Creating Wealth Through Self Storage

Let me share what I’ve gathered about the state of the self-storage industry halfway through 2025. This is based on the latest Yardi Matrix data, Radius insights, REIT shareholder reports, and—just as importantly—my own observations and experience in the trenches. I will also share with you my insights on what to focus on and not focus on for the next 12 to 18 months or so. **Online Courses at The...

We all know the usual add-ons for self-storage projects by now, like tenant insurance, retail items, and truck rental. Let’s discuss some new possibilities for the modern project today. These are just a few outside-the-box ideas that could generate extra revenue that makes a big difference today in our projects. **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Liste...

Last week, we started a conversation about how to organize a management operation for your small, automated self-storage facility. This week, we’ll wrap it up. If you missed Part 1, here is a link: Let’s finish this week and discuss how, as a small Owner, you can set up a successful Marketing Division of your automated management operations and what that can include. **Online Courses at The Quicks...

Recently, I’ve been working closely with several people who are either purchasing or developing automated self-storage facilities. Naturally, the conversation quickly turns to one thing: how are we going to manage them? I am also reinventing how I will manage properties I am involved with, both through automation and with managers. Let’s talk about how to set up your automated self-storage operati...

Two weeks ago, we began a series outlining the five phases our construction company uses when developing self-storage projects in today’s unpredictable environment. This is the same process we use ourselves—and you can use it too, especially if you’re doing a solo project. The goal of this series is simple: to bring a development, expansion, or conversion project to the finish line in...

Last week, we started a series outlining what our construction company uses as a general outline for developing self-storage projects in today’s uncertain world. This series aims to bring in a development project, or an expansion or conversion, in a manner that actually pencils out financially with current interest rates, material cost, and labor cost. It is a process you can use yourself if...

Given the continued high cost of existing self-storage facilities for sale and the challenges of getting into the business, let’s discuss the development steps for smaller investors. Or at least my take on the development process for the smaller player in the space. This has evolved over the years and was further refined and improved on by my construction partner, Smitty Smith of Resolve Sel...

The Inside Self Storage Expo 2025 is coming up next week in Las Vegas, and I’ll be there. I make it a point to attend at least one self-storage convention a year to stay sharp—tracking trends, seeing new products, and deepening relationships in the industry. Events like these are essential if you’re in or entering the self-storage business. But today, I want to talk about something most people ove...

Let’s talk about charity work and your self-storage business. As business owners—especially those of us making a living in a particular trade area, city, or region—I believe we owe something back. We should contribute in some way as good corporate neighbors. Let’s discuss some different approaches to this today. **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Liste...

I hate to say I told you so… but… I told you so. This headline popped up in my news feed dashboard: “California Senate Bill 709 Seeks To Limit Self Storage Rent Increases.” Let’s discuss Rent Increase Regulations that are starting to happen and put them into perspective. **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Listen on Apple Podcasts** ht...

In episode 451, we discussed how uncertainty in Washington, combined with mixed economic signals, is causing some investors to sit on the sidelines. But for those who can make quick decisions and move fast, this could create a window of opportunity. One thing I can almost guarantee, though, is that construction costs are not going down. With new tariffs (why are we doing this?) and immigration pol...

I am hosting a virtual online Bootcamp in March on the 21st & 22nd and have been revising some of my content for the event. This is the second episode of three, where I will be sharing some of the things I am going to be bringing up that I haven’t necessarily focused on in the past. I will step out a little today and have a political conversation that is not designed to be a political statemen...

I am hosting a virtual online Bootcamp in March on the 21st & 22nd, 2025, and I have been revising some of my content for the event. I thought I would do a couple of episodes sharing some of the things I am going to be bringing up that I haven’t necessarily focused on in the past. This is a simple idea that I have seen help people gain momentum in an industry that is maturing fast. **Online Co...

The last three episodes have covered my deep dive into the previous 35 to 40 years into exploring how creating goals and achieving them can work. Let’s talk about one of my most crazy experiences in this world of creating a self-storage business and what it can look like on the court. This transaction changed my life and taught me how putting my attention on the correct things can work. Let me tel...

If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it has been slow-going, then this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different approach than most in the next couple of episodes concerning how to get the most out of this year (or any year for that matter) for your business. This episode concludes a 3-part series with t...

If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is slowly going, then this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different approach than most in the next couple of episodes concerning how to get the most out of this year (or any year for that matter) for your business. I started last week with my experience on my life...

If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is slow-going, then this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different approach than most in the next few episodes concerning how to get the most out of this year (or any year, for that matter) for your business. Rather than focus on tips and techniques, let’s look at...

Often, we are dealing directly with an owner of a self-storage facility we are looking at buying. It is hard to get financials, unit mix, or anything to go on in the first few meetings or conversations to help us see a potential value or where any upside is. A non-intrusive report to ask for is a random daily close. You will be surprised how much information about the facility you can get from thi...

I have worked with several self-storage investors who are involved now, considering, and doing mixed-use projects of self-storage and flex space. Flex space is the new shiny object for many smaller self-storage developers. Now, given it is NFL playoff season… LET’S HAVE A GAME BETWEEN SELF-STORAGE AND FLEX SPACE. You will meet Team Storage and Team Flex as they play a football game to see wh...

Until the 2020s, as a self-storage owner and developer of smaller projects (i.e., not large multi-story projects), I never used the design-build process many people apparently use to start a development project or even an expansion. I also never started by going to an architect and/or engineer to design their project and create the building plans. I never did that either. Let me share our construc...

Let me share with you my experience of being a self-storage owner and operator in the year 2025. If I had to sum up my experience of self-storage growth in 2025 with one word, it would be… **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Listen on Apple Podcasts** https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-wealth-through-self-storage/id1588425875 **5 KPIs...

How many times have you found a self-storage expansion deal, calculated the expansion amount you can add to the facility, run the numbers, and it still does not work because you can’t get enough new square feet in the project? This has happened a number of times to me. Given the current pricing of existing facilities and construction costs, it can be challenging. Let me tell you a trick I have use...

I just saw a news article “Self-Storage Manager Accused of Embezzling $53K From xxx Mini Storage.” Lets talk about how to protect yourself from loss and give some concrete steps and procedures. **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Listen on Apple Podcasts** https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-wealth-through-self-storage/id1588425875 **5 KPIs w...

I see a common mistake today as I work with people who are getting into the self-storage business. Especially people getting in their first deal. Let’s figure out how much money you may need to buy self-storage today. **Online Courses at The Quickstart Academy** https://TheQuickStartAcademy.com/ **Listen on Apple Podcasts** https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-wealth-through-self-storage...