Stories Behind the Door

Join me for a powerful conversation with Noah Springer , Chief Strategic Officer of Extra Space Storage . Noah takes us back to his roots on a small farm in Central Illinois and shares the "life-defining moment" that sent him on a mission trip to Guatemala at 19, an experience that instilled a self-confidence he credits for his success. We trace his career from trading bonds at a bank to joining E...

I sit down with Chris Salerno , Founder, President, and CEO of QC Capital , to discuss why Small Bay Industrial Flex has become such a hot asset class. Chris shares how QC Capital, which started with a focus on car washes, pivoted after seeing the "oversaturation" in the self-storage market. We discuss the inevitable cap rate compression coming to this sector and why speed is key now, before insti...

I had a fascinating conversation with Robyn Schoch , Senior Vice President of Tri-Bridge Construction , about her journey from the boxing ring to the demanding world of self-storage construction . Robyn shares that her love for the industry comes from the tangible results of construction and the camaraderie it brings. She tells me, "I love the product type", emphasizing her commitment. Robyn expla...

I'm joined by Tyler Prime, a legal expert who specializes in the self-storage industry. Tyler and I discuss how he found his way into this "niche industry" and the powerful motivation of "Family is always a number one priority" for many industry players . Tyler offers critical insights for developers, emphasizing that understanding local regulations is crucial for development . We break down the c...

Join me as I sit down with Jordan Kader, Business Development Director at MLCO Construction, for a powerful conversation about the unexpected path that led him to the self-storage industry. A former wrestler with "cauliflower ears" to show for it, Jordan shares how his time on the mat instilled a relentless work ethic and discipline that he now applies to his professional life. We discuss the crit...

In this episode, I interview RJ Fischer, Director of Acquisitions for Doors and Spaces, about the emerging asset class of Small Bay Flex. RJ shares his journey into this sector, which was informed by his background in appraisal. We discuss how the market for this type of industrial real estate is still evolving, noting that "the information is very fragmented" , making open information sharing cru...

Join me on Stories Behind the Door for a captivating conversation with Todd Sheppard, President of FutureLink Inc., a leading expert in self-storage security and technology. Todd shares his unique and unplanned entry into the industry, which started with a simple repair job and led him to discover a business with a "very relational" and supportive culture. Todd delves into his company's core philo...

Join me on Stories Behind the Door for a captivating conversation with Alex Burnam, Vice President of Acquisitions at StorageMart. As a member of the third generation of the Burnam family in the business, Alex offers a unique perspective on the industry's evolution and its current challenges Alex provides a candid analysis of the acquisition market's rapid decline from its 2021 peak, explaining ho...

Join me for a conversation with Jordan Feldman, Director of Operations at The Feldman Companies, a powerhouse in self-storage development.  Jordan, who was "born into" the business , shares his journey from a high school internship on a construction site to a key role in a company that has built over three and a half million square feet of self-storage . Jordan candidly discusses his company's abi...

Join me on Stories Behind the Door for an inside look at the self-storage construction business with Nick Judie, Vice President of Martin Commercial. In this episode, Nick shares his fascinating journey into an industry he never planned to join. Nick explains how a downturn in the Houston office market led his general contracting firm to pivot to self-storage in 2014 . He discusses the significant...

Join me for a masterclass on the self-storage industry, led by my colleague and mentor, Barry Sherman. As a licensed architect turned developer with three decades of experience, Barry provides a rare historical perspective on the industry's economic cycles and how to navigate them. Barry shares his firsthand experience from his first downturn in the mid-'90s, contrasting it with today's market, wh...

Ready for a deep dive into the history and future of the self-storage industry? In this long-awaited episode of Stories Behind the Door, I sit down with Stephan Ross, a true veteran of the self-storage world and an expert in feasibility studies. Stephan takes us back to 1985, sharing his beginnings as a live-in manager for National Self Storage. He recounts the early days of the industry when a fe...

Join me for an engaging conversation with Ryan Treadwell and Kyle Kaniho, the visionary developers behind The Garage Den, a unique Small Bay Flex project in Centennial, Colorado. Ryan and Kyle share their compelling entrepreneurial journey, revealing how their search for business space led them down the path of developing Small Bay Flex units. They open up about the daunting challenges of navigati...

Join me for a captivating discussion with Jacob Pandl, co-founder of NodaFI, a technology company revolutionizing facility operations in the self-storage sector. Jacob shares his unique entrepreneurial path, tracing back to his roots in his family's German American restaurant business in Milwaukee. He recounts his pivotal experience as a software engineer at Zendesk where he honed his skills befor...

Ever wondered how top entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of real estate and build successful ventures? In this episode of Stories Behind the Door, I sit down with Brad Noble, a prominent self-storage developer and entrepreneur, to unpack his incredible journey and insights. Brad shares his unconventional entry into the self-storage industry, from a college business plan to becoming a develope...

Join me on Stories Behind the Door as I chat with Maurice Pogoda, President and Founder of Pogoda Companies, about his fascinating journey into the self-storage industry. This 30-minute conversation is a must-listen for anyone in or aspiring to be in the self-storage niche! Maurice takes us back to the 1980s, sharing what it was like when the self-storage landscape was still largely underdeveloped...

What happens when an archaeologist becomes a builder in the self-storage world? In this episode, I talk with Patrick McAllister about how he transitioned from studying ancient ruins to leading complex construction projects in the storage industry. We dive into entrepreneurship, managing stress on big builds, and why relationships are everything in business. Patrick also shares insights on the evol...

In this episode of Stories Behind the Door , I sit down with David Clarke, Vice President of Development at The Storage Acquisition Group, and someone I credit as one of the first people to encourage me to launch this podcast. We talk about his shift from retail to self-storage, the off-market strategy behind TSAG, and what makes development in this space so uniquely challenging. David also shares...

How do you scale a self storage portfolio in 2025 without losing focus on operations? In this episode, Thaddeus Campbell talks with Matt Lang, President of Go Store It Storage, about his journey into the industry and what's changing behind the scenes. They cover everything from market trends and rate movement to acquisitions, third-party management, and staying competitive in an increasingly insti...