Rapid Radios is the consumer brand of Rapid Consulting LLC, a privately held small business in Ada, Michigan.[1] It sells push-to-talk handheld radios that run over LTE cellular networks rather than traditional radio frequencies, pitched to families, businesses, and emergency preparedness buyers as nationwide walkie-talkies with no monthly fees.[1][2] The company was founded by Steve Eilers, who serves as CEO, with Tim Short as COO, and it says it has passed 250,000 customers since it began operating the radio business in 2022.[3][1]
- No PAC, no lobbying, no political donations from the company or its founders.
- No party, candidate, or policy endorsement on record anywhere.
- Markets itself as "100% American-owned," Michigan-built, and preparedness-focused.
- Founder appeared on a faith-based media podcast in 2024.
- Claims 250,000+ customers, including Fortune 500s and the US Government.
Quick Take
Rapid Radios has no visible federal lobbying or campaign finance footprint: no organization profile on OpenSecrets, and no registered federal PAC or federal lobbying filings surface under Rapid Consulting LLC or the Rapid Radios name as of July 2026.[4] What political texture exists lives in its marketing: a "100% American-owned" Michigan identity, an emergency preparedness pitch, and a September 2024 founder appearance on a faith-based media podcast.[2][5] The company's biggest public fights have been about advertising claims, not ideology, including a voluntary compliance agreement with the Michigan Attorney General's Office and the May 2026 National Advertising Division decision.[6]
A Walkie-Talkie That Runs on Cell Towers
The flagship Rapid Radios G1 is a push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) device. The company states that each radio carries a multi-carrier IoT SIM card that scans for and connects to the strongest available major LTE network, naming Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.[7] The first 12 months of LTE service are included in the purchase price; after that, the company states that renewing SIM service costs $50 per radio annually, discounted to $40 with auto-pay.[2]
An independent December 2025 review by the outdoor publication Trail and Kale described the devices as LTE push-to-talk radios that behave like walkie-talkies but run on cellular towers, praised their range and simplicity in areas with coverage, and stated plainly that when there is no cell signal the radios do not work, with no radio-to-radio fallback.[8]
The company also sells a second product line, My Emergency Radio, which is an amateur radio designed to operate on radio repeaters rather than cellular networks.[6]
No PAC, No Lobbying, No Political Giving on Record
Rapid Consulting LLC is a privately held small business, and its federal political record is a blank page. OpenSecrets maintains no organization profile for Rapid Consulting LLC or Rapid Radios, and no registered federal political action committee or federal lobbying filing surfaces under either name in searches of OpenSecrets' organization database as of July 31, 2026.[4] No federal political giving or lobbying activity surfaced in searches reviewed for this report. The search extends to the company's two named executives: the OpenSecrets donor lookup database, which combines federal contribution records with Michigan state campaign finance data, shows no political contributions from founder Steve Eilers or COO Tim Short as of August 1, 2026.[9] The database's federal records were last refreshed from the FEC in February 2025, so more recent federal giving, if any exists, would not yet appear there. No public statement from the company or either executive endorsing a party, candidate, or policy position surfaced in those searches either.
The American-Owned Pitch: Faith Podcasts and Fox Sports
The company's public identity leans on origin and preparedness rather than policy. Its FAQ opens by describing Rapid Radios as "a 100% American-owned business based proudly in Michigan," and its marketing emphasizes privacy, encryption, and readiness for emergencies.[2]
In September 2024, founder Steve Eilers appeared on Counter Culture Mom, a faith-based media podcast distributed through FreedomProject Media. The episode description pitched the radios as secure, encrypted communication for emergencies, without relying on what it called corporate-owned cell phone companies.[5] The episode page also promoted a listener discount code for Rapid Radios purchases.
The rest of the company's stated media footprint is sports. On its About page, the company says it officially partnered with Fox Sports in July 2024, describes itself as a Super Bowl sponsor, lists partnerships with Fox Sports Radio hosts including Dan Patrick, Ben Maller, Brady Quinn, and LaVar Arrington, and says it partnered with the NHL's Florida Panthers in summer 2024 as the communication device used in their arenas.[1] The Super Bowl language appears in the same sentence as the Fox Sports advertising partnership, and no official NFL sponsorship designation for Rapid Radios surfaced in searches reviewed for this report. The company has also posted videos on its official Facebook page describing the radios as featured on Fox & Friends on Fox News in segments presented by television host Chip Wade.[10]
From Ada, Michigan: Founding and Ownership
Rapid Consulting LLC was incorporated on December 28, 2020, and began operating the radio business on June 1, 2022, according to its Better Business Bureau profile, which lists Steve Eilers as Founder and CEO and Tim Short as COO.[3] The company describes itself as a team of more than 50 people, including ham radio operators and emergency preparedness enthusiasts, and states that it has passed 250,000 customers, counting Fortune 500 companies and the US Government among them.[1] Those are company-stated figures, and the government customer claim rests on the company alone: no federal contract award to Rapid Consulting LLC or Rapid Radios appears in USASpending.gov searches as of August 1, 2026, though government purchases below the federal micro-purchase threshold are not published there. The United States Patent and Trademark Office registered the RAPID RADIOS trademark (Registration No. 7711371) on March 4, 2025, with the company claiming first use in commerce on July 10, 2023.[11] The company is privately held and files no public financial reports.
The Fine Print Fight: Michigan's Attorney General, the BBB, and Kiplinger
The gap between "no monthly fees" marketing and the annual SIM renewal has generated consumer complaints. Complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau include customers who say they purchased based on "no subscription, no monthly fees, ever" messaging and later learned the radios require the annual service fee to keep functioning.[12]
The scrutiny reached two formal venues in 2026. According to BBB National Programs, Rapid Consulting agreed to a voluntary compliance agreement with the Michigan Attorney General's Office that addressed some challenged advertising claims, including disclosure of relevant FCC usage requirements.[6] In the National Advertising Division case decided May 22, 2026, the watchdog found the company's claim "Legal to Own with no FCC License Required" for My Emergency Radio was supported in the context of amateur radio use, because an FCC license is not required when the radio is operated during an emergency. During that inquiry, the company informed NAD that it had permanently discontinued certain other challenged claims related to its sales and technology.[6]
The Kiplinger column, published June 9, 2026, took a harder line. The columnist argued that the devices are not walkie-talkies in the traditional sense, that they function like cell phones because they require LTE towers to transmit, and that ads presenting them as independent, off-grid devices are, in his stated legal opinion, misleading.[13]
One short version of all of it: the product works as described where LTE works, and the arguments are about how it is advertised.
Where to Find Them
Rapid Radios sells direct to consumers at rapidradios.com, shipping from its West Michigan operation, and the company states that it offers customer service seven days a week and a 12 month parts warranty.[7]
Footnotes
[1] Rapid Radios, "About Us," accessed July 31, 2026. https://rapidradios.com/pages/about-us
[2] Rapid Radios, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed July 31, 2026. https://rapidradios.com/pages/faq
[3] Better Business Bureau, "Rapid Consulting LLC Business Profile," accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.bbb.org/us/mi/grand-rapids/profile/telecommunications/rapid-consulting-llc-0372-38317684
[4] OpenSecrets, Organization Search, accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/search
[5] Counter Culture Mom podcast, "Ep. 676: Rapid Radios Offers Reliability, Range, and Privacy in State of Emergency, Steve Eilers," September 12, 2024. https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/counter-culture-mom/listen/rapid-radios-offers-reliability-range-and-privacy-in-state-of-emergency-steve-eilers-1184752.html
[6] BBB National Programs, "National Advertising Division Finds Rapid Consulting's 'Legal to Own with no FCC License Required' Claim for My Emergency Radio Supported," May 22, 2026. https://bbbprograms.org/media/newsroom/decisions/rapid-radio
[7] Rapid Radios, "Rapid Radios G1: Nationwide LTE Push-to-Talk Walkie-Talkie," accessed July 31, 2026. https://rapidradios.com/products/rapid-radios-nationwide-ptt-walkie-talkie
[8] Trail and Kale, "Rapid Radios make nationwide push-to-talk simple, if you have cell signal," December 15, 2025. https://trailandkale.com/rapid-radios-walkie-talkie-review/
[9] OpenSecrets, Donor Lookup, name searches for Eilers and Short in Michigan and employer search for Rapid Radios, accessed August 1, 2026. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup
[10] Rapid Radios, official Facebook page, video posts describing Fox & Friends features, accessed August 1, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/rapidradios
[11] United States Patent and Trademark Office, RAPID RADIOS trademark record, Registration No. 7711371, registered March 4, 2025, accessed July 31, 2026 via uspto.report. https://uspto.report/TM/98494585
[12] Better Business Bureau, "Rapid Consulting LLC Complaints," accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.bbb.org/us/mi/grand-rapids/profile/telecommunications/rapid-consulting-llc-0372-38317684/complaints
[13] Kiplinger, "Are This Company's Ads About Its Push-to-Talk Devices Misleading? In My Legal Opinion, Yes, They Are." June 9, 2026. https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/are-ads-about-push-to-talk-devices-misleading
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