1851

Photo Courtesy of: Entrepreneur &nbsp;<div style="">Chip Paul is the co-founder of Palm Beach Vapors, the nation&#8217;s first e-cigarette franchise. In 2004, after deciding to follow his dreams of business ownership and leaving the corporate world behind, Paul entered the world of franchising. Palm Beach Vapors was created by Paul and his wife, Cindy, after they were dissatisfied with local vape shops.&nbsp;</div>Along with e-cigarettes, Paul is also an advocate for marijuana legalization and heads the 501c4 non-profit organization Oklahomans For Health, which was responsible for petitioning efforts for medical marijuana in the state. Paul is currently working on a new endeavor: Native Grow - a sister company to Palm Beach Vapors that focuses on cannabis oil products. Currently, Paul is hoping to patent his method for producing a cannabis oil product to be used with e-cigarettes called the M-System. With marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington, and with referendums passed in Alaska and Oregon, Paul hopes that Native Grow will be on the forefront of marijuana e-cigarettes. What inspired you to open Palm Beach Vapors? My wife and I both vape and grew increasingly dissatisfied with both the customer service and product selection at the vape shop we were frequenting. We decided to open a shop near our house, kind of for fun, that had great customer service and a very open and inviting theme. The store was met with immediate success, and in fact we were successful in a very saturated market, so we knew we were on to something. Was it a concept you instinctively knew would thrive? Not initially, but as soon as we started getting feedback and inquiries about licensing and franchising, we knew we were going somewhere. What challenges did you, as a founder and owner, face this past year? Wow. Well this was our first full year of operation as a franchise company. We went from one franchised unit to 11. At the start of the year, we were planning on hardware distribution being handled by a partner. Our partner could not handle our relationship so we had to bring this complete operation in-house. This is dealing with tens of suppliers in several countries, managing inventory and pricing, setting up a website so that franchisees could order, etc. Basically we had to set up a wholesale distribution and procurement business which does about $30k in sales a month within our franchise business &#8211; it was not easy. What is your vision for the Palm Beach Vapors brand in 2015? I want to continue to build our brand. We have a very unique position within our industry, and we will continue to massage that unique position. If you could give any piece of advice to your younger entrepreneurial self, what would it be? Start early, find your passion, and then find a business that supports your passion! Never be afraid to spend money to make money. You will succeed and you will fail, try to learn from both!
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/embed.js?id=3251025926001&w=466&h=263"></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at <a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=founder-to-know-chip-paul-palm-beach-vapors-1281" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">video.foxbusiness.com</a></noscript>

1851 Franchise

The co-founder of Palm Beach Vapors, the nation's first e-cigarette franchise, is taking on marijuana legislation. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Founder to Know: Chip Paul, Palm Beach Vapors      

founder-to-know-chip-paul-palm-beach-vapors

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Ramps Up Growth in First Half of 2025 With Strategic Expansions, Franchise Signings, and New Headquarters

childrens-lighthouse-ramps-up-growth-in-first-half-of-2025-with-strategic-expansions-franchise-signings-and-new-headquarters

Right at Home

Right at Home® Named a 2025 Top Franchise Brand for Multi-Unit Owners by Entrepreneur Magazine

right-at-home-named-a-2025-top-franchise-brand-for-multi-unit-owners-by-entrepreneur-magazine

Dog Training Elite

Dog Training Elite -Tips-to-Ease-Dog Anxiety-for-4th of July- July-2025

Dog Training Elite Shares Tips To Ease Dog Anxiety for 4th of July

tips-to-ease-dog-anxiety-fireworks-4th-of-july

Melting Pot

Photo of interior of Melting Pot restaurant

Lexington Herald Leader: This Restaurant Chain Eyes a Return to Lexington After 10 Years

melting-pot-return-to-lexington

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

Keke's Breakfast Cafe - John and Kimberly Ehrhard - 1851 Franchise

Empowering Leadership, One Pancake at a Time: How John and Kimberly Ehrhard Are Building a Franchise Legacy with Keke’s Breakfast Cafe

john-kimberly-ehrhard-kekes-franchise

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Carol DeNembo — Chief Marketing Officer, Mountain Mike’s Pizza

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-carol-denembo-chief-marketing-officer-mountain-mikes-pizza

Brian Curin - Little Kitchen Academy - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Brian Curin — Chief Executive Officer/Chief Marketing Officer, Little Kitchen Academy

little-kitchen-academy-marketing-leader-brian-curin

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

Founder to Know: Chip Paul, Palm Beach Vapors

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS