Flip out: Brent Grundy celebrates after opening 100th location worldwide

Brent Grundy was almost broke when he opened Flip Out in a Penrith carpark. Now he’s set to open at his 100th location — and his estimated wealth is staggering.

Brent Grundy at a trampoline set up near his factory in Sieradz, Poland. Picture: Supplied.

Brent Grundy was at his son’s birthday party many years ago when an eight-year-old girl was banned from playing on the equipment because she was too tall.

Thinking about how unfair it was and having the drive to do something about it, has taken him from a humble Penrith carpark to opening trampolining centres in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand and now Mexico,

The owner of Flip Out, the popular trampoline play centre, the enterprenial exercise has made him a multi-millionaire in the process - in 2017 the Financial Review Young Rich List esimated his wealth at $38 million

The entertainment chain had fairly humble beginnings in Penrith almost 18 years ago.

“I started Flip Out in December, 2012, out the back of Panthers, because they were the only ones to give me a spot,” he said.

“I used a little leverage from when I used to play football there years ago.

“I’d previously had another company which I sold to somebody, and I basically went broke on it.

“I had to sell my house, sell all my cars – I had to start from scratch (to get Flip Out off the ground).”

Brent Grundy’s company Flip Out now has 100 locations around the world after opening in Leon, Mexico, this week.

The Panthers pop-up location stayed open for seven weeks before a permanent move to the old Sinclair Ford site on Mulgoa Rd.

“When I told him (Ross Sinclair) what I was going to do, he looked at me, shook his head, and said ‘mate, I’m going to need a bigger bond’,” Mr Grundy said.

“Masters eventually bought that site, and we found a building in Batt St.

“We started running around to put flags in the sand as soon as we could – we’ve opened a lot of locations since then, and moved locations to get better sites.

“People remember Flip Out opening in the carpark, but they don’t realise where we’ve been since then.”

Mr Grundym who still lives in Penrith, quickly made the business global, opening his first international store in Taiwan before conquering the UK market.

Brent Grundy sits in his original permanent location on Mulgoa Rd, Penrith, in 2013. The location eventually moved to Batt St.

“We’ve gone everywhere, we’re in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand, and we have others that we’re still waiting to set up,” he said.

“We have well over 20 locations in the UK, and they’re all top-notch sites – you’d be flat out trying to find a kid over there who doesn’t know what Flip Out is.

“This week we open our 100th location in Leon, Mexico.”

Grundy also owns factories in Poland and Thailand, which he uses to make the trampoline mats that populate his locations.

Despite his riches, Mr Grundy said money wasn’t his motivation.

“I just want to have fun,” he said.

“Even if I didn’t get paid anything, if I got to do the things I’ve done while doing this business, I’d do it for free.

“Everyone ends up in a nursing home at some stage, so you might as well be the guy with the best stories.”