Kaile Warren launched Rent-A-Husband to restore a profession and himself.
Lewiston – Kaile Warren succeeds by his wit and his wits.
Seven years ago the Cumberland native was homeless, spending nights in an empty Portland warehouse on Commercial Street. Today he’s the founder and CEO of a multi-million dollar handyman franchise, successful author and budding actor.
“It’s not hard to be successful,” Warren told a crowd gathered at Bates College Monday night to hear him talk about entrepreneurship. “It’s much harder to be down on yourself or not believe in yourself. I didn’t believe in myself back then. Now I do.”
Warren’s success came in a circuitous route. Raised by a family in the construction industry, he had some modest success as a real estate developer and home builder until a car accident left him disabled. Unable to work, Warren lost his home, his company and even his marriage within two years of the accident.
But it wasn’t until he lost his dignity that he turned his life around. There were days he begged for food, followed by nights fearing slumbering drunks would vomit on him. One of those nights, Warren was awakened by a rat scampering nearby. He killed the rat with a shovel, then assessing his life, prayed for intervention.
What he got was this: “Rent-A-Husband, for those jobs that never get done.”
The idea – to start a business offering professional handyman services – took off. Warren put a phone line in the warehouse, then paid $14 for some fliers touting his services (Need a husband? Why not rent me) and stuck them on the windshields of cars parked outside a Portland divorce support group. The move generated about 20 jobs, and Warren was on his way.
Next he bought an old white van, and using black tape, hand lettered a Rent-A-Husband sign on its side. It drew the attention of Bob Elliott, the late newsman whose “Bob’s Basement” segment on WCSH featured unique and quirky people. Warren got several copies of the three-minute feature and “sent it to every show I could think of.”
The move worked. Warren landed appearances on The Tonight Show, Maury Povich’s show and Oprah. The exposure generated more work, and more guest appearances. Today, Warren is the home improvement correspondent for CBS News with a regular segment on the Early Show. He got the gig by improvising at an audition, asking the audience to imagine listening to a dripping faucet at night.
“Ever wonder why you’re sleeping with a drip when you could have Rent-A-Husband?” he quipped.
He’s taping a syndicated home improvement show that should be in 100 markets by year’s end and is a recurring guest on HGTV.
But marketing and media savvy aren’t his only talents. His book, The Official Rent-A-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home earned him a $260,000 advance and he’s writing a column for Parade magazine. And two weeks ago he filmed a scene in Empire Falls opposite Ed Harris, rendering a performance that boosted his lines from two to five.
“It was soooo cool,” said Warren.
While Warren clearly enjoys the entertainment aspect of his career, he’s very serious about his business. The franchise has grown to six states, and Rent-A-Husband just inked a deal with Ace Hardware to be its exclusive in-house referral at 11 stores in Maine with discussions to expand the agreement nationally.
Warren is a wealthy man, but very grounded in his philosophy. He believes the image of the handyman profession has to be restored, and he’s made it his mission to do so. Fundamental to his company is respect for the employee and the customer. To him, it’s a matter of dignity.
“I’m determined to never give up my dignity again,” he said. “That’s what will make me ultimately successful.”
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