or decades, search engine optimization has been the cornerstone of digital visibility. From carefully chosen keywords to backlink strategies, operators in the self-storage industry have relied on SEO to capture traffic from potential renters. However, a major shift is underway. With the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, customers are increasingly turning to conversational interfaces rather than search engines. This new landscape demands a different approach. Generative optimization, or GO, is rapidly becoming the next frontier in digital marketing, and self-storage operators cannot afford to ignore it.

Generative AI changes the dynamic completely. Instead of scanning through 10 blue links, a customer may now ask an AI assistant, “What is the best storage option near me with climate control and good reviews?” The AI does not provide a list of links. It provides a synthesized answer, often citing only a few sources.If your facility is not in the AI’s knowledge base or structured data, you will not appear in the response. Where SEO gave answers in the form of rankings and links, generative optimization gives solutions tailored to customer intent.

This is the core of generative optimization. It is the practice of ensuring that your storage business is discoverable, credible, and favored within generative AI outputs. In other words, GO is about optimizing for the answer, not for the search results page.

Structured Data And Schema
AI models draw from structured data like schema markup, Google Business Profiles, and location databases. Ensuring that your property information is complete, accurate, and machine-readable is critical.

Reputation Signals
AI prioritizes trusted sources. This means Google Reviews, Yelp, and even social signals become more influential than ever. Reputation management is not just about human customers now, it is also about training AI systems to see your facility as credible.

Content Designed For Questions
Traditional SEO rewarded keyword-focused blogs. GO requires content that answers natural language queries. Instead of a post titled “Best Storage Units Dallas,” think “What should I look for in a storage unit in Dallas?” The framing must anticipate conversational queries.

Data Partnerships
Some AI systems ingest third-party databases. Partnering with aggregators or ensuring your listings feed into these systems can expand your reach. If your facility is missing from those sources, you are invisible.

Brand Authority
Large operators may see an advantage because AI often defaults to recognized brands when in doubt. Smaller operators must compensate with hyper-local authority, reviews, and unique differentiators.

• Reduced dependency on expensive paid search – If your business is recommended directly by AI, you bypass costly bidding wars for keywords.
• Higher quality leads – AI-generated recommendations are tailored to user intent, which often results in more qualified inquiries.
• Opportunities for differentiation – Operators who emphasize unique features, such as eco-friendly facilities or exceptional customer service, can see those strengths amplified by AI assistants.
• Future-proofing digital presence – SEO will not vanish overnight, but preparing for GO ensures long-term relevance in a changing digital landscape.

• High-intent, local searches – Most customers search for storage when they are ready to rent. They want convenience, location accuracy, and quick answers. AI assistants are well-positioned to deliver exactly that, bypassing traditional search listings.
• Highly competitive keywords – Storage-related keywords have long been among the most competitive in Google Ads and organic SEO. If generative AI reduces reliance on those listings, the economics of paid search and SEO shift dramatically.
• Fragmented industry presence – While large REITs have the scale to invest in AI-ready data strategies, many independent operators rely on traditional SEO tactics. Without adaptation, they risk disappearing from the customer journey.
• Reviews and reputation as core signals – Generative AI systems heavily weigh customer reviews, ratings, and local authority. Operators who fail to manage their online reputation could find themselves excluded from AI-generated recommendations.

• Lack of transparency – Unlike Google’s search results, which can be audited through rankings and analytics, AI-generated outputs are less predictable. Measuring success will require new tools.
• Data accuracy issues – If AI pulls outdated or incorrect information, it could harm your brand. Active monitoring of your digital footprint is essential.
• Potential bias toward large brands – Smaller operators may find it harder to compete if AI favors national chains. This makes local differentiation critical.
• Ongoing costs – GO strategies require continual investment in content, data accuracy, and reputation management. It is not a one-time fix.

1. Audit your digital footprint. Review your listings, reviews, and schema data. Ensure consistency across Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Yelp, and any aggregator sites.
2. Prioritize reputation management. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews. Respond promptly to both positive and negative feedback. AI systems reward active engagement.
3. Shift your content strategy. Create FAQ-driven content that mirrors the way customers ask questions. Use natural language and practical advice.
4. Leverage local authority. Highlight partnerships with community organizations, sponsorships, or local recognitions. AI systems value local signals when recommending businesses.
5. Experiment with AI integrations. Some operators are already testing AI chatbots on their own websites. This not only improves customer experience but also provides training data for generative models.
6. Track new analytics tools. Emerging platforms are building “Generative Analytics” to monitor how often brands appear in AI outputs. Stay informed and be ready to adopt them.

Generative optimization represents the next evolution of digital marketing. For self-storage operators, the implications are clear. Customers will increasingly rely on AI assistants to find, evaluate, and select storage facilities. Being absent from those answers means being absent from the market.

The transition from SEO to GO is not optional. It is already underway. By taking proactive steps now, operators can ensure that they are not only discoverable in the generative age but positioned as the preferred choice for customers seeking storage solutions.

The future of self-storage marketing is no longer about climbing search rankings. It is about becoming the trusted answer in a world where answers, not links, are what customers seek.

ocial media is an intrinsic part of the internet since it became widely available and accepted by the public. It’s in our nature to share aspects of our lives with others, both online and offline. Participating in the creator economy plays an essential role in supporting successful online marketing strategies. Never before has it been easier to attract and connect with your target audience and even get them to act, yet many self-storage facilities are not active on social media despite popular platforms attracting millions of people every month.

It may seem nonsensical to market your facility on social media, because storage is inherently not as flashy and eye catching as other industries. The reality is it’s not about starting the next viral trend, creating controversial content, or entertaining the masses—it’s about connection.

On the flip side, sloppy posts or a lack of posts signal neglect and can push potential renters elsewhere. People often check a business’ website and social media before deciding where to store, so presenting thoughtful, authentic content shows you care about your facility and your customers.

In many cases, your social presence is the first step in building trust—don’t let it fall short.

It’s also a great place to run flash deals or promotions, which boost engagement and provide insight into what drives rentals. Beyond updates, social platforms let you answer common questions, address misconceptions, and set clear expectations for customers.

This positions your facility as professional, knowledgeable, and committed to providing a great storage experience.

Social media gives you the power to bring your audience together by interacting with your page and content. You can post content that allows your audience to feel your facility understands them by speaking to them about community-specific topics with which they resonate.

Additionally, many social media platforms feature groups where people can post exclusively about one topic or category on one dedicated page. Many local communities create group pages to keep each other connected about the happenings in the community, along with business highlights and recommendations.

This is a massive opportunity to position your facility as a valuable addition to the community and build brand loyalty that larger conglomerates can’t replicate.

Social media can’t directly impact your website’s search ranking, but it can help indirectly. Search engines use your social media activity as a sign to see if users generally have positive experiences with your company. If there’s a lot of positive engagement (sharing, comments, and liking content) with your social media pages, then search engines will consider this when ranking your website for different search terms.

Some members of your target audience might be in the awareness stage, looking at your content for the first time as they just discovered your facility. Others might be using your social media as a way to verify website claims as they navigate the consideration stage. It can even work for the later loyalty stages where customers share reviews on your page or leave positive feedback on your content for others to read.

The biggest issue with social media is the options are endless in the directions you can go, where to post, what to post, and when. Social media is full of many choices; it can quickly become overwhelming when you don’t know the right platforms, what to post, or when the posts should go up. Having a target audience in mind sets guardrails to keep you on a better track instead of navigating in the dark.

• Facebook – This social media platform is almost a must for self-storage facilities. Facebook has some of the highest monthly traffic, caters to a wide audience type, allows for multiple types of media posting (videos, images, and even long text passages), and has Facebook Groups. Facebook Groups are a goldmine in of themselves, offering facilities a chance to directly interact with members of their community, unlike most other popular platforms.
• Instagram – This platform is also beneficial and growing in popularity amongst older audiences, but it’s still mostly dominated by younger audiences because of its focus on high-quality visuals. Unlike Facebook, where posts can be even simple text if desired, Instagram requires images or videos to post. This offers a chance to keep spreading your digital footprint while showing off your facility to your audience.
• Google Business Profile – Google Business Profiles (GBPs) are another must for self-storage facilities for multiple reasons, though not always perceived as a traditional social media platform. A professional looking GBP will leave prospective customers with a good first impression, helping build the trust needed to move through the marketing funnel. GBP also has a posting feature where you can regularly post content related to facility features, promotions, and other essential information a user might need answered. Being active on GBP can positively influence your website’s SEO ranking as well, and when done right, it can guide people through the buying process seamlessly!
• TikTok – Initially, TikTok wasn’t widely recognized as a reputable source for businesses to spend their time and energy on, but the narrative has shifted as time has progressed. TikTok is a video-only platform that caters to a younger audience. This platform allows you to not only show aspects of your facility to your audience, but it can also let you tap into younger audiences who might need storage, like students, and allow you to age with them over time.
• YouTube – Many self-storage owners might not understand the importance of being active on YouTube. It’s not necessarily to build a massive following, though this can happen; it’s more about creating better social signaling for your facility and giving your audience more insights about your facility, what you offer, and how you contribute to the local community. Walkthroughs and facility tours, for example, give key insights to interested prospects about the layout and what to expect before they arrive.

AI can be viewed as inauthentic, so despite being a major helping hand, be sure you’re injecting a bit of yourself into the content before it goes out. AI is great for helping get started, ideation, or even rough drafts, but it should not be your sole means of content creation if you want to connect with your audience.

If you want to take it a step further, then setting up spreadsheets that track goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and other metrics across all platforms in one place can become massively beneficial later in your social media journey.

Tracking performance is essential to know what is and isn’t working within your social media strategy. After enough time, your data will start to show you how to best modify your strategy with proven insights to guide the way.

Social media is all about being consistent, especially when first getting started, because it takes time for your content to start circulating in the algorithm. Platforms value content that has heavy engagement because it shows that users are getting a certain amount of value from it.

By focusing on being consistent, you’ll learn more about how to provide that value which is most often rooted in being authentic. Social media can be a great display for your company to present itself to the world, but if your facility doesn’t match the expectations created online, this can quickly deteriorate your overall brand presence.

Being authentic is the best way to connect your facility with the local community, because they’ll recognize you speak the same language and share similar ethics and values. Don’t wait any longer; start tapping into the power of social media today and start building your online presence to help empower your facility.

alk down a corridor of any new, multistory storage facility today—keyless entry on your phone, cameras humming, soft music in the lobby—and it’s hard to believe this industry began on the far edge of town, behind chain-link fences, with a handwritten ledger and a couple living over the office. This is the story of how self-storage moved from the margins to mainstream retail real estate, and why technology and revenue science now set the pace.

Sites were almost never on Main and Main. The economics favored low-traffic, cheap industrial land—deep setbacks and metal rows with roll-up doors. Security was basic: chain-link fencing, a manual gate, maybe a floodlight. Many municipalities didn’t have a defined zoning use for “mini-warehouses,” and early developers often shoehorned projects into industrial districts where the use was tolerated rather than embraced.Operations followed what veterans still call the “motel model.” A husband-and-wife resident-manager team lived on site, kept the books, swept the drives, and opened and closed the gate. The office, if you could call it that, might have been a 150-square-foot vestibule, or even a corner of the managers’ living room. As the industry professionalized, it slowly moved away from resident management, but that change didn’t arrive until much later.

Technology’s first cameo was modest and improvisational. Some operators experimented with early microcomputers and serial interfaces to run rudimentary access controls; it was the era when affordable hobbyist machines like the Tandy TRS-80 (introduced in 1977) made such tinkering possible, even if the systems were crude by today’s standards. Dedicated access control vendors emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, paving the way for keypad gates and basic software tie-ins.

Names told the story. These properties were “mini-warehouses” or “mini storage,” and tenants brought their own locks. The lexicon evolved as the product did. Lexicographers now treat self-storage as shorthand for self-service storage, a usage widely reflected in industry literature. The Oxford English Dictionary even traces “self-storage” in print to the 19th century, long before the modern product, underscoring how language often precedes mature business models.

“Mini-warehouse” gave way to “self-storage,” and the product became unmistakably retail: larger lobbies, merchandising walls of boxes and locks, branded moving supplies, and—importantly—software to handle reservations, billing, access, and reporting. Ancillary income matured from an afterthought to a deliberate profit center with retail packs, truck rentals, protection plans, tenant insurance, administrative fees, and more. Industry trade sources often peg total ancillary contribution in the mid-single- to low-double-digit share of revenue for well-run stores, with publicly traded REITs reporting ancillary percentages ranging from 4 percent to 12 percent in their Q3 2024 public filings, according to Tract IQ.

To win municipal acceptance, buildings became cleaner and more architecturally presentable, with better façades, glassy corners, and thoughtful landscaping—an aesthetic upgrade that turned former zoning fights into more predictable approvals. Some jurisdictions still resist storage on prime retail corners, but the overall arc bent toward acceptance as the product got “nicer” and consumer-facing.

Statutes And Industry Guardrails
As the industry scaled, state statutes codified essential rights and processes (most famously lien enforcement), helping operators manage delinquencies, notices, and sales with clarity. The Self Storage Association (SSA) became the clearinghouse for education and model language, and today publishes annotated lien-law booklets and legal resources for nearly every state.

The SSA At 50
Founded in 1975, the Self Storage Association grew from a small cohort of “mini-warehouse” owners into a national trade body with affiliated state associations across the country. Over five decades, SSA has represented operators large and small in legislative advocacy (lien laws, insurance, and the right to use online auctions instead of newspaper ads), standardized best practices through education and conferences, and created a professional home for a once-niche asset class. In 2025, the SSA celebrated its 50th anniversary—a milestone highlighted throughout its spring and fall conferences—underscoring its role in policy, networking, and industry identity.

But the most transformative shift is invisible to the casual renter: revenue management. Borrowing from airlines car rental agencies and hotels, operators use dynamic pricing rules at move-in and structured existing customer rate increases (ECRIs) to grow in-place revenue over time. Done thoughtfully, dynamic pricing adjusts to occupancy bands, unit attributes, seasonality, and competitor moves; ECRIs migrate promotion-heavy move-ins toward proforma rent while preserving occupancy.

Independent studies and REIT commentary now treat algorithmic pricing as table stakes. Simply “staying full” is no longer the goal; optimizing yield per available square foot is. The industry has even debated where automation ends and customer experience begins—how aggressively to cycle rates, whether to require insurance or protection plans, and how high frequency price changes should be.

Penetration, Inventory, And The Shape Of Supply
Measuring the industry accurately requires consistent definitions (gross vs. net rentable, open vs. operating) and up-to-date sources. Publicly compiled industry snapshots indicate:

• Facility count – Roughly 52,301 facilities operate in the United States, which is comparable to the number of fast-food restaurant locations. Many sources now see over 60,000 facilities as the current count, including those in development.
• Square feet per capita – Methodologies vary, but the national benchmark is approximately 6.1 to 7 square feet per person. This makes the U.S. the world’s most penetrated self-storage market.
• Usage – The SSA’s Self-Storage Demand Study puts current household utilization at 11.1 percent, meaning over 14.4 million households are actively renting at a point in time.
• Ownership – While public REITs own a significant number of facilities, the industry remains highly fragmented, with roughly 65 percent of facilities owned by small, independent operators.

Why the variance? Different compilers count different unit types, treat pipeline and conversion space differently, and update on different cadences. For strategy, operators should align to a single definitional set when underwriting a market.

REITs, Capital Flows, And Professionalization
As the product matured, so did the capital. The 1990s and 2000s saw the ascendance of public REITs—notably Public Storage (PSA), Extra Space (EXR), CubeSmart (CUBE), and National Storage Affiliates (NSA)—and the expansion of third-party management platforms that brought institutional process discipline to acquisition and development pipelines. NAREIT recognizes storage as a distinct REIT sector. Investor decks and earnings calls now routinely discuss dynamic pricing, ECRIs, and tech adoption alongside occupancy and development yields.

Operators who master this stack are less vulnerable to promotional races and can often accept slightly lower occupancy to capture meaningfully higher revenue per occupied unit. That’s the “governance” piece: The model sets the course, not just the site manager’s instincts.

The early pioneers proved people would pay a small, recurring fee for convenience and control. Gen 2 made that convenience respectable to cities and attractive to mainstream customers. Gen 3 made it predictable to capital.

• Deeper integration and automation – Expect more “invisible” automation (AI-assisted pricing, LPR at gates, fraud detection in digital leasing, auto-ECRI scheduling tied to cohort performance) and lighter, greener buildings (solar, EV charging, smart lighting).
• Sharper segmentation – Urban infill will keep funding multistory, 100 percent climate-controlled product; suburban and exurban stores will mix drive-up with climate-lite; and vehicle storage and niche amenities will be driven by micro-market demand. Ancillary income will remain a lever (insurance/protection, retail packs, premium access perks) because small percentage gains compound across stabilized portfolios.
• Digital Facility Proof Of Concept – The jury may still be out on the efficacy of unmanned or digitally operated facilities. Recent data shows consumer preference for human assisted rentals. This is best accomplished in a staffed facility with human intervention. The business model of unstaffed properties is being tested and scrutinized. It is not until fully embraced by institutional investors that the model may be fully accepted. There is growing sentiment that fully matured and stabilized facilities in a hub-and-spoke business model may be the best candidates for digital operations.
• Continued Consolidation – The sector has long attracted big money, from Wall Street to family offices. These behemoths will continue to grow and achieve economies of scale, pushing owner-operated facilities to be more likely found in tertiary markets, as institutional buyers pursue long avoided secondary markets to achieve acquisition optimization, maximization, and scale.

For operators entering or expanding, the lesson from over 50 years is simple: Location still matters, but systems decide the winner. The first builders chased cheap land and filled a need. The modern winners measure, test, and price that need with discipline.

he self-storage industry is entering a new era of operational efficiency. As portfolios expand and labor markets tighten, operators are confronting an unavoidable reality: Manual collections and delinquency management processes can no longer keep pace with modern business demands. Across the country, companies large and small are finding that outdated systems (spreadsheets, ad-hoc reminders, and manager-driven timelines) are creating mounting costs, compliance risks, and lost revenue opportunities. According to the Self Storage Association’s 2024 Fact Sheet, industry occupancy remains strong, but operators are reporting rising delinquencies and extended auction timelines compared to pre-pandemic years.

According to Inside Self-Storage’s 2024 Manager Compensation Study, operators report spending five to 15 staff hours per location per month on delinquency-related tasks such as sending notices, managing lien paperwork, and coordinating auctions. Multiplied across dozens or hundreds of facilities, that’s the equivalent workload of a dedicated back-office team focused solely on collections administration.

Meanwhile, compliance exposure continues to rise. A missed deadline or incorrect notice template can trigger legal disputes that cost far more than the delinquent rent being pursued. For multi-state operators, keeping up with these variations has become a full-time job all on its own.

As detailed in MSM’s article “Technology and the Modern Manager,” operators are increasingly turning to automation to streamline repetitive, time-sensitive tasks while empowering teams with better visibility and data.

Key advantages include:

• Early Intervention – Real-time monitoring and automated reminders prevent small delinquencies from escalating. Operators using automated outreach report 20 percent to 30 percent fewer accounts reaching the auction stage, per StorageTreasures’s 2024 Auction Trends Report.
• Consistent, Multichannel Communication – Tenants receive notices via their preferred channels (email, text, mail, or phone) to ensure timely, documented contact.
• Built-In Compliance – Automated templates adapt to each state’s lien sale laws, minimizing legal risk and removing guesswork.
• Scalability and Predictability – Standardized workflows enable accurate forecasting of cash flow, auction timelines, and resource allocation.
• Data-Driven Insights – By capturing every event in the delinquency cycle, automation turns collections into a measurable, optimizable process rather than a reactive chore.

• Labor savings of at least $8,000 to $10,000 per facility per year,
• 50 percent reduction in outstanding tenant debt within the first 12 months,
• 80 percent to 95 percent drop in 90-day delinquencies within 90 to120 days, and
• 500-plus staff hours recaptured monthly for every 100 locations.

In addition to measurable financial gains, automation improves operational predictability, reduces staff burnout, and ensures every facility remains compliant without requiring additional headcount.

• End-to-End Workflow Coverage – From initial collections to auction close-out
• Verified Legal Compliance – Maintained by experts and updated as laws change
• Integration With PMS/FMS Systems – Ensuring data accuracy and eliminating manual imports
• Comprehensive Reporting Dashboards – Enabling teams to track recovery rates, time to auction, and compliance performance
• Dedicated Industry Support – Providers who understand storage operations, not just software

As Forbes Technology Council noted in its 2024 article “Why Automation is the Next Wave in Property Operations,” automation in property operations isn’t just about replacing labor—it’s about building infrastructure that scales efficiently while improving accuracy and oversight.

Portfolio operators, private-equity investors, and REITs are all demanding greater operational efficiency and compliance consistency. In that environment, automation isn’t a luxury—it’s essential infrastructure!

As one industry executive summarized in the previously mentioned MSM article, “The facilities that master automation aren’t just saving time—they’re building resilience. They can scale faster, stay compliant, and protect their margins when conditions change.”

For operators finalizing 2026 budgets, the decision is clear. The era of manual delinquency management is ending. The winners of the next decade will be those who invest now in systems that make collections predictable, compliant, and scalable.

ameron Barsanti is a self-storage investor. He’s also a public speaker and the owner of StorageLife, a company that provides mentorship and coaching to others wanting to invest in self-storage and/or scale their current storage portfolio. But there is more behind the scenes. He also owns and operates multiple self-storage facilities in eight states and the U.S. territory Guam.

Yet, within a span of merely five years, he managed to purchase more than $80 million in storage properties. The leap was autodidact. “We live in a time where we have access to unlimited resources and information,” he says. “If we can take advantage of our opportunities and utilize books, podcasts, mentorships, and other educational platforms, we literally can accomplish anything.”

It’s the kind of rags-to-riches story that inspires anyone who hears about it. It also describes what everyone in the self-storage industry knows so well: You can’t judge a book by its cover. Self-storage may seem boring from the outside, but it’s a lucrative endeavor.

By the time he turned 18, Barsanti was burned out from all the athletic activities and wanted to try something different, so he moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. “I had never acted, but had always loved entertainment, TV, and movies, and felt like I could do it because of my work ethic, discipline, and passion for inspiring others.”

He began taking acting classes and was quickly picked up by a reputable talent agent. It didn’t take long for him to book acting gigs. “At 19, I suddenly had massive opportunities to actually work as an actor,” he says. “I had well-known professionals take me under their wing, including celebrity acting coaches and some of the biggest casting directors in the business.”

These opportunities slowly dissipated because, frankly, he wasn’t ready for them. “I was immature,” says Barsanti. “I was wild; I also started to dabble with drugs and alcohol and quickly became swept up by Hollywood debauchery.” As he tells the story, it becomes clear that those memories are intertwined with conflict but not necessarily regret. “During that time, I was extremely frustrated and disappointed that I wasn’t able to straighten out, and that I was taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for granted.”

Unfortunately, that level of self-reflection wasn’t enough to get clean and focus on his career. “I spent 10 years of my life living like that,” Barsanti says, “and I lost many opportunities.”

Taking matters into his own hands, Barsanti began to produce his own feature film. “I was 35, and it took two years to shoot,” he says. “This was while my wife was pregnant with our first kid, too, so there was a lot on the line.”

Once the film was finished, he hoped that the money would roll in. However, it was a flop.

The couple was living off her county job, sporadic unemployment checks, and a few residual checks from his TV and film credits. The family was not making an ideal living from their joint incomes, and by this point, they had two young boys: a toddler and an infant.

During this challenging time, his wife started listening to real estate podcasts. Within a month, she told him to drop everything because she had learned they could start investing without really having any money. “She learned about wholesaling real estate and leveraging debt to buy property we otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. Like an obedient, broke husband, I nodded my head and said yes.”

To appease his wife and his guilty conscience, Barsanti started attending real estate investing (REI) meetups and listening to podcasts about the subject. They even hired a coach to walk them through the process of creating wealth this way. “After learning the basics, I sprang into action,” he says. “Massive action. I started hunting for off-market deals like my life depended on it—because it did. My desperation met a new, big opportunity, and this time I wasn’t going to take it for granted.”

He’s very well aware of his fortune. He’s also cognizant of the fact that it’s been a thorough team effort. “I’ve had the help and guidance from the best partner anyone could ever have: my wife.”

Today, his wealth consists of 12 facilities in eight different states and the U.S. Territory of Guam. “We’ve sold seven, and did extraordinarily well on those sales, to the tune of multimillion dollars in profits.” They currently have over 15 employees running their portfolio.

Although the Barsantis have achieved that, and they could easily fly off into the sunset to enjoy early retirement, at the end of 2022 he decided to launch his coaching and mentorship program called StorageLife. Presently, they have about 40 students across the country, and StorageLife is guiding them to find, fund, and operate storage nationwide. “Our community is one of the most successful in the industry,” he says. “We don’t just teach you how to understand and invest in self-storage. We hold you accountable and help you take action. We do it with you.”

In fact, they’ve helped more than 30 students close deals and they’ve partnered with over a dozen, actively helping families replace their income by leveraging debt and investing in cash flowing assets that appreciate over time. “Through investing in self-storage, we are helping people reach true financial freedom.”

They’ve also created an elaborate course that assists students with everything: real estate fundamentals, finding storage, conducting due diligence, speaking with sellers, negotiating techniques, creative finance structures, underwriting, facility takeover procedures, and operational instruction. “Most people don’t have an education problem,” says Barsanti; “they have an implementation problem.”

There’s something else that separates the wheat from the chaff. “One of the reasons that our community is so successful is because of mindset,” he says. “I speak about this on stages now, to inspire others who want to invest in storage. Committing to these types of investments is intimidating, and people often let their self-doubt keep them from taking action. But if I want to be a successful coach, I have to help them believe in themselves and that they can do it. This is such a significant aspect of the success of the StorageLife community.”

Their students consist of people from all walks of life: entrepreneurs, real estate developers, doctors, surgeons, lawyers, house flippers, teachers, government employees, firemen. “You name it. We teach them.”

All the couple’s income streams (real estate, coaching, public speaking, and partnerships) have enabled them to build a truly fulfilling life. “I work from home. I see my boys almost every day of their lives. Cristina works a few hours a day, max.” They can work from anywhere in the world, and they take Fridays off to go to yoga classes and have lunch together. “We can travel wherever we want, whenever we want. We are, in fact, living the dream; and now we get to help others do the same.”

When he’s not working, Barsanti loves spending time with his family in Corrales, N.M. His two rambunctious boys keep him and his wife on their toes. He also loves to surf and snowboard, so he’s always planning trips to do so as often as possible.

Looking back at his entire trajectory, it would be easy to decide that maybe luck had a lot to do with it, but upon closer inspection, Barsanti’s story is testament to what happens when you turn wishful thinking into reality. Everyone wants to create wealth and build a dream life. Many talk about it ad infinitum, but few actually take action.

From that passion came additional lessons about the importance of self-education, the strength of partnerships, and knowing that it’s never too late to accomplish something great. “I was already 40 when I started learning about this industry,” he says, “and look how much my life has changed for the better in just five years.”

Barsanti wants people to be aware that it’s entirely possible to find opportunities even amid desperation. “In fact, that desperation can serve as fuel for success,” he adds. He was at rock bottom, but against all odds, he built a real estate empire. Then, after he did, he turned around to help others do the same.

For anyone looking to achieve a dream, regardless of industry, his philosophy is simple: “Surround yourself with those who are successful at what you want to be successful at and your dreams will become a reality.”

razil is known for its vibrant culture, futebol (soccer) fanatics, and an Amazon that grows trees instead of boxes. It was never really known for self-storage, but that’s changing. Now, facilities are beginning to dot the landscape, becoming one of the country’s fastest-growing commercial real estate sectors. A slowdown isn’t in sight, with new projects in the pipeline as entrepreneurs, developers, and international capital pile in. One of the sector’s newest players making a name for itself is SmartStorage, a company with lean operations and a sharp strategy that reflects where the market is headed. To understand their path to success, however, it helps to look at the pioneers who set the stage.

Also in 2013, GoodStorage entered the arena under real estate executive Thiago Cordeiro’s watch (he remains CEO and is now president of the Brazilian Self Storage Association, ASBRASS). The company expanded aggressively, eventually becoming Brazil’s largest operator and acquiring GuardeAqui in 2024, though both brands continue to operate independently.

Para Guardar also set up shop that year in Manaus, but it did things a little differently by converting an empty warehouse into a Class-A facility. It was an approach that would later become standard practice for many operators. “I chose self-storage because it combines the excitement of retail with the stability of real estate,” said founder José Benchimol.

“More countries around the world are picking up on this trend, and nowhere is that more evident than in Latin America,” Blum told MSM in 2013. Despite his confidence, Brazilian consumers still needed a little convincing. But Blum didn’t rely on billboards, which can be hard to lease due to strict regulations; instead, he hired “storage ambassadors” to walk São Paulo’s busiest streets, handing out mini-CDs explaining the concept.

His son Eric, who’s picked up the mantle at BMSGRP, reflects on those early days. “Dad recognized that traditional advertising was going to be difficult, and it really wasn’t a good outlet to explain the concept of self-storage anyhow,” he says. “Handing out those CDs was guerilla marketing at its finest!”

“We’re witnessing a reorganization of urban space,” Cordeiro recently told Valor International. “Self-storage has moved beyond a niche market to become part of the urban infrastructure.”

The rise of e-commerce has added fuel. Mercado Livre, the region’s dominant online retailer, has enabled thousands of small businesses to flourish without traditional warehouses. Many of those sellers rely on self-storage for inventory, logistics, and flexibility. Urban growth, unpredictable real estate cycles, and rising land costs have all converged to create an ideal environment for the industry’s next stage.

Kovesi’s roots are in the technology industry. In the late 1980s he built a thriving hardware company that is still going strong today, but by 2001, he was looking at opportunities in real estate, dabbling in them passively. “Years later, after researching investment opportunities, I found self-storage offered higher yields and less volatility than other asset classes,” says Kovesi.

Kovesi signed up for a Self Storage Congress event and met Francisco Canuto, an industry vet who’d worked on GuardeAqui. “Canuto’s operational knowledge was a key factor in SmartStorage’s success and growth,” says Kovesi. “I initially approached to ask him to be a consultant, and he’s now the co-founder with a CEO role, giving him real skin in the game.”

The duo opened the first SmartStorage facility during the height of the COVID pandemic. It was deemed risky, but it paid off as demand for storage spiked globally. Since then, SmartStorage has grown to nine facilities with stabilized occupancies north of 90 percent, well above the national average of 80 percent.

But SmartStorage’s edge isn’t just timing—it’s efficiency. The company operates with only 12 employees, relying heavily on digital onboarding and mobile access technology. Tenants can move in, access their units, and manage their accounts entirely through an app.

Kovesi also created a proprietary referral dashboard, building an ecosystem of partners who use it to send their clients storage options. “Individuals receive 15 percent of the first year’s revenue from each renter they refer, while agencies can split commissions. It gives us a bit of an edge over competitors who depend on expensive digital ads.”

SmartStorage has also struck partnerships with multifamily property owners and short-term rental platforms, embedding referral links in their apps and websites. The result is a growing network of partners incentivized to send tenants their way.

The company has already appointed a head of expansion to formalize its franchise structure and aims to become one of the top three operators in Brazil within five years. Because SmartStorage doesn’t build from scratch, preferring to repurpose 20- to 30-year-old industrial buildings, franchisees receive healthier margins.

“This strategy also cuts capital costs, speeds time to market, and lowers environmental impact,” says Kovesi. “These cost advantages let us offer more favorable royalty terms and scale without massive debt.”

Brazil’s self-storage story began with a handful of facilities and a box of mini-CDs. Two decades later, it has grown into a multimillion-dollar industry, with SmartStorage and its industry peers racing to define its future.

evenue management in self-storage isn’t just about filling units. It’s about making sure every square foot is generating the maximum return for your business.

Without a revenue management strategy in place, even properties with 90 percent occupancy can underperform at a net operating income (NOI) level.

One of the most effective (and often misunderstood) levers you can pull is existing customer rate increases (ECRI).

If your occupancy is stabilized and you’re not raising rents for current tenants, you’re leaving money on the table. But it’s not as simple as pushing prices up across the board.

Done wrong, self-storage ECRI can damage your occupancy, erode customer trust, and ultimately cost you more in lost revenue than you gain. Done right, this tactic is a steady, predictable way to grow (NOI) and strengthen your facility’s long-term performance.

In this article, we’ll walk through why independent operators should approach ECRI differently than the REITs, the risks of mismanaging your program, and the three principles we use at White Label Storage to implement ECRI successfully across more than 200 facilities nationwide.

Over time, inflation and rising operating costs eat away at margins.

As the name suggests, ECRI is a framework for steadily increasing rents on existing customers. It is a core part of revenue management because it improves your income from each customer without providing new amenities or services.

ECRI works because the psychology of tenants changes once they’ve been in place for an extended period of time. People enter a loss aversion mindset, where they will accept new pricing to keep what they have, that is the storage unit they’ve come to rely on.

A well-designed ECRI program makes sure you’re not underpricing your units while still protecting occupancy. Even if some customers leave after an increase, the additional revenue from those who stay almost always offsets the churn. The key is finding the right balance.

For these institutional operators, the math works. Even if a significant number of tenants leave, REITs can absorb the loss because they operate at enormous scale. They target markets with plentiful demand and spend a small fortune on advertising to ensure a constant stream of new customers.

Independent operators don’t have that luxury. If you’re running a facility in a secondary or tertiary market, an aggressive REIT-style approach can backfire badly:

• You burn through local demand. Unlike a REIT in a major metro, secondary and tertiary markets don’t have an unlimited supply of new tenants. Once your churned customers are gone, they’re gone for good.
• Marketing costs spiral. Even if you’re in a big city, filling vacant units will become more expensive with increased churn. Digital ads, promotions, and staff time add up quickly, especially if you’re competing against REITs with massive spending power.
• Customer trust erodes. Independent facilities often rely on reputation and word of mouth. Sudden, steep rent hikes damage that trust, making it harder to maintain long-term relationships. Increased churn can spark a negative review cycle.

For independents, the goal isn’t to maximize short-term revenue at all costs. It’s to steadily grow NOI while protecting occupancy and keeping customer satisfaction high.

At White Label Storage, we’ve tested ECRI strategies across a diverse portfolio of facilities, urban and rural, stabilized and lease-up, large and small. What we’ve learned is that patience and moderation win.

Here are three simple rules that we use as best practices for increasing tenant rates.

1. Only raise rents on tenants who have been in place for nine months or longer.
Customers who are newer to your facility are still price sensitive. Raise their rent too soon and they’ll move out quickly. But tenants who have been with you for nine-plus months are less likely to churn. They’ve settled in, and the hassle of moving is often greater than the added cost.

2. Never increase rents more than 50 percent.
It may sound obvious, but pushing too hard is a fast way to lose tenants. Even if market rates justify a bigger jump, cap increases at 50 percent or less. Most of your tenants will absorb that change without uprooting their belongings, and your long-term revenue (and customer satisfaction) will be stronger as a result.

3. Be flexible and work with your tenants.
ECRI isn’t just a math problem; it’s a customer service moment. Some tenants will push back. Train your staff to negotiate, offer middle-ground solutions, or provide short-term discounts.

You need to control churn, so if move-outs start to spiral, start prioritizing keeping customers, if even at a slightly reduced increase.

When long-term tenants move out, it opens inventory you can rent at higher street rates. That turnover gives you a chance to reset pricing, often bringing in even more revenue than before.

The key is to monitor performance. Track occupancy trends, churn rates, and revenue growth before and after each increase. Over time, you’ll find the sweet spot for your facility.

At White Label Storage, following these principles has consistently produced positive results across hundreds of facilities. The outcome has been higher NOI, stronger occupancy, and healthier customer relationships.

Are you ready to make your self-storage property more profitable? Learn more at www.whitelabelstorage.com.

ne of the best-selling video games of all time is Tetris. Released in the mid-80s, the puzzle game challenges players to fit falling blocks of various shapes and sizes together in the most efficient way possible. That simple premise hooked millions of players around the world. Nearly 40 years later, the 3D Storage Planner, developed by Self-storage.ai, is taking that same principle and applying it to the real-world logistics of self-storage. Where Tetris gave players satisfaction in clearing lines, this tool gives customers the confidence of fitting their lives into a unit that’s the perfect size.

Co-founder Nylan Raufaste has long used technology to change how people access storage. His first venture was a peer-to-peer storage marketplace, an “Airbnb for self-storage,” he calls it. He then launched a pricing comparison tool to help customers find the best deals. Both ideas took hold, but the rapid advancement of AI, and his growing understanding of the self-storage customer journey, led to a new vision. “We decided to use AI and 3D technologies to create a unit size selection tool,” he says. “We had a strong understanding of the booking process and what pushes online conversions, so we created the 3D Planner.”

Raufaste notes that customers are often surprised by the results. Many discover their original size choice was too large, and some find they can save money by choosing a smaller space. “They can play around with items, unit sizes, and so on until they think they’ve got it right. The visuals give them confidence when booking the right unit size,” he says. For operators, this solves what’s often the biggest sticking point in the customer journey. With the right sizing decision made online, the need for lengthy calls or in-person visits disappears.

The 3D Planner is fully white labeled, living seamlessly on a facility’s website and carrying their branding and logo. Current clients include National Storage in Australia and New Zealand, with roughly 270 locations, as well as Montreal Mini-Storage, which operates 24 facilities in Quebec. Raufaste says it’s also gaining traction with operators who want to modernize their online presence and remove friction at the point of booking.

“When facing uncertainty about unit sizing, maybe two out of 50 people will reserve an oversized unit,” says Raufaste. However, the majority either leave the website because they can’t identify the size they need or call the facility to determine the right size. “Both outcomes create friction in the booking process and increase the risk of losing the rental. The main takeaway remains: Is losing conversions from many worth a couple of oversized rentals? Our clients and I say no.”

That conversion benefit isn’t the only win. “The user experience is better, website engagement and SEO are improved, and clients see more conversions and fewer dropouts,” says Raufaste. Less time on the phone also frees up managers and agents for other tasks, and if someone does call, the employee can use the 3D Planner to provide the recommendation. “It’s a win-win.”

To demonstrate value, Self-storage.ai tracks 3D Planner engagement data and conversion rates for every client. As usage grows, the team has been refining the tool and launching new features designed to make the process even more intuitive. Another new feature is coming soon, but for now Raufaste is keeping it under wraps. “All I can say is it is going to simplify every step of the tenant’s journey, from booking to move-in day; and for operators, it will continue to reduce friction and boost revenue.”

Just like in Tetris, success comes down to precision. Only now, the falling blocks have been replaced by real beds, boxes, and couches—and fitting them together can mean the difference between unit size frustration and perfection.