'I was inspired to rent'

Bermuda is filled with bright business bosses, ­dedicated staff and talented entrepreneurs. In this new series, Don Burgess gets to know the people and firms who drive our economy.

From Billy Goats to big tents to ceremonial ­ribbon-cutting scissors, you can find anything at Bermuda Rentals.

Doug and Mae Howe launched the firm in March 1986 after trouble hiring a carpet cleaner.

The economic downturn economy has affected their business but Mr. Howe said their niche status is helping them stay afloat.

How did the business start?

My wife and I wanted to rent a carpet cleaner and at the time there was a three-month waiting list at the PW’s Home Centre. We were also having friends visit from the U.S. but there was no place to hire a roll-away bed.

How has the company grown?

I was the only employee when we started. In our heyday, in the mid-1990s to the late-1990s, we had two locations and 12 staff. Today we have five full-time staff.

What sort of things do you rent?

It might be easier to say what we don’t — property, people or transportation. We lease everything from jackhammers to generators and carpet cleaners to tents, tables, crystal and linens. We don’t have one chocolate fountain, we have four. We don’t have one dance floor, we have six.

If someone was interested in building, they could come to us get the jackhammers, cement mixers and banding machine  — they don’t have to go to two, three or four locations, they can get it all here.

What are some of the more unusual items you rent out?

Metal detectors, wood chippers, fog machines, and bubble machines. The most bizarre thing is the ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors, which are 4ft long.

Any unusual requests?

Life-size moongates and Billy Goats — not the ­animal, the machine. We do have those. We’ve also had people ask if we rent helicopters.

What is your business ­philosophy?

We want to supply people with goods and services. But we have to be realistic about our overheads and cannot give away the store. Occasionally, we have people come in and want to play Let’s Make a Deal. If I haven’t seen them before and this is a one-off deal, we can offer them a modest discount.

How has business changed over the past 20 years?

They heyday of the 1990s are over — we have to reinvent how we do business. We have to be prudent.

What is the best business decision you ever made?

I’ve learned to delegate to my staff and not micromanage.

What was your worst decision?

Not listening to my wife and my staff when I wanted to buy something on a whim — I bought it anyway and it was a real clunker.

How do you see the business climate for this year and next?

What we are experiencing in Bermuda is the new norm. If businesses cannot make it in this type of environment they should not be in business. I do not believe we will see a double-digit upturn anytime soon.