Tamsin Simounds, who coaches founders to act before they feel fully ready, reveals why she delayed launching her own activewear startup, JumpProof, for two years and how she finally moved forward.
- Founder delayed own startup despite coaching others to act early
- JumpProof creates discreet activewear for women with bladder leakage
- Key move came through forming a business partnership to solve manufacturing challenges
What happened
Tamsin Simounds spent two years delaying the launch of JumpProof, her startup focused on absorbent activewear for women who experience bladder leakage during exercise. Although the idea and brand came to her suddenly and fully formed, she spent much of that time stuck due to uncertainty around manufacturing and fear of putting the product out before it was perfect.
While coaching other founders to move early and embrace imperfection, Simounds realized she was caught in the same stall cycle. The breakthrough came when she connected with a fellow entrepreneur and gained a business partner who helped navigate production challenges. This partnership sparked momentum, leading to prototypes and eventual market launch preparations.
Why it matters
Simounds’s experience reveals that delays in launching startups often stem not from lack of readiness or confidence, but from self-protective behaviors that keep founders in safe, known zones rather than uncomfortable uncertainty. This self-protection can disguise itself as productive preparation or learning but ultimately stalls progress.
Her story also underscores how external factors—specifically new people or collaborators—can act as powerful levers to disrupt stasis. Recognizing the true source of blockage and changing the environment rather than relying solely on mindset shifts is crucial for founders facing similar hurdles.
What to watch next
JumpProof is preparing to move beyond testing and early prototyping toward wider market launch, with early feedback showing the product meets a significant unspoken need among women. The brand’s progress will offer insights into launching niche performance apparel centered on function and comfort while addressing sensitive health concerns.
For other startups, the key takeaway is to diagnose what specifically is blocking progress and seek practical solutions—whether new partnerships, shifts in environment, or simplified launch approaches—to break inertia and embrace learning from real-world feedback.