MEGHAN BOLAND of Boland Equipment Rentals

Rental: How did you first get your start in the rental industry?

Meghan Boland: I am a second-, and arguably, thirdgeneration equipment rental company owner. My grandfather was an entrepreneur for a few different businesses and ultimately ended up in the crane industry. My father, Brian Boland, owned an equipment rental company through the 90s and then again starting in 2001. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to run my own company, but I didn’t have a clear vision of what that would look like. After graduating college with a degree in marketing and management with an entrepreneurship focus, I worked for different fashion companies as an allocator and buyer. For various reasons, I decided to make a drastic career shift, so I left the fashion world and came to work for my father in equipment rental. I immediately loved the industry and the challenges that came with it. Every day is new and exciting!

When I came on board, I promptly had everything thrown at me: audits, global pandemics, employee turnover. You name it, I dealt with it. To say I learned a lot in a short amount of time is an understatement. That’s why I’m so grateful to have my father, who has been in the industry for a long time, to learn from. The insight he provides is something a growing company often lacks, and his experience is invaluable. We now own the company together and have tripled our sales and fleet since I came on board in 2019. We continue to see double-digit growth year over year.

Rental: Can you give us some insight on your current company?

Boland: BER, often known as Boland Equipment Rentals, is located in Hackensack, N.J. We carry a wide variety of equipment including boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers (the typical aerial rental equipment) as well as bucket trucks, under-bridge trucks, hi-rail trucks and traffic control services. We offer equipment with and without operators for short- and long-term rentals, and we support both the construction industry and infrastructure by providing work zone equipment. If you need to get in the air, we have the equipment to do so—and we can shut down the road to make sure your crew is safe, too.

We’ve been in the bucket truck, under-bridge truck and traffic control industry for a while now, but we only recently expanded into the aerial lift space at the end of 2021. As is true with all growing companies, there was a learning curve while we brought on the new lines of equipment. It was important for me to make sure that everyone was knowledgeable, including the mechanics, rental coordinators and even the accounting team. So, now, when a new piece of equipment is delivered, we review its function and selling points as a company. It’s an exciting time, and it’s important that everyone is involved. We’ve continued to grow our fleet, and we’re excited about all the changes happening in the industry and what’s next.

Rental: What have been some of the challenges and successes you’ve had over the years you've been in business?

Boland: One of our biggest struggles as a company is finding good labor. This is across all departments. Often, people are inexperienced or even intimidated by the rental world. That’s why our hiring philosophy is based more on attitude and personality than existing skills. We believe anyone can be trained to do a job as long as they’re willing to learn. As a small business, we look for people with an entrepreneurial spirit who want to grow with the company, so finding the right person for the job can be challenging sometimes.

Proving myself as a secondgeneration owner has also been a personal challenge that I’ve faced. Despite having grown up around this industry, my professional background is in corporate fashion, so learning all the new technology and equipment was a process. Now, I’m involved in every facet of the business from accounting to the shop. And, after more than four years in the business, I’m confident I can handle whatever is thrown my way. Through it all, I believe many of our successes have come from these challenges. For example, we have a great team on board. We have employees that have been with us for more than 10 years and newer employees that jumped right in. So, taking the time to hire the right people has really paid off. We have a strong company culture that prioritizes treating everyone with respect and striving to do right by the customer. You really can’t beat that.

Rental: What's one thing you wish you could change about the rental industry?

Boland: I would love to see more women in leadership positions. There’s so much opportunity out there, and having a diversified company helps bring different perspectives to the table.

Also, there’s no shortage of rental companies in the tri-state area where we’re located. So I always support partnerships with other rental houses. I think the American Rental Association is an excellent resource for this. Learning from others in the industry and how they’ve overcome their own challenges is invaluable.

Rental: What are your top business priorities for 2023? What about in five years?

Boland: For 2023, I want to focus on process and procedure. We’ve been very fortunate and have experienced significant growth in the past few years. We’re cautiously optimistic about the economy and are still in growth mode, but I want to make sure we grow at a sustainable rate that will set a strong foundation for the future. I often find myself saying, ‘We are open to all opportunities as long as we’re confident we can do a good job.’ That said, we have some innovative equipment coming into our fleet and are looking to make some additional hires to help support the continued growth.

In five years, I hope to build a recognizable brand in the rental industry with a loyal customer base. If all goes well, we will continue to expand our fleet and reach over time.

Rental: What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of work?

Boland: In work and in life, I am a very energetic person who can’t sit still for long. Whether it’s at the gym or playing sports with friends, I am always doing something active each day. I recently got into paddle tennis, which is a great winter sport that gets you outside. My other hobby is traveling. I love to see new places, and I try to get out and explore as much as I can. Portugal is next on my list!

BY DICK DETMER