elcome to the February 2025 edition of Messenger! On the cover of this issue, we feature Maurice Pogoda, president and founder of Pogoda Companies based in Farmington Hills, Mich. Recently inducted into the Self Storage Association of Michigan (SSAM) Hall of Fame, his story is one you will definitely want to read; it starts on page 52.

In addition, our move-out probability (MOP) feature, starting on page 58, discusses the importance of understanding the likelihood that a customer will vacate their storage unit within a given period. With all the data and insight that a platform with move-out probability capabilities can put at your fingertips, why are some operators not embracing it?

Looking to the global market, check out our feature on Lisa Jackson, COO of The Box, a self-storage company based in Dubai. Starting on page 64, you’ll find out how she went from working retail at a bakery in Manchester to running extensive self-storage operations in the United Arab Emirates.

Lastly, we are proud to announce that the 2025 Self-Storage Almanac is now available for order! First published in 1992, the Almanac offers the most up-to-date data, trends, and analysis that self-storage professionals have come to rely on. Whether you are an industry veteran or a newcomer to storage, the Almanac has the information you need, including historical rental rate and occupancy data, facility, site, supply and demand, and customer data. For more information on ordering your Almanac before it hits the streets, please see page 8!

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to email me at poppy@modernstoragemedia.com.