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Bill French on Building the Rent-To-Own Industry From the Ground Up

The RTO Show: "Let's talk Rent to Own"

Chapters
0:00
Book Launch And Giveaway
2:14
Meet Legend Bill French
4:09
Discovering Rent-To-Own In The 70s
8:16
Educating Manufacturers And Banks
12:40
Early APRO Formation And Purpose
17:12
Why State Statutes Beat Federal Rules
20:36
Bringing Whirlpool And Vendors Onboard
23:54
High-End Products Enter RTO
27:10
Vendor Advisory Committees’ Impact
31:08
Buying Groups And Level Pricing
34:22
What Makes RTO Programs Different
39:40
O’Rourke Pivot And Rapid Growth
44:10
Vendor Support For Advocacy
48:26
Relationship-Driven Sales Philosophy
52:00
Product Evolution And Gaming Surge
The RTO Show: "Let's talk Rent to Own"
Bill French on Building the Rent-To-Own Industry From the Ground Up
Feb 03, 2026 Season 7 Episode 14
Pete Shau

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What does it take to help build the modern Rent-To-Own industry from the ground up?

In this special Legends Series episode of The RTO Show, Peter Shau sits down with Bill French, Vice President of Rent-To-Own Sales at O’Rourke Sales Company and one of the most respected figures in RTO history. 

Bill shares firsthand stories from the earliest days of rent-to-own, including how the industry evolved from black-and-white TVs and stereos into a nearly $10 billion business driven by gaming systems, premium appliances, and consumer choice. The conversation explores RTO advocacy, vendor partnerships, APRO’s role in protecting the industry, and why relationships still matter more than anything else in business.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How Bill French discovered the Rent-To-Own industry in the early 1970s
  •  Why APRO became essential to protecting and legitimizing RTO businesses
  •  How vendor relationships shaped the growth of the rent-to-own channel
  •  Why gaming systems and premium electronics are transforming modern RTO
  •  What successful RTO dealers and vendors still get right after decades in business

Episode Highlights:


  • 03:21 – How Bill French accidentally discovered the Rent-To-Own business
  •  07:40 – Why major manufacturers originally resisted RTO partnerships
  •  09:07 – The story behind the very first APRO meeting
  •  13:10 – How APRO helped protect the industry from bad actors and regulation
  •  16:47 – Why today’s RTO customers want premium products and high-end technology
  •  21:16 – How buying groups like TRIB changed opportunities for smaller dealers
  •  39:03 – Why gaming systems and gaming towers are reshaping RTO inventory
  •  49:29 – Bill French’s biggest lesson about relationships, trust, and long-term business success

Meet the Guest:

Bill French is the Vice President of Rent-To-Own Sales at O’Rourke Sales Company and a longtime leader in the Rent-To-Own industry. With more than five decades of experience, Bill has helped shape vendor partnerships, industry advocacy, product strategy, and RTO business growth across multiple generations. 

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

  • APRO legislative advocacy and industry protection
  •  Vendor Advisory Committee collaboration
  •  RTO-focused inventory forecasting strategies
  •  Buying group partnerships through TRIB
  •  High-retention product categories in Rent-To-Own
  •  Relationship-driven sales and vendor partnerships

Closing Insight:

“The best people in business are the best listeners. If you always look after the customer’s needs first, you’re always going to win.” – Bill French

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