APRO’s next three-year Strategic Plan launches January 1st – & it aims to elevate, enhance, & empower you, your business, & the RTO industry
One of APRO leadership’s key achievements of 2024 was successfully completing the association’s 2022-24 Strategic Plan – bested only by assessing its results, discussing relevant insights, and developing a new course for APRO’s future. Over the past several months, the APRO Board of Directors and Strategic Plan Task Force engaged in a member-centric process to evaluate current and future industry needs, and craft a new, forward-thinking blueprint. APRO’s 2025-27 Strategic Plan is concentrated on a trio of core objectives: Elevate, Enhance, and Empower – and has therefore been nicknamed E³.
Focusing on Members for a Stronger Future
The development of the 2025-27 Strategic Plan entailed a collaborative and member-focused methodology. The APRO Board and Task Force worked closely with a professional facilitator to help guide the six-month planning process, which included gathering member input; conducting a thorough analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and drafting a seven-year vision statement. One goal was held in mind throughout the process: to create a strategic plan that aligns with APRO’s mission of promoting the success of the rent-toown industry and the association’s vision of being the rising tide that lifts all RTO boats.
Member feedback was instrumental in shaping the plan, and we are deeply grateful for your contributions. As a member-driven association – of the members, by the members, and for the members – APRO believes the best way to serve the industry is to listen to your needs and work together to meet them. The E³ plan is a testament to this understanding.
This plan is not simply a set of strategic goals and initiatives, but a commitment to APRO members to raise up the rent-toown industry, refine and reinforce our advocacy efforts, and embolden RTO leaders to accomplish remarkable results.
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Meeting & Exceeding Member Needs
Elevate – the first pillar of our new Strategic Plan – is focused on ensuring APRO delivers exceptional value to its members through beneficial services and products. Through this objective, we aim to support your success by providing the resources you need to thrive in today’s competitive environment.
Our key initiatives to Elevate include:
Building a robust APRO online community: APRO will create an online platform to connect members virtually, fostering peer-to-peer connection and collaboration via specialized discussion groups and 24/7/365 networking opportunities. Whatever your position – owner, dealer, franchisee, franchisor, regional manager, store manager, marketing professional, or vendor – this space will enable you to share best practices, exchange ideas, and discover solutions to common challenges.
Developing industry best practices and education: APRO will build a comprehensive education platform for all member- company employees, featuring special courses and training modules designed especially for the rent-to-own industry. We intend to include a library of best practices covering critical functions such as marketing, collections, and the integration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence – all to empower you to stay at the leading edge of trends and uphold the highest standards of excellence.
Introducing pooled APRO member benefits: APRO will establish a series of benefits for member companies – including pooled insurance options and collective purchasing opportunities – to help decrease costs and increase value for your business.
Establishing a rental-dealer mentoring program: Finally, APRO will launch a new Dealer Mentoring Program to provide guidance for new association members and help shape the next generation of industry leaders.
These initiatives reflect APRO’s belief that when our members succeed, the entire RTO industry benefits. By working together, we will elevate the industry to new heights.
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Strengthening Advocacy & External Education
The second pillar, Enhance, is all about amplifying APRO’s advocacy efforts and expanding the association’s external education efforts. In a landscape where legislative and regulatory challenges are ever-present, it is crucial that APRO continues to be the voice championing the interests – at both the state and federal levels – of its members.
Our key initiatives to Enhance include:
Creating an APRO Advocacy Playbook: APRO will develop a comprehensive guide for its members to engage with state and federal legislators, equipping them with talking points and proven strategies for effectively communicating the value of rent-to-own to policymakers. The playbook will serve as an essential resource for participating in APRO’s Legislative Conference, Legislative Days and other state-level events, and continuing advocacy to promote the benefits of RTO to the economy, communities, and consumers.
Revamping the APRO-PAC funding plan: APRO will strengthen its PAC efforts, ensuring contributions are used strategically to maximize impact. By honing our processes and expanding fundraising efforts, APRO can continue to support candidates who understand and advocate for the unique demands of the rent-to-own industry.
Supporting legislative events and state-level engagement: APRO will play a central role in organizing and supporting events to engage its members directly with elected officials. Such events – state legislative days, open houses, etc. – offer valuable opportunities to educate lawmakers about the positive impact of RTO businesses within their communities.
These initiatives aim to protect and promote the interests of APRO members, ensuring the rent-to-own industry remains strong and resilient as it faces governmental challenges.
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Equipping Industry Leaders for Success
Empower – the third E³ pillar – focuses on investing in leadership development for APRO’s board, committees, and staff. The intent of this objective is to cultivate a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability to drive the association’s strategic goals forward.
Our key initiatives to Empower include:
Enhancing Board culture: APRO will promote a high-performance culture among its Board of Directors, where members arrive to meetings prepared, engage in productive discussion, and leave meetings with actionable goals. This initiative is designed to improve engagement, foster accountability, and ensure APRO leadership is always aligned with its mission.
Developing leadership pathways: APRO is revising its approach to committee involvement in order to create opportunities for non-board members to contribute to association initiatives. By involving a broader spectrum of voices, this initiative aims to build a pipeline of future leaders, prepared to guide the association and the industry forward.
Investing in staff professional development: To ensure its continued success, APRO will support the professional growth of its staff members through training and development opportunities. Retaining talented staff members is key to maintaining the institutional knowledge, experience, and expertise that make APRO a trusted member resource.
These initiatives will help APRO form a solid foundation for sustainability, growth, and continued excellence, ensuring the association remains a strong advocate and partner for the RTO industry now and for years still to come.
Getting Involved for a Stronger Future
As APRO moves forward, we invite you to stay engaged and be part of the initiatives outlined in the E³ Strategic Plan. Whether it’s joining a discussion in the new online APRO Community, chatting with lawmakers at an event, or sharing your wealth of knowledge as a mentor, your involvement is key to our collective success.
Together, we will elevate the rent-to-own industry, enhance our advocacy and education efforts, and empower our leaders to achieve great things. Let’s make the next three years a time of shared growth, incredible innovation, and unprecedented success.
Thank you for being an essential part of APRO’s mission to promote and uplift RTO. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you to turn this strategy into a reality. Stay tuned for further updates!
Charles Smitherman is APRO’s Chief Executive Officer.
