Today we’d like to introduce you to Marian Padilla.
Hi Marian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I stumbled into the soft play industry in 2019, right after my son turned one. For his baptism and first birthday, I went full DIY—soft pastels, handmade details, everything perfectly coordinated—until the rentals arrived. Soft play was still new in Miami, and while bounce houses existed, the modern all-white and pastel styles we see today didn’t. Everything came in bright primary colors that totally clashed with the aesthetic.
As much as I didn’t love it, there were simply no other options in Miami, and I needed something for my late-walking one-year-old to crawl on so he wouldn’t spend the whole party being carried or stuck in a stroller. And despite the colors, I was surprised to see how much the kids absolutely loved it. Parents kept asking where I found such a fun setup because it was such a new concept. That’s when it clicked: there was a real gap for modern, clean, beautifully curated soft play.
I never imagined where it was going to take me. What began as a tiny side hustle grew faster than I ever expected. Within a couple of years, I found myself managing dozens of events every weekend, constantly ordering new inventory, and juggling motherhood with a business that seemed to take on a life of its own.
By 2023—four years in—my business partner and I decided to part ways. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. Walking away from something we built together and starting from zero again was absolutely terrifying, especially knowing how much time, money, and sacrifice had gone into it. But deep down, I knew it was the right move for me and for the future of the brand, so I took the risk.
When I branched out, I knew I wanted to do things differently. I wanted my new company to be built on the three F’s: family, faith, and fun.
Today, I get to work alongside the people I love most, which is honestly one of the biggest blessings of this business. My uncle—known as ‘El Tío’—is adored in the industry and has basically become everyone’s favorite. My older brother brings the creative spark, my husband supports every wild idea I come up with, and my whole family jumps in whenever I need them. Even my son helps sometimes—he loves coming to events and seeing the setups he inspires come to life. And the rest of our team who are part of our extended family.
As he grows, we grow, and our ideas grow too. What started with soft play has expanded into bounce houses, splash pads, ball pits, bumper cars—always designed to elevate an event, not clash with it. Our tagline, *Sophisticated Fun*, says it best: fun for the kids, aesthetic for the parents.
Clients come to us for our custom touches—matching colors, themes, fonts, and personalizing every detail so the play area feels like part of the event. Cleanliness and safety are a priority, from our industrial ball-pit washing machine to the detailed cleaning of every piece after each event.
This little business has taken us to big places, allowing us to work with high-profile clients and celebrities we never imagined. What began as a simple idea for my son’s party has grown into a business that brings joy to countless families. Building this from scratch—risks, lessons, and all—has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all—there have been many challenges along the way. When I started in 2019, I was struggling to make ends meet while trying to grow a brand-new concept in Miami. Working as a family is a blessing, but it also comes with ups and downs, especially when we’ve had to keep going during seasons of personal loss, including losing a veryyy special family member.
As a business owner, surviving the slow summer months has been another big challenge, one we’ve had to learn to navigate year after year, including covid. On top of that, most of our equipment is custom-made, and many of our designs were originally created by us—even the ones now seen around the world. That type of innovation requires risk, investment, and constant reinvention.
And while people see the weekend events, what they don’t see is the amount of cleaning, prepping, and planning that happens during the week to make those events possible. There are months where we truly don’t get a single day off. Add in the physical labor—carrying heavy equipment, loading trucks, climbing stairs—and it becomes one of the toughest parts of the job.
But every struggle has shaped who we are as a company. Looking back, those challenges strengthened our family, our faith, and our commitment to creating the best experience for every celebration we’re part of.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My favorite part of the job, and what truly sets us apart, is the design process. We personalize every detail—colors, fonts, graphics, and branding—so the play area looks like it was created specifically for that event. Clients are always amazed to see how their ball pit, bounce house, or soft play setup matches their décor, their theme, and even their invitations perfectly. We’re also extremely proud of the amount of time, effort, and investment we put into cleanliness. Every single piece of equipment—and even every single ball pit ball—is cleaned and sanitized before it goes out again. It’s a huge operation behind the scenes, but it’s what keeps our setups looking pristine and keeps families safe. And it’s also why our clients return year after year. We’ve celebrated children who started with us at their first birthday, and now we’re celebrating their fifth—and their new siblings too. That level of trust and loyalty means everything to us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ohplayful.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_playful/
