Lauren Talicska, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials, began her career in the rent-to-own (RTO) industry in 2010, developing a specialty in retail marketing that would lead to lasting industry relationships and leadership opportunities.
Her RTO experience began at her father’s marketing company, Advertising Made Easy (AME) where she became the primary contact for Nationwide RentDirect members. Starting with simple point-of-purchase sign kits, she helped retailers update and elevate their in-store experience. She later became the Director of RTO Client Services with wowbrands before joining Arona Home Essentials in 2020.
Over the course of her RTO career, Talicska has become an active industry leader. She has served on APRO’s Vendor Advisory Committee (VAC), moderated the Women’s Forum at RTO World since the event’s inception in 2024, advocated on Capitol Hill as a member of APRO’s Legislative Fellows program at this year’s APRO Legislative Conference, and is a current member of the TRIB Group Board of Directors.
Most recently, Talicska earned the APRO Emerging Leader Award at RTO World 2026, where she was also elected as a new member of the APRO Board of Directors.
Her Route to RTO
Talicska’s work ethic developed early; she began working part-time at age 15 for her dad, who did advertising for appliance and electronics stores. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre – acting and costume design – at Ohio’s Baldwin Wallace University, but decided the “starving artist” lifestyle wasn’t for her.
“I went into advertising sales at The Columbus Dispatch, which led to sales and producing positions with the Ohio News Network,” Talicska recalls. “Meanwhile, my dad had opened up his own ad agency, and invited me to come back and work for him – which I did after negotiating a pretty good salary from the old man!”
That move would eventually introduce Talicska to an industry that proved surprisingly difficult to leave. At AME, she became a familiar face at RentDirect member meetings and PrimeTime events, building relationships that extended well beyond the marketing materials she helped create.
When the family business closed in 2016, Talicska struck out on her own, launching a marketing business that kept her connected to RTO and independent retailers. Her industry relationships even led to a stint managing RentDirect on an interim basis in 2017. She briefly ventured outside RTO the following year, but as she discovered, once rent-to-own gets into your blood, it’s not so easy to leave behind.
By 2019, she was back, joining wowbrands before moving to Arona Home Essentials as Director of Marketing & Merchandising. Within three years, she was promoted to her current position – an unsurprising turn for this go-getter who is passionate about the rent-to-own industry, its strong sense of community, and women in leadership.
“I’ve never been in an industry where everyone is so willing to work together, share ideas, and help each other grow,” affirms Talicska. “I’m especially proud of my involvement with the APRO Women’s Committee, where the conversations have really helped me grow and push myself. And I wanted to see more women on the APRO Board – what better way than to step up and lead by example?”
Participate, Collaborate, Succeed
In her personal life, Talicska describes herself as a “serial hobbyist” who also enjoys spending time with her dogs, Otto and Cookie (“named for minor characters in an extremely popular, long-running show,” she hints). Whether at home or at work, as her LinkedIn profile notes, Talicska is “not a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of player, and completely unapologetic about it.”
With a background in theater and a career in marketing, Talicska also keeps a close eye on the intersection of technology and creativity. She was recently captivated by the music video for Storm II by Gener8ion and Yung Lean, particularly its intricate choreography and the teamwork required to pull it off. At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping creative fields, she sees the performance as a powerful reminder of the irreplaceable value of human creativity.
“One wrong move, one dancer out of sync, one unwilling participant would break the whole thing,” she observes, drawing a parallel to the importance of having a team where everyone is working toward the same goal.
“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned professionally is that you get out what you put in,” Talicska concludes. “If you attend a meeting or event and don’t engage or open yourself up to it, you won’t get anything out of it. Community starts with participation and collaboration, and sometimes that means pushing yourself a little.”
![A blonde woman wearing a shirt with an Arona logo smiles gleefully as she holds up a sign reading “I [heart] APRO.”](https://www.rtohq.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/LTalicska-TRIB-MOTM-25.jpg)
About Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials
Arona Home Essentials is a national rent-to-own dealer with more than 50 locations nationwide. The company offers furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and other home essentials through flexible weekly, biweekly, and monthly rental-payment options. Arona Home Essentials has been an APRO member since 2004.
