Longevity, Economy Minimize Rental Business Challenges in Bradenton, FL

One of his biggest challenges today is technology, he adds. “Daniel is helping me with social media and ordering equipment online, something that more suppliers want us to do.”

Bradenton Fl

Being in business 43 years removes some of the mysteries and challenges associated with operating a rental store, according to Greg Sarver, president of Bradenton Rentall Inc, in Bradenton, FL. “The business has matured, employees have been with us a long time, and so have many of our customers,” says Sarver, who was only 12 years old when his father, Cy, launched the business. Today, he’s 55 and works alongside his two sons Glenn, 25, and Daniel, 20, renting primarily to smaller contractors in the area.

The Bradenton economy has turned around since the recession that took a sizeable bite out of the housing market. “We cater to smaller contractors who build and remodel homes and do the landscaping,” says Sarver. “People moving here seem to have money and are willing to spend it. That’s always good, so right now business looks pretty good.”

One of his biggest challenges today is technology, he adds. “Daniel is helping me with social media and ordering equipment online, something that more suppliers want us to do.”

Labor is less of a challenge. Several employees have been with him since he bought the store from Cy 20 years ago. “My sons have known some of our employees so long they almost feel like they’re uncles. I think when dealing with employees, treating them with respect and kindness goes a long way. I’ve also found over the years that when employees come up with a new idea or system, let them run with it,” Sarver emphasizes, noting that you might not necessarily agree with them, but that’s less important than them taking ownership and having initiative.

Sarver impresses on his employees that the rental business is not transactional. No matter how small an item is, it takes work to rent it, to ensure it’s right for the customer and application, and the customer knows how to use it. When asked what he enjoys most about the rental business, it’s this interaction with the customers and his employees that gives him the most satisfaction.

For the last 43 years, for three generations of Sarvers, someone from the store has attended The Rental Show. This year, Daniel attended the show for the first time with his dad. Did he enjoy the show? “He did. In fact, Daniel told me it inspired him,” says his father. Although Glenn enjoys the rental industry, he’s contemplating starting his own business in a different industry. That’s okay with his father, too, who understands how important it is to have passion for what you do. 

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