LOCAL: Brands, Businesses + Entrepreneurs | #36 | SnapBar
Kitsap is full of incredible brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs who make LIVING in Kitsap a fun adventure.
snapbar
Sam Eitzen, CEO
Website | Facebook | Instagram
In 2019, SnapBar was the 'it' party experience. Having grown exponentially during their first few years in business, they quickly became one of the most sought-after businesses by event planners. The early weeks of 2020 changed everything for this hardy business team; today, following multiple pivots during the pandemic, they're now a software company that builds photo and video technology. Still loosely tied to photo booths through one of their products, a virtual photo booth app called Snapshot, they now have a larger focus in the world of HR with their new product that makes taking a professional headshot from the comfort of your living room, the easiest thing. The growth story of SnapBar is an inspiring story of the grit and perseverance of two brothers from Gig Harbor.
About sam
What was your first job?
“I moved to Gig Harbor at 18 from Los Angeles. Up to that point, I'd never had a job seeing I spent years 0 to 17 overseas in Morocco. The prospect of working for someone was a little daunting as I had ZERO experience, so I decided to start a coffee catering company with my girlfriend. That venture only lasted about a year, but the good news is I married that girl and we're celebrating our 15-year anniversary in 2023.”
Where do you draw inspiration/creativity in your life?
“As an entrepreneur, the process of taking ideas from concept to reality is one of my favorite things to do and read about. So most of my inspiration comes from other entrepreneurs who, like me, love to explore new ideas and new ways of doing things.”
About snapbar
How did the idea of starting Snapbar begin?
“Honestly, our business was not even our idea! It came about as a huge accident because we were gifted a photo booth enclosure that was custom built for a friend's wedding. It sat in my garage for a while before we dusted it off and started using it for parties and weddings. Fast forward 3 years and about 100 events later, my brother and I decided to go all in, quit our full-time jobs, and make Snapbar the main thing. We never looked back!”
The Genesis
Tell us the story of how Snapbar came to fruition.
“After my brother and I went full time with Snapbar in 2015, the growth started happening. Our focus shifted from parties and weddings to the world of corporate events, and that was the real turning point. In corporate events, revenue became more predictable and the same companies would hire us again and again for all sorts of events, from holiday parties and social mixers to conferences and employee appreciation weeks. Photo booths turned into photo experiences as we grew our product line-up and the services we offered expanded to include set design, software services, custom fabrication and more. From 2015 to 2018 we grew at over 1000%, going from two brothers to a team of about 45 spread across 3 states. We landed on the Inc 5000 list as one of the ‘fastest-growing privately-held companies’ in America. Things kept improving and 2019 was the best year we had on record. We were looking forward to 2020 being even greater, but COVID changed all that, but that's a story for another day. It's been an interesting journey, and it feels far from over at this point, but that's what I love about being an entrepreneur. There's always a new problem to solve!”
The Drive
Tell us what/who drives you to keep working hard towards your goals.
“I'm an entrepreneur, and I love taking ideas from zero to one. That's where I shine. So when it comes to goals, I'm naturally driven to pursue things that feel exciting, new, daunting, etc. I don't need people pushing me to work hard and that's simply because I love what I do, and when you love what you do, work doesn't feel as much like work, the stress is easier to deal with, and your goals become more like personal challenges that any competitive person (which I am) aims to beat.”
Love Kitsap
Tell us your fave local drink spot - coffee, tea, wine, tequila, whatever!
“My favorite place to snack and drink for a happy hour would be Brix 25 in Gig Harbor.”
Tell us your fave local spot for a comfort meal - what do you always order?
“I might be a broken record, but I'd have to do with Brix 25 again and choose their burger this time. I love that place and it's been a go-to spot for my wife and I for over a decade.”
Live Kitsap
Out of town guests are coming for the weekend. What is the most important thing you share with them about the Kitsap Peninsula? Where do you absolutely have to take them?
“Living in Gig Harbor makes me a bit biased, but the waterfront in Gig Harbor and Poulsbo are always a go-to when we have out of town guests. The amount of 'waterfront' in the Kitsap Peninsula is what regularly impresses visitors. I also make sure to take them to a brewery like Seven Seas or a distillery like Heritage. As with many things, my life revolves around Gig Harbor, so I try to keep it local!”
Thrive in Kitsap
Where are your favorite places to get outside? What do you do when you go?
“My favorite place to get outside on the Kitsap Peninsula would have to be the Kitsap County Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve. We've hiked there for multiple summers and the kids always love adventures out that direction. When it's a warm day, my kids explore for hours, and we love looking for treasures on the beach.”
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Sam Eitzen, the co-founder of SnapBar, is a truly inspiring story of grit and perseverance as he grew his company through the pandemic.