Episode Player
How APRO Built the Modern Rent to Own Industry with Ed Winn
The RTO Show: "Let's talk Rent to Own"
How did the rent to own industry survive legal uncertainty, public criticism, and decades of political battles to become a nationwide business model with laws in 47 states?
In this special RTO Legends episode, Pete Shau sits down with retired APRO legal counsel Ed Winn to uncover the real story behind the formation of APRO, the evolution of rent to own legislation, and the advocacy efforts that shaped modern consumer access.
This episode explores the early days of rent to own, the push for federal and state legislation, the rise of industry advocacy groups, and the role APRO played in building trust, transparency, and long term industry stability. Listeners will hear firsthand stories about rent to own regulation, class action lawsuits, federal hearings, consumer disclosure practices, and the leadership decisions that transformed a fragmented business model into a recognized industry.
What You’ll Learn
- How APRO was founded in 1980 and why early rent to own operators realized they needed industry advocacy and legal protection
- Why the rent to own industry shifted from pursuing federal legislation to building state by state legal frameworks
- How rent to own laws evolved differently across states like Texas, California, Minnesota, New York, and North Carolina
- The role transparency, consumer disclosures, and ethical business practices played in improving the industry’s public image
- Why AI, digital search systems, and historical storytelling are becoming critical for the future of rent to own advocacy
Episode Highlights:
- 02:39 – The legal uncertainty surrounding rent to own in the late 1970s and early 1980s
- 04:09 – Why early industry leaders believed rent to own could become a legitimate long term business model
- 06:14 – The moment APRO shifted from pursuing federal laws to building state by state legislation
- 09:39 – How model rent to own legislation helped standardize laws across multiple states
- 11:18 – Why Minnesota and New Jersey became some of the toughest legal battles in rent to own history
- 18:57 – How passing state laws unified dealers and strengthened the APRO membership base
- 30:19 – The industry debate around transparency, disclosures, and consumer trust
- 39:08 – How APRO helped transform rent to own from a fragmented business model into a nationally recognized industry
- 48:36 – Ed Winn explains why Charles Smitherman’s AI and advocacy vision could shape the future of APRO
Meet the Guest:
Ed Winn is the retired legal counsel for APRO and one of the most influential legal and advocacy voices in the history of the rent to own industry. He helped guide state legislation, industry policy, and advocacy efforts for more than four decades.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
- APRO advocacy and legislative strategy
- State by state rent to own regulatory frameworks
- Model rent to own legislation from the Council on State Governments
- Consumer disclosure and transparency standards
- State association development and advocacy coordination
- Federal versus state legislative approaches for regulated industries
- AI driven industry storytelling and digital advocacy strategy
Closing Insight:
“If you’ve got something to hide, you’re not going to make it.”
This episode is a powerful look at how transparency, advocacy, and leadership helped shape the modern rent to own industry and why preserving that history matters for future generations of operators, lawmakers, and consumers.
Join The RTO Newsletter: https://bit.ly/RTOPODnewsletter
Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/4wpbUqF
Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/RTOPODspotify
Learn More About Sponsorship: https://bit.ly/RTOPODsponsor
