December 2016 | Business View Magazine

30 31 several years, the industry’s technology has evolved, and since movies can now effectively be streamed online, McInnes says that it was time to come up with something new, while still retaining the ability to deal with independent entrepreneurs. “We looked at all sorts of different businesses,” he says, “and we wanted to do something that was fun for the people we were putting into it. We wanted it, obviously, to be prof- itable, with a relatively low investment, and we kept coming back to the idea of doing a photo booth. At that point, photo booths were starting to become more popular again at wed- dings and different types of events, but there had been very little innovation. The systems that remained, more or less, were unchanged for many, many years. So, with our expertise and our experience with DVD Kiosks and other projects, we felt that we could come up with a much better photo booth; one that was connected with social media and had a more modern look and feel to it, with more modern features. We wanted to do something that was big and interactive; we TAPSNAP As the CEO of your life, you already have enough to manage. We offer custom franchise insurance programs, exquisite service and a stream- lined quoting process, all focused on providing peace of mind. Insurance products offered through Towne Insurance, a subsidiary of Towne Bank, are not a deposit, not FDIC insured and not guaranteed by Towne Bank. 804.595.1900 n towneinsurance.com wanted to make something that was more the center of attention at a party, where the people watching the people having their photo taking are having as much fun as the people having their photo taken – more along the lines of entertainment.” “So, over the period of about a year, we developed our system,” McInnes continues. “We started doing events locally, here in Vancouver. We always had the intention of franchis- ing, but needed to learn the business first to make sure that it’s viable and everything you think it is, and work out the kinks. We already had a good team together with DVDNow, so we got to work on putting the systems in place to be able to launch TapSnap and grow it. Out of the gate, we reached out to the people we’d already done business with through DVDNow, so a lot of our first franchisees were in the DVD rental kiosk business with us. And then from there, we just started to reach out to other individuals, who had looked at DVDNow, but didn’t do it, and then, people that we had no prior contact with, whatsoever. Within a pretty short period of time, we grew a sizable franchise network.” Today, TapSnap has about 190 franchise units, worldwide. “The majority of our business is in the U.S.,” McInnes states. O wning a franchise can be a dynamic and exhilarating experience, yet it also comes with its fair share of challeng- es. Franchise owners focused on growing their business often look to custom franchise system insurance programs, such as those provided by Towne Insurance, to act as the compliance arm of their business. There are very real benefits in developing a proper franchise insurance program, for both the franchisor and the franchisees. Operating without a uniforme insurance program can present inherent elements of risk within the brand and the business. Clients like TapSnap are opting for custom franchise system insurance programs, the peace of mind that comes with know- ing the right coverages are in place and the freedom to focus on their business. A single franchise program also makes it possible to seamlessly add coverages and can bring additional services and better pricing leverage over time. For more information on how Towne Insurance can support you and your business, please call 804-595-1900. 804.595.1900 n towneinsurance.com WEWORK FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND.