Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate Mike Steinhoff's 25th anniversary of owning Rhyme. Mike's journey into the business world began at the age of 20, thanks to a longtime friend who introduced him to the copier industry. Starting his career with GI Supply in Madison, Mike's dedication and passion led him to various roles, including building a machine division at Wagner’s Office Supply and serving as Director of Sales at Martin Business Group.
Mike's path to Rhyme began with a meeting arranged by Kevin Durkin, a former Panasonic Manager. The owner of Rhyme, Ken Hutler, wasn't just looking for a buyer—he was looking for someone to take care of his lifetime business and family. Mike's commitment and vision made him the perfect choice, leading to countless early morning meetings at Perkins in Madison until Ken entrusted him with Rhyme.
From the very beginning, Mike loved the challenge, competitiveness, and the opportunity to help people in their offices. His dream of running his own business was driven by a relentless pursuit of knowledge, taking notes on what not to do, and preparing for the day he got his chance.
"Rhyme was recharged when Mike bought the company, the energy he brought and enthusiasm resonated within the company. Mike continues to bring a positive outlook to Rhyme and the people of Rhyme this enhances our culture and a good reason for the longevity of the people who have worked at Rhyme for many years and for those who did work for Rhyme and still come back to visit." – Kim Steinhoff, Vice President of Rhyme, celebrating 35 years with the company this year.
One of Mike's primary goals upon purchasing Rhyme was to have enough money to make payroll and, most importantly, to meet and understand his team. His favorite memory over the past 25 years is seeing all his children graduate from college and join Rhyme. The significant milestones that shaped Rhyme's direction were the wonderful people who joined the company and their positive impact on its growth and development.
"I have so many fond memories of Mike throughout the years. My first memory that I always reference and share with people when I talk highly of him is the day he came into the Portage office and announced he was the new owner. He said he would be giving back to the employees and the community, and he holds true to his word to this day. Many years together and many anniversary 'thank you' cards later, I still look forward to my review day, anticipating his email or card and an in-person hug. From ringing the bell for big sales to memorable company picnics and Christmas parties, Mike has always celebrated his employees. I have many more memories of my forever friend Mike Steinhoff." – Mary Fahey, Dispatch Coordinator of Rhyme, celebrating 28 years with the company this year.
Despite the challenges, Mike's resilience and adaptability have ensured Rhyme's continuous growth and success. Looking ahead, Mike envisions evolving the people and services at Rhyme, focusing on helping organizations thrive and maintaining a healthy workplace culture. He emphasizes the importance of hiring and retaining good people who fit Rhyme's culture and enjoy helping others.
"The biggest changes to the culture and operations occurred in September of 1999 when Mike Steinhoff became the owner of Rhyme. He brought a fresh view of how to take care of customers and how to conduct business. With this change in culture and operations, there has been a huge growth of the company. When I started at Rhyme, before Mike was the owner, we had one office and less than 30 employees. Now we have nine offices and over 100 employees. While this can make it more challenging for me to know each employee on a personal level, the fact that they work for Rhyme makes them family. The core values of the company have remained the same since that first year too. One of my favorite stories happened many, many years ago at a Business After Five in Janesville. The guest speaker asked Mike Steinhoff what Rhyme does. Mike simply answered, 'We help people.' 'With what?' asked the speaker. 'With whatever they need,' was Mike’s answer. Now, decades later, Rhyme continues to help PEOPLE. Yes, we help our 'customers' but it’s the people of those companies that we really help. We also help our communities by offering paid volunteer time to every employee. We help our employees be the best at what they do by offering them mentoring and the right tools. So, while the size of the company is the most significant change I’ve seen, the heart, the core of who Rhyme is has remained the same." – Mike Kaether, System Analyst of Rhyme, celebrating 25 years with the company this year.
To aspiring leaders, Mike's advice is to be generous, never be petty, give people the benefit of the doubt, and be as impatient as possible while being patient as needed. He encourages leaders to stay adaptable and ready to change with the times, never getting emotionally attached to a single plan or outcome.
"From my early days in the copier industry to leading Rhyme for the past 25 years, I've always been driven by the challenge, the competitiveness, and the joy of helping people. Our success is built on the wonderful team we've grown and the positive impact they've had. As we look to the future, my vision is to continue evolving our services and nurturing a culture of generosity, adaptability, and resilience. Here's to many more years of growth and innovation." – Mike Steinhoff, President, celebrating 25 years with the company this year.
Join us in celebrating Mike Steinhoff's 25 incredible years at Rhyme! Here's to many more years of growth, innovation, and success.
