Sixty-five young professionals in the rental industry took sunny Scottsdale, Ariz., by storm for the American Rental Association’s (ARA) 2022 Young Professional (YP) Conference.
Held in tandem with the ARA’s Women in Rental Conference, the YP Conference boasted a full schedule of networking, continuing education sessions, riveting speakers and more.
“It’s about the professional growth,” says Bridget Otten, director of meetings and events, for the ARA. “We want to empower the young professionals in the industry to become leaders and to challenge themselves to get to that next level. It’s also giving them the networking opportunity and the chance to expand their relationships in the industry. That’s what we hear is the most valuable tool for them at these conferences.”
What Happened
The day’s educational sessions were led by Galen Emanuele, an internationally known speaker who presented on next-level leadership, culture and feedback.
“It was about the opportunity to use improv in your daily relationships and interactions with people to shift how you are reacting to what people are saying,” Otten says. “They did a lot of workshops together, a lot of interactive switching of tables and finding new people to improv with. So, it was really high-level education all day.”
Emanuele helped attendees understand how to communicate and influence others with the tools of “yes, and,” develop their leadership identity, learn how to skillfully give and receive feedback and gain a comprehensive understanding of Emanuele’s own “clarity, commitment, consistency” approach to establish team culture.
“Sometimes as a young professional, there can be a generational disconnect, with seasoned employees saying ‘why is this person who is younger than me telling me what to do,'” says T.J. McQuaid, president of TJM Rental & Supply in Canton, Mass. “I think Galen did an awesome job of addressing that and was one of the best speakers we’ve had over the years. My biggest takeaway was trying to be an active listener to your employees and their wants, needs, concerns and ideas to grow the business.”
McQuaid has attended the ARA’s Young Professional Conferences for more than a decade, the most recent event bittersweet as it was his last time attending.
“As an owner, when I was younger, I felt like I knew everything, but as I have gotten older, I realized that my employees are in the business day to day, and they see stuff I don’t see,” McQuaid says. “So, when they’re talking to me, I look them right in the eye and try to be in the moment and not think about the 37 other things I need to get done that day. It’s about making sure your employees feel valued and not like they’re just showing up and doing the job and going home every day.”
In addition to educational sessions and networking with each other and attendees of the Women in Rental Conference, YPs also had the opportunity to take part in the following optional activities: climb McDowell Mountain, bike through downtown Scottsdale on a guided historic and cultural pedal tour or participate in a “give back” project benefitting active military abroad.
“The ARA does such a great job of making sure young leaders in the rental industry have the opportunity to further their education and network with other professionals like themselves that are looking to either own a business or climb that ladder or grow the company that they're already at,” says Stephanie Donabedian, vice president, marketing, at Mobile Air & Power Rentals in Worcester, Mass., and president of the ARA of Massachusetts. “They make sure it’s not just an educational time, but a fun time as well, and something that attendees will be able to talk about for years to come.”
Why It’s Important
Attendee Andrew Heesacker, president and CEO of Arvada Rent-Alls in Arvada, Colo., applauds the event as being an inclusive way for YPs to share ideas.
“Especially in construction and adjacent industries, it can be very focused on specific people, demographically speaking, and it can become a bit of a exclusive club so to speak,” Heesacker says. “So, anytime you get the opportunity, whether it's young professionals or women or other groups, when they're getting those perspectives, it's important to have that diversity, but it's also important to get young professionals together, so they can share their experiences with each other.”
Donabedian says events like these can act as a springboard to propel the next generation of leaders forward.
“It’s so important to have a mix of both types of leaders: young professionals and seasoned leaders that can teach younger professionals about the industry and what's worked for them and what hasn’t,” she says. “It’s also about gearing YPs into professionals to position themselves to grow. Without YPs, we would only have seasoned pros, and at some point, those leaders will want to take a step back, and you need to make sure you have a succession plan. If we don't have those younger professionals engaged, it might be too late. And then where are we in 20 years? Is it an industry that's dying? Or is it an industry that's continuing to grow? I think because we engage the young professionals, that's why the rental industry has been able to grow as much as it has.”
YoPros' Advice
“Step out of the box for events, whether you’re new to the industry or not, because that’s where you’re going to build relationships to help you form a path in the industry.” — Bridget Otten, director of meetings and events, for the ARA
“There are ways of communication with other young professionals, like a Facebook page, other events and the ARA Show and state boards. Keep an eye out for those.” — Stephanie Donabedian, vice president, marketing, of Mobile Air & Power Rentals in Worcester, Mass., and president of the ARA of Massachusetts
“Try to do as many things as possible, whether it's attending these types of conferences or getting on your state or local boards because those are opportunities to network. I’ve always heard that you are who you spend your most time around. So, if you’re around five successful people, then you’re the sixth. Anytime you’re around those other successful people in the industry, you’re going to absorb that and build on that.” — Andrew Heesacker, president and CEO of Arvada Rent-Alls
“Everything is scary upfront, but once you do something once or twice, things get less difficult. Once you realize that people respect you know that you have an understanding of what you do, it becomes easier every time. The more you do it, the more confidence you're going to build in yourself to be a stronger leader and help your business grow.” — T.J. McQuaid, president of TJM Rental & Supply
