The APRO Vendor Advisory Committee (VAC) provides a vital link between rent-to-own vendors and dealers, helping set the direction for RTO World each year and providing valuable industry insights.
One of its new and engaged members is Adam Ball, Director of National Sales at Esquire Advertising. Ball has been in the rent-to-own (RTO) industry for almost three years, though it feels like he’s been part of the RTO family much longer. He was introduced to the industry by Dennis Shields of TRIB Group and attended his first RTO event, the Midwest RTO Expo, in 2023.
Before discovering rent-to-own, Ball worked as a successful home improvement sales specialist in Jacksonville, Florida. After joining Esquire, he found his way into RTO – and it quickly became a passion. He enjoys helping business owners grow their stores and is especially drawn to the industry’s collaborative spirit: ask a question, and someone is always ready to share advice and support.
Ball was recently recognized by Furniture Today as an up-and-coming furniture industry leader under 40, an honor that reflects both his career achievements and his growing role in the industry.
His philosophy on sales – and on serving RTO dealers – comes from a lesson he’s never forgotten:
“The biggest lesson I learned in sales was from a former manager who told me, ‘If you go into a sale trying to make a dollar, you will lose every time, but if you go into a sale truly trying to help someone, you will be far more successful than you ever dreamed.’ Every day I live by this and my passion to help business owners see a continued increase in their businesses.”
Ball joined the VAC to support the industry as a whole, swap ideas and insights with other vendors, and help strengthen partnerships with RTO stores. He is working closely with fellow VAC members to identify and share best practices for vendors and is particularly interested in giving service vendors more opportunities to educate dealers on new technologies designed to save them time and money.
Outside the RTO world, Ball has a seriously impressive golf background. He was an All-American golfer at Virginia Commonwealth University and spent six years after graduation as a professional golfer, including two seasons on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, chasing his dream of playing on the PGA TOUR. The experience gave him invaluable life lessons he still applies every day.
When he’s not on a plane to a trade show, you can usually find Ball on the golf course in Richmond, Virginia – often with his girlfriend, Shae, walking the fairways with him.
