cause, he’s since decided to build on
his experience of running his own
business by taking on a Graduate
Certificate of Business at USQ. Dave
speaks fondly of postgrad study as
it has encouraged him to consider
things differently while having
the added perk of giving him the
opportunity to apply the concepts
and academic terminology he’s
learning to real-life scenarios.
Dave’s advice for budding
entrepreneurs? Plan, plan and plan!
‘Think of every scenario, every possible
situation. Be realistic and plan! No
matter how good one’s intentions
are, if they are not supported by a
realistic business model, they will not
work. But, at the same time, you need
to take a chance, back yourself and
surround yourself with individuals that
can support you emotionally and as
experts in whatever you choose to do.
‘In fact, maybe the big one here is to
surround yourself with people you
seek to emulate and who you admire.
Learn as much as you can and always
pay it forward for the business, your
hobbies and life in general. Always
surround yourself with people you
can learn from.’
While Dave’s not giving up any
secrets about what’s next in his sights
for Bounce, we know one thing’s
for certain. Someone with this much
drive, business sense and passion
for a good cause is sure to make a
positive impact wherever he goes.
If Dave’s story has inspired
you to look into starting your
own business, check out USQ
entrepreneur John Knight’s top
10 tips for business success.