RTOHQ: The Magazine, Winter 2017

Winter 2017 47 31 years in business 17 locations Aaron Windsor 39 Chief Operating Officer Michelle Windsor Jackson 33 Vice President of Marketing Took over the family business from their parents Mark and Kathy Windsor in 2014 A aron Windsor and Michelle Windsor Jackson both began working for the family rent to own business at the age of 15 well for a paycheck anyway I began starring in TV commercials for National when I was about four Michelle recalls Ive been the voice and the sort of mascot for the company ever since I began working at the stores at 15 and have essentially never stopped I worked through high school and college and beyond at our stores notes Aaron At one point I left for several years to run a two store company up in Minnesota Rent Rite But I eventually sold them and came home to National So Ive been in the business for almost 25 years Im not exactly a newcomer And not newcomer Aaron has some well honed views about where the rent to own industry is today and where it should be going At the national level we need some new leadership he states Many of the old guard guys are just plain stuck theyre unwilling to step back let go and watch what happens I promise none of the people who launched these companies were perfect at every turn theyve got to let us make our own mistakes because thats how we learn At the state level Aaron thinks creating leadership positions especially for young professionals is critical Every board of directors Im involved in has a specific spot for a younger representative he attests Rent to own should have that too Owners need to be identifying their best and brightest coming up adds Michelle They need to be offering them leadership opportunities including attending industry events Both Aaron and Michelle suggest information sessions may be more effectually customized not only for peoples positions but also according to how long theyve been in the industry or by their number of stores since those differing audiences clearly require different types of info And while demographics Hispanics and Millennials are common RTO buzzwords nowadays Aaron is more concerned with whos already in Nationals stores than who may be pursuable on the outside If were the next generation of RTO leadership then I want to focus on my next generation of rent toown customers my current customers kids affirms Aaron I want to make sure our industry is being passed down as a sort of family heirloom so Im concentrating on what makes our business good enough for the parents and good enough for their kids Aaron and Michelle agree its neither the old traditions nor the new ideas that will carry rent to own into the future it will be the combination of proven principles and innovative tactics Our generation and the generation before us need to work together Michelle concludes because a blend of both is what will make us all successful R E N T TO OW N YO U N G P R O F E S S I O N A L S National TV Sales Rental Lebanon MO