August 23, 2023
Allison McIntosh
Allison McIntosh, 30, Taylor Rental Concord, Concord, N.H., has gone from hairdresser to co-owner of a legacy rental operation in just four years. Her journey in rental began in 2019 when she was simply looking to pick up some extra work during the week. “There was an opening for a temporary part-time customer service rep,” McIntosh says, adding that she was won over by Taylor Rental’s family-friendly atmosphere. “I had no childcare the day of my interview, so I dressed my 1.5 year-old up and brought him with me. The fact that the owner would even interview me, let alone hire me, told me I was in a family oriented company, and I loved that.” It didn’t take long for McIntosh to become a key staffer. “I loved the diversity. There is no monotony in the rental industry, especially at a party and tool rental store. I familiarized myself with every position and task that I could, making myself an asset to the company,” she says.
When the owners started talking exit plans and closure of the business, McIntosh saw an opportunity. “I approached the owner — with the encouragement of my partner, Jason [Weir] — and proposed that they take a step back, promote me to operations manager, allow me the freedom to make changes I felt necessary, and we would come up with a plan for me to buy the business from them. They agreed and the rest is history. I ended my hairdressing career and stepped into my new role full time. It didn’t take long to document increased profit and significantly more satisfied customers and staff,” McIntosh says. McIntosh says she is “proud to have purchased the business prior to my 30th birthday and to have prevented a 50-plus-year-old business from closing its doors permanently.”
Before all this, McIntosh had ideas of becoming a lawyer, and that aspiration may yet come into play. “I still toy with the idea of law school ‘when I grow up.’ I did all our contract negotiation for the purchase of the business and felt pretty confident in my understanding of the legalese. If nothing else, I’d be happy to represent myself in future negotiations,” she says. McIntosh also has stepped up to help lead the ARA of New Hampshire. She currently serves as chapter president, and her involvement has led to her attendance at ARA’s Leadership Conference and Women in Rental and Young Professional Network (YPN) conferences, “each of which has inspired me and taught me useful tools to make myself a better business owner and leader,” she says.
McIntosh now is happily maintaining Taylor Rental Concord’s family ambience. “I work with my best friend every day. Jason and I share an office and our customers love the banter between us. Our children work with us if needed, and we encourage staff to bring in their kids. Providing a family-oriented workplace is something I am proud of and truly enjoy,” she says.
