The RTO Show "Let's talk Rent to Own"

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What happens when an industry’s past isn’t properly recorded online? It gets rewritten by shallow links, old studies, and algorithms that don’t know better. We sat down with APRO CEO Charles Smitherman and WoW Brands CEO/CTO Ryan Krass to share why we built a definitive, 400-page history of rent-to-own—and why publishing it widely is essential for policy makers, journalists, customers, and the AI systems shaping tomorrow...

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What does it take to turn a scattered, misunderstood trade into a recognized industry with real rules, clear disclosures, and political staying power? We sit down with Ed Wynn, APRO’s longtime legal counsel, to trace rent-to-own’s rise from yellow-pages meetups to model legislation and major wins in statehouses across the country. Ed walks us through the early federal gambit that sailed through the Senate but died in the...

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A budget shortfall, a hostile hearing, and a tax threat big enough to sink an industry—this conversation with APRO legend Bill Keese reveals how Rent-To-Own survived and matured. We open with Bill’s unlikely path from state legislator to executive director and move straight into the fiscal triage that rebuilt APRO’s foundation: cutting costs, rethinking staff, and—crucially—resetting dues so the largest chains paid their...

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A chance glance at a rent-to-own storefront changed everything. We sit down with industry legend Bill French to unpack five decades of progress: from selling RCA TVs to shaping vendor programs, joining APRO’s earliest meetings, and helping O’Rourke scale into a top RTO supplier. Bill walks us through the early hurdles—manufacturers confused about ownership, banks wary of the model, and warranty battles that forced creati...

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Strong teams don’t happen by accident—they’re built by leaders who put people first and still demand performance. We sit down with regional leader Sean Knupp to unpack the playbook behind consistent growth in rent-to-own: GMs who operate like owners, rolling P&Ls that drive clear choices, and a culture that treats customers and employees like family. Sean shares how early work ethic and years of union leadership shap...

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A small, scrappy industry took on courts, Congress, and headlines—and won. Chris Korst, longtime Rent-A-Center executive and counsel, joins us to unpack how rent-to-own went from “wild west” storefronts to a regulated, transparent option for millions of consumers who need flexibility without credit.

We retrace the late-80s strategy that changed everything: build balanced model legislation, center the right to te...

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Law can feel abstract until it touches a living room. We sit down with Brad, former general counsel turned vendor advocate, to unpack how rent-to-own won its legal identity as a lease—not credit—and why that nuance still shapes access to appliances, furniture, and electronics across America. From class actions to bankruptcy fights, he walks us through the “obligation” test that swayed courts, the model legislation that s...

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In this special episode of The RTO Show, Pete Shau welcomes Ray Muncy of Buddies Home Furnishings and Dave Deep, founder of Wake for Warriors. Together, they explore how a shared love of water and community turned into a nationwide movement supporting veterans through adaptive water sports. Hear inspiring stories, learn about Wake for Warriors' life-changing events, and find out how business leaders and volunteers c...

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A 24-year-old franchisee walks into a brand-new industry and ends up helping to save it. That’s the arc of Kevin Quinn, who went from learning how to rent a $499 VCR to leading APRO through a political and tax storm that could have erased rent-to-own from the map.

We trace Kevin’s start in 1982, the scrappy early days of rack stereos and weekly payments, and the hard truths about why banks and premium vendors ke...

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Two stores, a fire that melted the backups, and a decision that transformed an operator into a multi-state force: keep the people, codify the playbook, and own the ground you stand on. We sit down with Larry Carrico of Rent One to unpack how acquisitions, training, and real estate leverage shaped four decades of growth without going public.

Larry explains why he buys underperforming locations and keeps local tea...

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Health benefits shouldn’t feel like a second job. We sat down with Marshall Darr, CEO of StretchDollar, to unpack a simpler model for small teams: employers set a monthly budget and employees pick and own the plans that fit their lives. Instead of wrestling with group plans built for big HR departments, you move funding to the individual ACA market where coverage is guaranteed, networks are local, and the choices actuall...

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A nickname born from a Southern Baptist speaking style and a talent for rallying a room might sound like a fun story, but “The Reverend of RTO” is really about substance: value, trust, and relentless follow-through. Larry Sutton joins us to chart an uncommon path from family retail roots to building Champion on a 50-50 handshake, navigating funding shocks when Berg-Warner exited the space, and ultimately selling at a pre...

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Want customers to stop scrolling and start walking into your store? We sat down with Stephen Stough of EssToo Creative, a veteran-turned-creative director who blends military-grade problem solving with story-led marketing that actually moves the needle for rent-to-own. From the origin of EssToo to the infamous “two guys in a bed” hook, we break down what makes a promo memorable, how to match concepts to real store talent...

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A legend in rent-to-own doesn’t happen by accident. John Blair takes us from a teenage crossroads to the Marines to the front lines of building TRIB into a credible, member-led powerhouse. His story is packed with hard-won tactics and clear principles: keep it simple, reward commitment, and use unity as leverage. We dive into the early days—17 members, tiny shows, skeptical vendors—and how committees, transparent program...

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A small team launched six stores in a month, refused bargain-bin products, and built a public company that outperformed the category—by betting everything on culture, quality, and customer dignity. Pete sits down with industry legend Wayland Russell to unpack how Rainbow Rentals rewired supply chains, pioneered bundled PCs with Dell, and turned account management into a customer success engine long before that term exist...

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A handful of dealers pooled their leverage in 1983 and changed rent-to-own forever. That spark became TRIB, a buying group that now unites 198 member companies and negotiates real-world programs with the brands that power our showrooms. We sit down with executive director Dennis Shields to explore how the group won better warranties, moved policy start dates to first rental, and built distributor partnerships that keep p...

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What happens when a second-generation leader takes the mic and the wheel? We sit with Ace Rent to Own COO Ben Leach to unpack how a family legacy becomes a modern operating system built on people, service, and smart use of technology. Ben shares how growing up in the stores, spending a decade in software and high-growth environments, and returning with fresh eyes shaped his approach: empower employees, obsess over client...

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A family video store with 400 movies. A heavy VCR lugged home for the weekend. An $800 camcorder bought on a personal credit card so a loyal customer wouldn’t be let down. That’s where Dan Fisher’s rent-to-own story begins—and how a small experiment grew into a durable, customer-first brand with a culture people talk about.

We walk through the inflection points that define real growth: discovering APRO after yea...

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A customer says, “I’ll never own the laundromat,” and everything changes. That moment turned rent-to-own from a product on a shelf into a service with purpose for Shannon and Cynthia Baber Strunk—two industry legends who built, defended, and evolved RTO over four decades. We trace their path from Firestone showrooms to 50 stores, the hard lessons of a tire-and-wheel experiment, and the surprise breakthrough of early cell...