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12 exhibitors left $81,000 behind in West Palm Beach

Published 5 days ago • 2 min read

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Learning Leadership Book Club - LLB

Book recommendation - "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott

Radical Candor by Kim Scott argues that the best managers care personally about their employees while also directly challenging them, combining genuine human connection with honest, sometimes uncomfortable feedback. Scott, drawing on her experience at Google and Apple, contrasts this "radical candor" with other failure modes: obnoxious aggression (challenging without caring), ruinous empathy (caring without challenging, which avoids necessary feedback), and manipulative insincerity (neither caring nor challenging). The core takeaway is that real kindness in leadership means telling people the truth, even when it's hard, because avoiding that conversation does them a disservice in the long run.

A word from the host

When RTO World 2026 wrapped up in West Palm Beach this August, the exhibitors did not pack up their showrooms and ship everything home. Twelve of them left it behind on purpose... Read More.

Latest Podcast Episodes

RTO World 2026 Highlights: Hello West Palm Beach!

We recap RTO World 2026 in West Palm Beach with APRO CEO Charles Smitherman, covering the golf outing, the Protecting the Transaction legal summit, and the women's forum on belonging in the industry. They dig into education tracks on AI and SEO, Mike Tissott's standing-room RTO review, awards night honoring industry legends, new vendor speed-dating sessions, and the silent auction raising scholarship funds for APRO's Charitable Foundation.

One of the best RTO Worlds ever and it all happened in West Palm Beach, FL! You don't want to miss this!

Tectonic CEO Dusty Gulleson on Leading RTO Teams Without Micromanaging

We talk with Tectonic CEO Dusty Gulleson, who grew up in Indonesia, walked away from a COO title to wait tables, and built Tectonic into a debt-free, 100-person tech company. They dig into why platforms fail without buy-in from people and process first, decentralized leadership modeled on Jocko Willink, ditching titles, coaching through mistakes without shame, and how communication and hands-on leadership build tenure and retention on RTO teams.

RTO Industry: What we're reading over here

Katapult, The Aaron's Company, and CCF Holdings Complete Business Combination

The all stock merger closed, making Aaron's and CCF wholly owned subsidiaries of Katapult Holdings. A follow up 8-K/A adds pro forma financials showing a $79M combined profit.

RedbookLumberData.com - 9/9/2026

Snap Finance Study: 44% of Credit-Challenged Consumers Rely on Financing for Major Purchases

National survey on the underserved consumer and it's most important findings.

Business Wire - 9/1/2026

Koalafi Launches Enhanced App for Lease Management and Merchant Shopping

Virtual LTO competitor rolling out a customer self service app thats a cut above the rest.

PR Newswire.com - 9/10/2026

House Republicans Introduce Bill to Overhaul CFPB Funding and Enforcement Authority

H.R. 10184 would move CFPB to congressional appropriations. This is a bill to keep an eye on. Find out why?

DealRoom - 9/8/2026

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The RTO Show Podcast

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★ PRESENTING SPONSORS ★ Premier Sponsor Associationof Professional Rental Organizations APRO elevates the rent-to-own industry through advocacy and education to better serve our members. Vendor Sponsor Wow Brands Designed specifically for the rent to own industry with ecommerce and lead generation strategies. Dealer Sponsor RNR Tire Express Get the best value on today’s top brand name tires and wheels. Brand-name inventory, dependable delivery — the supply partner built to power RTO stores....

19 days ago • 5 min read

★ PRESENTING SPONSORS ★ Premier Sponsor Association of Professional Rental Organizations APRO elevates the rent-to-own industry through advocacy and education to better serve our members. Vendor Sponsor Wow Brands Designed specifically for the rent to own industry with ecommerce and lead generation strategies. Dealer Sponsor RNR Tire Express Get the best value on today’s top brand name tires and wheels. Learning Leadership Bookclub (LLB) Book recommendation - Start with Why: How Great Leaders...

about 1 month ago • 3 min read

★ PRESENTING SPONSORS ★ Premier Sponsor Assosiation of Professional Rental Organizations APRO elevates the rent-to-own industry through advocacy and education to better serve our members. Vendor Sponsor Wow Brands Designed specifically for the rent to own industry with ecommerce and lead generation strategies. Dealer Sponsor RNR Tire Express Get the best value on today’s top brand name tires and wheels. Learning Leadership Bookclub (LLB) This week's book recomendation - How to Win Friends and...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read