Chad Wagner

President/Owner

I am a third-generation rental equipment store owner. Our business was started in 1963 by my grandfather. I grew up working in the business after school and on the weekends, like many in the industry. I attended college in Wisconsin and earned a degree in mathematics education. Immediately following college graduation, I accepted a teaching position in Las Vegas where I lived and taught for three years. Upon returning to the Twin Cities and continuing my teaching career I re-entered the rental workforce during the summer months to help out my dad and earn some additional money. My wife also began working in the business full-time. After earning my master's degree in education I looked around and thought 'what next?'. So I approached my dad about working full-time in rental. After writing a business plan and being provided some additional responsibilities on the event rental side of the business, I continued to teach for another three years until the cashflow of the business would support my wages. I left teaching and came on full-time in 2014 as the branch manager of our single-location general tool & event rental business working alongside my dad, my wife and our two other full-time staff. In 2016, my wife and I purchased the business from my dad. He continued to work in the business until 2022. In 2021, we acquired another rental company with two locations (one gen tool, one party) and about 30 employees. Overnight we went from 6 employees to about 35 and from one location to three! In 2021 we hired an implementer and began our EOS journey. In 2022, we transitioned the two stores we acquired to a different software platform. In 2024, we added one more location via acquisition. As of today, we have four locations (three general tool, one party) that operate under the names A1 Rent It and Broadway Tent & Event along with about 35 full-time staff. Our primary customers are DIY/homeowners and small contractors. Our equipment fleet is comprised of equipment that weighs less than 10,000#. On the event side, we serve the entire Twin Cities market focusing on corporate events, community festivals, and backyard parties including tents up to 60' wide, staging, dance floors, tables, chairs, and linens.