GEOFF RHODES
Here’s a little insight into what the Director of Fun does what he’s not creating world-class, custom experiences.
FATHER: I have three amazing boys
HOTTIE: Married the woman of my dreams
ZION NP: my favorite place on Earth
DREAM: SUP the Grand Canyon
MY HOME: Vegas baby!
PARADISE: Currently, we live in Bend, OR
PIZZA: I eat pizza just about every day
TIME: my most precious commodity
GO HOKIES!: Virginia Tech Class ‘02
HAWAII: have spent 6-months on the islands
DREAM: SUP in Argentina
SNAPSHOT: my phone is a camera
SERIOUS: Allergic to Chocolate
BED TIME: I actually sleep outside every night
GOAL: Paddle full length Deschutes River
FAV BOOK: I read this book every year
CREATIVE PORTFOLIO
STORIES BEHIND THE CAREER
MOST MEMORABLE EVENT: Back in 2014, a client hired us to reproduce the infamous Ben Stiller/Vince Vaugh movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” for their annual sales kick-off event. We first had to source a venue that was large enough to host a (40) team dodgeball tournament as well accommodate the construction of a 400-seat stadium, complete with lights and rigging. My team also managed every aspect of the program, from arranging transportation, hiring a caterer, training a team of referees, and even designing and printing all of the custom signage. The icing on the cake was a custom produced halftime show that featured an original performance by some former Laker Girls. It was (at the time) the largest event I had ever produced and to this day it’s still the coolest things I have ever been a part of.
SCARIEST MOMENT: Early on in my career I lived in Las Vegas and partnered with a tour company that led mountain biking trips in a place called Bootleg Canyon. It’s a notoriously difficult trail system located a few miles from the Hoover Dam and it’s filled with some of the desert’s most unforgiving terrain. I was chaperoning a few guests when our guide led everyone down a trail that featured some small whoop-de-doos (jumps) that everyone was instructed to slowly ride over. About halfway down the trail one of the riders panicked and let go over her brakes. Her speed picked-up and her momentum carried her over the first jump, but left her a few feet short of clearing the second. As a result, she rammed head-first into the dirt and her legs scorpion kicked over her head so far that the heels of her shoes tapped her helmet. To this day, it is still the most horrific wreck I’ve ever seen. After a few intense hours, which included a helicopter ride to the hospital, we got word that the rider was in good condition and would make a full recovery. However, for me, it was such an intense moment that I vowed to never take another person mountain biking again.
FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKING MOMENT: It was my junior year in high school. Before one of the boys basketball games, we found out that the teacher that normally handled the player introductions had lost their voice. To fill his spot, one of the administrators asked if I would be interested in announcing the line-ups for both teams. I agreed without hesitation, but when handed the microphone I was so nervous that my hand wouldn’t stop shaking. After introducing the opposing teams’ line-up, I dug deep, leaned into the microphone and (in my best Michael Buffer voice) said…"and now, its time for your Chattahoocheeeeeeeeeeee COUGARS!!!” I held the note for so long that I burst a blood vessel in my face, but the gym went bananas and the energy I got from that moment set a foundation of confidence that eventually led me to pursue a career as a professional emcee and speaker.
WHAT SKILLS HAVE BROUGHT YOU THE MOST SUCCESS:
Enthusiasm: I try to greet each person I meet with my enthusiasm for life. That energy I exude has opened a lot of doors for me over the years and it has helped me stay positive, even when things get tough.
Risk: if you really want to live life to its fullest, you have to be open to risk. Whether it’s raising a house full of boys, running whitewater on my SUP, or running my own business; learning to manage risk has been a skill that I use in every facet of my life.
Discipline: I would never have found success in my life without being disciplined. It is the hardest skill to master and its something that I continually work at every day. The practice of goal setting and holding myself to a daily task list has definitely helped me become a more disciplined person over the years.
LET’S PLAY A GAME: The event industry is a small world filled with some really amazing and talented people. One of my all-time favorite people is Jeff Sturgis, a producer out of Orlando who works for the best production company in the world; TEK Productions. He runs a tight ship, but also loves to have fun at his job. To keep me on my toes, every time we work together he hands me a piece of paper before I walk on stage. Written on it is some ridiculous word that I need to some how work into my remarks. It’s a fun little game that really helps lighten the mood and always gives everyone at the tech table a good laugh. One of my all-time favorites was the word “platypus”. It was such a ridiculous request, that it took the entire night before I was able to work into my closing remarks. Don’t believe me, see for yourself HERE.
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO LIFE: To make life an adventure. Life is meant to be experienced, not dreamt about. And I know it sounds ridiculously cliche, but “life is so short” and no one is guaranteed tomorrow. That’s why I try to maximize every day to it’s fullest and never pass-up an opportunity to go on an adventure.
