July 4, 2007

The idea for Rapid Magazine Inc. started in 1999 when Scott and Tanya MacGregor and a few friends were eating at a Texas-themed chain restaurant.  They unfolded a napkin and started scribbling down business plans.  By the time they were done, it was clear wouldn’t be big enough for their idea.

After the first year of successfully publishing Rapid Magazine, the Macgregors needed capital to grow.  In 2000, Scott received an operating loan of $25,000 from Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation (RCCFDC).  It was to be repaid over five years, but the MacGregor’s repaid it in three, while adding a quarterly Adventure Kayak magazine and an annual Canoeroot magazine.

In the spring of 2007, they started a Canadian White-Water Instructor Conference with support from the Local Initiative Component of the Eastern Ontario Development Program administered RCCFDC.

In only eight years, Rapid Media has grown from a niche magazine start-up to a full media company by employing five full-time and two part-time paid staff.  They have many long term goals that include hiring of more full-time staff, expansion of the film festival in the US, development of two festival and paid online subscription that will insure that their business will continue to grow and provided a benefit to the rural community where it resides.

For more information please visit their website:  www.rapidmedia.com