A large talent pool combined with a desire by entrepreneurs to find recession resistant opportunities have contributed to the growth of easyhome, ColorTyme and The Premier Companies.

Photo RTO Online

Rent-A-Center Chief Operating Officer Mitch Fadel (left) with ColorTyme franchisee Gary Hughes at the 2008 ColorTyme Summer Retreat on Lake George.

Three of North America's four largest rent-to-own franchises  - easyhome, ColorTyme and The Premier Companies - will meet over the next ten days.

easyhome, Canada's largest rental-purchase company, will hold its convention in Toronto June 16-17. ColorTyme franchisees will meet in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for their annual retreat June 17-21. The Premier Companies annual business conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia June 22-24. RTO Online will cover all three events. Please check www.rtoonline.com for video-interviews, articles and photo galleries.

After dominating the Canadian market, easyhome partnered with former Rent-A-Center CEO Bud Gates to offer U.S. franchises in 2007 (see story). Gates opened the first franchise location in Olathe, Kansas in 2008 (see story). RTO Online wrote in its review of the Olathe store - "There have been innovations of course...but no national company has successfully combined the preference for weekly payments with the broad acceptance of a lease, presented in a way that appeals to the entire spectrum of retail consumers, and packaged in a small footprint familiar to rent-to-own operators until now." Listen to podcast interviews with easyhome execs; David Ingram, Dave Maries, Bud Gates.

ColorTyme is the nation's oldest rent-to-own franchise. Founded by RTO industry pioneer Willie Talley in 1979, the company began franchising operations in 1982 (see story). Three decades of exposure have made ColorTyme one of the most recognized brands in the industry with 200 stores in 33 states. ColorTyme launched an aggressive expansion plan in 2007 with the launch of RimTyme, a custom-wheel franchise. RimTyme now operates 25 stores in 11 states. Albert Kohut was named VP Operations for ColorTyme in November, 2008 (see story). Kohut replaced Tim Hogan who was tapped to head RimTyme operations in September, 2008 (see story - video 1 - video2). Prior to joining ColorTyme, Hogan was a divisional vice president for Rent Way and helped develop the rent-to-own concept in Europe for Bright House. See video and audio interviews with ColorTyme execs; Bob Bloom, Amy Woods.

The Premier Companies was recently named the 5th fastest growing young franchise in the U.S. by Franchise Times Magazine (see story). In just five years, the company has grown to include 78 stores in 24 states. Premier has expanded into custom-wheels, financial services, retail home furnishings, and even used-cars by partnering with established retailers. In 2007 Premier partnered with the largest independently owned supplier of custom wheels in the Mid-South to form Premier Wheel Workz (see story). Earlier this year, Premier partnered with 30-year auto industry vet Wayne Lewis to form Premier Auto-By-Rent (see story). See video interview with Premier execs; Trooper Earle, Dale Ingram, Tommy Crenshaw, Wayne Lewis, Tom Wurm.

The massive consolidation of stores that followed Rent-A-Center's acquisition of Rent Way in 2006 (see story) freed up hundreds of experienced Rent to Own professionals eager to put their skills to work for themselves. That large talent pool, combined with a desire by entrepreneurs to find recession resistant opportunities, have contributed to the growth of easyhome, ColorTyme and The Premier Companies - even as the traditional retail sector is paralyzed by the economy.

Stay tuned to RTOonline.com (www.rtoonline.com) for updates from Toronto, Jackson Hole, and Atlanta throughout the next ten days.