We usually measure success in this industry by the things we can see. We look at the number of units on a lot, the monthly revenue of a rental, or the number of new RTO contracts signed this week. But one conversation changed how I view things entirely, and that shift eventually led me to a seat in the NSRA boardroom.
It started when I found myself sitting next to the founder of the original NBSRA. We were talking about business growth and success. We also talked about the concept of giving back. As we talked, he turned the conversation with a challenge I was not expecting. What if I didn’t just give my money but gave my time as well? Writing a check is generous, but it is often the easy way out. It is just a transaction. But giving your time is different. Giving your energy and focus and hours away from your own business is an investment in something bigger than yourself.
About a year ago I sat down at my desk to map out my goals. Buried in the list between revenue targets and operational plans, I wrote down a single line: “Join the NSRA Board.” I did not write it down because I wanted a title or a pat on the back. I wrote it down because I have skin in this game. If I am going to benefit from this industry, I need to be willing to work for it, too. Nine months later I got the call, and on Jan. 14, 2026, I walked into my first board meeting to start giving back.
ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES
There is a common idea that board meetings are just relaxed social hours. People think it is a “good old boys” club where members slap each other on the back and drink coffee and simply agree on a few decisions. If I had any of those ideas, they disappeared the moment the meeting started. Our most recent meeting in January was called to order promptly at 8 a.m. We did not wrap up until nearly 3 p.m. For seven hours, a room full of business owners sat together and worked.
We are competitors but we worked as a team. There were no automatic approvals. We debated budgets and looked closely at legal strategies. We planned the year with the same focus we would apply to our own companies. What stood out most was the mood in the room. When you step into that meeting, you take off your “Business Owner” hat and put on your “Industry Guardian” hat. The question on the table is never about how this helps my company. The question is always about how this protects the NSRA member.
THE WORK
It is also worth noting that the board is 100 percent volunteer. We don’t do this for a paycheck. We do it because someone has to make sure the industry stays on track, and we are willing to put in the hours. So where does that time go? It goes toward building a wall of protection around your business.
During our January session, we did not just talk about vague ideas. We authorized direct action. For example, we approved a budget to send our general counsel, Nick Garrard, straight to Washington, D.C. We are not content to sit back and watch federal laws change from far away. We are sending our best legal mind to the capital to ensure the shed industry has a voice in the room where it happens.
We also focused on practical tools to keep your business safe. We looked closely at the contract laws in key states like North Carolina. We are working on a plan to break down those complex rules into simple updates for our members. The goal is to make sure you have the right compliance pieces in place so you never get blindsided by a legal issue. We also tackled the Industry Survey in partnership with APRO (Association of Professional Rental Organizations). We spent time fixing questions about total revenue and contract counts. Why? Because in an industry moving this fast, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. We are fighting to get you accurate numbers so you can stop guessing and start leading.
THE NEW GUY AT THE TABLE
I realize that when you look at a board of directors, it is easy to assume it is just the giants of the industry. You might think it is only the massive companies that have been around for decades. That is where I come in. My RTO company is only a few years old. I have been in the shed industry since 2018 so I am new to the RTO space compared to many in that room. There was a clear awareness in the meeting that the Board must not become unbalanced.
If every voice in the room represents a huge corporation, then who speaks for the guy with 500 contracts? Who speaks for the startup? Who speaks for the family business that just launched three years ago?I sit at that table to offer a fresh set of eyes. When we discuss a new policy or a fee structure, I am looking at it through the lens of the small business owner. I am there to raise my hand and say, “Wait a second, because here is how that impacts the new guy.” The Board does not just tolerate that view, they actively recruit it. They know that for the NSRA to be strong, it has to represent the whole group not just the top of the food chain.
THE OPEN CHAIR
Looking back at that note on my desk where I wrote “Join the NSRA Board,” I realize now that getting on the Board was not the achievement. Doing the work is the achievement. The “giving of time” is not a one-time payment. It is a recurring commitment. But it is one that I am happy to make because I know it ensures that this industry remains profitable and professional for all of us.
My challenge to you is the same one that was given to me. You do not have to join a board to serve. You can serve just by being active. Take the time to fill out the industry surveys so we have the real data we need to fight for you. Encourage a competitor to join the NSRA so our voice gets louder. Or simply show up to the events and share what you are seeing in the field.
This industry has given us all a livelihood. Let’s give back. Do not just give your money. Give your time.
