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What does it take to build a rent to own business that lasts for 40 years and impacts generations of customers, employees, and industry leaders?

In this special Legends Series episode of The RTO Show, Pete Shau sits down with Mike Tissot to reflect on the life, leadership, and legacy of Darrell Tissot, founder of Countryside Rentals DBA Rent 2 Own. 

This conversation explores the evolution of the rent to own industry, customer access, leadership development, small town retail strategy, same store sales growth, mentorship, and the power of relationship driven business. Mike shares how Darrell Tissot helped pioneer modern RTO operations through innovation, employee empowerment, customer service, and community impact while shaping future generations of rent to own operators across the country. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why customer trust and employee empowerment became the foundation of Countryside Rentals’ long term growth
• How Darrell Tissot helped shape modern rent to own leadership through mentorship, advocacy, and collaboration
• The importance of same store sales growth, operational discipline, and strategic expansion in the RTO business
• How small town retail markets created long lasting customer relationships and multi generational loyalty
• Why innovation, testing new products, and adapting to customer needs helped Countryside Rentals stay ahead for decades

Episode Highlights:

• 03:58 – How Darrell Tissot started his first rent to own business from a small service station
• 05:33 – The financing struggles and business risks of launching an RTO company in the 1980s
• 07:06 – Why empowering store level employees became a core leadership philosophy
• 13:17 – The customer story that reminded Darrell why rent to own matters
• 18:31 – How trust and relationships built long term success in small town communities
• 22:22 – The “focus on strengths” philosophy that helped drive product growth and innovation
• 25:15 – Why same store sales growth mattered more than rapid expansion
• 34:17 – Darrell Tissot’s leadership role in APRO, TRIB, and rent to own advocacy
• 47:25 – The leadership lesson behind “building a bigger table, not a bigger fence”
• 53:35 – The story behind Countryside Rentals’ 40 Days of Kindness initiative

Meet the Guest:

Mike Tissot is the leader of Countryside Rentals DBA Rent 2 Own and the son of industry pioneer Darrell Tissot. Under Mike’s leadership, the company has continued expanding its customer focused approach while maintaining a culture built on mentorship, innovation, community involvement, and employee development.

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• Months to recover cost tracking
• Same store sales growth strategy
• Store level leadership empowerment
• Small town retail expansion strategy
• Relationship driven customer service
• Community partnership and charitable giving initiatives
• Product innovation and testing systems
• Leadership through mentorship and operational standards

Closing Insight:

“Success in rent to own is built through trust, consistency, mentorship, and a willingness to keep growing alongside your customers and your team.”

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