Need to borrow a drill? Central Coast couple launches new tool-sharing app

When Anne and Keny Vazquez were stationed in North Dakota, they needed a snowblower. But they knew they would only use such a large, expensive purchase a few times before moving again for their work with the military.

This sparked the couple’s decision to create rntBuddy — a web app that lets people rent household items like tools and equipment.

Coming from Puerto Rico where people always park in their garage, Keny Vazquez said he realized that in many other parts of the United States, people’s garages are too full of items that they often don’t use for them to fit their cars.

“We were trying to make it affordable for us to use something or to have access to something that we’ll use one time, and make it accessible to other people,” Keny Vazquez told the Tribune.

Now based in Santa Maria, the Vazquezes are hoping rntBuddy helps people save space, earn income and become more sustainable.

How does rntBuddy work?

With around 29 early sign-ups and beta testers of both renters and owners, they were able to refine the app, Anne Vazquez told the Tribune.

Similar to Airbnb, owners can list items for free, and set their own prices and availability, Keny Vazquez said. All users are verified for safety purposes.

Some of the most common item requests are bulkier items like lawnmowers, the pair said.

People are also often interested in borrowing kitchen items for holidays like Thanksgiving so they do not have to store cooking equipment they only use once a year, Anne Vazquez said.

How did tool rental app get started on Central Coast?

To get the word out, the pair mobilized on social media. They also made appearances at the SLO Public Market as a vendor and have been working with marketing mentors from the Cal Poly CIE Small Business Development Center.

Many of the people who expressed interest in rntBuddy recently moved or are college students who are looking to make a little extra money, Anne Vazquez said.

Currently, users can borrow anything from a mesh chair for $7 or a card table for $15 to a cordless drill for $10.

The biggest struggle with getting people to list things on the platform is getting them to take the time to take photos, Keny Vazquez explained.

“We’re not tech people,” Keny Vazquez said. “We’re both outsiders to that world.”

Though the business is still very new, the couple said they are prepared for the inevitable challenges of being small-business owners.

They are also looking forward to growing the website and launching the next version. They are planning to continue hosting in-person events and running social media campaigns to build a strong local base before scaling to other cities.

“The resilience we learned from the military has really helped us because everyone goes through burnout, but we know how to deal with it,” Anne Vazquez said.

For more information

The app is live and accessible through any mobile browser at rntbuddy.com.

Users can sign up at the website; all users must be 18 years of age or older.

More information is available on the company’s FAQ page at rntbuddy.com/faq.

This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.