Setting up a business has been child’s play for one Swansea entrepreneur.
Twenty-year-old Max Broadfield only launched Crazyplay in the summer but he’s already looking to take over half a million pounds in orders by the end of March.
His company designs, develops and installs themed indoor and outdoor multi-storey interactive play structures for family entertainment centres, garden centres, leisure centres, tourist attractions and theme parks all over the UK.
Crazyplay also work with schools and county councils to provide a range of unique climbing and fitness equipment which encourages physical fitness and good health through play.
Max says his business differs from the competition by offering bespoke systems for each customer. Crazyplay designs and develops branded play areas and playframes that reflect and promote the business of the customer.
He’s also decided to focus on well-known brands- particularly cartoon characters that have a particular appeal to youngsters- and at the age of 19 he was in talks with directors from the largest children’s brands in the world to secure contracts with them.
Max said: “Promoting the brands in this way builds brand awareness and keeps the name in the public eye while enabling young children to play with their favourite characters.
This then pushes retail sales for the brands that I work with.”
Interactivity is key to Max to ensure the equipment sparks the imagination of children and this is why customers have the option of including sounds and lights on their soft play equipment or frame orders.
His biggest deal has seen the order and installation of an interactive play area for children under five in Beijing.
Climbing walls, ball cannons and rope bridges are among the many fun features that can be included on the play equipment and sizes of play areas can vary from anything up to 30,000 square feet.
Max, a former pupil of Ffynone House School in Swansea, hopes to become a professional golfer but is looking to develop his business skills as a fallback if the golfing dream never materialises. He landed a golf scholarship at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the USA but decided to leave as he wanted to pursue his golfing and business ambitions in the UK.
He’s now overseeing all aspects of his business and project manages everything from design through to delivery and installation.
Max is currently running Crazyplay with help from his parents and Business Centre Swansea and, while he’s looking to recruit staff in future, he knows expert advice is always only a phone call away,
Max said: “It was my Mum who mentioned Business Centre Swansea to me and their ongoing support has been tremendous. They’ve pointed me in the right direction of grants I can apply for and have helped me understand what it is I want to achieve. It’s nice to know they are there if I need them.”
Business Centre Swansea is based on St Mary’s Square and is run by Swansea Council. It offers comprehensive help with subjects like business plans, marketing and making the most of the Internet.
Staff at the centre also encouraged Max to apply for the Shell Young Entrepreneur of the year Awards- a scheme that now lists him as one of the UK’s top 40 young entrepreneurs. He was invited to participate in the final held in London earlier this month where he got to talk to some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the UK. They included Sir Tom Farmer, the founder of Kwik-Fit, and Doug Richard, the entrepreneur and star of Dragons’ Den.
Have a look at www.crazyplay.co.uk for more information about Crazyplay or www.businesscentreswansea.com for more information about Business Centre Swansea.
