Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

A Day in the Life: Breanne Braddock

Breanne Baddock - A Day in the Life
2022: A Day in the Life in RTO | Breanne Braddock

Name: Breanne Braddock

What’s your current role/title? I am the Coworker Development Director and Marketing Manager with RNR of Missouri LLC, dba RNR Tire Express.

Years in RTO: 17 years.

What did you do before you began working in RTO?  I worked as a waitress following high school in Phoenix, AZ.

How did you find your current position?

I moved back home to Illinois, and was hired by SKC Enterprises Inc., dba Rent One, in the Service Center, quickly advanced to a Manager-In-Training position, and settled in as an Assistant Manager. About a year and a half later, I transitioned over as the RNR franchise journey began with Rent One CEO Larry Carrico and RNR of Missouri President Rich Bergman. Every year, they continue to challenge me to keep learning and growing; I feel very blessed to have such amazing mentors.

How did you prepare for your role in RTO?

I have a natural love of chasing the challenge of learning and staying ahead of trends. So I’m always researching, self-teaching, and connecting with others in the RTO industry to learn from them.

What do you do in a typical day or week?

I work with our marketing team to come up with new ways to keep our ten location communities engaged and growing with our brand, including text and online campaigns. I manage and report our leads, quotes, and sold conversions, as well as the success of text engagement with all online sales leads. I respond to all public reviews left on Google and in our social media. I use our private coworker Facebook page to engage my coworkers with challenges and contests, encourage coworker recognitions called BRAVOs (Being Recognized As Very Outstanding), and celebrate coworker anniversaries and milestones. I send “Welcome to the Family” packages to new hires, and meet with our Leadership Team to talk about objectives, set goals, share updates, track accomplishments, and discover ideas and solutions together.

What are the benefits of working in RTO?

The biggest benefit of working in rent-to-own is the rewarding connection I’ve created with clients who’ve become part of our RNR family. For many of them, it’s the first time they’ve had safe, reliable transportation to work, school, family vacations, etc., and I can personally relate – when I was 20 years old, I bought tires one or two at a time because it’s all I could afford. Many of the clients I had while running the Marion, IL location have seen my daughter grow up, and now that she’s 15, they still recognize her, even outside the store, and they treat us like we’re their family, too!

What do you love best about your job or employer?

This isn’t just an employer – this is The RNR Family. We’ve built a strong foundation of trust between our many team members, who value what we do every day. Seeing my coworkers set goals, challenge themselves and each other to succeed, and celebrate milestones along the way gives me fulfillment and purpose to keep showing up every day!

How do you manage work-life balance?

I faced many struggles at the beginning of my career trying to understand the importance of work-life balance. But over time, I’ve come to accept and understand that everyone’s definition of work-life balance is different, and that my definition has changed over the years. Today, I’ve got a job I love, I prioritize my health, I plan off time around my daughter’s schedule to ensure quality time with her, and I set time-management goals for myself. For me, balance has been achieved gradually over time.

You can connect with Breanne Braddock on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Upcoming Events




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.