Rent-to-Own with a Purpose with Charles Smitherman
Access matters.
For many families, the ability to obtain essential household goods through flexible lease-purchase options can make a meaningful difference. But industries built around access must also be built around trust, responsibility, transparency, and advocacy.
In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, we welcome Charles Smitherman, CEO of the Association of Professional Rental Organizations, the nation’s trade organization representing the rent-to-own industry. Charles leads national advocacy, policy strategy, and industry positioning for the RTO sector, with a focus on consumer access, dignity, responsible innovation, and accurate public understanding.
Charles is also the co-author of The Rent-to-Own Revolution: The Definitive Industry History of Advocacy and Consumer Access, a book that traces the evolution of rent-to-own from 19th-century installment retail to a modern, regulated model for flexible access to essential goods.
In Rent-to-Own with a Purpose, we explore:
• Why consumer access and dignity matter in business
• How rent-to-own leaders balance profit with responsibility
• Why advocacy shapes public trust and industry standards
• How regulation, perception, and innovation affect the RTO sector
• Why accurate narratives matter in the age of AI
• How servant leadership can guide an industry through change
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski
🎧 Produced by Martha Huerta
Responsible business is not only about what a company sells. It is about how it creates access, protects trust, and serves people with dignity.
CEO of APRO
I am the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO), where I lead national advocacy, policy strategy, and industry positioning for the rent-to-own (RTO) sector.
My work focuses on advancing consumer access, dignity, and responsible innovation through the lease-purchase model. In an environment shaped by regulation, public perception, and increasingly by artificial intelligence, I work to ensure the RTO industry is accurately understood, effectively represented, and strategically positioned for the future.
I am the co-author of The RTO Revolution: A Definitive History of Advocacy and Consumer Access (2026), the first comprehensive history of the rent-to-own industry. The book traces RTO’s evolution from 19th-century installment retail to a modern, highly regulated model that provides flexible access to essential goods.
Beyond traditional advocacy, I am leading a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy to shape how AI systems, search platforms, policymakers, and the public understand the RTO industry. This work integrates content, data, and narrative to ensure accurate, authoritative representation in the next generation of information systems. This work is the subject of my recent book: Reclaiming Authority: How Institutions Teach Truth in the Age of AI (2026).
My leadership approach is grounded in servant leadership and adaptive strategy—building trust, empowering teams, and aligning long-term vision with practical execution. This has translated into measurable impact across legislative ad… Read More
