Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Victoria Dickerson, and Daniel Koonce, sit down with Bonnie Adams, founder and CEO of The Joys of Swimming, an organization providing water safety education that saves lives and develops lifelong swimmers. Throughout the conversation, Bonnie shares an inside look at her two companies: The Joys of Swimming and SWIM OZ, and delves into her entrepreneurial journey and the importance of water safety amongst swimmers with all different backgrounds, from elementary school kids to Olympic-level swimmers.
Show Notes
(0:45) Introducing Bonnie Adams
(12:20) Water Education in Schools
(22:04) The Impact of Northwest Arkansas’s Entrepreneurial Community
(29:27) Participating in Northwest Arkansas’s Entrepreneurial Culture
(34:35) The Joys of Swimming’s Origin Story
(38:27) Advice to Younger Self
(41:50) Closing Question
Links
Quotes
“I’m all about building community. And so it’s been really neat to have that, be able to grow that aspect of it, and circle it back to The Joys of Swimming.” – Bonnie Adams, (8:39)
“There’s so much benefit from swimming. Yes, it’s a sport. Yes, it’s athletic. Those are wonderful pieces of it. But the pieces that you learned packing your swim bag, going to a swim meet, preparing your nutrition, all those things are really just amazing. And then you add on the fact that it can save your life is huge.” – Bonnie Adams, (10:19)
“I feel like you can do just about anything in [Northwest Arkansas] and there is support somewhere, and it may not be you’re the one that’s going to support me, but you’re going to put me into contact with who is… but it’s really incredible what a tight knit space this is.” – Bonnie Adams, (28:10)
“There’s so much to go around, whether it’s events or networking or ideas, we’re in a blessed place. I’m sure everybody else here calls it the same, but [Northwest Arkansas] is a bubble. We are in a very special place and it’s amazing that we get to live here and do life here and learn from each other.” – Bonnie Adams, (31:44)
Swimmer Safety: The Joys of Swimming with Bonnie Adams
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Victoria Dickerson, and Daniel Koonce, sit down with Bonnie Adams, founder and CEO of The Joys of Swimming, an organization providing water safety education that saves lives and develops lifelong swimmers. Throughout the conversation, Bonnie shares an inside look at her two companies: The Joys of Swimming and SWIM OZ, and delves into her entrepreneurial journey and the importance of water safety amongst swimmers with all different backgrounds, from elementary school kids to Olympic-level swimmers.
Diving into Entrepreneurship
The Joys of Swimming began humbly with private lessons and gradually expanded to accommodate a team of twenty instructors. Bonnie oversaw the development of various programs that catered to different age groups and skill levels, building not just a business but a hub for swimming enthusiasts and a beacon for water safety education.
However, the journey has not been without setbacks. When the pool’s building owner decided to cease operations, The Joys of Swimming faced a significant challenge. Rather than seeing this as a defeat, Bonnie pivoted her business model and transformed her offerings with Swim Oz, focusing on open water swimming for adults and triathletes.
“There’s so much benefit from swimming. Yes, it’s a sport. Yes, it’s athletic. Those are wonderful pieces of it. But the pieces that you learned packing your swim bag, going to a swim meet, preparing your nutrition, all those things are really just amazing. And then you add on the fact that it can save your life is huge.” – Bonnie Adams, (10:19)
Cultivating Community through Swimming
Bonnie continues to cultivate a diverse swimming community by partnering with local businesses to provide educational programs to schools at no cost, an initiative that successfully reached fifteen thousand students last year. With a penchant for ensuring that water safety education becomes a staple in school curriculums, Adams emphasizes the critical life-saving aspect of swimming knowledge.
“I’m all about building community. And so it’s been really neat to have that, be able to grow that aspect of it, and circle it back to The Joys of Swimming.” – Bonnie Adams, (8:39)
In the near future, Bonnie is launching her own podcast called The Tributary, featuring immersive conversations with season experts and passionate enthusiasts exploring the world of outdoor recreation centered around water.
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