Creating Wealth Through Self Storage

We all know how AI is changing the self-storage landscape. Others smarter than me have talked about using chatbots for storage answering services, AI in revenue management and tenant data analysis (determining which tenants can pay what rate based on behavior), and many of the tools savvy operators in the industry use today. Let me give you a real-life example of how I am using it today as I move...

After over forty years in real estate and the self-storage business, I have learned a few things about business that I am sharing as I hover around this 500-episode mark. I guess we could call these episodes “What I’ve Learned About Wealth, Business, and Life.” This also coincides with my newly released book, The Creative Method of Wealth Generation. Let me share with you five things I...

As I hover around the 500-episode mark, I am apparently becoming more philosophical and want to share some insights I have gained over the last ten years or so in the storage business. I’ve talked about the five biggest mistakes I have made in my career and the five decisions I have made that helped me create my first millions in wealth. In this episode, let me share with you five things I have le...

Here I am at Episode 500. On one level, it means nothing, really, but on another, it shows I can stick to something for a long time and/or you can hang in there with me no matter how bad or off I can be at times. I hope you have received some value from these episodes. Last week, I discussed some of my flaws and how they translated into some of the biggest mistakes I have made in my self-storage c...

As I approach Episode 500, I have been thinking a lot about the self-storage business and my thirty-one years in and around the industry. I was thinking about what I could share that would be helpful. I had two startling insights. The first was that what would be most helpful is not what I’ve done right, but more importantly, the biggest mistakes I have made. The second was, as I wrote them out, t...

There has never been a moment in self-storage history where the gap between well-chosen vendors and poorly chosen ones mattered more than it does today. We are currently choosing our vendors for a new brand and have discovered one thing… Vendors today can make or break you! Let me share with you what I mean. **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/ep...

You have heard of SEO, pay-per-click, Google algorithms and the gambit of online marketing terms. There is a new but vitally critical term you have got to understand today…the new world of GSO. Although you may be tired of hearing about AI and how it applies to your self-storage business, their AI hole is only getting deeper. If you haven’t already, it’s now time to embrace it and begin to underst...

In the most recent ISS Expo I attended, once again I saw that Millennials have become 20% plus of self-storage customers, up from about 16% a year ago. I remember some of the stereotypes many had a few years ago about the millennial generation: • Avocado toast and $7 lattes. • Lazy and entitled. • Failure to launch. Now, given that they are becoming an increasingly larger percentage of our custome...

I hear partners, people I coach, and investors ask the question, “How can a smaller independent owner compete today with REITs or a big institutional player today? They have a lot more money and people, and their cost of capital is so low.” Valid question, but the reality is, it’s not that hard to outperform them. Their size also creates inherent weaknesses. Let’s take a look at what they mi...

It’s time to talk about square foot per capita again. I have run into more and more issues with that metric and think it is time to permanently interrupt the myth that still pervades our industry. That myth is: ….. {explained in video} **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/episode-476-four-steps-i-use-to-revive-a-self-storage-facility-non-fb/ **Sta...

Let’s look at ways to reduce our insurance cost in 2026 and beyond. This expense line item is doing nothing but going up. Last week we had Terry Campbell of Johnson Insurance visit us in the Inner Circle. Here are some of the tips he gave us last Friday. I think you may be able to get some solid things to do that will help you reduce your operating expenses by controlling this line item. **Self-St...

Finally! U-Haul’s President and CEO Joe Shoen took a public stand in opposition to the deplorable pricing practices most of the bigger REITs and institutional players use today, with the absolute worst being Extra Space in my opinion. I am talking about the bait and switch tactic of luring customers in with lower rates, then raising them exponentially, knowing it is difficult for many customers to...

A few weeks ago we had a three-part series on Revenue Strategies designed for 2026. Now let’s focus on the expense side today. Today, let’s go over the expenses I think can be impacted in 2026 and a few general ideas and practices I might recommend doing to achieve that. I think you may have more impact than you may initially think. **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroug...

I am in some partnerships that will be taking over some facilities and doing some expansions. So I have been thinking through some of the spaces our team will have to go through as we prepare to bring these projects online. Given the purpose of these episodes is to learn out loud what we do in the self-storage industry, I thought this would be a fitting episode for early 2026, especially if you ar...

Two weeks ago I started this series (Episodes 487 and 488). I think it is critical for this year, given what we see in the current self-storage landscape. Effective revenue strategies are going to make the difference between well-performing assets this year and ones that fall behind due to pressures on operating expenses, as well as macro-economic pressures, which were outlined in last week’s epis...

Last week I started this series, Episode 487, which I think is critical for this year given what we see in the current self-storage landscape. Effective revenue strategies are going to make the difference between well-performing assets this year and those that fall behind due to pressures on operating expenses, as well as macro-economic pressures that were outlined in last week’s episode. In this...

In today’s competitive world of self-storage, reducing rates to match or beat your competition can feel like the smart move. There’s a lot of supply, and pricing algorithms are adjusting rates to keep up with what’s happening in a trade area. And consumers often think of self-storage as a commodity, so they’ll just go with the cheapest rate… right? Well, not always. In 2026, powerful revenue strat...

In 1995, I had an Acquisition Director for Storage Trust, a REIT at the time, tell me, “Basically, self-storage is a boring and slow industry. Not many changes.” That is certainly not the case in 2026. This industry is evolving, and evolving at a fast clip. Let me share with you what I see for the small self-storage investor in 2026. I’ll talk about where I see the industry going this year and how...

Here are some details, benefits, and specials about my premier training program, the Self-Storage Bootcamp. Watch this short video to see if this is for you. For more details and to register, please click here. https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/2026-q1-live-virtual-bootcamp/ To schedule a call with me to see if it is right for you, here is the link: https://markhelmcoachingcallsch...

I hesitated to make this video. I don’t want to sound alarmist or like I am trying to scare people. I’ve seen multiple market cycles over the years. But what I believe is approaching now is very different from anything we’ve seen before. Let’s talk about how what I see coming could impact you, your life, and your self-storage business. For information of the Upcoming Bootcamp: Bootcamp https://cre...

I was glad to see Ron Matejko’s article online about the Slate article on self-storage pricing tactics. I read the same article. Ron is an associate editor for Inside Self Storage. Let’s go over what is coming down the pike and how we are addressing it in the upcoming Self Storage Bootcamp in Jan. 2026. **Q1 2026 Virtual Self Storage Bootcamp Sign Up** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorag...

A friend of mine was telling me about an experiment that was conducted in the 1950s using rats the other day. I did some research and was absolutely fascinated by what I learned from it. Let me share it with you and some of the takeaways I think may be applicable to us in the self-storage business. **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/episode-476-...

Happy Thanksgiving – A Short History **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/episode-476-four-steps-i-use-to-revive-a-self-storage-facility-non-fb/ **Startup Checklist** https://creatingwealththroughselfstorage.lpages.co/episode-475-self-storage-startup-checklist-4-steps-owners-miss/ **Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator** https://creatingwealth...

Let me introduce you to Rich Porter. Rich has probably systemized his systems for searching for self-storage opportunities better than anyone I know. He will show you in this episode what he does. He will also share his contact information in the event you want him to do this on your behalf or get on his email list to look at deals he finds. For those of you that want to set your own prospecting s...

One of the best things about owning investment real estate is the tax advantages it offers. Especially self-storage. Let’s discuss some of the benefits today. Given the high cost of construction and the current interest rates, a clear and well-understood tax strategy could be the difference between a go/no-go on certain deals. **Self-Storage Turnaround Playbook** https://creatingwealththroughselfs...