The Rental Journal Podcast

El Ioannou is the Power Access Division Manager at Mr Plant Hire. Based in the London UK, El first joined the equipment rental industry with HSS Hire before eventually gaining additional experience at Ashtead Plant Hire (A-Plant). El talks about some of the challenges she faced throughout her career, how Mr Plant Hire tackled the challenges with COVID-19, advice for other men & women that are...

Sheldon Fingler is the CEO of Infinite Event Services out of Alberta Canada. Sheldon talks about how he started his own company, the challenges of running an event rental business during the COVID-19 pandemic and also how they have adopted. Podcast enquires: mark.simonsen@therentaljournal.com Website: www.therentaljournal.com

Stefan Ottl is the Director of Sales & Marketing, Off-Highway at Irdeto. Based in Vienna, Austria, Stefan was first exposed to the equipment industry through Hilti Group and later found a passion for technology in construction. Focusing on driving sustainability in construction, Stefan talks about how he believes customers sharing rental equipment on job sites will become mainstream. Learn mor...

Ali Hajj is a degree qualified and experienced Communication & Electronics Engineer with an accomplished working history spread across 11 years’ practical experience in driving improvement and change initiatives within the heavy equipment/rental industry. Ali first gained his equipment rental experience at the largest Caterpillar Dealership in the Middle East, Zahid Tractor in Saudi Arabia. Ha...

Tony Colon served in the U.S military before eventually joining the equipment rental industry. Tony has worked at companies such as Cummins, Caterpillar, United Rentals and Herc Rentals. Based in San Diego, Tony is a Field Service Technician at Herc Rentals, and recently completed his MBA. Tony talks about the transition from the U.S Military to the civilian life and the journey he has been on to...

Stephen Donnelley is a Director at Donnelley Civil and Vortex Group of Companies. Stephen was the Managing Director of National Hire Group, which eventually merged with Coates Hire, Australia's largest equipment rental business. Growing up in a family business in Wollongong, Stephen was mentored by his father and some of the industry greats, such as Andy Kennard, Barry McDonald, Neville Kennard, S...

Andy Martin is the Managing Director of Martin Plant Hire, an independent, Scottish firm with depots covering the whole of Scotland. Andy is second generation rental with his father starting the business 47 years ago.  Growing to become one of the largest independent hire firms in Scotland, Martin Plant Hire recently acquired the rights to the easyToolhire Scotland brand. easyToolhire is part of t...

In episode #25 Manal Thomas from Coates Hire provided some great advice to anybody starting a new job or joining a new industry.

Bruce Fouracre has over 25 years experience in the equipment rental industry and is one of the Directors of 1300TempFence. Starting with the family business back when it was called Ready Bin, Bruce would help take the business on a journey to become one of Australia's leading temporary fencing providers for what is known today as 1300TempFence. We take a trip down memory as Bruce runs us through t...

Doug Levings has over 40 years experience in the equipment rental industry, running his own company and also working at various independent and national rental companies throughout Australia. During one of Doug's first interviews he was told that he would never make in the equipment rental industry. He would go to eventually become the Manager of that individual and have a successful career in the...

Jason Stanczyk is the Vice President of Operations for EDCO, an American manufacturer of surface preparation equipment, professional sawing equipment, demolition and drilling machines. EDCO also provides hand tools and vacuum systems. EDCO is family owned and operated. Jason is 3rd generation rental. His grandfather Leo Swan, an ARA 2006 Hall of Fame Inductee, started EDCO with his business partne...

Steven Brooks is the National Sales Director at Great Lakes Lifting Solutions, a family owned equipment rental business based out of Illinois. Steven talks about the benefit of renting out niche products in the rental industry, the challenge of spending long amounts of time travelling for work, becoming a Spydercrane dealer and the exclusive dealer for SmartLift and how social media, video content...

Blake Menning is the Vice President at All Choice Rentals out of Alberta Canada. Blake has won numerous awards including Rental Person of the Year through the Canadian Rental Association, he was included in the 14 people to watch under 40 list and was nominated in the Ernst & Young EY Entrepreneur of the Year. During the podcast episode we speak about how Blake joined the industry, managing a...

Freddie Blanton is a Sales Representative at Bobcat of Spartanburg, however he is no ordinary Sales Representative.  Freddie has managed to build a fantastic social media following where he uploads videos of his Hey Hey Hey It's Freddie at Bobcat video series. He also placed first in the Bobcat 2020 “Give Us Your Pitch” Contest. The equipment rental industry lacks individuals that create engaging...

Bryan Peters has over 20 years experience in the equipment rental industry. Bryan is the President at AdvanceTrac Equipment, a full-service equipment brokering and consulting firm focused on optimizing heavy equipment fleets. Bryan talks about growing up in the family rental business in Texas, going into business for himself and some of the challenges he faced in starting a company during in the m...

Mike Rooney is the General Manager at World Wide Rental Services in Denver Colorado. Focusing on large earthmoving equipment, Mike was the companies first employee and has helped grown the business to 10 locations across the U.S. Mike talks about some of the challenges he faced when he first the rental industry, how World Wide Rental Services significantly increased their equipment damage recovery...

Caleb Yell is the CEO of Rental Hosting and is the leading the charge in terms of helping transition the equipment rental industry into having more of an online presence. In this episode Caleb provides advice to rental businesses that are thinking about increasing their digital footprint, how he fell in love with the equipment rental industry and what are some of the common challenges people are f...

Matthew Nemes is the Victorian State Manager at All Lift Forklifts and Access Equipment and joined the equipment rental industry 7 years ago after pursuing a professional soccer career in England. Matthew is also the Founder of Brain Play Performance Management where he helps professional athletes and individuals through developmental coaching, with some of his clients being included in the Austra...

Rod Lentino has over 15 years in the equipment rental industry, working at companies such as Komatsu Canada, SMS Rents and Cooper Equipment Rentals. Rod is currently the Rental Fleet Manager at Cooper Equipment Rentals, one of the fastest growing rental businesses in Canada. Rod was involved in implementing a telematics solution that enables the Cooper Team to view data from multiple GPS units in...

Kate Everitt has over 20 years experience in the equipment rental industry, first joining the material handling industry with companies such as Brambles and National Fleet before eventually joining Baseplan Software, an ERP software provider for the equipment rental industry. Kate is currently the Director of Customer Success at Baseplan and talks about the journey in the industry, some of the cha...

Sarah Kuhne is a Project Manager at her fathers family business, Guardian Gantry Hire in Queensland Australia. Working at a family business Sarah is exposed to all facets of the business, and is in the process of also completing her PHD at Griffith University. In 2020 Sarah was included in the Top 100 Women in Construction and someone to watch as a future leader of the equipment rental industry.

Chania Rodwell is the Group Finance Director at Vortex Group of Companies, one of the fastest growing Pump and Power provides in Australia. Chania recently joined the equipment rental industry after spending over a decade in the private equity industry. Chania talks about how she got to where is today, advice to people thinking about partner with a private equity fund, some of the challenges women...

Angela McLachlan has over 20 years experience in the equipment rental industry, first joining through her fathers business, General Rentals.  Today Angela is the Application Support Manager at Onsite Rental Group and was the recipient of the 2020 ONSTAR award. Angela talks about her journey in the industry, some of the challenges she faced in her career and advice to other females interested in jo...

Manelle Merhi has over 18 years experience working in the equipment rental industry. Working at companies such as Kennards Hire, Coates Hire and Hilti. Manelle is currently the General Manager of Marketing and Customer Experience at Kennards Hire. Celebrating International Women's Day, we cover how Manelle arrived at where she is today, some of the challenges she has faced, advice to other women l...

Both leaders within the Coates Hire organization, Heidi Sundin is the Group Manager, Strategy and Customer Experience and Manal Thomas is the Group Manager, Organisational Effectiveness. In conjunction with International Women's Day, we talk about their preconceived thoughts before joining the equipment rental industry, how the equipment rental industry can attract more female candidates and what...