// ABOUT US

TSN

October 1984 – June 1991

Tapp's experience in channel startups began with the launch of The Sports Network in 1984. TSN was Canada's first PAY TV All Sports Channel, similar to ESPN. His roles included establishing and managing program and production contracts, financing and budget management.

Tapp was promoted to run Program Acquisitions responsible for securing a wide range of live events and series. The highlight for Tapp at TSN was being selected to run the unit management of TSN'S first Olympic Games in Calgary 88.

Viewers Choice Pay Per View

July 1991 – December 1995

Tapp was responsible for launching Canada's first PPV Network- A partnership between Astral Media, The Sports Network and Rogers Communications. In his role as Founding Vice-President and General Manager, then later promoted to Executive Vice-President, he oversaw all aspects of the launch, the successful operation and the eventual high margin profitable performance of the network for its partners and stakeholders. Among these areas were overseeing BDU carriage agreements, acquisition of studio and independent film rights, sports, music and entertainment rights.

CHUM Television

January 1996 – August 2004

Tapp held several key senior leadership positions at broadcaster CHUM Limited (since purchased by CTV and Bell). As Executive Vice-President of CHUM Television he oversaw the company’s television division consisting of 26 channels including such leading stations as CityTV, MuchMusic and Bravo. His purview also included Chum’s award winning Online/Interactive division.

Prior to heading up the television division Tapp was Vice-President and General Manager of Canada's leading and innovative local broadcaster CityTV. He oversaw all aspects of the turnaround strategy for news and programming, including bringing the hit realty show The Bachelor to CityTV.

Tapp started his career at CHUM as Vice-President and General Manager of ChumCity International, franchising channel formats for both MuchMusic and Citytv in Finland, Argentina, Colombia, Spain and Malaysia. Tapp lead the content distribution of CHUM properties both domestic and globally, where he succeeded in distributing shows like Fashion Television to over 130 countries.

XM Satellite Radio Canada

September 2004 – June 2007

As the Founding President and Chief Operating Officer, Tapp was responsible for winning the CRTC license for satellite radio in Canada. A new spectrum that required extensive government relations and lobbying, launching the business (the first to launch in Canada), negotiating deals with retailers, auto manufactures, wireless and airline sectors and taking the company public with an initial market cap of $800 million.

Over the launch, build and operating stages, Tapp oversaw many pioneering deals in the sector, including launching 10 Canadian Channels in the music, sports, comedy and news genres in French and English. Bringing the first satellite radio platform to mobile devices and establishing the first and exclusive deal at 30,000 feet with XM on all Air Canada aircrafts. Tapp left after the U.S. merger with SIRIUS to launch Hercules Media Group.

Cue Digital Media

2005 - Present

Cue Digital Media is a uniquely positioned digital entertainment company that helps brands to engage consumers online. Cue exclusively represents a handful of select, established, premium online entertainment properties in Canada, each with audiences between 500,000 and 3 million unique Canadian viewers. This gives Canadian advertisers unparalleled access to top international online properties and allows for fully customized and integrated campaigns not usually available in Canada. From traditional display campaigns to large integrated executions and promotions, advertisers benefit from massive yet targeted and elusive audiences that are very difficult to reach in traditional online media.

As a shareholder, Tapp is working with Founder and CEO David UK to build their innovative branded content vertical and also provides advice on corporate structure and The Company's growth strategy.

Hercules Media Group

June 2007 - Present

Hercules Media Group specializes in providing senior advisory services and investment in digital television, online and mobile media and marketing. Hercules partners with and advises companies on business turnaround, start up and growth strategies. Their specialties include Lobbying, Promoting and Leading teams in new and uncharted areas. We’ve had the opportunity to work with many talented individuals and companies from start-up to Fortune 500 and thrive off of taking a business to the next level.

iYellow Wine Club

2007

iYellow is a place where you can taste wines from all over the world, learn about the wines you love and meet other wine lovers. Membership is free and members receive invites to wine events, wine tours and wine school classes all year around.

iPorta Corp

2007

The world’s leading media company that provides hospital specific, interactive patient experiences, while educating and entertaining in the health care industry. Custom tailored to each facility and offer features such as broadcast television, medication and illness education, translation and caregiver information.

Blue Ant Media

2007

We’re a media company that creates and distributes content internationally in categories that span lifestyle, travel, music, nature, and documentary. We create and distribute content ranging from music to travel, style to nature, engaging fans across television, digital, magazines and live events.

MASH+MEDIA

April 2009 – June 2011

Tapp served as the director then later CEO of MASH+MEDIA (formerly Empirical). MASH is a new breed marketing agency that provides technology enabled, across the line solutions for brands who want to engage their customers across multiple platforms, wherever they are, 24/7.

Mash+Media helps brands to achieve a highly valuable and measurable relationship with their customers, using custom technology to engage, measure and deliver Return On Investment.

Toronto East General Hospital Foundation

2011 - Present

Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) is an award-winning centre of excellence and is one of Canada’s most forward thinking and fiscally responsible community hospitals. The TEGH Foundation raises millions of dollars to help the hospital in their redevelopment campaign and quality care. Stephen’s seat on the TEGH Foundation Board of Directors gives him the opportunity to put his skills in marketing and networking on full blast to raise money for the hospital and in turn help hundreds and thousands of families in Toronto.

It’s All About Me

2012

Tapp had the opportunity to be an Executive Producer of the documentary “It’s All About Me.” In this film the generational divide is a timely topic as members of Generation Me enter the workplace, more commonly known to them as the infamous real world, and find themselves at a loss with how to communicate with Baby Boomer bosses. Of course, that same confusion is also felt by the Baby Boomer employers who aren’t sure how to manage these younger generation employees.
www.itsallaboutmemovie.com

Bent Branded Entertainment Inc

June 2013 – Present

Tapp is a partner and co-founder of Bent, along with Cue Digital Media and Alibi Productions, a partnership that includes leaders in digital sales and distribution, storytellers and trans-media startup innovators. They’re building a new avenue for brand advocates and advertisers who are looking to engage audiences in meaningful and unique ways. He brings to the table a new way of integrating and weaving brand stories into targeted and relevant entertaining messages.

Influicity

September 2013 – Present

Influicity is breaking new ground in the influencer marketing space, by connecting brands with highly influential people via YouTube, social media stars, celebs, etc. to showcase products and drive sales. The real game-changer is the ability for brands to easily harness a massive pool of influencers, which is something they are all struggling to do on their own. That's where Influicity's platform comes in. These personalities speak to millions of followers/consumers through their social networks. Influicity has a stable of blue-chip clients and an industry-first platform to scale globally. The company is already generating revenues and is poised to grow significantly. Tapp is an investor through his Holdco, Hercules Media Group Inc.

Giftagram

2013

Giftagram is a mobile platform that you can send awesome gifts via email or text. A mobile gifting app that curates best-in-class local services, products and experiences you can send as gifts to your friends. Giftagram helps users select the best gifts for each occasion and make it easy to send in three clicks.

Canadian Growth Investments

2013 - Present

Canadian Growth Investments invests in technology oriented startup companies. We look for entrepreneurs who have a passion for their business, a significant market opportunity, a unique and hard-to-duplicate technology, and a business model that works to serve the target market. We use our investment expertise and resources to help our portfolio companies become powerful forces in their markets. Transparency and trust are at the core of our investment relationships. By providing financial resources as well as management and technical expertise, we work closely with our chosen partners to develop a business strategy, improve sales/marketing capabilities, and increase revenue and margin growth.

Bloor Hot Docs Cinema

2013 - Present

The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema is a historic, century-old cinema located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood. Operated and programmed by Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the venue is a year-round home for first-run Canadian and international documentaries, as well as special documentary presentations and showcases. Continuing its longstanding role as a community cinema, it also hosts many of the city’s independent film festivals and offers audiences some repertory and specialized fiction film programming.

CASACOM

2014

CASACOM elevates public relations to the next level. We provide a powerful strategic advantage for our clients, leveraging their full potential to achieve strong, structured, and sustainable growth.

We have a reputation for excellence, numerous awards and distinctions, and ambitious programs whether in corporate communications, public affairs, or marketing communications, and have firmly established ourselves as a leader in the industry.

Fortuity Search Group

2014

Fortuity embodies the next phase of executive search. We work with both clients to solve the challenge of executive search for an organization by precisely aligning its requirements with the most pertinent future executive talent. Leveraging industry-leading talent, technology and process, we’re well positioned to capitalize on the synergy between client leadership needs and candidate attributes.

We also work with candidates, we understand that the art and science of an executive search is complex, sensitive and extremely personal. Our meticulous process and leading edge technology is combined with our highly developed aptitude for identifying, evaluating and assisting our clients in attracting the most relevant leadership talent.