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Episode 6 Elizabeth Vigotty Talks about her evolution in the industry
156 Plays1 month ago
Nate and Kyle sit down with Elizabeth Vigotty from ARA to talk about her journey in the event rental industry
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Transcript
Introduction of Guests
00:00:11
Speaker
All right, we're back again. Got a great episode lined up today. Somebody I think everybody will enjoy here. She's done a lot of different things, I think, in this industry. And as a woman of rental, I think will be a great interview today.
00:00:23
Speaker
So I've got Kyle with me. How's everyone doing today? And I've also got Elizabeth Vigotti. Did get that right? That is correct. And thank you for pronouncing it correctly. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Elizabeth's Background and Industry Admiration
00:00:34
Speaker
So Elizabeth, I've been seeing you pop around on the LinkedIn and the social medias areas and everything and participating in some conversations on some comments. So I think it'd be, I thought it'd be a great, great time to pull you in and kind of give your background a little bit and, and tell us a little bit about what you're, what you got going on. ive I've seen a little bit, but I would love to hear your story and kind of where you're at with, with the rental industry. So give us a little background on yourself.
00:01:00
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Well, first, I just want to say like, I've been super intrigued by y'all's podcast and I've been listening to every episode. I think it's something the industry has definitely needed and you guys do it in such a fun and I don't want to say carefree, but very easy and personable way.
00:01:17
Speaker
and So it's been a real treat to listen you guys.
Career Journey: From Event Management to Revel XP
00:01:20
Speaker
um But yeah, I am from Florida. I was in rental for seven years before hopping over here to working at the American Rental Association.
00:01:30
Speaker
I went to school at the University of Florida and i was minoring in event management and swore I wanted to be a wedding planner. And so with that, I was like, okay, I love weddings, but I was at a school that was big sports school. So I got involved in working sporting events. So I kind of was putting myself out there because I needed an internship.
00:01:54
Speaker
And I fell upon the company that I started working for and just sent them an email, which I think in this industry, you have to be willing to just throw yourself out there and not have any shame in doing so whether you're going to be accepted or not.
00:02:07
Speaker
um And I got the internship with them. So the company I worked for was called Tailgate Guys at the time. And it was started by two college bros who were in fraternity together and decided like, hey, everyone loves tailgating. We're in the South. Why not start a company and we'll set it up for people?
00:02:25
Speaker
So when I started there, I was just doing the football game. So I was just hospitality support during the event, um running around, making sure everybody was happy. which is pretty easy if the football team's doing good. Everybody's generally in a good mood.
00:02:40
Speaker
And then there was there was alcohol, obviously. so Obviously, which I have a funny story about. It also depends what what time of the what time you were in Florida at Florida for the football season.
00:02:53
Speaker
Also, Florida, one team I dislike the most. So we'll we'll go on with that. Florida's been down for a couple, but no, I was in 2017 when I first started, so we were doing all right.
00:03:05
Speaker
But yeah, so after my first internship, they asked if I was interested in working my just starting off there. So I was like, sure. But as I said, i was super set on working and planning events.
00:03:19
Speaker
which my mind changed once I got into rental and started dealing with your DIY brides and whatnot and realized like, okay, maybe I like being on the rental side a little bit more than wanting to plan this whole thing on my own.
00:03:32
Speaker
But I think that's what really opened my eyes when I started there is being in rental, you get a little bit of everything. You get that creativity aspect, which I was really craving and wanting.
00:03:43
Speaker
So I was able to get that. You get a lot of interaction. Every single day is different. And the problem solving was super fun and intriguing and literally every day is different.
00:03:56
Speaker
And coming into rental, I think like, especially the production side is what opened my eyes a lot. I learned how to use a zip tie to fix everything. a little zip tie and duct tape can go a long way.
00:04:09
Speaker
And so i was there, worked my way up to general manager of our Florida office. So I was there for a total of seven years Is this still the Rettel guys or the
Challenges and Successes in Event Management
00:04:19
Speaker
Tailgate guys?
00:04:19
Speaker
No. So we ended up, a company ended up purchasing both Tailgate guys and Colonnade group. If you guys are familiar with that, which your hospitality.
00:04:30
Speaker
So combining them together and creating Rebel XP. And after seven years, I hit, honestly, ah pretty big burnout. Just, you know, with the vent rental everything going on within the company so I was just like okay do I want to stick with the vent rental where am I going here I was moving because my boyfriend's a swim coach so he ended up moving so we were doing long distance and it was just a time for me to figure out what was next I wasn't quite ready to leave the event space so I found ARA and now I'm here
00:05:04
Speaker
Perfect. So when let's let's go back to the beginning here. So when when you started with tailgate guys, because it tailgate guys first, right? um And you came in as an intern, what did they immediately put you on? What was like the first thing that you you went out and did?
00:05:21
Speaker
Yeah, so i said I was only working on the football end of it. So although it was both event stuff on the side, football was kind of like a set we separated the two to not confuse weddings and football.
00:05:34
Speaker
So i was doing everything as far follow ups with all of our guests that we were hosting and making sure that they enjoyed their experience. um Following up for next game day, it was a lot of coordination as far as making sure whose tent numbers, what bellhops who were going to be bringing supplies in, making sure catering orders were correct because we were totally full service. that was my That was what I wanted to go with this. So yeah you you were a full service company. So tell us about the full service aspect of that because you guys and not only just did the tents, but it was everything. Yeah, it was everything.
00:06:10
Speaker
Tents, tables, chairs, coolers with ice, bartenders if needed. If you just wanted alcohol drop off, we did that. Full catering from breakfast, lunch, dinner. TVs were provided. Bellhop service, which is where we would meet you at your car and bring all your equipment to your tailgate.
00:06:28
Speaker
So it was tailgating before, during, and after game. So... Okay. Okay. So is is did you get familiar with tents at that point? Did you have to go out and help with these installs?
00:06:41
Speaker
yeah um At that point of being an intern, no. My biggest duty as far as production was straightening chairs to make sure they all lined up with the tent legs and unclipping zip ties at the end of the day to roll up tent signs of whose tailgate it belonged to.
00:06:57
Speaker
So that was pretty much my extent of labor at that time. Okay. Cause in this industry, I know we learned by fire. Everybody just gets thrown into this. Say you're going to be an intern and they say you're going to deal with customer service and communications.
00:07:10
Speaker
But at the end of the day, you're out there doing what, just what you're saying, cutting zip ties. Not only are you communicating, but you're cutting zip ties and doing chairs and everything else. Yeah, it was my first dose of being introduced to the production crew, though, as far as letting them know and me corresponding with them when a tent was ready to be broken down.
00:07:28
Speaker
So was my first, like, I guess, me having leadership and kind of directing them and creating a relationship with them, which I think is incredibly important. um Me being brand new, I never wanted to approach it as like, oh, I'm their boss because I wasn't. It was more so like,
00:07:45
Speaker
Hey, I'm new here. This is what we're both doing. And I think a lot of people get that twisted coming in thinking like, oh, this is my crew. ive run them. And it's like, you need to work side by side with them.
00:07:57
Speaker
Yeah, you're a team, team effort. So was there any horror stories as far as when you had to, like, I assume you bring everything, you bring in the party, you're carrying everything in, you got to carry everything out with them.
00:08:09
Speaker
How do you get these people out? So you can start breaking this stuff down? Because that seems like a process in itself. I'm going to be honest, through my seven years and every game day, I could tell a lot of good, bad, and horror stories.
00:08:22
Speaker
As far as setup, specifically with this, we would have Wednesday setup for a Saturday game. So we were setting over 100 tents for different tailgates. And when it's tents, it's again that full service, so everything underneath.
00:08:36
Speaker
And then it all has to be broken down that night of the game. Were you guys doing the tents in-house or subbing out? Nope, all in house. nice So it was ah that time, it was all in house. We were everything was coming out of our warehouse, every piece of equipment.
00:08:52
Speaker
If it was ever something to where we oversold and it was a huge game coming in like Alabama or Auburn, we would do transfers with our Alabama offices. ah That was my next question. So it was, you were solely more focused on Florida, but how many, would there were tons of offices. And cause I was at, I was in Lexington, Kentucky for a while.
00:09:13
Speaker
wasn't there for 10 years and did all the work over at UK. And then when tailgate guys came in, they kind of took on stuff at yeah UK as well. So they weren't just centralized one place, right? They were all over.
00:09:26
Speaker
Yeah, so whenever I first started at Tailgate Guys, we were at seven or eight properties. Whenever I left seven years later, we were partnered with, I believe, 68 different schools throughout the United States. so And in Florida alone, we had all the major schools there that I was kind of managing the relationships for tailgating there.
00:09:47
Speaker
Okay. And then when Revel came in, which I know Keith from Colonnade, I did a lot of work with Keith yeah from Colonnade in the horse industry stuff. But so when Revel came on and now you guys are merging, was that a tough transition, a tough merger? Or did everything kind of go smooth and seamless? How did that work out?
Burnout and Transition to ARA
00:10:05
Speaker
No, I mean, for the most part, with what the tailgating aspect was, when it's not broke, like don't fix it kind of thing. And what we do is honestly like...
00:10:17
Speaker
I don't want to say nobody can replicate, but Togo guys kind of own that space and rental with universities just because like we had the game plan down. We could go to a university and lay out from start to finish how the relationship would go.
00:10:30
Speaker
um So it was not like it was pretty seamless as far as like transitioning over. It all happened during COVID. So obviously a really scary time. and whatnot. And after COVID is when they kind of took over everything.
00:10:45
Speaker
It was interesting because that's when we started doing a lot of in-house hospitality and providing the rentals for that. So it increased our revenue that way as far as being able to give us new opportunities to work with the university that way.
00:10:58
Speaker
So as far as rentals go, you
Networking and Industry Challenges
00:11:01
Speaker
more tables and chairs or more catering stuff? Yeah, so like now our coworkers were the ones doing all the suite sales and stuff like that. and we started with Revel, we started doing Topgolf Live, if you guys were familiar with that, where we would install that whole setup inside of the stadium, which was cool for us selling tailgates. We were able to kind of invite and host our guests, our university partners and whatnot.
00:11:27
Speaker
So it was really cool. And then we would... With that, we were able to install you know new seating for recruits to come and sit on the field and whatnot as well. Okay.
00:11:37
Speaker
okay Is there anybody cool that you got, like somebody famous that you really got to meet through this experience? um The Gronk Bros. we got a They came and Topgolf lived with us when we did it Tampa Bay, which was really cool to see them. They're a hoot, obviously.
00:11:54
Speaker
But ah athletes and whatnot, different people playing at the universities. That's awesome. That's awesome. and So now you're in now you get to get guys. You got Revel.
00:12:05
Speaker
How long were you on after that? You said three years after Revel took in. OK, and then it just it was just at the point of burnout and realizing needed to do something else. Yeah, I mean, i think and I would say that's probably my own fault. I think especially being a part of ARA now and seeing how joined people can be in networking, that was not a mindset I had in rental.
00:12:28
Speaker
I was very closed off to talking to competitors. Sub-renting was always something I was super antsy about and I don't know, I had the mindset of like, they can't know what I'm doing. i don't know. ah I don't want to know what they're doing. And it's like butting heads.
00:12:44
Speaker
And I realized now, wow, that was not the right way to do things. I could have learned so much from other people, but I just didn't realize this was a whole world of people networking together.
00:12:56
Speaker
Well, I think there's a lot of people who still feel that way today. like you said you were feeling. Yeah, we all network and talk, but I think there's a ton of people who don't want to share a single drop of knowledge with anyone.
00:13:09
Speaker
But then we also don't keep up unless, you know, like Kyle and I are friends. So we talk on the daily for, you know, now Kyle and I didn't talk except for at shows for a long period of time until we came together and realized that we're doing kind of the same thing. And, you know, we're about the same age where we need to start, you know, networking together.
00:13:25
Speaker
i think a lot of these people go to these shows and they just network at the shows and they meet people. And then they just leave. And then they either don't communicate to them. They don't, you know, there's no communication outside the shows. The shows are great, but you've got to keep that communication going with these people in order to feel like you have some support in this industry.
00:13:45
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I wish I just had like other people outside of the company to just ask questions to. Where do you buy this from? What do you recommend doing for this? Like yeah just having someone to be able to relate but give different experience in our own inside company.
00:14:00
Speaker
That was just not something I was exposed to or thought to do or thought people would be open to helping me. Yeah. Well, I think tailgate guys was kind of a threatening thing at that point too. When they first came in, it was like, I know for me from personal experiences being at Kentucky, doing all the work there, then tailgate guys came and swooped up a bunch of work. I mean, it was kind of like, it was a great concept. I get it looking at it now. I mean, it's great, but they were threatening a lot of people. So I can understand like you maybe not, or you were probably not put in the best situation of, Hey, let me go to this rental company and ask them how I would do this thing, but I'm still in their business in their local area.
00:14:37
Speaker
Yeah. Right. So no bad blood between us. No, yeah. oh But no, I will say like being in rental, I'm pretty sure I've learned every life skill like necessary.
00:14:49
Speaker
Talking with mad customers, upset partners, things going wrong, like... You learn all, you wear so many different hats in this industry that it's honestly crazy.
Work-Life Balance Strategies
00:15:01
Speaker
I never expected to be driving a box truck and taking classes on how to do that, like how to set up tents, managing a crew. When our operations manager left, it all ended up falling on me and I'm like, okay, I need to really get an understanding of this, but...
00:15:16
Speaker
And you pick up the pieces and you figure out. Yeah. And i I really think anybody like new coming into rental, you have to like, you know, shadow every department to like do the best you can. Because when I first started like on a salary job with Tilga guys, that's when I was like,
00:15:34
Speaker
Okay, I really need to take this seriously. I need to understand sales because that was my main job was selling both tailgates and event rental at this point. And so when someone would call in and say like, hey, like we're looking for a discount on tents, we're doing it for charity. i'm the like I would ask my manager like, hey, they they want this, like it's a good cause.
00:15:53
Speaker
And they would tell me no. And I'm like, why are we telling everybody no for this? And until I went out there and like set up a tent with the crew and like me standing on a tent jack cranking it is like, okay, this is why we don't discount for him delay answer this. Like the later is insane. And I truly don't know if there's another industry that has the same type of labor as this.
00:16:18
Speaker
Well, and. you know, construction, well, they're doing it one time. They don't have to take it back down. Yeah. Right. Right. We are a construction company, but we put it up and take it right back down. Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:28
Speaker
And I think that's, that's, I mean, and that's, that's the hardest part. You know, we were talking earlier about givebacks ah to, you know, kickbacks to rental or event planners and talking about some other stuff on another podcast, but it's like, nobody understands everybody from the outside looking in. This seems like a really profitable industry until you dig into the labor aspect of it.
00:16:46
Speaker
If you don't dig into the labor and you don't really know about the labor, then you think this is the best industry in the world. And don't get me wrong. It's great. But I mean, just like you, we've all been to the burnout point.
00:16:57
Speaker
ah And I'm sure, you know, being younger and trying to balance a relationship with your with your business that you're trying to take on is is a lot harder, too. So, i mean, how is that work life balance for you at that time?
00:17:10
Speaker
I mean, so once i was graduated college and I was fully involved with the business and I was like invested, it's hard. Like it engulfs you to a certain extent where it becomes the only thing you think about where I would go home. And especially when our operations manager was gone at that point, I was going home and thinking like, okay,
00:17:30
Speaker
I have to figure out how many guys go on a box truck to bring this job. And like, it was the only thing I thought about. And I would sit there at night trying to like make sure this made sense.
00:17:41
Speaker
And I wasn't doing it the easy way. I was literally going on Google Maps because there wasn't something at the time that I knew to track this better. So was like my guesstimates of just, you know, experience, I guess, of trying to figure it out.
00:17:55
Speaker
um And then like on a bad weather day, you're like, crap. but Is this going to be okay? And you're sitting there tracking how high the so wind speed is. And especially coming from Florida during hurricane was like hell for us.
00:18:08
Speaker
So that was a whole nother issue. But yeah, I mean, I definitely did not spend as much work life balance as I should have. um But i I loved it so much. Like the event industry, like I do miss it every single day still.
00:18:26
Speaker
But I loved the craziness and I feel like you have to be crazy to want to work in this industry, but it's like, it is so fun, but it is like, you know, all the things to figure out things going wrong, but it's fun and you feel accomplished once you solve those things. Yeah, it's the the problems that you end up figuring out that you love.
00:18:45
Speaker
You love getting those phone calls that something bad happened because you know, all right, I have three hours to solve this problem and make this person's day or the event happen, all that stuff.
00:18:56
Speaker
Yeah, but there are times that I wish I was just an installer still. And I literally told my one of my guys this the other day. i was like i was like, man, I really wish I was just... He said something and I said, you know, i wish I was an installer sometimes. And he's like, yeah, right. Working 60 hour weeks. I go, yeah, but...
00:19:12
Speaker
when you leave this When you leave this office, when you park your truck at night, you park everything. And you get in your car and you go home and you don't have to deal with the issues. I said, but me, I'm waking up with anxiety in the middle night and stress the middle the night wondering if that got done correctly, if this got done correctly, how we're going to get this next thing done. Oh, so-and-so just quit. now how we going to get all these jobs done?
00:19:33
Speaker
So you got to be a little bit, I mean, I'll just say mental at some point to be like... to say, going to stick in this, you know, and, but that's why we're, that's why we're doing what we're doing is to try and see everybody's story and find that work-life balance because it doesn't have to be that way.
00:19:49
Speaker
It literally doesn't have to be that way. We're, you know,
Hiring and Training Challenges
00:19:52
Speaker
that's what we're saying. This is like the only industry where labor is this crazy. That is true. But why, what do we got to do to get to where we're not like everybody else and we can set ourselves apart a little bit in a better way instead of shining light on it as a ah tough labor industry that,
00:20:08
Speaker
nobody wants to really come to because of that. Yeah, I think one of the things that I struggled with and like I've learned and I think you guys mentioned on a podcast before also is finding the right people for the positions.
00:20:20
Speaker
And once I was kind of overseeing all the the working parts of the event rental store, i was like, so it was hard for me to let go of that like control almost and making sure someone else was going to meet the timelines and do it right.
00:20:37
Speaker
and how I would want it to be done but it's like once you give that up and find the right person that you can trust who will do it it makes your life so much easier and I wish that was something i would have done more and not worried about it or felt like I had to like double check things It is so hard to let go.
00:20:57
Speaker
it is. I am to to do it this week. I'm sending a crew down to DC on Sunday to put up a 30 meter and I got to go out of town. And I was this close to changing my flight last night. Like, all right, I'll go do it with them. And then I'll fly out of DC.
00:21:12
Speaker
And my wife was like, Kyle, at some point they're going to have to learn to do it without you. So, yeah, just I mean, you're always that. It's like we've been talking about. You're always looking for that next person to succeed you. The next person to take your spot. You can't be out there at 70 years old, still doing the same damn thing. I mean, the problem is you, it's hard to find those people and it's hard to trust because you, you have an expectation in this industry. Like we just talked about is all about expectations.
00:21:38
Speaker
ah You have to set the expectation, but what you need to know is nobody's ever going to do it your way. Nobody's ever going to do it the way you want it. And in your style, you're, but their style might be better than yours at the end of the day. And you might find that everybody has to find the right seat on the bus.
00:21:52
Speaker
You know, you might be in sales, you might be in operations, but you might find that you're better at sales and operations. You know, it's sometimes you got to take a step back and evaluate. And that was one of the really good seminars that we talked about at ARA that ah the first one went to, you remember the lady's name, Kyle?
00:22:09
Speaker
Stephanie Staples. Yes. And she she did really good about talking about that. and And, you know, taking a step back, doing a little evaluation on yourself and and seeing, are you in the right seat on the bus or, know, who can do this, who can do that for the work-life balance?
00:22:25
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that's something like, especially your crew guys crave that independence and like your trust in them. And I think I realized that like later on once I was like, okay, you guys got this and just hype them up about it. And they went on it with send pictures like the customer were so happy you'd be proud of us like once you start hearing that you're like okay they got this under control they know what they're doing and it's just like once you let go and give them that they're gonna run away and go off and do everything you need them to well it's just so hard all these crew guys have such a sense of pride but maybe not all but majority
00:23:05
Speaker
They don't do this. Yes, they do it for the paycheck, but they don't stick around for the paycheck. They stick around because they actually enjoy it. This is not an industry you're going to do if you hate it because it's hard work like we've been talking about.
00:23:18
Speaker
So the guys that do stay and have been here for a long time, they may never admit it, but they love what they do and they take a lot of pride in what they do. Yeah, and I think that goes for us too. I mean, at the end of the day, when you handle a big event or you you just kill it on a tailgate, for but as you're saying, and you're able to step back when everything is finally, the dust settles and everything good and is good, and you hear the feedback that everything went great, or you look at that job and that big 30 meter and you're like...
00:23:48
Speaker
man, that is awesome. I just made somebody's day that it's like, it gives you that fix that you needed and it keeps you going. And it, you know, you see that and you step back and, and, and get you to the next job essentially.
00:24:00
Speaker
And this, in this industry, you know, when I came into it, it had some downtime and now it's becoming a year round business for some of us that are in those parts or that travel. And so you just got to find that downtime here and there.
00:24:12
Speaker
just to make sure, you know, you you get to fix some of those jobs and it's it's great and it looks good. And, but you still got to have that time to to make sure that you go spend it at home or relax a little bit. For sure. Absolutely.
00:24:23
Speaker
I think one of my favorite things to see, like, or, you know, you have these big, tough production guys who were on the site and they would take such pride in fixing a linen, putting the glassware where it needs to be. And like, that was what they were happy about. And it's like,
00:24:38
Speaker
And you would never think of that. Yeah, exactly. And it's like, okay, well, we're doing a good job out here. So they do care. Yeah. Exactly. But I definitely think work-life balance. And that goes for you know managing staff, but also the crew as well.
00:24:51
Speaker
Okay. So when was it that you left the Revel? um to Almost two years ago, a year and a half at this moment. So I've been with ARA for a year and six months at this point.
00:25:03
Speaker
So how did you choose ARA? Yeah. Oh, it was interesting because we weren't members actually. So, but I did go to a show to a year before COVID.
00:25:15
Speaker
And it was my first show. Again, my first experience being around all these different manufacturers, people in rental. We didn't do any of the education. We solely just went for the show floor just to check it out because it was in Florida at that time.
00:25:28
Speaker
um I walked in and I was like, holy crap. Like this is a lot of stuff. Did you just keep your head down because you don't want to talk to anyone? I was just like, what is this? What is this? But at the time, the only thing we were doing was 30 and 40 wide frame tents, high peaks.
00:25:44
Speaker
We had clear tops and stuff, but never saw like sailcloth and, you know, pole tents was never something we did. So it was so cool to see all of that and how high end different chairs and glassware and everything could be because we were more on your like standard end, but it was really eye-opening to see all the equipment that is available to people um yeah that that that is one thing about the air a show the the amount of things there is just wild to me even going over the equipment side because kyle and i are both equipment nuts too so you go look at the equipment and you're like oh man you're just like a little kid in a candy store seeing all this stuff it's wild yeah i mean the first time i seen a tent ox i was like what is that thing because we never had that and i was like holy crap
00:26:31
Speaker
That is what saved the other 10 years of my life.
Role at ARA and Educational Initiatives
00:26:34
Speaker
Yeah. In this industry. I will say I've done a lot in the industry, I guess, as far as production, but I have never been able to stake the big stakes all the way in. Never.
00:26:45
Speaker
I could never be with a sledgehammer and do it. It just wasn't. I always missed a target. I just couldn't do it. Well, it still counts if you do it on the 10-ox. I'm sure we can get you on one of those. yeah Yeah. We can definitely do that.
00:26:58
Speaker
So, anyway, so you went to the show. Yeah, I went to the show. Great experience. Kept on with my rental life. At the time, i was, like I said, I was hitting a little bit of burnout.
00:27:09
Speaker
We were moving. And at that point, i was no I was moving outside of Florida. So since, you know, event rental is very hands-on, I wasn't able to keep my job and whatnot. And I was like,
00:27:21
Speaker
Do I want to stay in rental? Do I want to find another store? ARA had an opening for the event side. So I applied, got some interest in it and found out that I was like, okay, maybe this is a little bit of both worlds.
00:27:34
Speaker
I'm taking a step back from, you know, the hecticness, but still involved with event members now. So now I'm seeing the other side essentially. it's Really cool to be able to interact with, you know, people like you guys go to the show, kind of understand the, you know, internal stuff, education, safety training and whatnot as well.
00:27:56
Speaker
Okay. So you came over to ARA and just applied and went through some interviews and decided that, hey, man, I just, I might want to give this a shot. Yeah, and the person who interviewed me was familiar with my company, so he i hopes knew the business I was coming from as well. So it was little bit more good. ah Yeah, definitely.
00:28:16
Speaker
Good, good. But it was an interesting ride for sure for the last year and a half, like trying to find my footing here, what works, what doesn't, and understanding what people kind of need.
00:28:28
Speaker
So what are your day-to-day duties now over at ARA? Yeah. Yeah, so on a normal, I speak with our event members, a lot of new people coming into rental, whether they've been in the business for three to five years, but finally joining ARA or people who are like, hey, I really want to buy tables and chairs and start up a business.
00:28:47
Speaker
I heard you guys were the people to talk to and kind of walking them through that. um So a lot of like just interaction with event members in general, but I play a role and kind of I'm like you said on social media, I really like posting about our different resources because there's so much that and this isn't like pushing ARA fully, but like just there's so much we offer that people just don't know that's included in their membership.
00:29:14
Speaker
ah So true. So much. And everybody thinks it's just a show, but it goes so far beyond just what the show is for like everything from front of house to back of house education, profitability tools to help you understand if you're making enough on your delivery, making sure you're quoting your jobs enough and you're hitting that percentage to where you're going to be able to reinvest back in your equipment and your business, um the networking, especially.
00:29:40
Speaker
So there's so much more that people don't know is out there. We had this conversation too the other day where, you know, I've been doing this for almost 21 years now, 22 years. And I didn't even realize that ARA pays if you want to go be a welder.
00:29:55
Speaker
If you want to go do this, they will pay for, you know, what is it, half your tuition or... 50%. 50% of your tuition. So I think there's so many things out there from ARA that people don't see.
00:30:07
Speaker
And I know we get a lot of emails and things from ARA kind of announcing that stuff and kind of detailing some of that stuff. But I think some of these guys, some of these older guys, and are just not reading this stuff.
00:30:19
Speaker
And so it's it's coming across and it's like, hey, how do we get this out there more? So I think you posting that stuff on social media and things like that is fantastic because yeah a lot of my guys don't even know that. Yeah, I like doing it in a playful way on Facebook and whatnot to try and reach a different crowd of people who aren't looking at emails.
00:30:37
Speaker
Because I don't always read stuff that comes in every email box. when you I wasn't going to say it, but me neither. Yeah. But it's it's a different way to do it and I try to make it fun and put like the hot topics that people in event would want to know that ARA has.
00:30:51
Speaker
and So one I just did was our essentials of tent anchoring, which is something we're really excited about and I don't think enough people currently know about it. So I'm trying to figure out different outlets to kind of push that to people.
00:31:03
Speaker
Which is something that I think I'm working on this week. So I signed up for the Essentials of Tenting. And so I'm going to go ahead and take that myself on, think going do it on Friday. And I'm going to, I would like to implement that. I want to take it so I know what it is and go through it and everything from my knowledge. But then I want to implement it with all my staff to start having them take that as a tool, like we said, and at the area meeting to to hire people.
00:31:26
Speaker
You know, this has got to be, you got to have some kind of qualifications and I also think it's not even just for us. It's something, yes, it's teaching them something, but it's also giving them something to say, look what I did to get in my position.
00:31:39
Speaker
Look at, you know, these guys, to y'all's point about they take gratification in what they do. If somebody says that they went got a certification, um I think that a lot of the guys in this industry take gratification from getting certifications and things like that.
00:31:53
Speaker
It's a bad garner. Exactly. Exactly. And I think ARA does a good job of like, especially now with the event industry, I think in the last two years, we're really trying to put a focus on how can we professionalize the industry and make it more of a career focus rather than just a job.
00:32:10
Speaker
And the foundations of safe tenting, I personally think, it's like looking back from when I was in rental, that is a course I would have loved to give the crew. It is like a two-hour online thing, but it goes really in-depth on the different types of tents, why eight one one is important, ways to sack your tents, clean your tents.
00:32:28
Speaker
but So it's a great course and you get that, you know, little certificate at the end saying that you finished it and you can print it out and put it in your warehouse so everyone can see who finishes it. And that's what your crew wants is just to feel invested in and that you're going to bring education to them.
00:32:44
Speaker
help them grow in their career to feel like they're wanted and that you're, you know, investing that time in them. And then, you know, the hands-on training, which is coming next, I think it's going to be really cool. And I just hope we continue to be able to push good information out to source.
Recruitment and Retention Improvements
00:33:00
Speaker
Well, in one of the, you know, we're all guilty of it. i bet 90% of the rental operators in the country, you hire a new guy. He starts on a Wednesday. He comes in seven o'clock in the morning. You haven't filled out some paperwork and you go, you're on the track.
00:33:14
Speaker
Yeah. You're with Dave today. And that's how he learns. Yeah. And maybe Nate's a little teacher. No, but To an extent, it's good.
00:33:26
Speaker
You got to have the, I agree now now, now that I'm getting older and wiser and I have kids, I'm understanding different aspects, but I would agree that you have to learn on a truck.
00:33:36
Speaker
Correct. well But I think that 100%, to your point, you need to have some literature in the information. yeah I'll refer back to Jonathan, who's my operations manager in Nashville. I'm just going to keep ragging on him on all these podcasts.
00:33:49
Speaker
But he's he's phenomenal. But he knows a lot of the book stuff. he He was a teacher. So he knows a lot of the book stuff and he can take the tests and things like that and learn it. And I can show him everything from Fred's and Anchor and everybody, everybody, Lowsberger, everybody's manufactured specs and tents and how to set it up.
00:34:05
Speaker
But you don't really learn until you put it to use. So that's why I think this this tenting essentials, if that's what it's called, right? Foundations of safe tending. Okay. yeah Okay. Foundations of safe tending.
00:34:17
Speaker
So the foundations of safe tending, if they can learn that and, and, and really get there somewhere to centrally go and see that and then take that to the road. Yes. Then I agree. But you do have to have the hands on to, and learn all aspects of the business. I've been making the guys Pat, take it and pass it before they can start.
00:34:35
Speaker
That's been just been a requirement. I can throw them in the truck. And at least if someone says, go get me a steak, they know what it is. yeah So they're not walking in blind. And I've had two guys take it who called after this said, I don't want to do this. This looks really hard.
00:34:48
Speaker
but Okay. Well, you know what? At least I got that out of the way before you walked in the door. Yeah, a question for you guys, because I think that's always an interesting thing. Like, I feel like that was a struggle for me and something ARA is trying to figure out too. As far as hiring crew, how do you describe the actual day to day for them? Because I feel like what you put on your application is so...
00:35:15
Speaker
basic compared to what you're actually doing in the field every day, especially during busy seasons. So I always tried to be realistic in interviews and tell them like, this is what an actual day to day looks like. This is going to suck.
00:35:29
Speaker
Yeah. I said that before.
00:35:33
Speaker
I think it's the U S postal service. Apparently they have, I've never worked there. Obviously I've been told they have an incredible like video that they make you watch, which shows like the mail guy delivering in the rain and the snow and the most adverse conditions.
00:35:47
Speaker
And I heard a rumor that Michael Linton, up in Massachusetts, Michael's party rental created a video. Like he had someone film a video and it shows like guys putting up a tent in the rain or lugging a handcart through the snow, like all the worst possible days.
00:36:05
Speaker
And I was like, that is a brilliant idea. It is. It is. And I think in the interviewing process, my points have always been, what can you handle 100 degree temperatures?
00:36:16
Speaker
And not just for like consecutive hours, like multiple, multiple hours. Can you handle... Cold conditions, wet conditions. If you're okay with getting wet and burnt up, you know, out in the heat or the rain, then this is for you.
00:36:30
Speaker
But if you can't go out and work a 60 hour week in the rain and the heat, then this probably isn't for you. And I'm just gonna let you know that up front. Now, if you want to try it, I'll let you try, but I'm just, I'm being very upfront with you that it's,
00:36:40
Speaker
they It's going to suck some days. There's going to be days that are rewarding, but it's going to suck. And I mean, that's the only thing we can do in the in the interviews before, but I agree. There needs to be, there should be some kind of video. Like if that's the U.S. Postal Service that has that, they need to work on their hiring skills in general because they're going downhill. That's a whole other situation. But if if there was a video about that that showed, you know, what you're going to be doing on a day-to-day like that, then yes, I think that would be phenomenal.
00:37:08
Speaker
I think this is a call to action to ARA right now. Noted. Yeah. Put us on the committee. the But yeah, i think I think the basics are great, but the nitty gritty is what we got start digging into really and just showing people what this is so that they can see the videos on their hiring. Because I mean, you can see the you can see what parts you're going to be dealing with. You can see the tents you're going to be doing and things like that. but But yeah, I don't think that you really truly know what, I mean, let's just say we had a job set in Pennsylvania four years ago that I sent some guys to some newer guys too.
00:37:40
Speaker
And it was a 30 meter by 60 meter and it snowed over two foot and it was in a muddy job site that eventually became frozen. Right. You can't prepare somebody for that besides saying, hey, just be ready for everything. you know And I always say, bring a change of clothes.
00:37:59
Speaker
And I'm in myself, just in sales and everything else that I do. I have three different outfits in my damn truck. I know that I might have to go into and wear and some nice golf attire to walk into Mrs. So-and-so's house to have a meeting.
00:38:13
Speaker
And or I might have to go swing some sledgehammers and have my hard hat and all my dirty clothes. And then I got my rain gear, you know, so you you got to have everything. Why are you lying that you carry the golf clothes because you might go play golf the middle the day?
00:38:27
Speaker
I keep my golf clubs in my truck, too, just in case we have to have a golf meeting. It is not golf during the day. It's a golf meeting. Oh, I'm sorry. Understandable. So. Yeah. So anyways, so I think that would be great too. I think that what you guys are doing with that literature is really good, but just getting that out there and promoting that and having more people, because I didn't really even know about it until the meeting that we, when we went over it and dug into it
Work-Life Balance and Career Satisfaction
00:38:51
Speaker
a little bit more. So I think getting that out there more,
00:38:53
Speaker
I think social media is more of the platform to get it out to and really push that stuff rather than the emails that people might, it might go to their junk mail or it might be something that, oh, hey, not just saying this is ARA, but hey, there's another ARA email again.
00:39:06
Speaker
So let's post it out there because let's be honest, people just scroll all damn day anyways. So if they can scroll past something on social media, then, you know, that's great. Absolutely. So yeah, I'm always looking for different creative ways to get that kind of information out and love feedback as far as like, just in conversation, like, oh, that would be a good idea and something we need. Because I think that's what we try and do is understand like, where is a gap in information or training that you guys need that you don't want to necessarily develop yourself and why not get it from somewhere you're already getting a membership from.
00:39:41
Speaker
um So that's awesome. Yeah, I love that. So you're kind of basically the relationship builder now for for different companies and events going on through ARA is what you're doing. that So essentially, you took all your skills from the tenting in the party world, but with less anxiety and stress to ARA? Yeah. Yes, exactly.
00:40:00
Speaker
Love that. But no, it's fun. I always think like, and I, something I didn't do that I think, especially if you are friendly with another event company, walking through someone else's warehouse can open your eyes more than anything.
00:40:14
Speaker
Everyone does something different, whether you're 40 years in the industry or not, you can walk into someone else's warehouse and see they're doing something different that you like and can make your life easier. So.
00:40:25
Speaker
Love that. So now a little bit of a transition here over to the women in rental. What was it like coming into the industry for you that is predominantly male run?
00:40:39
Speaker
Even when you started at Tailgast through Revel and everything, what what was that like for you and what were the struggles of that? if there were No, yeah, I think the biggest thing is earning respect and whatnot from your crew, especially as a woman and understanding like, hey, yeah I'm willing to get my hands dirty and help you guys out here as well.
Women in the Rental Industry
00:41:00
Speaker
That was probably my biggest learning lesson because until I did that, the after I did that, they respected me more, were able to come to me, trusted me. And so that was my biggest leap is like getting out there showing them that I care about them was one of the big things as far as crew.
00:41:18
Speaker
As far as the sales end, I didn't have too much of an issue there as far as like being in a woman coming in. Obviously, the sporting side, which is more of a male dominated focus as well, was just, I think the big thing is just having confidence in who you are, knowing your product and what you're essentially selling slash renting to people.
00:41:38
Speaker
um And people will kind of gravitate towards that confidence. And so I think I had so much pride and loved what I was selling so much. that it was easy for me to try and transition to there.
00:41:50
Speaker
One of the things I really had to build confidence was, was, you know, sitting in a room with, you know, ADs and stuff at the universities, telling them what our product was and why we should do it at the university and any issues that we had from the previous season, which again, sports more of a male dominated focus as well. So talking to them as well. So Basically, just really being confident in yourself in those situations.
00:42:17
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I think confidence is key with pretty much anything. If you are confident you can do something, people believe you. Fake it till you make it. Yeah. As long as you provide on the other end of what you say you're going to do, you should be pretty solid. Well, um it sounds like from what you were saying earlier that you got out there, you moved the chairs around, you straightened things up, you cut the zip ties, you were helping out with the guys. So is that where you kind of earned their respect is getting out doing it?
00:42:43
Speaker
Not like that was was just very entry level. Once i would like put on my own production clothes and sat in a box truck and drove to a site. And the first one I put up, I think was a 15 by 15 high peak and learning how to do that. But seeing that they were willing to teach me and then them understanding like, okay, she's actually taking it in. She knows what parts belong where now.
00:43:06
Speaker
jumped in. Yeah, I jumped in was able to help. And then, you know, rather than saying, hey, here's the jobs and just throwing the folders in the back, more so walking back there, talking them through the job, the expectations with it and being just hands on.
00:43:22
Speaker
You weren't standing there just talking with the customer. You were physically doing the labor and saying, hey, if i'm if you're going to do this, I'm going to do it with you and I will support you. And that, yeah, that goes a long way. ah Yeah, but I think it's just really important to, like, and if you're in the office, not to just sit there, especially as a woman. Like, you just don't want to seem like a bossy person telling people what to do. Like you want to understand all ends and be able to relate to everybody and understand their issues and where they're coming from as well.
00:43:53
Speaker
So what would, what would be some advice that would tell women getting into this industry or women that are afraid, you know, if, if there's some women that are in offices that, Hey, maybe I need to go out to the job site, but I'm a little nervous to out and do it. and What would you tell them? Yeah, i think,
00:44:09
Speaker
It's having the willingness to be uncomfortable. You're not good at everything. And it's going to be weird, like sitting in a box truck so high up looking next to the small car next to you. Like that was so weird to me. I've never been in a box truck before this.
00:44:24
Speaker
And then getting to a job, seeing everybody filed at the end of the box truck. Like it's a weird process, but like just being one of them and with them having like being willing to break a nail if anything like I can't tell you guys how many times I had to get my nails redone from working on site but no just being okay with being uncomfortable and not knowing and i don't want to say the word vulnerable but you are in a vulnerable situation as far as like you have no idea how to put this heavy tent up um but you know just the willingness to
00:44:59
Speaker
And I think too, going back to the networking point, there are more women in this industry than people think. They're either business owners or installers and things like that. And I think that a networking, you know, things are great for women in this industry to say, we do have a voice.
00:45:17
Speaker
we're here to We're here to take a stance and and do exactly what everybody else does and not be treated any differently. yeah And I think, you know, what I've seen with the the woman in rental, you guys are doing, I saw the lunch at ARA and some stuff. So if you want to kind of elaborate a little bit on that.
00:45:34
Speaker
Yeah, so it's just everything we do for women in rental is just a way to empower people in the positions. Whether you're a business owner, just a sales rep or a coordinator at the your rental store, it's just understanding that people are all going through the same things as you, how to grow in the business being a woman.
00:45:53
Speaker
um But it's nice because obviously women in rental breakfast at the show, we allow men to come. So it's very inclusive for everyone. But it's just way. You got to kick them out.
00:46:04
Speaker
It's just a good way to get like a group of powerful women together and understanding the rental industry. It is really cool. We have a lot of great courses on that as well of just finding your confidence in your groove of what you're doing in the workplace.
00:46:17
Speaker
Yeah. Is there a place you can go currently to find other women in the industry at as far as networking? Yeah, so we have a Facebook page for ARA Women of Rental.
00:46:28
Speaker
And then if you were interested in joining the networking group, that is totally free with your membership as well. And we host a one year annual event, which is last year was in Florida to where you travel to and we have speakers and whatnot. And then the breakfast at the show.
00:46:44
Speaker
um And then we do like different online networking events for it as well. That's great. I'm a big supporter of the woman in rental theory. I love it. I think it's great. I love where it's going. And and that's one, just seeing my wife in the position of power that she's in in her job, but I also have two daughters. And just giving them a voice and wanting it to be heard. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a job site and a man- that's paying a bill, doesn't listen to an event planner, but he'll listen to me because it's a woman and I'm a man and it burns me up more than anything. I'll leave the job site and I'll tell the, I'll stop him dead in his tracks first off. But then second, you know, I, I will tell that event planner, listen, I see, and I heard everything. I understand.
00:47:25
Speaker
I don't, I don't, I would support you and not that. So, you know, we always tell our, our kids and, you know, not just our two daughters, but our son too. You remember who you are and whose you are.
00:47:36
Speaker
You remember who you are as a person and that God will always take care of you. And so you gotta be strong and you gotta take care of yourself. But I love what you guys are doing with that. And I think, You know, I think that that that that is awesome. And I also think even though Kyle wants the guys out of that room, I think that it's great for the guys to go get involved in the women in rental luncheon and sit through there to gain a different aspect of everything.
Advice for Industry Newcomers
00:48:00
Speaker
Why can't the women have their lunch, Nate? yeah We have plenty of stuff for ourselves. They can have they can have their own thing, but ah if if you're a man listening to this and you go to a woman to rent a lunch, just shut your mouth and listen.
00:48:13
Speaker
yeah you let You let them do the talking and you listen and observe. Get some knowledge and gain some interest in this. Yeah, I will say one of my biggest flexes on site, I had a man who was very upset about something that he shouldn't have been upset about, in my opinion.
00:48:31
Speaker
And he demanded to see the manager of the company. And I was like, well, I'm right here. yeah and he just didn't believe me. And so that was my biggest flex.
00:48:42
Speaker
I love that. Yeah, and that's that's exactly my point. I mean, you never knew who you never know who you're going to run into. You never know. You you respect everybody. you don't It doesn't matter who you are. So I love that.
00:48:54
Speaker
so And I think a lot of girls and women, especially in college, are all like wanting that we want to be a party planner, wedding planner kind of experience. But rental can give you so much of that.
00:49:07
Speaker
And it's just a different unspoken about industry. I feel like a lot of people don't know what rental fully is. i mean, it's so hard to say like, oh, what do you guys like? What is your job if someone were to ask you what you are in rental? It's so hard to explain like we're the ones who set up everything.
00:49:23
Speaker
yeah But it's such a good way for women to get involved and have a little bit of everything as far as the wedding planning, the organization, the coordination.
00:49:35
Speaker
You're getting all of that still. You're just doing a lot of different diverse events. Yeah. So is is your boyfriend now liking it that you have some more work-life balance that's actually there now? Oh, he's a f freaking swim coach. So his work-life balance is even worse. Yeah.
00:49:50
Speaker
So now it's offset. So now, yeah, that that works out good. Well, I love what you're doing with ARA. I think they're lucky to have you. It's good to see the transition that you've made has gone smooth. You know, I think we'll keep watching what you do and how you promote that in the industry and everything else.
00:50:05
Speaker
For everybody listening, what is your, where do you post the most stuff that they can see? Yeah, I love posting on Facebook, especially our ARA event rental group.
00:50:16
Speaker
Anything that ARA has going on event-wise, I try and post at least once a week in there. I try to to differentiate on different days. So whoever's on Facebook, whatever days. But that's my main spot.
00:50:27
Speaker
but Really want to get more involved in different platforms as well, such as TikTok and get ARA out there. I try and record different videos of events that I go to and whatnot. So... Perfect. Well, so we appreciate having you today. I think Kyle's got one last question for you before we wrap up.
00:50:43
Speaker
So we've been ending with one piece of advice you'd give to someone looking to get into the industry or that's already in the industry. Yeah, I think it would probably be just be a sponge. Learn from every step, every breakdown set up and conversation you have with people.
00:50:57
Speaker
I think probably the best rental pros that everyone knows, they would say like every event teaches you something new. and So just make sure as you're going through every event to learn what was the high, what was the low of that and keep moving forward with that.
Conclusion and Gratitude
00:51:12
Speaker
Is there somebody that you learn from the most that has been like a mentor to you out there? um I would say whenever I was first getting into rental, my direct manager at the time, he pushed me... Whoa.
00:51:27
Speaker
He pushed me to be... uncomfortable in certain situations. Whenever I was doing my first you know sit down with a guest to plan our wedding and talk about rentals, I was nervous. And he was like, yeah, you're going to do it by yourself. You got it. You're good. And just forced me to do it.
00:51:43
Speaker
And he really pushed me to excel on a lot of stuff. So shout out to him. That's awesome. Love that. Well, thanks for coming on today. we really appreciate that. And like I said, we'll be looking out for everything that you got. So thank you, Elizabeth. And think we'll wrap it up from here.
00:52:00
Speaker
Yeah, thank you.