Merrick Lackner, co-founder and CEO of Rently, has been at the forefront of transforming the rental market with cutting-edge self-touring, smart access, and home automation technology. Since its founding in 2011, Rently has empowered property managers in both the single-family and multifamily sectors to streamline operations, maximize tenancy rates, and protect against rental fraud—all while delivering a seamless renter experience.
Lackner’s leadership is defined by strategic foresight, a commitment to long-term growth, and a focus on innovation that balances both software and hardware development. Under his guidance, Rently has grown into a pioneering force in the PropTech space, continually evolving to meet the rising expectations of property managers and renters alike.
In this exclusive ValiantCEO interview, Merrick Lackner shares the story behind Rently’s inception, his leadership philosophy, and how the company is shaping the future of centralized property management.
Company: Rently
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Merrick Lackner: Rently provides self-touring, smart access and home automation technology to the rental market. Our customers are single-family and multifamily owners or operators who want to maximize tenancy rates, efficiency and profitability. By using Rently, they’re able to lease faster, streamline operations, protect themselves and renters from fraud, and provide modern solutions and services that boost renter satisfaction.
What is Rently’s origin story?
Merrick Lackner: I co-founded Rently in 2011 with Clark Li, a brilliant technologist with tremendous skills in building both software and hardware–an extremely rare combination of talent. Initially, we wanted to create a platform where renters could essentially post their needs, such as, ‘Hey, I’m moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. My budget’s $3,000,’ and landlords could pitch their properties to them. But we quickly learned that this would require significant behavioral change in the market prior to adoption.
Our breakthrough came when we realized we could let people into homes on their own without an agent being physically present. I was moving to UC Berkeley at the time, and I couldn’t get into any of the rental units I wanted to see because the landlords weren’t responsive enough. There were rentals I would’ve considered if I could’ve accessed them in real time.
That’s when Clark and I recognized a big opportunity in the market: we developed high-tech software for lockboxes to facilitate entry via one-time-use durational codes, and from there, we never looked back.
Since then, we’ve expanded beyond software to develop hardware like smart home hubs, smart locks, and intercom access panels, which integrate seamlessly with our technology. Our system now manages everything from entry at the main gate to access inside individual units, making us the most robust and comprehensive solution in the market.
What have you learned about leadership while growing the company?
Merrick Lackner: Running a company with a dozen or two dozen people is very different from running a larger organization. Early on, there’s a lot of passion and emotion that goes into building a startup, but as you grow, you need to introduce structure and accountability. At the same time, it’s critical to not lose the heart and soul that fueled your team early on.
I’ve learned to be intentional and transparent in my leadership. One of the best pieces of advice I got was from a UCLA management professor who taught me to ask, ‘What can I do to help you?’ I use that question in all my conversations. It creates a meaningful exchange and shows my team that I’m here to support them.
Building a company is ultimately about achieving balance. You need to plan for the future while creating an environment where people feel empowered to contribute and grow. I keep an open-door policy—anyone in the office can talk to me anytime. While we have hierarchy, it’s not a barrier. If someone wants to achieve something, they know they can pursue it, and together we’ll lay the framework to help them succeed.
How have you taken a different approach in how you run the company?
Merrick Lackner: We’ve taken a different path than many of our competitors by focusing on long-term growth and operational excellence, rather than chasing quick wins or splashy publicity. Culturally, we’re a gritty, hardworking group. We’ve avoided the kind of hubris and ego that tend to cause turmoil for so many growing companies. Instead, we’ve prioritized building solid, reliable technology and maintaining a stable team.
Our approach has been steady and deliberate. Early on, we made strategic decisions to bootstrap the company and focus on profitability before pursuing intensive hardware development. And then in years five to ten, we doubled down on owning both the software and the hardware, even though it meant playing the long game.
This philosophy is reflected in our company culture, too. Most of our core team members have been with us for nearly a decade. Our COO started in sales and is now an instrumental leader. So many of our team members have navigated different roles and grown alongside the company. That stability has allowed us to stay consistent and keep delivering value to our customers while avoiding the noise and chaos that so many companies face.
What’s next for Rently?
Merrick Lackner: We’re in an era of rapid technological change. Renter expectations are soaring, rental fraudsters are getting more sophisticated, and smart-home technology is evolving. Property managers need to ensure their operational systems meet the evolving needs and concerns of renters.
We’re building the future of centralized property management that allows property managers to automate their entire lifecycle from listing to lease. In the coming year, you can expect to see new innovations that allow customers to deliver more value, streamline operations, protect from fraud, and preserve renter trust.
