Episode 27 - Finding the Urgency with Bump In Burger, Woodvale WA

Self Starter

Bump In Burger is located in Woodvale in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia. Owner Brad Wesson who many know as one of the names behind Soundworks Direct Touring, teamed up with professional chef wiz Christopher Swayne to launch their own burger suburban haven.

For those who don't know, Brad's own journey in the self employment world has seen him running the music touring company Soundworks Touring for over a decade. More recently merging with David Haley of Direct Touring to form Soundworks Direct Touring, Brad has built a global network of contacts, talent and insights that have continued to build his own knowledge and skill sets. These years slogging it out all over the world has now positioned him to be able to 'take that plunge' and launch his own burger joint, even though Brad has had no experience himself in hospitality since being a kitchen hand in his teens.

Since the launch of Bump in Burger in February 2018, the team has seen dramatic success in their local area and through Brad's wider network has attracted attention globally with international musicians stopping in for a meal when coming through Perth on tour. Their real impact however has been through their efforts in contributing to their local area, ensuring that the suburb of Woodvale feels that Bump in Burger is their own. It's a collective project that has formed a passionate loyalty with many regulars coming in each week to grab their favourite specials before they sell out, which happens often.

This is a great chat where we talk about the build up to launch, pushing it all over the line (with some encouragement from Brad's wife), how they have managed to achieve what they have in 2018 and their efforts to package up and strengthen the business as quickly as possible.

There's lots to come for Brad and the Bump in Burger business rolling into 2019, so if you're ever in Perth be sure to head north and grab a bite.

What did you get out of this episode? Here’s what I learnt;

1. What's Your Back Up Plan? - Bump In Burger came from Brad wondering if his Touring business ever went away, what would his back up plan be. Not all of us may be thinking of a second business to create to protect the first, however sometimes a solid fall back is a great way to take the pressure off and provide you with options and flexibility. Even better if your back up plan becomes just as successful!

2. Pull Your Finger Out - Brad's wife said it best, "Let's get moving. There is not enough urgency". This has been a common theme with Self Starter. Sometimes being stuck in the concept and idea leaves you missing your window of opportunity due to waiting for the perfect set of circumstances to get started. Brad knew that it was getting to the point where he just needed to open the doors and work the rest out as they went. In this case, Brad's wife, having the outside perspective, was the one to smack some sense into him!

3. Make the community feel like it's theirs - Brad is nailing it when it comes to advocacy. He said that his aim for Bump in Burger was to make it feel like the community owned it. As a result he has seen faithful supporters jumping in online when any unfair criticism is displayed. Large corporations pay huge dollars to create campaigns that breed this level of advocacy. Brad seen the same results from his grass roots, community entrenched approach and his reputation in how he conducts business. Bump In Burger is something that the local area can truly be proud of.

4. Become a People Person - I understand that we might not all be social butterflies, but we should always be open to create new relationships and nurture existing ones. This can have obvious business advantages but it also has a great impact on your own self development. This point has a lot packed into it, but Brad's approach of 'everyone is a potential friend of business partner' is a fantastic way to approach life in general.

5. Don't play with amateurs. Recruit Pros. - Brad is a firm believer of investing in himself and others. The old saying of 'you get what you pay for' rings true. Paying a premium for professionals such as an accountant, book keeper, staff, contractors, consultants etc will see your return on investment a lot quicker and lift the bar on your own expectations, operation and vision. Surround yourself with excellence and don't hesitate to pay for it.

6. Package it and put a bow on it - One of the first things that Brad did was look to package up his business and scrutinise all facets of operation. Normally this happens when you're looking to sell up, but Brad's approach was to do this early so that he could identify any bias, bad habits and get a professional independent assessment on everything he is doing. This is a great way to remove the emotion, have a healthy detatchment and identify not only the areas of strength but the areas of opportunity.

Follow Bump in Burger via Main Website | Facebook | Instagram |

Location – Shop 4, Woodvale Boulevard Shopping Center, 931 Whitfords Ave, Woodvale WA 6026