Brush With Greatness
Under the leadership of owner Matt Rathgeb, Groovy Hues Philadelphia continues to earn five-star reviews and serve as a model for franchises opening across the country.
Matt Rathgeb has strict hiring rules for the thriving painting business he built from scratch more than two decades ago. Those rules have nothing to do with the applicant’s ability to hold a paintbrush or deliver a sales pitch; rather, he wants all new team members to buy into the ideology that guided him when he first started building his enterprise.
“That’s the first thing I look for,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if they’re the best painter or the best salesperson; if they don’t align with our core values, they can’t work here.”
Groovy Hues Philadelphia, which offers interior and exterior painting to residential and commercial clients in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware counties, as well as the Main Line, has five core values. They revolve around going the extra mile for customers, striving to be the best painting company in the region, being people of service both inside and outside the business, always doing the right thing, and wowing clients at each step of the process.
Groovy Hues Philadelphia, which offers interior and exterior painting to residential and commercial clients in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware counties, as well as the Main Line, has five core values. They revolve around going the extra mile for customers, striving to be the best painting company in the region, being people of service both inside and outside the business, always doing the right thing, and wowing clients at each step of the process.
In short, Rathgeb explains, he wants his employees to emphasize honesty and integrity—and to work as if their mother is watching.
“Every decision that we make as a team is based on the core values,” he says. “That’s the driving force of the company. There’s not a hierarchy. We have team meetings and we vote on everything—from marketing strategies to new products—and all of those votes are contingent on whether they align with our core values.”
Originally known as Rathgeb Painting, the business has been such a hit locally because of its customer-centric approach that last year it joined forces with the national home-services corporation HorsePower Brands and became the flagship location for Groovy Hues. Since then, Groovy Hues franchises have been opening across the country—at a rate of three or four per month in states such as Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina—based on Rathgeb’s model.
He takes calls from other franchise owners about his systems and processes. He also holds weekly Zoom meetings with franchisees to answer any pressing questions that arise. Having relied on so many important mentors of his throughout his life, particularly when he was trying to find his footing in the painting industry, he now has the opportunity to return the favor.
“It’s been awesome for me to be in a position to help other people grow their business,” he says. “We’re now a national brand, and we’re moving at such a fast pace and really starting to gain traction. I’m more confident than ever about aligning my name with [HorsePower Brands].”
The growth continues at home as well. In addition to offices in Philadelphia and Ardmore, Groovy Hues has opened a new office in Newtown to better serve clients throughout Bucks County. Unlike the average painting company that has one or two employees, his staff includes full-time customer service reps to answer the phones, full-time salespeople dedicated to certain territories, and full-time operations managers who schedule jobs and order materials.
“We’ve always had a presence in Bucks County, but having the office in Newtown allows us to get out on estimates quicker and turn jobs around quicker,” he says. “All of our clients can expect on-site quotes on the spot, quick scheduling, high-quality products, flexible payment options, and post-inspection walk-throughs, which means we don’t ask for payment until the client is blown away at the end.”
Most homeowners have horror stories of reaching out to a contractor and not receiving a call back for a week or more. Groovy Hues understands that people want their concerns addressed immediately.
“The painting industry is notorious for being unresponsive and uncommunicative,” Rathgeb says. “We wanted to change that. You can call us 24 hours a day and someone will answer the phone, even if it’s off hours. We try to get out for an estimate within 24 hours, which is another reason why we opened the new office and is why our sales team is broken down into territories. When leads come in, there are sales reps assigned to each territory so we can better serve the clients. Responsiveness is what I’ve been known for since day one.”
Groovy Hues also offers free color consultations from a designer, and recently upgraded its warranty from two years to five. Financing is available, too.
“Painting isn’t an emergency service,” Rathgeb says. “It’s something most people desire, but it might not be in their budget. We have flexible payment options, including no money down, no interest, and no payments for a year, which is the most popular one.”
With a commitment to excellence and infusing every project with creativity, efficiency, and charm, it’s easy to see why Rathgeb’s business model is spreading across the country. It has also spawned a legion of satisfied customers in his hometown of Philadelphia and surrounding counties.
“Knock on wood, but when you do a Google search for Groovy Hues Philadelphia, there’s nothing but five-star reviews, hundreds and hundreds of them,” he says. “We hope to keep living up to that reputation.”
Groovy Hues Philadelphia
Offices in Newtown, Ardmore, and Philadelphia
(267) 653-6488
Groovyhues.com/Philadelphia-pa
Offices in Newtown, Ardmore, and Philadelphia
(267) 653-6488
Groovyhues.com/Philadelphia-pa
Photo by Nina Lea Photography
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, March 2025.
