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Legend: Wayland Russell of Eagle Rental Purchase
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A small team launched six stores in a month, refused bargain-bin products, and built a public company that outperformed the category—by betting everything on culture, quality, and customer dignity. Pete sits down with industry legend Wayland Russell to unpack how Rainbow Rentals rewired supply chains, pioneered bundled PCs with Dell, and turned account management into a customer success engine long before that term existed.
We get into the hard decisions behind “more, better, different”: walking High Point for years until a manufacturer agreed to weekly, multi-location delivery; insisting on midline-and-up TVs and appliances; and designing software that enabled seamless vendor ordering and just-in-time fulfillment. Wayland explains why computers—dismissed by competitors as “doorstops”—became a double-digit revenue stream, and how intuitive, icon-based bundles helped families cross the digital divide. His philosophy is clear: be the advantage to the disadvantaged, and let operational excellence make premium accessible.
There’s grit here too: brutal early financing, loans called twice, and the courage to walk away from payday lending margins that clashed with core values. We explore APRO’s pivotal advocacy, the ethics of pricing versus credit-card debt, and the decision to sell while rewarding associates and investing in the community. Along the way, Wayland shares candid leadership lessons—hire for passion, make everyone a partner, celebrate managers on the front line, and act like the conductor who helps others shine.
If you care about building durable culture, rethinking logistics, and serving customers with respect, this story will stay with you. Listen, share with a colleague, and leave a review telling us the boldest idea you’re taking into your business.
APRO
Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
Support the show
www.TheRTOshowPodcast.com For swag and information
Facebook - The RTO Show
Instagram - the_rto_show
Linkedin - The RTO Show
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By Pete ShauSend us a text
A small team launched six stores in a month, refused bargain-bin products, and built a public company that outperformed the category—by betting everything on culture, quality, and customer dignity. Pete sits down with industry legend Wayland Russell to unpack how Rainbow Rentals rewired supply chains, pioneered bundled PCs with Dell, and turned account management into a customer success engine long before that term existed.
We get into the hard decisions behind “more, better, different”: walking High Point for years until a manufacturer agreed to weekly, multi-location delivery; insisting on midline-and-up TVs and appliances; and designing software that enabled seamless vendor ordering and just-in-time fulfillment. Wayland explains why computers—dismissed by competitors as “doorstops”—became a double-digit revenue stream, and how intuitive, icon-based bundles helped families cross the digital divide. His philosophy is clear: be the advantage to the disadvantaged, and let operational excellence make premium accessible.
There’s grit here too: brutal early financing, loans called twice, and the courage to walk away from payday lending margins that clashed with core values. We explore APRO’s pivotal advocacy, the ethics of pricing versus credit-card debt, and the decision to sell while rewarding associates and investing in the community. Along the way, Wayland shares candid leadership lessons—hire for passion, make everyone a partner, celebrate managers on the front line, and act like the conductor who helps others shine.
If you care about building durable culture, rethinking logistics, and serving customers with respect, this story will stay with you. Listen, share with a colleague, and leave a review telling us the boldest idea you’re taking into your business.
APRO
Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
Support the show
www.TheRTOshowPodcast.com For swag and information
Facebook - The RTO Show
Instagram - the_rto_show
Linkedin - The RTO Show
Youtube - The RTO Show Podcast