Clifton Elmo “Missouri Mo” and Wilma Cleek began the Cleek’s brand in 1956 in Columbia, Missouri, with the opening of Cleek’s Appliances & Food Service. Their son, “Tiger” John, began working at the family business at 15, and took over running the company at 23 when his dad died tragically in an airplane accident. Tiger John evolved Cleek’s into rent-to-own in 1987, and grew to be an icon in the RTO industry. Tiger’s son, John Jr., also worked at the family business as a teen, joined the company full-time in 1993, and took over upon his dad’s untimely death in 2022 of ALS.
Today, John Jr. Co-owns Cleek’s with his mom, Ann, and works alongside both his wife, Heather, and his aunt, Susie.
“Working with family is great overall,” effuses John. “You can be sure everyone is 100 percent bought into the business, because our name is up there on the sign! Those tough conversations can be challenging – trust me, I’ve had my backside chewed out more than anyone in our company – and most of the time, I deserved it, but it still wasn’t enjoyable. The upside is, you know family is always going to stick with you; no matter what the conversation is, you’ll eventually work things out.”
John finds himself referencing his father’s many words of wisdom almost daily, which has helped this multi-generational business retain multiple generations of customers as well.
“One essential thing my dad taught me is that if you’re going to make a decision, then make it in the customer’s favor – even if you end up losing money on the deal,” he affirms. “We can always get another TV or whatever, but it’s a lot harder to secure another customer. If you treat your customers right and take care of business, then they’ll stick with you and refer others – which is why we now rent to second and even third generations of customers!”
Though all three of John and Heather’s children have been involved in the company in some way over the years, none are interested in continuing Cleek’s as a career – Dr. Johnny Cleek is a second- year resident in radiology; Mary Cleek Shaughnessy is an occupational therapist; and Thomas Cleek is working toward a future as a golf instructor.
“The hardest thing for me about our family business is that I’m an only child, and none of our kids are coming into the business,” John concludes. “Honestly, I’m OK with that, because it can be an extremely tough way to go. I don’t want to get out anytime soon, but I understand there will come a time when the company will need to be sold and it will all be over. But rent-to-own has provided so much for our family, and I truly believe that we provide a valuable service that has helped thousands of customers.”
Brian Grow has worked in rent-to-own since 1988, for American Rentals, PDQ Rentals, and eventually, at his own first Growby’s store in Bedford, Indiana, in 2003. His now-wife Misty played a key role in getting the company up and running, and all five of their blended-family kids have worked at Growby’s at one time or another. But it was Eric who felt called back to the business as a career; he joined full-time in 2013, and today works alongside both Brian and Misty as Chief Operating Officer.
“Eric has brought many improvements to the company to streamline our old-school ways,” Brian confirms. “His technology knowledge has been an enormous asset, especially as technology continues to change how younger people communicate. Communication has been a challenge between us, but we’ve learned to adapt just as we’ve had to adapt for our younger customers. Working with Eric has taught me that there is no wrong way, just different ways.”
The Lebakkens brand began as a Curtis Mathes Showroom opened in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1975 by Loren Lebakken. The business eventually evolved into a rent-to-own company, and a half-century later, consists of a dozen Wisconsin-based storefronts run by Loren’s son Jeff with continuing guidance from his mom, Dorothy, and next-gen input from his daughters, Erica and Victoria.
While Jeff concedes that professional conflicts can be challenging among family, where they have the potential to become more personal, he also feels great comfort in knowing his children can take over the business he has built if necessary.
“I don’t really see much difference between the generations,” says Jeff. “At the core of this industry is the joy of helping others, and while over the generations, technology has made a huge difference in how we get it done, that core, that same feeling of purpose, is what drives all of us.”
Mike Strong opened up his first Mike’s Rent-To-Own in 1981 in Hutchinson, Kansas. While he claims he never planned for his kids, Michael and Angela, to be involved in the business, they clearly had other plans. Today, Mike is still at the office every day, close-by as he lets the next generation learn how to lead.
“Dad has been a pillar of wisdom not only in our family business, but also in everyday life, sharing invaluable lessons on how we approach challenges,” Angela testifies. “We face whatever comes head-on as a family unit, the three of us hunkering down in Dad’s office to come up with a plan. He has taught us the importance of teamwork and patience, all while ensuring the family business remains rooted in our shared values and sense of purpose.”
Angela says her father’s decades of experience have provided essential perspective on honoring tried-and-true methods while embracing new strategies she and her brother come up with to stay relevant in the RTO industry.
“Dad remains curious about new ideas, and he’s very open to us trying new techniques,” she notes. “Typically, Michael and I will discuss our ideas of solutions to an issue, and dad won’t say much – I think he wants the two of us to figure it out on our own and see what happens. Sometimes we fail, but we fail forward! As he has often counseled, we keep working to just do our best and never give up!”
“My mom and dad had what I call ‘unconditional loyalty’ for me and my enterprises,” Gary attests. “They worked for Showplace in supporting roles, but their values – especially their deep desire to always do the right thing – are still part of the business today. The continuity that moved from my parents to us and on to our children has given steadiness to the company, including our employees and our customers. Our values have always been similarly centered, with our mission remaining ‘a special place to work and a special place to shop.’”
Gary notes that his comfort with Keith running with the Showplace legacy comes from their like-minded approach and feelings for rent-to-own.
“Keith gets the same kick out of what we can do for folks that I do,” says Gary. “Our biggest challenge is getting together without talking business. Overall, I don’t think our family business could have gone much better than it has.”
Larry and Sharon Carrico launched Rent One forty years ago in St. Louis, Missouri, and have built the company into more than 100 stores in eight states. Today, in addition to Larry’s brother, Keith, being part of the business, two of the Carricos’ three kids have become integral to the daily workings and continued growth of Rent One – and now, of RNR Tire Express, too.
“Working with family members, I’ve learned to accept that change takes times, patience is king, urgency makes a difference, and they know more than I do in many instances,” Larry concedes. “We each solve problems in different ways, and their creativity often stuns me. Additionally, having done the same work for over four decades, I find our kids are breathing new life into the company, and ensuring necessary changes are made and measured for forward-looking, optimistic results.”
Larry says he and Sharon have made a deliberate and concerted effort to instill in their children their wishes for the future of the family business – something he advises all multi-generational rent-to-own leaders to do.
“I believe many rental dealers forget to share the culture or intention of the company and the legacy they’ve created,” says Larry. “I think so many gener-ational transitions fail because that’s never discussed. We’ve been working since our kids were 25 to share our legacy desires, and we have an annual meeting to underscore this purpose. Almost all dealers have had their kids volunteer with their communities, share gifts with others, and contribute to worthy causes, but seldom do we share our vision of that continued giving and legacy, and I feel it’s critical.”
Sandi Frye was working as a substitute teacher when she began as a parttime secretary with Rainbow Rentals 33 years ago. Loving Rainbow’s family- friendly culture, she went full-time and eventually became a store manager. But when Rainbow was acquired, Sandi opted to go out on her own, and with the help of a Rainbow colleague, opened up a Premier Rental-Purchase franchise in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 2005. Sandi and this former co-worker soon married, blending their five children from previous marriages into a single family with a successful store. All five kids have put in their time with the company, but daughter Ebony and now her son, Cameron, represent the next generations of this family business.
“I bring the foundational knowledge of rent-to-own – the core principles of selling, collections, and customer service that we’ve built our business on,” Sandi explains. “But I’ve come to realize that the way we sell and connect with customers is constantly evolving, and that’s where Ebony shines. She’s an innovator, always learning and testing new ways to market and sell. Her creativity and ability to adapt to new technology have helped us stay competitive in a changing market.
Cameron brings a whole new level of tech fluency,” she continues. “He’s a gamer and naturally understands the ins and outs of the products we offer, and is our go-to for electronics product knowledge and troubleshooting. And having a younger voice in the room helps us stay relevant.”
Sandi says the best thing she and Ebony did early on in their working relationship was establish clear boundaries – Sandi was Store Manager at work, Mom at home, while Ebony was employee at work, daughter at home. The separation of roles helped both women respect one another wherever they were.
“While we often share the same goal, we tend to have different ways of getting there,” notes Sandi. “Neither approach is wrong – we just operate differently. Without clear roles and boundaries, it can feel like two people trying to drive the same car; eventually, someone has to take the wheel while the other navigates. We’ve worked hard to find our own lanes and not run over each other’s toes. That clarity has been essential to keeping the peace and making sure we can both lead in our own ways.”
Sandi says while her family doesn’t always think alike, it’s a good thing that’s helping them build a business not only rooted in tradition, but also adaptable to modern expectations.
“Family members are invested in the business in a different way,” she concludes. “We protect it and want it to thrive. And when different generations work together, we balance tradition with innovation, experience with fresh ideas. Ebony and Cameron are both tremendous assets, and I truly believe our generational diversity makes our store stronger.”
