Margaux Chetrit

By Brad Hadfield

If I see an opportunity, I will walk through the door every single time,” says Margaux Chetrit, director of business development at Avenir Properties and senior advisor to Montreal Mini Storage. “I’m a ‘yes person,’ and I think that mindset has defined my career.”

That career is an impressive one, and it’s taken her across the world and fueled her passion in many different ways. Chetrit was born and raised in Montreal, but her journey began after she’d earned several degrees from McGill University. “I worked at Colliers for a bit, but after graduating I decided to earn my graduate degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.” Just like that, Chetrit was off to Israel.

While taking a full graduate course load, she began an internship in Israel’s parliament while working as a journalist for the leading English-language newspaper in the Middle East. Conflict had recently broken out in the region, so many of her stories were about fostering understanding across borders and life during war. “Some of it was written from a pretty naïve perspective at the time,” she says.

She’s being humble, as the articles were good enough to catch the eye of a career diplomat who took her under his wing and helped start her career in foreign affairs back in her hometown of Montreal. After a decade in the diplomatic arena, Chetrit took a break to start a family. “I thought I owed it to my daughter, Elle, to be a stay-at-home mom for a while.”

But Chetrit is not one to sit still for long. “When COVID hit, I thought, maybe the rest of the world could stay home, but I had work to do.” That’s how, in the middle of a global pandemic, she became chief of staff for a Canadian health care chain. “Not only were we dealing with the pandemic, but just months before the shutdown, the company I was working for had made a significant amount of acquisitions, going from small to one of the largest, so we had our work cut out for us.”

While she thrived in that environment, it was beginning to take a toll on her.

It was around that chaotic time that an unexpected call came in from a recruiter: “She approached me about a position with Montreal Mini-Storage,” recalls Chetrit. “I was adamant that self-storage did not align with my experience. It was probably one of my first times saying ‘no’ as a yes person!”

But she eventually did say “yes.” What convinced her? “To be honest, the recruiter was my babysitter when I was a kid, so I trusted her,” says Chetrit, “at least enough to give it a chance. At first, I didn’t see the fit. Then I looked closer and realized the sector was a blank canvas for community and brand. I discovered more possibilities than I’d ever imagined, and today I’m all in.”

She was quickly tapped to lead a new co-working project which would evolve into the growing ClickSpace brand. Because the pandemic hadn’t yet eased up and brick-and-mortar commercial tenants were going out of business, the idea was to make ClickSpace an e-commerce service hub. “Private offices, work lofts, a podcast studio, rooftop lounge and terrace, storage, integrated third-party logistics (3PL)—everything physical a modern e-commerce business could need. We called it ClickSpace, and it sold out quickly.”

Despite ClickSpace’s early success, Chetrit noticed there was a gap: Over the course of a few years, roughly 60 businesses cycled through the project and only one was woman-owned (actually co-owned). “We were speaking to a very narrow demographic,” she says. “Women are often the decision-makers at home and in small businesses. I recognized the need to broaden our appeal.”

Chetrit’s answer was Ladies Who Launch, a lunch series bringing female entrepreneurs together for candid conversation, thought leadership, and (naturally) great Montreal food. The first event sold out fast, and the momentum has never stopped. “Across foreign affairs, journalism, and health care, I was often one of few women at the table,” Chetrit says. “Ladies Who Launch creates a table where women lead the conversation and the deals.”

Demand from the series translated into space needs. With Scotiabank’s support, Chetrit led Phase Two of ClickSpace, a workspace designed specifically for female founders with private offices, amenities, and community baked into the plan. It pre-leased before there was even a blueprint and has remained full ever since.

The next big undertaking was creating a female-focused self-storage facility. While working on Montreal Mini-Storage’s latest property at 500 Sauvé Ouest, Chetrit and her colleagues, Andrea LaFrechoux (director of real estate), Serena Miscione (leasing specialist), Alida Wu (senior financial analyst), and Tonia Assaf (construction project manager), looked around the room and realized they were five women in leadership positions. That’s when the aha moment happened; they decided to design the project to reflect their own needs and those of their peers. The result is Montreal Mini-Storage’s 24^th facility and the first storage facility of its kind designed by women, for women.

So, what does a female-focused facility look like? First of all, Chetrit says, it doesn’t even look like your typical self-storage property; it feels bright and airy, with beautiful lighting and design. She also says it simply seems safer—not that she’s knocking other facilities. “It’s just a warm community,” she says. “To that end, we have also arranged for people working on the site to accompany visiting tenants to their storage unit if they don’t feel comfortable or it’s late in the evening. This service is available upon request.”

The grand opening event was a large celebration featuring food, live music, and an art showcase by ArtMarket, a women-led platform that spotlights emerging female artists. Julie Roy, the Ahuntsic-Cartierville city councillor, stood in place for the mayor, who was out sick that day, and led the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, recognizing the project’s contribution to inclusive urban development.

Just one month after the grand opening, the facility is 70 percent built (there is still an existing manufacturing tenant that will be exiting soon) and leased up to 60 percent occupancy (nearly 20,000 square feet are occupied). Plus, the buzz and tenant base continue to grow. “We’re meeting a wider audience where they are on product, tone, and design,” says Chetrit, “and it shows in the data.”

As part of its dedication to economic empowerment and support for women, Montreal Mini-Storage also offers discounted storage rates priced at 82 cents on the dollar to bring attention to the gender wage gap. While several units have been donated or heavily discounted to female-led businesses and causes, all tenants are welcome at the facility as the property has universal appeal. “We’re rewriting the storage story from ‘dark and dingy’ to welcoming, safe, and art-forward … and most notably, for everyone.”

Before moving on, Chetrit says she needs to give one very important shout-out to company CEO Simon Berman. “When the five of us ladies came up with this vision, Simon gave us 100 percent carte blanche. Never peeked into the office to know what was going on or questioned a single thing we were doing. Instead, he gave us full autonomy and cheered us on every step of the way.” She continues, stating that the fact that Berman has placed five women in leadership roles, in the self-storage industry no less, says a lot about the type of man and leader he is.

For Chetrit and Montreal Mini-Storage, innovation remains at the forefront, along with continuing the broader commitment to social equity and community-driven solutions. “We are going to be keeping our ears to the ground and our fingers on the pulse of our customers. Whatever they ask for, we will be building. And we already have some exciting things planned.”

The value proposition isn’t about space for Montreal Mini-Storage. “We don’t just sell four walls,” says Chetrit. “We make homes for your milestones and memories.”

It looks like, after a series of globe-trotting adventures and careers, Chetrit has found a home in self-storage too.