Veterans Increasingly Lead Rent-to-Own Businesses
Veterans are applying military leadership to manage 5,445 stores and improve workforce recruitment.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Military Jobs
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The U.S. rent-to-own industry now sees veterans increasingly taking on ownership and management roles within the sector. These businesses, which employ 34,000 workers across 5,445 stores, often prioritize hiring other veterans and offering service member discounts.
Why it matters
Veterans attribute their operational success to the discipline and leadership structures ingrained through military training. For store owners, these backgrounds help manage the complexities of an industry that moves $1.9 billion in inventory annually while serving 6.7 million households.
The rent-to-own sector generates $11.8 billion in annual revenue across 5,445 U.S. retail locations. These operators serve 2.1 million active agreement-holders annually, supported by an industry-wide workforce of 34,000 employees.
The players
Lebakkens Rent to Own
A Wisconsin-based retail chain operating within the rent-to-own business model.
Ace Rent To Own
A Nebraska-based operator managing a network of 24 retail locations.
Frank Rotert
A veteran and long-time operator who spent 31 years in leadership at Ace Rent To Own.
Mark Connelly
A career executive who has worked in the rent-to-own sector since 1997.
The details
Owners with military backgrounds often institutionalize recruitment strategies that favor candidates with prior service, citing the benefit of professional discipline in high-volume retail environments. While some operators provide a 5% discount to service members, the industry model itself draws scrutiny from advocates over the cost of contracts, which can effectively total double or triple the underlying retail value.
Timeline
1975: Lebakkens Rent to Own of Wisconsin was founded.
1997: Mark Connelly began his career in the rent-to-own industry.
Market Landscape
The surge in veteran ownership complements an industry that has long utilized military-focused marketing and specific discounts to drive traffic. This development follows a pattern of service-oriented business models aligning their internal labor strategies with their target customer demographics.
Operators should monitor whether the integration of military-style leadership structures correlates with lower turnover rates in high-volume retail roles. Business owners should also evaluate if such specific workforce demographic targeting effectively mitigates the reputational risks associated with high-fee consumer financing.
The takeaway
Military-trained owners are successfully applying rigid, structural discipline to manage the complexities of rent-to-own retail operations. Owners should track how these leadership styles impact their inventory turnover metrics and compliance with consumer protection standards.
Further reading
Explore more trends regarding Military Jobs in the current U.S. economy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Military.
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