Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Protecting Against and Dealing with Burnout

Clyde Steen is the CEO of Rent-Buy

The pandemic has produced myriad ripple effects for businesses nationwide – supply-chain  and inventory issues, hiring and staffing troubles, and the employee burnout many are dealing with as a consequence. So APRO did a rental dealer “pulse check,” and asked: What do you watch for, and how you protect against or deal with burnout?

“Prior to the pandemic, I didn’t worry much about burnout,” said Clyde Steen, CEO of Texas-based Rent-Buy. “The pandemic has changed all that.”

Dan Fisher is the President of Majik Enterprises International Inc. dba Majik Rent-To-Own

“We had a very successful 2021, but we were short-handed in almost every store,” said Dan Fisher, President of Majik Enterprises International Inc. dba Majik Rent-To-Own. “Everyone has been working like crazy to keep things going, and I can tell many of us – me included – are feeling the burnout.”

Fortunately, not all rental dealers are experiencing an uptick in worker burnout: Sandi Frye, President of White Rose Enterprises dba Premier Rental-Purchase, said her workers aren’t showing signs of burnout; Showplace Inc. Owner Gary Ferriman said he’s seeing “no more than normal” burnout levels among his people; and Jeff Lebakken, President and CEO of Lebakkens Inc. of Wisconsin, said he has “one or two showing burnout symptoms from putting in heavy extra hours during the fourth-quarter rush.”

Sani Frye is the President of White Rose Enterprises dba Premier Rental-Purchase

Such symptoms seem to be fairly easy to identify across the board: “malaise, lack of engagement, poor results;” “attendance issues, low energy;” “attitudinal changes around the hours they work, and their ability to balance work and personal time;” “acting more adversarial than normal or making mistakes they don’t normally make;” “tiredness, moodiness, carelessness.”

“Employee demeanor is the main thing to pay attention to,” concludes Steen. “Calling in sick, showing up late, lack of concentration, snapping at coworkers.”

Gary Ferriman is the Owner of Showplace Inc.

What to do about employee burnout once it rears its exhausted head – or, more importantly, how to prevent it altogether – can be a considerable challenge. Many rental dealers say the first line against burnout is watching the clock.

“We put extreme effort into limiting an employee’s hours – for many reasons, not just burnout,” said Lebakken. “We try to make sure all employees work only a five-day workweek. When that’s not possible, then we make sure we show them how much we acknowledge and appreciate their extra effort.”

Jeff Lebakken is the President and CEO of Lebakkens Inc. of Wisconsin

“Forty-hour workweeks prevent burnout,” concurred Frye. “We make sure we schedule properly, not causing guys to work late. With our drivers, we use Dispatch Track, to ensure they can perform all stops within the allotted timeframe without having to speed or stress; we can watch them as they go, and if we see them falling behind, we tag other guys to jump in and help.”

“I make sure my managers get their day off,” added Steen. ”No more working Wednesdays when credit is high.”

John Manzari is the President of Woodykat Inc. dba Premier REntal-Purchase

Another popular defense against burnout is creating an enjoyable workplace environment, with plenty of opportunities for engagement, and rife with recognition and encouragement.

“I schedule something for our workers to look forward to,” said John Manzari, President of APRO member WoodyKat Inc. dba Premier Rental-Purchase, ”like a golf outing or a trip somewhere in the future.”

“We try to always have a goal in front of us – small contests, large goals,” said Fisher. “We also regularly hold company events to encourage engagement, and we survey employees and respond to their concerns – to let them know we hear them, feel their pain, and are here to help.”

“Make the workplace exciting,” concluded Steen. “Walk in and high-five your employees, encourage them to be all they can be. At Rent-Buy, we have a set of fundamentals. When the fundamentals are followed, this business thrives. And when you have a store that is thriving, you have employees who enjoy showing up for work.”

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This article was written from the responses to the previous Dealer Pulse email. To have your opinions featured in a future article, make sure to respond within 48 hours to the upcoming Dealer Pulse email.

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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.