Rent-to-own customer bankruptcy can catch even the most experienced shed sales operators off guard. Picture this: Your new rent-to-own company is thriving. Business is strong, customers are satisfied, and operations are running smoothly. Then one day, you open your mailbox to find a notice of bankruptcy from a reliable customer[Read More…]
Columnists
Pricing Challenge: Predicting Lumber and Steel
Lumber and steel prices in 2026 remain difficult to predict, and few economists would characterize the past 12 months as a period of economic stability. Forecasting has never been easy. Frequently changing tariff rates, ongoing affordability issues, and general market uncertainty have made it especially difficult to predict market behavior.[Read More…]
Early Purchase Options
I spend a lot of my practice helping companies review their lease agreements and update their procedures in order to stay compliant with the applicable statutes and case law. This process is not foolproof, and no lease agreement ever written can stop you from being targeted by disgruntled customers or[Read More…]
Passion for Sheds and Much More
When you drive along Virginia Avenue in Williamsport, Maryland, you’ll notice what looks like a shed dealer’s lot. When you turn into the driveway, you see a house-like office set back, surrounded by sheds, gazeboes, pergolas, and other outdoor structures. But when you park and begin to explore, you soon[Read More…]
What Is Your Data Telling You?
If your car’s check engine light turned on today, what would it actually tell you? Not much—just that something is wrong. It’s only when a mechanic plugs in the diagnostic tool and reads the underlying data that the real story becomes clear. The issue might be minor, or it might[Read More…]
High Trust Advantage
It’s that time of year when many companies and people are reflecting over the past year and looking ahead into the new year. Healthy organizations share this important characteristic: they take time to reflect and extract the lessons from the experiences of the previous year while also looking into the[Read More…]
Belief Can Blow Back the Curtain
I wasn’t the student who the teachers bragged about. No honor roll. No academic trophies. And algebra? I took it so many times I should’ve earned loyalty points. And as the meme says, there’s no reason to bring that up. I’ve moved on. (Or at least I pretend I have.)[Read More…]
Actions That Sell
“Action takes you out of doubt, doubt takes you out of action.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth The quote above resonates deeply with my journey in the shed industry. December 2025 officially marked my 30th year in the shed industry (woo-hoo)! I’ve seen a lot of changes and trends in[Read More…]
Striving Together
I recently had the opportunity to visit Eagle Carports in Mount Airy, North Carolina—and what I saw there left a lasting impression. From the moment I stepped through their main office, one thing stood out more than anything else: a clear sense of camaraderie and a shared mission. It wasn’t[Read More…]
After the Haul
I’ve been in the trucking business for 38 years and have driven 3.5 million miles. I’ve enjoyed it all the way through. I started off working at a tree nursery and hauling trees to customers. I also did a lot of flatbed work for them, hauling equipment to different farms. After a few[Read More…]
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