The Vision InSites Podcast
Building a $10M Security Business From Scratch — The One Shield Security Story
Matt Rash (Founder, One Shield Security), Charmaine Palmer (Account Manager, One Shield Security), Chris Anderson (Host, Vision InSites)
The Vision InSites Podcast
Building a $10M Security Business From Scratch — The One Shield Security Story
Matt Rash (Founder, One Shield Security), Charmaine Palmer (Account Manager, One Shield Security), Chris Anderson (Host, Vision InSites)
The Vision InSites Podcast
Building a $10M Security Business From Scratch — The One Shield Security Story
Matt Rash (Founder, One Shield Security), Charmaine Palmer (Account Manager, One Shield Security), Chris Anderson (Host, Vision InSites)
One Shield Security | April 29, 2025
One Shield Security | April 29, 2025
When Matt Rash founded One Shield Security in 2018, he didn’t have a client list or startup funding. He had a $2,000 credit card and a clear sense of what wasn’t working in the private security industry.
Six years later, One Shield is generating over $10 million in annual revenue.
On the Vision InSites Podcast, Matt—alongside longtime Account Manager Charmaine Palmer—shares how he built a business not on flashy marketing or massive capital, but on consistency, structure, and follow-through.
| “Starting this business was $2,000 on a credit card,” Matt says. “And look where we’re at today.”
Matt Rash, Founder of One Shield Security, built a $10M security firm from the ground up—proving that with the right culture, structure, and commitment to service, smart growth is possible.
Scaling by Design, Not by Default
One Shield’s growth didn’t come from chasing every contract—it came from being selective and building trust that lasted.
From the start, the team prioritized retention over acquisition. They built long-term relationships through in-person site visits, regular follow-ups, and being readily available to clients—even when it wasn’t convenient. “They just want to see you,” Charmaine says. “You don’t have to talk to them all the time—just showing up makes a difference.”
That kind of visibility helped them avoid one of the most common pitfalls in the industry: reactive management. “We didn’t want to be the company that only shows up when something goes wrong,” Matt explains.
The Turning Point: Middle Management
Like many small-to-mid-sized firms, One Shield initially relied on a single operations manager to oversee dozens of sites. But as they grew, that model buckled.
“There’s a breaking point,” Matt says. “You can’t have one person managing 40, 50 accounts. It worked—until it didn’t.”
The solution? Account managers. By dividing client portfolios across dedicated leads, One Shield introduced clarity, accountability, and faster response times. Each account manager owned their group of sites—and with that ownership came pride, performance, and stronger relationships.
Behind the scenes at the Vision InSites podcast: Matt Rash and Charmaine Palmer share their story as the video engineer monitors sound and visuals in real time.
Knowing the Math—and Teaching It
Many growing firms hit a wall not because of service issues, but because of poor margins. Matt addresses this head-on. He teaches his team the actual economics of the business: labor ratios, gross margins, overhead, and pricing discipline.
“If you want people to perform like owners,” he says, “you have to let them understand the business like owners.”
That transparency created a culture where team members weren’t just managing—they were scaling with intention.
A Smarter Way to Report
Technology also played a defining role in One Shield’s growth. As the company matured, they adopted Vision InSites to modernize how reports were created, submitted, and shared with clients.
The platform’s AI-powered reporting tool helped guards produce more consistent, professional reports—no login or technical training required. The result was a cleaner, more client-ready experience that removed friction across the board.
| “Vision helps explain the purpose behind each tour patrol,” Charmaine notes. “It rewrites the reports professionally and provides a digital trail—without needing a middleman.”
It also gave managers and clients real-time insight into activity, movement, and trends on the property—all while standardizing the story behind each report.
Chris Anderson and Matt Rash share a quick conversation outside the podcast room, preparing for the episode ahead. A candid moment before the mics turn on.
Advice for Struggling Operators: Reset With Purpose
One of the most candid moments in the conversation comes when Matt shares advice for companies that feel stuck—those who are barely covering payroll, running lean on margins, or chasing too many unprofitable contracts.
| “I’d do a hard reset,” he says. “Look at your accounts. Cut the ones that don’t work. Go back to customers and rework deals. You can’t scale chaos.”
Matt’s message is simple: simplify operations, re-align your pricing, and put systems in place that can actually support growth.
A Blueprint for the Next Generation
One Shield’s story isn’t just about scale—it’s about sustainability. Their success came from deliberate structure, relentless consistency, and a team-first mindset.
For security operators looking to grow smarter—not just bigger—this episode offers a clear blueprint: show up, build trust, lead with clarity, and use the right tools to amplify your team’s effort.
Growth starts when you stop winging it.
Watch to the Full Episode
Watch the full conversation with Matt Rash and Charmaine Palmer on the Vision InSites Podcast. Learn how they built One Shield Security from the ground up and the systems they put in place to scale without breaking.