Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

2020: A Day in the Life in RTO | Owen Pye

Name: Owen Pye

Years in RTO: Two years and four months

What’s your current role/title?

Marketing Manager at SKC Enterprises Inc., dba Rent One

What did you do before RTO?

In the years leading up to my time at Rent One, I’ve worked in the experiential marketing world. Most recently, I’ve worked in event related marketing with major brands and international tours. Throughout my time, I’ve worked with brands of all types to help create experiences that raised brand awareness and loyalty while capturing data and leads. I’ve held exciting roles, but I was traveling about 180 days out of a given year. This was a bit of a toll on my growing family.

What do you do in a typical day or week?

I lead a team of four in the marketing department. Our team is full of experts in their craft, be it design, social media or web-related. My job is to make sure each team member receives the tools they need to move the needle forward in sales and marketing. We all have a “do-whatever-needs-to-be-done” mentality. It’s a “we” and “us” effort. My day-to-day can include seeking out new vendor partnerships, making sure print deadlines are met, and ensuring our stores are on the same page as we are, and vice versa. I enjoy dreaming up future campaigns and ideas — it’s my favorite part.

How did you find your current position?

I met Kelly Martin and Larry Carrico back in 2017 and eventually Mark Williams, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. At the time, Kelly was leading another group and Rent One was a client. They pitched the vision of Rent One having their own internal marketing department, and Mark agreed to have me come to manage the team.

What are the benefits of working in Rent-to-Own?

I really enjoy the camaraderie in our workforce and the relationships built with our clients. For me, I think the benefit of the service we offer is felt by both sides.

How do you manage work/life balance with your role?

One thing I’ve really appreciated since coming to work for Rent One is that we definitely work hard, but when we’re off, that boundary is respected. Rarely do I have to put out any fires outside of business hours. My family appreciates that when I’m home, I’m home.

What do you predict will change in our industry in the next five years?

When I came on board just a couple of years ago, I could see RTO as being first on the scene in a growing cultural shift. Customers of all income levels can purchase with us. Yes, some are still wary of rent-to-own purchase methods, but no one bats an eye at subscription-based purchases like Spotify or Netflix. The last six months have proven that RTO is pandemic-resistant. I think in the next five years, brands like Rent One should consider subscription-based marketing. In many ways, we’re ahead of the game. We just need to make our messaging and branding feel familiar. I can speak for my fellow millennials to the fact that we don’t have a desire to own a lot of “things.” It is trending towards just the opposite. Our business model works right in step with that. We have to adapt our messaging to keep being relevant to our customers. So, in short, it’s branding.

How did you prepare for your role in RTO?

My prior industry experience helped me prepare for my RTO role from a leadership perspective, but the only thing that prepares you for RTO is just diving in. That’s what I’m trying to do each week, just dive in.

What do you love most about your job or employer?

My favorite part of the job will continue to be our willingness to throw crazy ideas at the wall and see what sticks. The idea of “going along to get along” is too boring. I’m very excited to see what our team will come up with in 2021.

To reach out to Owen Pye, you can add him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: @owenpye.

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Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis is a Premier Rental Purchase franchisee with multiple stores and currently serves as Vice President of Operations. With 33 years of experience in the rent-to-own industry, he has spent the past 20 years working closely with franchisee owners and previously spent 12 years in Corporate RTO, gaining a strong foundation in the business.

For the past five years, Mike has been sharing his knowledge by teaching managers and franchisees at the company’s Training Center.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, kids, and grandkids, and appreciates the simple things in life – especially riding his Harley Davidson with the sun on his face. If you know, you know!

Lauren Talicska

Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials

Lauren Talicska is an experienced multi-channel marketing specialist and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Home Essentials. She has found her home in the RTO community, supporting stores in branding, growth, and increasing traffic.

You may recognize Lauren as a former RTO vendor, including her time as a partner for Nationwide RentDirect, or her previous participation in the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee. Lauren calls Columbus, Ohio, home and spends her workday crafting and executing marketing promotions from inception to realization, all while supporting the branding and social media needs of all the Arona stores in 12 states (plus Puerto Rico!).

Charles Smitherman

APRO

Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, became CEO of APRO in 2023, bringing years of legal and executive experience in the rent-to-own industry. 

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Following law school at the University of Georgia, Charles earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active ultra runner and open water swimmer.

Mike Kays

Ashley Furniture Industries

As VP of Rental Sales for Ashley Furniture Industries, Mike thrives on building relationships with our RTO industry veterans, and helping businesses grow through new product, new marketing, and new supply chain options.

Mike works to leverage a wide breadth of relationships and influence, intimate knowledge of market trends, and unique knowledge of what RTO dealers need from a supplier to be successful.

The saying goes that a high tide raises all boats, and our goal is to leverage the world’s largest furniture manufacturer to drive the continued growth of the RTO industry and all the suppliers.

Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.