This is the first in a series of forthcoming posts written by Matt Hudson, Rhino Staging’s Executive Director of Safety, Training, and Rigging. Matt is an ETCP Certified Rigger with thirty-seven years of production rigging experience. He is a Certified Safety Professional specializing in fall protection, a level three Rope Access Supervisor and Evaluator, and is the past President of The Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians.
Part I – Introduction
I started as a full-time manager with Rhino in 1998. At that time, we had one office in the Phoenix area and a couple hundred employees. It has been a wild ride to see our organization grow to this point in 2025. As we contemplate more growth, I want to reflect on how we have managed to succeed and offer some suggestions on how to continue to do so.
A Stoke of Luck
I count myself as extraordinarily lucky to have fallen in with my good friend Jeff Giek at the time I did. He and his brothers are good and wise. The founding philosophy of Rhino can be boiled down to this, “Treat people right and we will succeed.”
Before the founding of Rhino, Jeff and I had worked as Riggers for some unscrupulous employers who treated people poorly. We had a clear example of what not to do. After college, Jeff was casting about for what to do with his life. An opportunity presented for Jeff to form a Stagehand Crew. He vowed to do it right. Employees’ pay would be on time and correct. Everyone would be properly covered by workers’ compensation insurance. To his clients, he behaved with integrity, honesty, and transparency. This was a unique approach in the industry and people didn’t fail to notice.
Integrity is Key
People like working with and for Jeff Giek. He has done a remarkable job of showing people that he cares about them. This has engendered unusual loyalty from his people and clients. You’ll hear Jeff say “people over profits.” What he really means by this is that he will always err on the side of taking care of people over reaping short-term profits. Behaving with this type of integrity has been a key ingredient to long-term success.
Our growth has been remarkable, and it has happened like this:
- Do it right.
- Consistently do a good job.
- If we fall short of the mark, try hard to make it right.
Doing these things causes people to want to work with us. We slowly chip away and gain market share. We develop relationships and opportunities present themselves.
There is another key element to Rhino’s success; steady, conservative, financial management. Not moving too quickly, not taking on too much risk, and not accumulating debt, have allowed us to grow in a steady and manageable way.
Change is inevitable and required for continued success. We have a new paradigm with our new partners that comes with challenges, but also opens up tremendous opportunities. As we contemplate a faster growth trajectory, we must remember where we have come from and what has made us successful. What follows is nuts and bolts advice about continued long-term success.
Part II coming soon!
For more blog posts authored by Rhino leadership, please click on the links below.