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

Pete Shau
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The RTO Show Podcast is the podcast for the rent-to-own industry, hosted by Pete Shau, an industry insider with more than 20 years of experience in RTO operations, sales, leadership, marketing, and store growth.  Each episode brings candid conversations, practical insights, and real stories from the people shaping the RTO community, including operators, vendors, association leaders, store teams, industry veterans, and innovators helping move rent-to-own forward.  Pete’s conversations are built for seasoned veterans, newcomers, owners, managers, vendors, and anyone who wants to learn from the shared experiences, hard-earned lessons, and fresh perspectives inside the rent-to-own industry.  From lead generation, lead management, customer behavior, store traffic, door swings, sales process, collections, training, recruitment, and leadership development to technology, CRM integration, mobile-first shopping, Google ranking, Facebook ads, video marketing, advocacy, APRO, TRIB Group, RTO World, LegCon, and the future of the rent-to-own business model, The RTO Show helps listeners understand what is really happening in RTO.  If you work in RTO, serve the RTO industry, or want to better understand the people, challenges, trends, and opportunities behind rent-to-own, The RTO Show Podcast is your insider’s guide to the industry’s pulse.  Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

  1. 4d ago

    From Shed Builder to AI Native Rent to Own Software

    Send us Fan Mail The rent-to-own world is getting a new kind of software story: not a generic tool “bent to fit,” but platforms built from inside the workflow. We talk with Jason Graber, CEO of Shed Suite, about how he went from building sheds on the factory floor to building the systems that now power thousands of shed dealers and their rent-to-own contracts. Jason breaks down the original problem Shed Suite set out to solve: messy, duplicated data across PDFs, faxes, spreadsheets, and disconnected order entry. From there, we get into what made Shed Suite stand out with a sales-first user experience and industry language that dealers instantly recognize. We also talk about the hard parts no one advertises: scaling pain, performance bottlenecks, and the real cost of “just add one more feature.” Then we shift to RTO Suite and the part of the customer lifecycle most software ignores after delivery: returns, pickups, restocking, redeployments, and resale. Jason explains why RTO Suite is designed for rental companies to manage assets and contracts while still working seamlessly with the shed company dealer and driver network. Finally, we go deep on AI in rent-to-own software: AI-assisted development, OCR contract ingestion, and AI agents inside the platform that can execute workflows instead of forcing humans to click through endless screens. If you care about the future of RTO tech, this conversation will challenge how you think about “software as a service” and what the real moat is in an AI era. Subscribe for more RTO operator conversations, share this episode with a teammate, and leave a review so more people in rent-to-own can find the show. APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Wow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

  2. Nov 2

    Unlocking Capital In Rent To Own

    Send us Fan Mail Money problems in rent-to-own rarely show up as one big issue. They show up as tighter cash flow, higher customer acquisition costs, and a growing pile of skips and charge-offs your team does not have time to chase. So we brought in two people who live on the “how do we fund this” side of the RTO business, and we kept the conversation practical. First, I sit down with Tom Murphy from Capital Concierge to talk business capital for rent-to-own and lease-to-own dealers. We get specific about what lenders look for, why RTO financials confuse traditional banks, and how the right packaging can turn a slow, frustrating process into a clear plan. We cover SBA loan paths, lines of credit for inventory, working capital, and the small fixes that can make you approvable before you waste time submitting. Then Mark Lesinski from Landmark Strategy Group lays out a different kind of capital solution: monetizing non-paying accounts past 90 days by selling charge-offs instead of letting them age and depreciate. We talk onboarding steps, how digital contract media affects pricing, what “warehouse” cleanups and forward-flow programs look like, and why compliance and brand reputation matter as much as the dollars wired. If you want smarter RTO funding options, lower back-end drag, and more predictable cash planning, listen now and then subscribe, share the episode with a dealer friend, and leave a review so more operators can find it. APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsWow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

  3. Oct 26

    Grow Slowly, Learn Fast: A Rent-to-Own Owner's Playbook for Starting and Scaling

    Send us Fan Mail Carson Hostetler never planned a career in sheds. He moved to Texas for a job that fell through, started selling sheds online through his brother's connection, and later joined a young shed manufacturer as a salesperson. The founders were around 21 and 22, the company was about a year old, and they asked him to serve as president. When a founder left, Carson took his shares. The deal was five years of sales targets in exchange for equity, which he describes as golden handcuffs. The company began in a founder's dad's backyard and grew as revenue allowed, adding offices, shop space, and gravel one step at a time. A hauling division was tried and later replaced by third party trucking because the numbers did not work. The team also narrowed its lane, dropping large barn style builds to focus on standard storage sheds with options like doors and windows. Carson sums up the difference between starting and growing: starting takes grit and a willingness to do anything, while growing means improving a little at a time. Carson later bought a rent-to-own "business in a briefcase" from a friend, slowly built the contract side, sold back part of his manufacturing shares, and about two years ago committed fully to Advantage RTO. Today he partners with manufacturers, buys their agreements, approves each contract, and handles past due calls, pickups, and early purchase requests himself. Most of his agreements run 60 months on a 10 by 12 shed with monthly payments, and used buildings resell well. He works in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Louisiana and researches each state's rent-to-own laws before partnering. Carson joined the NSRA board last January to learn from owners 10 and 20 years ahead and to give back. Pete and Carson close on crossover between furniture, tire and wheel, and sheds. Carson's advice to newcomers is to talk to people 20 years ahead and ask whether you can live with their stresses. APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Wow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

  4. Oct 23

    How Rent To Own Turns Renters Into Homeowners

    Send us Fan Mail Mortgage rates jump, home prices stay high, and suddenly “just buy a house” sounds like a joke. We wanted a real alternative, so we brought on Jen and Joe De La Fave to explain how rent-to-own homes can work when it’s built around clear terms, real screening, and a genuine path to mortgage qualification. We talk through the nuts and bolts that most people never hear: how they market properties as rent to own, the first questions they ask to filter serious buyers, and why the option deposit matters if someone truly plans to purchase. Jen and Joe explain how monthly rent works (yes, it’s still rent), how buyers can pay extra to grow a future down payment, and how they approach locking in a purchase price without creating an appraisal nightmare later. We also go straight at the uncomfortable topics: what happens if a renter-buyer can’t close, why deposits are typically non-refundable, and how attorney-reviewed paperwork protects everyone. If you care about housing affordability, creative finance, seller financing, lease options, and ethical real estate investing, this conversation lays out a practical framework that turns “maybe someday” into an actual plan. Subscribe to the RTO Show, share this with someone stuck renting, and leave a review with your biggest rent-to-own question so we can tackle it next. Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

    How Rent To Own Turns Renters Into Homeowners

  5. Oct 16

    How Rent To Own Powers The Portable Shed Industry

    Send us Fan Mail AI is already “explaining” rent-to-own to your customers, the media, and regulators, whether we like it or not. If we don’t publish accurate, industry-authored information, the internet fills in the blanks for us and those guesses can turn into headlines, policy, and bad assumptions. That’s where the shed world gets fascinating, because rent-to-own portable buildings sit at the crossroads of logistics, contracts, customer education, and public perception. I’m joined by Shannon Latham, better known as The Shed Geek, to map out how the shed industry really works: manufacturers, independent shed dealers, specialized hauling, and the vendor and software layers that keep everything moving. We dig into the difference between vertical integration and third-party “paper” management, why delivery equipment matters as much as sales skill, and how customer experience changes when a deal becomes a month-by-month RTO relationship. We also get real about the modern retail shift after COVID: SEO, Google Ads, 3D configurators, QR-code selling, and the race to respond fast when a lead comes in. Along the way, we talk about the “tiny home” confusion, why clear contract language protects everyone, and how groups like the National Shed Rental Association push education and self-regulation so the industry stays transparent and professional. If you care about rent-to-own, portable buildings, shed sales, or where AI is taking customer search, this one will sharpen your thinking. Subscribe, share this with a dealer or operator who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest myth you want the RTO industry to correct next. Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

    How Rent To Own Powers The Portable Shed Industry

  6. Oct 12

    How to Spot Future RTO Leaders on Your Team with Erica St. Charles

    Send us Fan Mail Watching someone rise fast in rent-to-own can look like luck from the outside, but Erica St. Charles breaks down what is really happening behind the scenes: trust earned one shift at a time, relentless follow-up, and a leadership style that never asks the team to do work she would not do herself. From getting soaked loading a trailer to winning back-to-back Region of the Year, Erica’s story is a straight shot at what modern RTO leadership actually demands. We talk through her move from hotel management into the rent-to-own industry, the early reality check of learning products, systems, and long-term customer relationships, and the mindset change that helped her start “crushing it.” Then we get into the hard pivot from single-store success to multi-unit management: choosing where to spend time, balancing urgent vs important priorities, and surviving the first 90 days when you suddenly lead people who used to be peers. If you are trying to grow talent, this conversation goes deep on employee development and bench strength. Erica shares how she spots future leaders during stressful moments, how she develops delivery and sales team members before a management opening exists, and how she coaches underperformance by separating “can’t do” from “won’t do.” We also touch on workplace communication, building relationships with the entire team, and her advice for women leading in a male-driven space. Plus, you will hear why accurate online information matters for the future of RTO through APRIL’s Generative Knowledge Initiative. Subscribe for more rent-to-own leadership conversations, share this with a manager who is building their bench, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you are putting into practice. APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsWow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

    How to Spot Future RTO Leaders on Your Team with Erica St. Charles

  7. Oct 5

    Joe Ignace of Velocity 360 on Sales Science and increasing Close Rates in RTO

    Send us Fan Mail One store Joe Ignace worked with found that 80% of its quotes never got a follow-up call. Joe is the CEO of Velocity 360 CRM, and he joins Pete Shau to explain where dealers lose sales after the lead comes in. He started in door-to-door sales, learned to treat selling as a formula, and now helps shed, outdoor structure, and furniture dealers fix their lead management. Pete asks the practical questions: how fast is fast enough, which lead sources actually close, and what a dealer can do when the phone is ringing and the door is swinging at the same time. Joe shares the close rates Velocity 360 has tracked by lead source, why a quote sent by email so often disappears, and the short list of numbers every dealer should be watching. The conversation also covers what a sales solution does that a blank-slate CRM does not, and why a tighter economy makes follow-up speed matter more. Get Joe's Sales Scaling Roadmap at velocity360crm.com/sales-roadmap, or book a demo at velocity360crm.com and tell them The RTO Show sent you. Subscribe to our newsletter at thertoshowpodcast.com for more from the show. What You'll Learn Why follow-up speed can matter more than lead volumeHow close rates differ between Facebook leads and 3D configurator leads, based on Velocity 360 dataWhere quotes leak out of the sales funnel and how automation closes the gapFive numbers that show whether you have a marketing problem or a sales problemOne thing a dealer can do today to see every missed leadhttps://velocity360crm.com/sales-roadmap APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsWow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

    Joe Ignace of Velocity 360 on Sales Science and increasing Close Rates in RTO

  8. Sep 28

    Credit Is Splitting In Two and That's How Rent To Own Benefits

    Send us Fan Mail Credit is changing right under our feet, and if you run a rent-to-own store, you’re going to feel the impact before most people can even name it. Phones get quieter, shoppers take longer to decide, and deals feel harder to close. That doesn’t automatically mean demand is gone. It can mean the paths customers used to rely on are closing, and they’re about to look for the one door that still says yes. We walk through the hard signals behind the shift: banks tightening standards for subprime lending, what the Fed’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey is really telling us, and why “I got turned down” is becoming a normal customer story again. Then we dig into buy now, pay later and the regulatory pressure hitting BNPL, from repayment checks to concerns about loan stacking. When the shortcut stops working, people still need furniture, appliances, and the basics to run a household, and they need a realistic way to pay. You’ll also hear why a K-shaped credit market matters so much for RTO dealers: prime borrowers keep getting access, while the bottom half faces more scrutiny and fewer approvals. That’s our customer, and the job market staying steady means many of them have income but not access. We close with practical moves you can take immediately, from making “no credit needed” a clear marketing headline to training your team to meet these shoppers with confidence. Subscribe for more RTO strategy, share this with your team, and leave a review so more dealers can find it. What’s the biggest credit shift you’re seeing in your market right now? APROAssociation of Professional Rental OrganizationsWow BrandsDigital Marketing for the RTO industry - Including Web design, SEO, ad, and much more under one roofRNR Tire ExpressCustom wheels & tires with flexible rent-to-own options. Find a store near you today!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

    Credit Is Splitting In Two and That's How Rent To Own Benefits
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About

The RTO Show Podcast is the podcast for the rent-to-own industry, hosted by Pete Shau, an industry insider with more than 20 years of experience in RTO operations, sales, leadership, marketing, and store growth.  Each episode brings candid conversations, practical insights, and real stories from the people shaping the RTO community, including operators, vendors, association leaders, store teams, industry veterans, and innovators helping move rent-to-own forward.  Pete’s conversations are built for seasoned veterans, newcomers, owners, managers, vendors, and anyone who wants to learn from the shared experiences, hard-earned lessons, and fresh perspectives inside the rent-to-own industry.  From lead generation, lead management, customer behavior, store traffic, door swings, sales process, collections, training, recruitment, and leadership development to technology, CRM integration, mobile-first shopping, Google ranking, Facebook ads, video marketing, advocacy, APRO, TRIB Group, RTO World, LegCon, and the future of the rent-to-own business model, The RTO Show helps listeners understand what is really happening in RTO.  If you work in RTO, serve the RTO industry, or want to better understand the people, challenges, trends, and opportunities behind rent-to-own, The RTO Show Podcast is your insider’s guide to the industry’s pulse.  Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor

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