Found Rental Co. owner, founder, and CEO Jeni MausPhoto: Courtesy of Found Rental Co.
How she got her start: You may be surprised to hear that Jeni Maus started her company, Found Rental Co., with no rental experience. When her husband was a wedding photographer, the duo had a photo studio that Maus designed and decorated with vintage furniture, which was used in some of the shoots.
"A wedding planner came by the studio to pick up a wedding album and kept complimenting the furnishings in the studio and casually asked, 'Have you ever considered renting this stuff out to brides?'" Maus remembers. "It sparked a little flame, and the next day we had a business license for Found Vintage Rentals and a website in the works."
What sets her company apart: Maus says her company prides itself on "offering things that no one else has"—the company was founded on vintage and one-of-a-kinds, after all. "Even though we now also carry multiples and custom-designed pieces, we try to stay ahead of new trends by creating them first," she says.
Another thing that Maus says sets Found Rental Co. apart? Its customer service. "I am proud to say I believe we have the best team in the business," she says. "I consider myself a very humble human, but this fact is something I am most proud of—from our crew members, sales team associates, and all the way up to management, I have the absolute best team, and I think it shows in all that we do."
What innovation means to her: "I get bored very easily, so innovating new pieces and inventory is crucial for me to feel accomplished," Maus says. "I spend countless hours scrolling through design magazines/social media and all the newest coffee table design books (my favorite past time)."
Maus can also easily discern what she likes and doesn't like—and she always follows her gut. "I don’t think I go a single day without thinking up something new to introduce to the Found Collection, whether it’s having our seamstress sew up some new pillows out of vintage textiles, drawing up new designs for our carpenters to build, and of course hunting down one-of-a-kind vintage and antique pieces that really set our inventory apart from the rest of the rental world."
Of the Amangiri event, Maus adds: "It is not overdone or over styled—it is inviting, warm, and exactly how I would want to experience an event."Photo: Courtesy of Found Rental Co.
Memorable moments: Maus says it's hard to choose just one event she's worked on to highlight. "I am blown away by the places and events that our furniture gets to be apart of," she says. "The first one that always comes to mind is a very special wedding at Amangiri in Utah. It is just such a beautiful setting, and I think our pieces just look so perfect in the natural setting. It is not overdone or over styled—it is inviting, warm, and exactly how I would want to experience an event."
Her biggest hope for the events industry: "Camaraderie. We are all in this together!" Maus says, while admitting that this is a tough industry with high expectations and short timelines. "But I think we really saw a lot of unity post-COVID. We all worked harder than we ever have to accommodate our clients needs after postponing their events, and I think the industry as a whole really pulled together and helped each other out. I hope that never goes away, and hopefully [we] see even more of that. There is enough business for all of us, and a place for all of us, and together we can continue to make magic for our clients."
This feature is sponsored by 6Connex, your all-in-one event technology to manage and host successful events at scale and in any format—in-person, hybrid, virtual, or webinars.
