Anna Taylor

By Alejandra Zilak

f you’ve been around the block long enough to remember Alanis Morissette’s music from the 90s, you know it is a universal truth that life does have a funny way of working things out.

In this month’s installment of “Women In Self-Storage,” we’re taking a look at the life of Anna Taylor, head of self-storage lending at Live Oak Bank in Wilmington, N.C. For the past 19 years, she’s worked in self-storage lending, and all she had to do to land herself in this industry was trust in signs and go with the flow to where life was taking her.

Taylor was born and raised in Wilmington, N.C. She’s the middle of three sisters, whom she calls her best friends: Laura and Mary Emma. They spent summers in Lake Michigan and had a series of three dachshunds, all named Tobey. While Laura and Mary Emma thrived as theater kids, often getting lead roles in their school’s plays, when she tried to follow suit, she was cast as a tree. “That’s when I decided drama wasn’t for me,” she says with a laugh.

Taylor gravitated towards sports, playing tennis, basketball, and golf with her dad. She continued being a sporty kid until it was time to go to college at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. “I loved being a student there,” says Taylor. “It’s the quintessential college campus with beautiful quads and lots of trees, right in downtown Chapel Hill. It’s a really fun place to go to college. I loved the people, the classes, the sports—all of it! And when I was there, the basketball team won the national championship in 2009, which was a really memorable experience.”

She bounced around trying to find the right major, ultimately deciding on advertising. However, Taylor started her career trajectory while doing a minor in entrepreneurship. “We took business and economy classes,” she says, “and we could apply to an internship in New York City. Whoever was selected for the internship would be placed with a startup company.” Lo and behold, Taylor was selected for one of the spots, and she was paired with a tech startup called Loose Cubes.

“I loved moving to New York,” says Taylor. “Loose Cubes was in the DUMBO [Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass] neighborhood in Brooklyn. I got to intern there the summer before my senior year, and I fell in love with the team and the company.”

The feeling was mutual, and they offered her a job when she graduated. “It was so exciting,” she says. “I think it should be mandatory that all young people live in a big city when young. I learned to be on my own, to have a budget, and getting out of my comfort zone to meet new people.”

Loose Cubes was ahead of its time, providing coworking spaces and renting out offices and extra desks to freelancers. “They could rent the space for the day, week, or month.” While the concept was novel at the time, it didn’t enjoy long-lasting success. “I got to see the hard times of startups,” says Taylor. “I didn’t realize that a lot of Series A investments were contingent on deliverables, and eventually, we lost our funding. One day, I walked in and realized that in two months, I would no longer have a job.”

Feeling dejected, Taylor called her boyfriend, Kurt, to give him the bad news. What she didn’t know was that at the time Kurt took her call, he was in New York City with his dad, secretly picking out her engagement ring. “His parents were from the city, and they went together to the same store where his dad had picked out the ring for his mom when he proposed.”

Soon after that, the couple went on vacation to Anguilla, a British overseas territory and island in the eastern Caribbean, where he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Happy and excited, they decided to move back to their hometown in North Carolina.

This is when Taylor’s story starts looking like a series of fortunate events. She had lost her job, got engaged, then moved back to North Carolina because she had lost her job in New York. Up next, she received a job offer to work at Live Oak Bank. “It’s one of the luckiest things to happen to me. And my first day on the job was on February 4^th, which is my birthday, so I took it as a sign that I should be there.”

That was 13 years ago, and she still loves working there. Ten of those years have been in the self-storage lending division. “We finance all across the country, and I do self-storage loans exclusively. It’s helped me become really good at my job, focusing on one thing.”

But getting good at what she does came with its share of challenges. “In the early days, I was trying to figure out what my style as a lender would be. You have to walk clients through all the financing options, how to structure loans, and prepare sales pitches the first time you meet with someone who’s interested in a loan.” At first, she’d listen to other people and try to mimic them, but she didn’t enjoy doing it that way because she didn’t sound like herself. “I had all this knowledge and I wanted to take this seemingly complicated process and make the path more smooth for customers. I then started taking the approach of explaining information to people instead of selling. That helped me set up relationships with customers.”

Taylor learned her craft thoroughly. When first becoming familiarized with the storage industry, she made a binder with two sections: one about self-storage and one about lending. “I had never heard of cap rates before, so I started learning the jargon.” That was 10 years ago; today she knows the industry like the back of her hand. At some point, she and her husband even bought two self-storage facilities. “That was one of my greatest accomplishments, because it was cool to tell customers that I was also in their shoes.” They’ve since sold those facilities, but she’d eventually like to become an owner-operator again.

As head of self-storage lending, now she has an entire team. Together, they get the word out that even though they have many small business customers, they also do financing for larger firms.

“Seeing my customers succeed is incredibly rewarding,” she says proudly. “I have so many stories of people who have used storage as a way to start a business, make money, then do good in the world. It’s not just about being financially successful but what you do with that money.”

That’s what she loves most about self-storage: the people. “I’ve been in the industry for a decade now, going to the same conferences every year and seeing the same familiar faces. And every single time I’ve had a question, needed recommendations, or I’ve wanted to make a connection, they’re always willing to help. It’s a very ‘I know a guy’ kind of industry.”

When asked what she’d say to women just getting started in self-storage, she mentions the good people again. “I would tell them that there’s so much opportunity here. I love seeing more and more women attending industry events. I’d tell everyone who’s new to not be afraid to reach out to people and learn from them. The industry is full of people willing to help. Ask for best practices, connections, or mentorship. You’ll get them.”

When she’s not working, Taylor still loves to do many of the things she enjoyed while growing up. “Tennis is my favorite hobby for sure, and I still play a little bit of golf. I also like mahjong and needlepoint. I have a lot of grandma hobbies,” she says. “I needlepoint my kids a Christmas ornament every year.”

She also loves to read; Pride and Prejudice is one of her all-time favorites. She loves French, Thai, and Mexican foods. She loves spending time with her kids, Marshall and Louise, and playing with their one-year-old golden retriever, Murphy. “He’s a bit of a handful, but he’s so sweet and just wants to be loved.”

David Brown

By Victória Oliveira

he managing director of self-storage development for Wentworth Property Company, David Brown, like many other successful professionals in the self-storage industry, started his career working for a commercial real estate developer, which also marked a big new chapter in his life, as he had to move from Arizona to Pennsylvania.

“I was born and raised in Arizona, and I accepted a job in Philadelphia, which might as well have been a foreign country,” says Brown. “I was lucky to work with a great group. I was taken under the wing by a local real estate developer who was very instrumental in teaching me the business of development.”

Besides learning the ins and outs of commercial real estate, Brown also learned the company’s specialty: adaptive reuse of historic properties. “Adaptive reuse of old buildings is a very niche job, and navigating the national parks process to get a property to qualify for the tax incentives is very complicated. It was fascinating to take old, dilapidated buildings and not only work with someone who had a vision of redeveloping them but to then take the project full circle from working on the entitlement side to lease negotiations to actual construction and handing the property over to a tenant,” he says. “We worked on several projects that included the expansion of an old 1910s Kiwi shoe polish building that was a former brownfield site to a 1920s train station that we converted to classroom space for Montgomery County Community College.”

After seven years of learning the trade, Brown became homesick, missing the familiar mountain scenery of Arizona and his biggest support system–his family. It was then that he decided to return to his hometown with hopes of becoming a professional golfer. “I moved back to Phoenix and thought I would become a professional golfer,” he says. “Turns out I am terrible at golf, and that wasn’t going to happen.”

It was then that Brown received a gentle push from his father-in-law, Kent Greenwald, a self-storage industry veteran. That nudge led him to decide to give the industry a try, and he achieved success from the start.

“My father-in-law, Kent Greenwald, had been in storage since the RTC days and pushed me to consider self-storage development,” says Brown. “From there, it was finding a local group that wanted to do that, and I was fortunate enough to develop three ground-up self-storage facilities before joining Wentworth Property Company in 2015.”

As someone fortunate enough to find success in his investment early on, Brown has a few tips up his sleeves to share with anyone looking to lay the ground before starting to look for capital to open their first facility.

“It starts with finding the right spot. Development isn’t easy,” he says. “You need to find the right location that allows you to build the right product for the market. Once you find it, you will need to get through the entitlement process, which in some cases can take over a year. Finding funding is something you should do after you are sure you are going to be successful with the entitlements.”

Coming from a conversion background in real estate, he has a few expert thoughts on when it is best to convert and when to develop from the ground up. “In mega MSAs, the ability to find dirt is often not there. To enter some markets, we have had to acquire old retail, industrial, and office buildings. But beware, not every building warrants itself to be converted to storage. Office buildings have lower floor loads that require you to increase the load factor, and that can be very expensive or even impossible to do.”

Brown highlights a few key factors to determine if a location is viable for developing a new facility today. “I generally start my evaluations by looking at population density, average household income, existing self-storage square footage per capita, and most importantly rents,” he says. “If the rents aren’t high enough in a market, move on. If the supply is too high, move on. Also, don’t be the person who builds across the street from someone else. It will lead to years of regret for you and your neighbor.”

For anyone looking to de-risk projects before presenting them to investors, Brown suggests waiting to close on the land to avoid headaches. “We don’t close on land until the entitlements have been completed,” he says. “Don’t put yourself in a situation where you can get stuck. Also, be mindful of the permitting process. We do this day in and day out, and we still find municipalities that have extreme review periods, and permitting can take upwards of a year in some cases.”

In his experience, he has seen some first-time developers fall into some common pitfalls. “The most common mistake I see is believing that a site is good when not paying attention to the barriers to entry or trying to build into someone else. Also, developing is not easy or cheap. I often blame my hair loss on the pitfalls of the development process.”

The biggest cost drivers continue to be the construction itself. “Construction cost is the biggest driver. Making sure that your budget is in line with actual costs is integral to your project. Once you get a site plan and concept elevations, get a qualified GC’s input on the cost, and make sure that your proforma isn’t going to get busted.”

Brown suggests keeping an eye on the recent increase in permit and impact fees to avoid driving up costs during development, which can kill your margins post-launch. “We have also seen a major increase in permit and impact fees throughout the country. We recently had a project that we estimated to have $500,000 in permit and impact fees, and the actual cost was double that. That was a huge hit to the project.”

Like many industry professionals, he has found the self-storage community to be hospitable. “If you are new, I would recommend getting involved in your state storage associations for resources and meeting folks who have a reputable background in developing. One of the best things about the storage community is how open and helpful folks are.”

When it comes to a typical construction timeline for building from the ground up, he mentions his “typical timeline is 12 to 15 months, depending on the project,” but investing in a good general contracting (GC) team is key to accelerating it. “The best way to accelerate the process is to have a competent GC team that is constantly looking for ways to improve the schedule and looking for ways to avoid any issues on inspections,” says Brown. “Elevators are a huge problem for us, and getting ahead of any pitfalls is crucial to opening the doors.”

Innovations that have positively surprised him in construction are currently gaining traction in the industry. “We have built several single-story projects lately, and my friends who own metal building companies can attest that it is the easiest and most cost-effective way to build,” Brown says. “The trouble is that most cities hate it. They want CMU or alternative building materials used with intricate building elements.”

Brown also shared a few remarks and words of wisdom from his decade-long experience in the business. “I think the biggest thing a developer can do is be mindful of the product that they are developing,” he says. “I have seen several groups develop a three-story climate-controlled project in an area that really wants traditional drive-up products. Storage development isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ product. We are big on having a unit for everyone, i.e., traditional drive-up, interior walk-in non-climate, and true climate-controlled space. Whether that is a local business that has needs, the stay-at-home mom who has a side hustle, or the family that needs to free up space at home. Also, the other miss I see is not paying attention to the security side of things. We typically put a minimum of 64 cameras in our new builds. Folks are paying you for security; you better make sure you are providing that.”

By Chris Bailey

his 2025 Capital Lender Survey offers a snapshot of lending sentiment within the self-storage sector, capturing insights from banks and credit unions actively engaged in commercial real estate finance. The results reflect perspectives from DXD partner institutions across the country, with responses collected from regional and community banks, national institutions, and credit unions. Participants provided their outlooks on lending strategies, portfolio concentration, underwriting criteria, and perceived risks within the current macroeconomic environment.

As the capital markets continue to evolve in response to high interest rates, shifting regulatory landscapes, and broader economic uncertainty, understanding lender behavior is more important than ever. This survey offers visibility into how capital providers are adjusting their self-storage loan strategies and where they may be pulling back or leaning in. What emerges is a picture of cautious consistency: Most lenders report steady appetite for self-storage yet remain sharply focused on managing risk through tighter underwriting and exposure controls.

As a consequence of the generous lending practices that occurred in 2021 and 2022, coupled with significant interest rate hikes leading to asset distress, banks have adopted a conservative lending approach today. This posture is expected to keep construction lending subdued for the next one to two years, thereby mitigating the risk of oversupply across numerous commercial real estate asset classes, particularly self-storage.

See Type Of Lending Institution chart and Type Of Loans chart.

While nearly all respondents (82.4 percent) face internal or regulatory portfolio concentration limits for CRE lending, the vast majority (88.2 percent) allocate less than 25 percent of their total CRE loan portfolio to self-storage. Appetite for self-storage lending remains steady, with 94.1 percent reporting no change from last year. Additionally, most lenders (70.8 percent) have not restructured or extended any self-storage loans in the past 12 months, indicating overall loan performance has remained stable despite broader market pressures.

There is a measured but cautious stance among DXD lenders. Nearly half (47.1 percent) reported that self-storage loan performance was on par with other CRE sectors, while 23.5 percent noted underperformance and an equal share indicated a lack of sufficient data to evaluate. When ranking underwriting concerns, absorption risk during lease-up was the top issue (88.2 percent), followed by oversupply, sponsor capabilities, and construction costs. In terms of broader macroeconomic and regulatory pressures, lenders expressed the greatest concern over interest rates, CRE market softening, and recession risk, with regional bank pullback also registering as a key issue. Together, these insights underscore a lending environment shaped by risk mitigation and selectivity.

See Storage Performance CRE 12 Month chart, Concerned Macroeconomic and Regulatory Issues chart, and Top Three Underwriting Condcerns chart.

There is a measured but cautious stance among DXD lenders, where nearly half (47.1 percent) reported that self-storage loan performance was on par with other CRE sectors, while 23.5 percent noted underperformance and an equal share indicated a lack of sufficient data to evaluate.

When ranking underwriting concerns, absorption risk during lease-up was the top issue (88.2 percent), followed by oversupply, sponsor capabilities, and construction costs. In terms of broader macroeconomic and regulatory pressures, lenders expressed the greatest concern over interest rates, CRE market softening, and recession risk, with regional bank pullback also registering as a key issue.

Together, these insights underscore a lending environment shaped by risk mitigation and selectivity.

Our platform is a unique hybrid of private equity, real estate development, and proprietary technology that leverages data at scale to identify optimal self-storage investments. Learn about our ground-up real estate developments, value-add acquisitions, or fund investment opportunities.

Martin Huff
Managing Director – Investor Relations
(706) 615-2323 – martin@dxd.capital

Andrew Tuthill
Managing Director – Capital Formation
(415) 640-4099 – andrew@dxd.capital

This survey was developed and conducted by the DXD Capital team in June 2025. Questions were designed based on internal stakeholder input and current market research to assess lender sentiment and risk posture within the self-storage sector. The survey was distributed via email as an online form and sent directly to 17 banks that DXD currently partners with in commercial real estate finance. Respondents represented a mix of regional and national institutions. All responses were collected anonymously to encourage candor and transparency. Findings reflect the views of DXD’s lending partners and provide a focused snapshot of underwriting priorities, portfolio strategies, and macroeconomic concerns in the current lending environment.

The information contained in this 2025 CRE Lender Survey (Survey) is provided for informational purposes only and is not comprehensive. The Survey is based on third-party CRE lending institution’s responses to questions posed by DXD Capital (DXD). DXD makes no representations, warranties, or assurances, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information provided in the Survey.

This Survey reflects the responding lenders’ perspectives, estimates, and expectations. It does not constitute DXD Capital’s opinions, commitments, recommendations, or assurances regarding future lending conditions, capital market dynamics, regulatory changes, or self-storage sector performance. Any reliance on the information in this Survey is at the sole risk of the recipient.

DXD expressly disclaims any liability for inaccuracies or incompleteness and for direct, indirect, or consequential losses arising from the use of or reliance on this Survey. The findings should not be construed as financial, legal, or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals for specific guidance with respect to any business or investment decisions.

ailing down Josh and Melissa Huff for an hour-long interview is no easy feat, as this dynamic duo, co-founders of Lighthouse Storage Solutions, spend a lot of time on the road. So that’s where we connect, when they’re somewhere between Vero Beach and Melbourne, Fla. They sign into Zoom on a dash-mounted device that provides a wide-angle view of them with the road stretching out in the rearview. Josh’s hands are on the steering wheel, Melissa’s are hidden behind an open laptop perched on her knees, and both are all smiles.

“I usually do the driving,” says Josh, keeping his eyes on the road but glancing at the camera from time to time. “Not because I’m better at it but because most of my work gets done at the destination, while Melissa can take care of a lot of her tasks in the passenger seat.”

“He grew up navigating Chicago-area traffic, so he’s a good defensive driver,” Melissa says before closing her laptop. “But I do correct him a lot.”

“Yeah, she has a lot of helpful input,” Josh says with a laugh, his wedding band catching the sun as he makes a slight turn. The two celebrated their five-year anniversary earlier this year, and it’s clear that it’s a marriage grounded in mutual respect and a lot of hard work.

The Huffs’ story started as a whirlwind romance. They dated for about three months before deciding to tie the knot, and while that may sound quick to some, they knew it was meant to be. Plus, they already had a lot of life experience to guide them, having both been married previously and each having children. The biggest consideration was how to go about merging the two families. Despite all their planning around how to manage that, things came together in an unexpected way. Just months after they married, COVID shut the world down, keeping the newly formed family under one roof.

“It could’ve gone south very quickly,” Josh told MSM back in 2024. “Fortunately, that’s not what happened. In fact, it was a blessing being so close to one another and our kids during such a turbulent time.”

Being confined to the home also meant working alongside one another every day. Melissa was already active in the self-storage industry, at one time having managed 35 facilities across three states while serving as director of the Tennessee and Louisiana Self Storage Associations (positions she still holds). Meanwhile, Josh had a wealth of knowledge in marketing, with years of experience under his belt. While sharing an office with his new wife during quarantine, however, his interest in self-storage grew. He began doing side projects for her clients, and she began helping him out as well. Eventually, the two decided to put their strengths together and create Lighthouse Storage Solutions.

“A number of facilities that had been doing unprecedented levels of business suddenly found themselves struggling,” recalls Josh, “so we began looking at ways to help them.”

For Josh, that meant marketing, web design, and drone photos and video. For Melissa, that meant consulting, management training, and policy and procedure manuals. By partnering up, they were able to turn Lighthouse into a full-service operation designed to “guide owners on a clear path towards their desired destination.”

Now it’s a whirlwind of work, but the Huffs are loving every minute of it.

While some road warriors play games like “I spy” to pass the time, the Huffs are more apt to point out self-storage facilities. It’s easy to spot the “big four” REITs on their journeys, but being the first to spy a uniquely located or architecturally interesting independent gives Josh or Melissa bragging rights (until the next one is discovered). Of course, most of the work the couple does is for independents, so it’s no surprise they’d keep an eye out for them.

As a state association director, Melissa does advocate for self-storage in general–she highlights legislative efforts such as streamlining lien laws and improving the eviction process–but she acknowledges that there is a greater emphasis on independents. “Many of them can use the help, whereas the REITs don’t need any handholding,” she says.

One way the associations support independents is by holding educational and networking events. Because many small operators may not have the budget to attend a big national show, or it might not be feasible for them to shut down their facility and head out to Vegas or Orlando, events like a local “lunch and learn” allow them to connect with others on a smaller scale. “These provide educational opportunities and allow independent owners to sit down with others like them to discuss challenges, brainstorm solutions, and share successes. Everyone learns from one another.”

Melissa stresses that despite a lot of industry restructuring, and a lot of properties changing hands lately, she never sees independents becoming a thing of the past. “Not everyone is selling out to the big boys,” she says. “There are still a lot of small operators who love their business, and they’re stepping up their game in order to compete, whether it’s improving their technology or re-evaluating their rates. And that’s wonderful to see.”

Josh agrees, recalling the story of a Lighthouse client who hired them to help get his property ready to sell. “He was losing money and getting frustrated, so he wanted us to optimize it in order to get a good price for it on the market.”

The Huffs looked at the facility and the market and came back to the client with an unexpected recommendation: Keep the property. “There were a lot of tools that the client didn’t even know were available to him that we put into place,” Josh says. “We upgraded the software, designed a new website, implemented a training program, and so on.”

The plan worked. Today, the property is operating successfully and even going toe-to-toe with some heavy hitters in the area. “We love when that happens for our clients,” says Josh. “When they realize it is possible to compete with REITs that are moving onto their turf and still have a valuable and viable business.”

Melissa adds that not every project is an immediate homerun. After setting some clients up for success and giving them a play-by-play on how to keep moving forward, some aren’t ready to cut the cord. This is especially true when there’s new technology involved. “What we often hear is, ‘Can you do this with me?’”

Of course, the good-hearted Huffs are happy to do that, staying on for three or six months more–sometimes longer. “We try to walk alongside them, encourage them. If there are hiccups along the way, they don’t have to handle them alone. We help them navigate those situations.”

If it sounds like the Huffs have a lot of irons in the fire, that’s because they do. Lately, the couple has been joking that their company motto should be “Yeah, we can do that”—not that they’re complaining.

“We have people reach out for random things all the time, and our response is always, ‘yeah, we can do that,’” Josh says with a laugh. In the last two months alone, Cubby approached them to produce their podcast and Madison Capital asked them to create video of under construction properties throughout the country. “They send us the audio and video, we produce it and put it out on their platform,” he says about Cubby. “We visit about 15 of their [Madison Capital] properties once a month to capture video that highlights the progress that’s been made.” They also get requests for quick one-off jobs, such as a brochure or billboard design.

Their willingness to say “yes” has also led to highly specialized requests. Beyond marketing materials, operators often turn to Melissa for complex challenges like determining rate increases. “They’ll know they need to increase their rates, but they don’t know which tenants to increase first or how much to raise the rate.”

She’ll take these on a case-by-case basis. “Rates can be a touchy subject, so typically I’ll only offer guidance in that area if it’s someone I’ve worked with before, so that I already have a good understanding of their property, the market, and the competition. Together, we’ll look at their property management system, checking their current rates and occupancy against others in the area and coming up with a plan of action.”

Collections is something else many small operators struggle with. “They might not be firm enough with delinquent tenants, they may not understand the lien process, or they may just be afraid to implement it,” says Melissa. “So again, we give them a plan so that they know how to handle delinquency and can manage it the same way every single time without exception. That’s empowering for the manager, and after a few of them, it becomes easier.”

Another specialty the Huffs have added to their expanding line of “yeah, we can do that” services is moderating demos between clients and suppliers, including software, security, access control, and call center companies. “We know the questions to ask that they may not,” says Josh. “Being on that call with them gives them peace of mind that they’re making the right decision and that they’re not getting a raw deal or being taken advantage of.”

Recently, Melissa has also begun working with owners on new development. She’ll pore over site maps and feasibility reports with clients, helping them consider unit mix, traffic flow, even architecture and landscaping.

Does her role as director of two state associations inspire more confidence among clients? “They may feel more secure because of that, but Lighthouse operates independently of the associations,” she says. “The boards can’t get involved with individual properties due to liability. At that level, guidance is generalized: basic information about best practices, marketing, and so on.”

For anything more involved than “How are auctions performed?” or “What does the state’s lien law say?” the associations’ have a go-to guy. “We pick up the phone and call Scott Zucker,” she says. “To help on an individual level, that’s what Lighthouse does.”

The Huffs’ work has taken them to no fewer than 35 states since they started Lighthouse Storage Solutions (there’s a map in their office with each one pinned), and they’re likely to cross off a few more in the coming years.

“One of our newest gigs is doing event photography for association conferences and events,” says Josh.

“We’ve already done New England and Florida,” adds Melissa. “Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama are coming up, and Texas is under contract. Who knows where we’ll go from there.”

One place the new gig could land them is Hawaii. “We’ve spoken with Tron [Jordheim, a self-storage consultant and host of the annual Self-Storage Hawai’i UnConference event], but the timing wasn’t right. We have two kids starting high school, one just graduated, and another we’re sending off to college, so we just couldn’t make it work. But there’s always next year.”

So, it looks like the Huffs could be trading vehicle mileage for airline miles in the near future. But even if they’re not behind the wheel, it’s clear that this power couple will continue to steer others toward success.

As for what customers have to say, she has collected a whopping 612 glowing Google Reviews in just three years. Some of the most noteworthy ones sing Laffoon’s praises:

“Marie was very welcoming and guided me throughout the whole process of renting out a storage unit. I appreciated her time. Haven’t had service like that in a while. Thank you, Porterville Storage.”

“Porterville Storage is a great place! Marie was kind, courteous, very professional, and helped us with our U-Haul return! A very clean place to store your items! Thank you, Marie!”

“I love this company! They are very nice and helpful, especially when it comes to the payment, and I had trouble paying it on time. They are there to help you out. And I want to give a shout out to Marie for the help.”

“Gerri and Marie have been beyond nice and helpful, and the new facility is top notch. They’ve made the transfer from the old facility to the new an easy transition. I highly recommend this facility! Thank you for everything.”

“Porterville storage is the best! I could go on about how amazing this place is! The facility is always top tier clean, and staff is so welcoming; I never doubt my belongings are in a safe, secured, clean place. Let’s talk staff though. Staff is where it’s at! Gerri and Marie go above and beyond for everyone! They are always showing their appreciation in every and any way they can and in such fun ways like giveaways. This month was a Blackstone grill, and guess who won! That’s right, me! They truly show that they give their heart and soul to their customers. If you’re looking for a storage unit, you won’t be disappointed. Definitely give Porterville Storage a try. You won’t regret it!”

We could fill an entire issue of Messenger with similar stories about happy customers waxing poetic about Porterville Storage and specifically mentioning Laffoon.

For those of you keeping track, the Porterville Storage owner loves her, customers love her, and here’s yet another testimonial from one of the general contractors who worked on the move to Porterville’s new location: “As a contractor, I regularly work with managers and staff from client organizations, and in this case, Marie truly exceeded my expectations,” says Gary Day. “She played a critical role during job site development, walks, and meetings, offering valuable insight on everything from driveways, spacing, parking lot layout to labeling lanes, and site access. We truly appreciate her input. Things would not have gone nearly as smoothly without her.”

Laffoon’s aware of all these praises, and she’s happy that customers are so satisfied with their experience at Porterville Storage. “I’m very proud of our reviews because customers give them after we’ve already established a relationship,” she says.

In addition to building rapport, Laffoon looks for ways to make being at the facilities a more enjoyable experience for tenants.

Music: “At our old facility, we had to walk a long way to get to the restrooms, and one day, I noticed that the only thing I could hear were the buzzing lights.” Did she just shrug and go about her day? Absolutely not! “Whenever you go shopping, or even to the dentist’s office, there’s always music. And I like that idea. Play something happy and positive and it will make people’s day better. It’s fun.”

Popcorn: This is one of her favorite perks, and she’s happy to offer it. “Most offices have a water fridge, and maybe a snack bar or coffee,” says Laffoon. “I wanted to do something more; and one time I was at a furniture store and noticed a popcorn machine. I thought it was such a great idea! People come in, smell the popcorn, and start snacking on it, instantly relaxed.”

Toys and Play-Doh: If you think all the fun stuff is saved exclusively for customers, you’d be wrong. Porterville Storage also has little play stations with toys and Play-Doh for the kids. “It keeps them busy and having fun while the parents focus on our conversation and take care of what they need to do.”

Laffoon makes clear that she’s always seeking ways to create good experiences for everyone, which in turn makes her enjoy her job even more. “You can always tell when people like their job versus when they don’t,” she says. “You usually don’t want to return to a place where people don’t like their job. But here, you’ll see that we love being here, that we love what we do, and that you’re going to feel appreciated.”

Laffoon is also cognizant of the importance of giving back to the community. She spearheaded the annual Porterville Storage Christmas Toy Drive, during which the facility collects donations for kids. Thanks to her thoughtfulness, Santa comes to every single home in the area. She’s the driving force behind the facility’s canned food drive too. “We really enjoy doing them. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, and the tenants get to give back as well.”

Then there are the Blackstone giveaways. “I thought of doing the giveaways for a couple of reasons,” she says. “First, it’s another way to make customers feel appreciated. It’s also a good way to get them to interact with us and have conversations. And I also like that it gives me the opportunity to learn their names. I always like greeting people by name.”

Making your facility become one of the best in the region in under two months with no prior experience is stellar on its own, but Laffoon has also showcased true leadership in the face of adversity. The original Porterville facility was acquired by the Porterville Unified School District. The problem was that they wanted to keep the buildings but not the storage business. This meant that Porterville Storage was required to vacate and move elsewhere, while preserving the integrity of their business and customer relationships. Mind you, this gargantuan feat included moving more than 600 units that included both conventional storage as well as boat and RV spaces.

The thought alone would make most managers cower, but not Laffoon. She immediately got to work by acting as project manager for the entirety of the relocation. She coordinated tasks with professional movers and personally contacted every single tenant to fill them in on what was about to come. She guaranteed the safe transfer of their belongings. She also showed up at the facility at 4 a.m. and left well after 6 p.m. for the entire month it took to complete the move, documenting each aspect of the operation to ensure everything was done according to plan. What would have been a logistical nightmare for most people highlighted her commitment to conducting extraordinary work, no matter what comes up. In the end, the relocation strengthened tenant trust in her and Porterville Storage. It’s the kind of professionalism that elevates any brand.

“I’m very proud of how that relocation went,” she says. “The way I laid out the Excel spreadsheets, files, and folders I put together, then organized everything—from coordinating movers to developing a plan, so that nothing was misplaced. And all that hard work paid off. When the move actually took place, it went very well.”

As if that weren’t enough to phone it in the rest of the year, Laffoon raised the bar by coming up with ways to optimize the customer experience once the move was completed. The complimentary RV wash bay being one example, as well as providing free ice for tenants and all the fun elements that make visiting Porterville Storage a memorable experience. These details may appear simple, but they make life easier for tenants when they are already in a time crunch before or after an RV trip.

You can tell her all day long about all the great things she does, but she’s quick to turn the focus back to customers. “If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t even be here,” she says. “No establishment would exist without the customer, so you have to honor that and let them know how much you appreciate it.” Mission accomplished.

“At first, I started doing it as needed, just to help out,” says Cox. “But then we went to the 2024 Self Storage Association’s conference, and I was all in. I wanted to do this full time.” The camaraderie and sense of community that’s so prevalent in the industry were two of her reasons for pursuing full-time employment at Denny’s Storage. Just over a year later, she’s being recognized as the first runner-up for Manager of the Year, which speaks volumes about her work ethic.

“Courtney is a unique talent, as she possesses all the strength required to be a first-class self-storage manager,” says Schilling. “Her customer service skills are second to none. Within months, she had developed standard operating procedures for all sites, setting occupancy records and recording low delinquency. She’s also often the first one on site to cut a lock, repair a latch, or even move snow. She’s the most well-rounded manager and leader we have ever had the privilege to work with.”

Cox manages to do all that while establishing trusting relationships with tenants, whom she genuinely cares about. In fact, it’s important to her to make connections. “People really love to tell me what’s going on in their lives, and I really enjoy being that listening ear,” she says, pointing out that getting to know their stories and the experiences they’re navigating enables her to better serve them.

Her desire to make things better for others doesn’t stop with tenants. Cox is a board member of the Larks Community Fund, a nonprofit that promotes children’s participation in sports. “She is very active in helping underprivileged kids get opportunities in sporting events and other community activities,” says Schilling. “She really is a rising star in our community.”

Then there’s the way she handles challenges. In addition to being general manager at Denny’s Storage, she also does third-party management for another facility. “The previous managing company kept paper records of everything, and the man in charge of that management would collect payments for storage units by meeting with tenants at gas stations,” says Cox. “Sam, Kelsey, and I manually entered tenant records for 500 units into software. Half the records didn’t even match, or the tenant had moved out.”

She’s able to laugh about it now, but she admits that it was quite the situation. So far, being able to sort it all out and gain those tenants’ trust again is one of the accomplishments she’s most proud of.

If you thought that being general manager at one facility and third-party managing another was enough to keep her occupied, think again. Cox and Schilling partnered with Prairie Life Storage in Cedar Falls, Iowa, so she’s now part owner and manages the property remotely. “It’s a big learning curve, but it’s really exciting,” she says, noting that she keeps busy but loves all of it.

It’s no surprise that a person who can successfully juggle so many plates so soon after joining the industry would get noticed as an overachiever, and Sam and Harvey Schilling were both happy to nominate her for Manager of the Year. Then a call came in letting her know that she was selected as the first runner-up. “Sam answered the phone, and he came running into my office with a giant smile and clapping, and put the call on speakerphone,” she says, adding that the entire experience has been such an honor. For his part, Schilling is happy to reiterate how much she deserves the accolade. “She is an unbelievably talented friend, coworker, manager, and mother.”

When you look at the metrics, it’s clear to see why Cox rose to the top so fast. Since arriving at Denny’s Storage, they’ve reached and maintained 98 percent occupancy (increased from 80 percent when she first joined the team) and 1 percent portfolio delinquency across the five locations she oversees. She’s also brought 31 percent revenue growth and helped with the design and construction coordination of a new Denny’s Storage facility.

“I love making sure things are planned and arranged appropriately,” she says, adding that many of the skills she developed as a dialysis technician, as well as managing such a variety of other businesses, have truly come in handy. “Back then, I used to analyze medical charts and I’d train people with no medical backgrounds, leading them and delegating tasks. Here, I’m still a delegator and scheduler, and I like to look at the numbers and see where we can improve to reach financial progress.”

While Cox can certainly cite her stellar key performance indicators, she’s most proud about having good relationships with tenants. “It’s really hard to find good, human interactions in today’s world,” she says. “Everything’s automated and so surface level, and there are so many businesses where everything is so transactional, so I’m glad that we’ve been able to keep that family-owned feeling at Denny’s. I’m glad we’ve kept Diane’s legacy of genuineness and kindness going and that tenants never feel like they’re just a number.”

Speaking of relationships, Cox requested that we dedicate a portion of this article to her 8-year-old son, Noah. “He’s my right-hand man and built-in best friend,” she says. “We were recently at the Iowa facility, and he found a 5-by-5 storage locker that he loved hiding and playing in. Don’t worry. He could come in and out, and it’s climate controlled.” His enjoyment of self-storage (no pun intended) has certainly been noticed by the Schillings. “We all enjoy when Courtney brings Noah to the office after school or on holidays. She’s able to manage a rapidly growing career while handling the stresses of being a single mom. She often tells us she wants to lead by example and show him the opportunities that can come from hard work,” Schilling says, making it clear how much her dedication to everything she does is so greatly admired. “She once told us that there’s no greater joy than knowing your child is proud to have you as their mom.”

So, Noah’s proud of his mom and the Schillings are proud of their general manager and friend. “We truly believe Courtney is a generational talent and are excited to see her growth and leadership in the industry,” he says. “Every time I’m asked to describe the perfect self-storage manager, I think of Courtney.”

aisy González, manager at All-American Self-Storage in Methuen, Mass., which is managed by StoragePRO Management, loves to bake. Cakes and cookies are her favorite, but her legendary tres leches (three milks) cake is her area of expertise. “I make it for every single family event,” she says proudly. It’s something that makes her so happy because her parents, Maria and Orlando, and her 25-year-old daughter, Mya, are her world; and they certainly enjoy spending time together.

The fact that good relationships are the foundation of her life has certainly shaped the trajectory of her career in self-storage. It also secured her position as this year’s second runner-up for Manager of the Year.

González started her career in storage in 2013 as a full-time sales associate. By 2015, she had been promoted to sales manager. “Daisy has been instrumental in generating key metrics and reporting for the East Coast properties,” says Jen Conlon, StoragePRO’s marketing manager and the person who nominated González for 2025 Manager of the Year.

To date, González has managed five different properties across the StoragePRO portfolio. She’s also set up new facilities and provided onboarding and training for new self-storage managers.

And while every business needs a solid team to move forward, González manages to keep everything going, even when she’s short staffed. “Despite losing her assistant manager recently, Daisy has successfully managed her facility under single coverage for several months without missing a beat,” says Conlon. Then, when her facility migrated their online presence to a new platform, she convinced more than 40 percent of her tenants to enroll in autopay. However, there are still customers who prefer to come to the store to pay in person, and González is happy to greet them warmly.

“That’s how I got to know ‘Betty,’” she says before telling a story about a tenant who will forever remain in her memory. (The tenant’s name was changed to Betty to protect her privacy.)

One of the most common phrases in the business world is that nothing is personal—it’s just business. While it has become accepted as an adage in most industries, it’s far from the truth. Everything is personal, because every decision has an affect on people’s lives in some way, and sometimes something that may seem small can have a significant impact.

González is very aware of this fact, and the biggest example is how she decided to approach the situation when she noticed that Betty’s payments were past due. 

“She had been a tenant for many years,” she recalls. “In fact, she used to come in every month with her son to visit her unit, which looked like a little library, and to pay with a check.” González had become used to those visits, so when she saw that Betty had missed a couple of payments, she was worried.

“I called her phone number several times, and it would ring and ring, and no one would answer,” says González. “I then would call her son, and it would go straight to voicemail.”

Betty’s son was her only living relative. He had lived with her and was her caregiver, so the fact that neither were getting back to her weighed heavily on González’s mind. When she Googled their names, she was shocked to find out that the son had been killed in a fatal car accident.

González’s heart raced, not only because the event itself was devastating but because she knew that Betty relied on her son completely. She reached out to an acquaintance who provides senior services to ask for help with locating Betty. It turned out that Betty had to be hospitalized after the police delivered the bad news; subsequently, she was sent to a nursing home.

Through the senior services organization her friend ran, González arranged for someone to help Betty in everything she needed to do, including claiming her son from the morgue, making all the funeral arrangements, getting her bills paid, saving the photos in the home she shared with her son, and donating everything else.

A few days later, Betty called González. “She told me that she was surprised someone had been asking about her, because after her son passed away, she didn’t have anyone else.” She then asked González if she would come visit her. González did, and Betty hugged her, thanking her profusely for everything. A few days later, Betty passed away.

González reflects on this time, fully aware that the memory will stay with her forever. “I’m glad we were able to help her,” she says with heartfelt concern. “She went peacefully.”

In a world where most businesses would have simply sent the required number of late-payment notices before promptly beginning the lien sale process, González exemplified what having a heart can do for someone who’s going through a truly difficult, life-altering time.

Betty’s story wasn’t a one-off example of González’s genuine caring nature. She regularly reaches out to unhappy customers to see how she can find solutions. In fact, she’s a firm believer that there’s always a way to resolve any challenges that may arise. “I enjoy my work, and I always find a way to work things out.” This approach has been instrumental in preserving relationships long term.

When asked about her biggest accomplishment in her career so far, she doesn’t mention her impressive key performance indicators, nor the success of the portfolios of facilities she manages. She immediately goes back to Betty’s story. “The fact that I was able to help someone that way is something that will always stay with me,” says González. “That has definitely been my biggest career accomplishment.”

Conlon agrees. “Daisy’s career is defined by her operational excellence, her role as a mentor and leader, but also her unwavering commitment to customer care. She has shown that with hard work, adaptability, and compassion, a store manager can have a lasting impact, not just on their property but on the lives of the people they serve; and Daisy’s approach to customer service is deeply rooted in empathy.”

When González isn’t managing her facility, she loves to spend time with her family, especially with her daughter Mya. “She’s my greatest accomplishment, my best friend, and my motivation to keep doing better in life,” she says proudly. “I always want to be a great example for her.” She also loves enjoying quiet mornings on her porch with a hot cup of coffee, as well as playing and cuddling with her dogs, Sonic and Scout.

And while González strives to always make her daughter proud, being nominated for Manager of the Year made her take pause and feel proud of herself, too. “When Jen first told me she was nominating me, I thought it was an internal thing. But when she told me I was second runner-up and that this would be a story in Messenger, I was shocked. All these years, I’ve loved my job, but I’ve also been so busy, so I hadn’t really stopped to think about how much I’ve been able to do,” she says.

Nevertheless, she does want to share credit with her coworkers. “Michelle Johnson-Sealy, Sarah Johnson, and Traci Bump have been instrumental in my self-storage career,” says González. “They have helped me on numerous occasions, and the wealth of knowledge I have in this industry is thanks to them. I couldn’t be more grateful to have them on my team.”

o matter your age or favorite form of entertainment, you’ve likely seen a movie or TV show where someone is engaging in criminal activities at a self-storage facility. It’s happened in Netflix’s “You,” ABC’s “Scandal,” and even Oscar-winning films like “Silence of the Lambs.” And it’s not just fiction. Now and then, news stories broadcast incidents such as the woman accused of locking her boyfriend in a storage unit for days or drug dealers storing their illicit contraband in storage units.

While it’s important to be mindful of these events, it’s also just as essential to know that they shouldn’t define the industry. After all, crime could happen anywhere. Yet, these stories hit closer to home when they happen at the type of facilities we all work with/at on a regular basis. If they happen far away from you, you may still want to discuss them with your peers before looking for ways to heighten the security at your own facilities.

What are some of the scariest stories within our industry? You could go down a rabbit hole by making online searches, but we’ve condensed some of the most interesting ones here, including the criminal variety as well as accidental and the disgusting kind.

“My biggest horror story? We found a head in trash bag in one of our units,” says Dianne Tanna, co-owner of TNT Self Storage Management. “That was years ago, but it did happen. The police came, and after an investigation, they determined that two brothers had killed their mother and cut her head off.” The murderers decided it would be a good idea to keep the head in a storage unit, and since they kept paying the rent and there was no indication of foul play, the owners didn’t know. “That’s definitely the worst story I have.”

Then there was that time when the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Mississippi got an anonymous tip that there was a casket inside a storage unit at a local facility. The police went to investigate and were shocked to find not one but three corpses. The unit belonged to the former director of a nearby funeral home.

There’s also the story of a Kentwood, Mich., woman who lent her storage unit to a homeless friend. Her intended good deed turned sour when she was charged for involuntary manslaughter when her friend was found dead inside the unit after a fire. The friend had apparently and allegedly died of a meth overdose before the fire—a fact that, while unfortunate, saved the good Samaritan from serving prison time.

And of course, there are countless accounts of break-ins. “If you’ve been in storage, then you know break-ins are unfortunately a normal occurrence,” says Taylor Pierce, vice president of Great Oaks Capital Partners, LLC.

Kellen Anderson, director of sales at Trac-Rite, concurs. “The most common way that thieves break into a storage unit is by grabbing at the bottom center of the [roll-up] door and doing a dead lift, bending the door up.” He recommends owners ensure their doors are reinforced so that can’t be easily accomplished.

These stories may cause some people to believe that self-storage facilities are prone to morbid scenarios, but Scott Zucker, attorney and mediator at Weissman, Zucker, Euster + Katz, says it’s unfortunate that the industry gets a bad rap as a place where crime is rampant. “I’ve seen units being used to store and traffic guns and drugs, and you do hear stories about bodies left in units. However, the same kind of activities also occur in rental houses, hotels, and office buildings.”

Case in point: Local and federal law enforcement have identified many instances of human trafficking and drug operations in hotels and conducted raids to arrest the perpetrators and save the victims. Some of these events have occurred at well-known establishments with the highest caliber of security measures, proving that even when you do everything right, those who want to do harm can still find ways to do it and attempt to hide the evidence.

Zucker points out that the dark side of humanity is present in every corner of society, and that all rental properties are subject to misuse. It’s for this reason that he stresses the importance of investing in strong lighting systems, high perimeter fencing, multiple points of access control, and high-definition security cameras. “Less crime occurs when it’s more likely than not that the crime is being witnessed and recorded,” he says.

Having a crime committed on site comes with a long list of consequences, such as negative press, safety concerns, and potential legal liabilities. This is why it’s crucial for operators to be mindful of measures they can take to protect themselves. For example, if there’s stolen property inside a unit, always let the police do the job of confiscating it. “An operator cannot knowingly resell stolen property at a lien sale,” says Zucker, who cautions against conducting your own investigations. If you suspect illegal activity, notify law enforcement and let them do their job. “Operators need to be careful of acting as their own police. An operator should not be cutting locks to look into possible crimes on their property. In fact, such activity may impact the chain of evidence needed to properly enforce the law.” He adds that entry into a unit should be limited to lien enforcements, needed repairs, and in emergencies when access is required.

Zucker also mentions that there is a wide range of language that should be included in strong self-storage rental agreements. There should be an emphasis on five areas:

1. Non-bailment language – This means that the contract includes a provision that explicitly states that the operator is not taking care, custody, or control of the stored property. As such, the tenant is the person who’s exclusively responsible for what they’re storing.
2. Waiver of liability – This means the tenant agrees to store their personal items at their sole risk and waives the right to hold the owner or operator liable. Be mindful that each state has its own requirements regarding this type of clause.
3. Shift of risk – Explicitly disclaim certain liabilities by requiring the tenant to insure their personal items.
4. Strong, clear limitation of value provision – This caps the financial liability at a specific amount. Is a tenant storing a million dollars’ worth of meth without your knowledge? Let’s hope it doesn’t happen, but you shouldn’t be liable if it does.
5. No warranty language for safety or security – No warranties, expressed or implied, exist regarding the risk of storing property on site.

Granted, none of these suggestions are intended to be taken as legal advice, nor do they form an attorney/client relationship between you, as a reader, and Scott Zucker. However, it can still serve as guidance you should discuss with your own attorney when drafting the language of your contracts. At the end of the day, the terms in these agreements can go a long way in protecting the facilities, your staff and tenants, and your bottom line. That said, an operator could be held liable for negligence if they ignore the maintenance of the property or fail to comply with state laws governing the industry. So, while consulting with a legal advisor, make sure to become well acquainted with all the responsibilities in your state.

Operators could also face significant financial penalties in cases of gross negligence. “It doesn’t happen often,” says Zucker, “but if they don’t comply with state laws or act intentionally or maliciously, punitive damages could apply.”

In addition to crimes, there are other horrific scenarios that sometimes happen every now and then in storage units. “Unfortunately, most of these issues arise from the improper use by the tenant by storing food in their unit,” says Zucker, who’s been in the industry long enough to have seen it all. “For example, sometimes a tenant will be moving a residence and storing their kitchen goods in the space.” Any residue of food, or stored food itself, even if unopened, can create an infestation of insects or rodents. “I strongly recommend signage at the facilities to remind tenants of what they can and cannot store inside the units.” He also advises adding rules to the rental agreement and providing tenants with recommendations about adequate packing.

It’s good practice to prepare for worst-case scenarios, such as a fire on property, as well. “All stores should sell insurance to make sure customers are covered,” says M. Anne Ballard, former president of Universal Storage Group. “This includes tenant insurance and tenant protection plans. If there’s a disaster, you don’t want to be the operator the morning after a fire telling customers that there’s nothing you can do.”

She proceeds to showcase her preparedness in action. “Years ago, I experienced a fire in one of our facilities, and I was at the parking lot at 4 a.m., handing out to customers the phone numbers to the insurance company because my manager had done a good job and sold insurance to everyone. Had he not done that, they would’ve been at the mercy of charity organizations.”

In addition, it’s good to know how to improvise when needing to call for help if something happens when there’s no cell reception. Alonna Ross, sales executive at Storable, shares her own scary experience. “I was in New York doing a tenant insurance catastrophic loss claim due to water damage. It was a basement unit, and the tenant hadn’t shown up yet.” Once the tenant did show up, he thought someone had broken into his unit to rob it, so he shut the door and locked her inside. “I kept listening to see if there were people on the other side of the door, but also continued adjusting the unit, figuring that he’d eventually be back. I would knock on the walls every now and then to see if anyone could hear me.” She remained levelheaded, knowing that screaming wouldn’t have helped and figuring that at some point someone would notice she was missing. The tenant returned an hour later when he realized who she was.

Then there are instances when the operators find themselves in the thick of the action, like James Eckhart, property manager at Paulding Storage in Hiram, Ga. One of his tenants was clearing his gun before storing it, when he accidentally shot his own leg and one of his fingers. “I called 911, but they couldn’t give me a response time, and the man was beginning to bleed out, so I got him to my car and drove him to the hospital myself.” He concedes that, from a liability perspective, he’s not sure if that was the right thing to do, but he felt morally obligated to help the man. “And I’m happy to report that he survived—and kept his finger.”

While it’s impossible to prevent horrific stories from occurring on your property, the key lies in covering your bases as much as possible by monitoring surveillance videos, installing real-time alerts and motion sensors, and implementing artificial intelligence tools that use facial recognition to detect unusual behavior, such as an increase of late-night visits. And at a fundamental level, offer attentive customer service and always acknowledge people’s presence, even when they’re not requesting assistance, so that everyone who comes in is aware that you know they’re on site.

All things considered, it’s good to keep in mind that, for the most part, self-storage facilities tend to be safe, especially when the operators prioritize safety. “Generally, it’s a safe environment for consumers and businesses to store their property offsite, with tremendous convenience and security,” says Zucker.

The main takeaway is there’s no need to become paranoid about the safety of self-storage facilities. As with everything else in life, always be vigilant—and maybe get a good bottle of wine and gourmet popcorn to share horror stories with your friends, just to keep things interesting.

By Alejandra Zilak

he storage industry has long been a sound investment for the simple reason that people have a lot of stuff. You can offer different varieties of extra space, and there will always be people who are moving, downsizing, divorcing, and dying.

Innovation is just as constant as the need for storage. When times get tough, people get creative. They come up with new ideas to make money: starting a business, pursuing their side hustle full-time, or giving up their fancy offices in high rises for more cost-effective workspaces. Enter self-storage flex space.

As the name implies, flex storage means thinking outside the box. You have the individual units, but they don’t necessarily have to be exclusively to store items.

“Our model redefines what flexible space can be,” says Allira Cooper, head of design and development at FlexEtc. “We do so by blending co-warehousing and coworking into one community-first environment. For us, it’s an evolution beyond storing personal property by creating a workspace ecosystem for brands, entrepreneurs, ecommerce, and small businesses who want to create and scale under one roof.”

Carl Smith, business development manager at self-storage development company BETCO, agrees. “Flex space refers to versatile, multiuse areas that can be adapted to various purposes beyond self-storage units. It offers much more of a purpose for people who can work and play. Think warehouses, conference rooms, office workspace, as well as recreational areas.”

While coworking spaces and offering ecommerce and warehouse capabilities to startups has been a trend with longevity, both experts caution about the importance of studying the local market. “In that sense you have to treat it like traditional self-storage, in terms of conducting a thorough feasibility,” says Smith. However, he shares that you must up the ante. “Typical storage has to be close to a highway or interstate, and you have to look for local demand drivers, such as population growth. With flex spaces, you should also look at local job trends. Are there enough startups? How many of them involve ecommerce? If you’re in a coastal state and there is such demand, is the location close to airports or shipping docks? FlexEtc and other companies have been experiencing great success in higher leasing because of that.”

That great success is the result of homing in on what consumers want. “There was very much a gap in the market,” Cooper says when asked about the catalyst for FlexEtc to create the spaces they do. “There were plenty of people who needed space, not just to store but to scale their businesses. and traditional warehouse leases simply didn’t fit their reality. FlexEtc was created to give them that middle ground: professional space designed for growth, without the barriers.”

And it’s not just about providing coworking spaces. Cooper is clear that to entice tenants (whom FlexEtc calls members) long term, you should make a concerted effort to provide them exactly what they need. While this may vary from person to person, there are always common denominators. Many will need conference rooms, kitchen space, lounges, and networking with the local community. Personalizations can be addressed in the leasing contracts. “Our memberships start month to month for suites or coworking access, and everyone has access to the shared amenities,” says Cooper. “But because everyone’s situation is different, we offer a lot of flexibility for their small businesses. For example, since some businesses experience ebbs and flows depending on the season, FlexEtc makes it possible to scale up or down as they need. That agility is one of the greatest advantages we offer.”

Smith adds that developers should also be mindful about the different infrastructure tenants will need. “You want flexible floor plans and open layouts that allow for tenant reconfiguration, whether it’s for warehouse space or to put a mezzanine in,” he says. “There have been so many examples of startups initially renting a small unit, then outgrowing it exponentially and needing significantly more space. Enable that to happen. It goes a long way in increasing tenant retention.”

Smith specifically advises to install 14-foot to 24-foot ceilings and durable floors with 2,500 to 3,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) to support heavy loads and machinery. He also cautions that tenants don’t want to be walking in tight spaces and narrow hallways. In addition, he recommends having additional space where tenants can package and ship their products. “I’ve seen companies that have an entire shipping area, so that tenants have a place to drop off their goods, with a shipping manager on site. Everything is shipped accurately and on time.”

Smith recommends being mindful of having a well-designed welcoming area as well, so that prospects can have that warm, fuzzy feeling when they first visit your facilities.

Cooper stresses the importance of creating a sense of community, both within co-members and within the geographical location of the offices. “We curate events and workshops designed to help members grow and navigate the different hurdles that come with owning a business,” she says. These workshops can be led by the local chambers of commerce, entrepreneurial organizations, or even fellow members sharing expertise from marketing to logistics, for instance, a marketing professional sharing their knowledge about how to successfully market their businesses. “We also host wellness and lifestyle events, invite local markets into the space to run community drives, and fundraisers. It’s about creating connections, and that extends well beyond our walls.

While coworking spaces and ecommerce startups have been popular trends, the nature of these facilities enables creatives to focus on their arts. Cooper shares some of the use cases she’s found fascinating. “We’ve seen designers build micro-factories for fashion, artists transform studios into galleries, realtors stage space to showcase homes, podcasters or photographers create and run their production. It’s inspiring to watch how entrepreneurs adapt the space to their craft,” she says, “and we make sure the amenities support that creativity. Each facility offers a photo studio podcast room, stocked kitchen, Wi-Fi, keyless access, and conference rooms. The versatility is what makes FlexEtc so powerful. It’s everything you need, plus a blank canvas to shape into whatever your business desires.”

For his part, Smith shares that he’s seen people bring in furniture, even a bed on mezzanines above the office space. “It’s not for full-time living,” he says, “but more like a man cave space. Ultimately, the tenant has the freedom to do what they want with that unit, and when they move, they can take down the mezzanines, or if the owner wants to keep it, they can work out a deal.”

Since flexibility is the name of the game, having so many versatile uses can bring operators an extra source of revenue, such as providing a mail room with packing supplies or offering ancillary services for people who rent office space. “One company we developed had a photo studio that was used to take professional headshots,” Smith says. “Extra revenue generated out of nowhere.”

Offering so much flexibility and versatility is beneficial for all sorts of businesses, but a big challenge is to let entrepreneurs know that these places exist in the first place. “It’s very much a new asset class,” says Cooper. “Many entrepreneurs and small businesses don’t yet know it exists, or they’re just beginning to understand it, so one of the biggest challenges, as well as opportunities, is creating awareness and educating the market, showing them how to co-warehousing and coworking can unlock growth.”

Once they learn about the benefits, they tend to be attracted to the concept—and stay long term. “Traditional storage can offer higher rental rates at the beginning, but flex spaces can offer other advantages,” adds Smith. “Faster build times, quicker leasing, and more appealing in certain markets if you strategize well; and since, on average, leases tend to be for several years, you have the security and peace of mind of that durability.”

Indeed, flex storage is more than just renting out facilities. “It’s a launch pad for small businesses and entrepreneurs,” says Cooper. “We exist for those people that don’t fit the traditional office or warehouse mold. We provide infrastructure, the design, and most importantly, the community. We’re building a village.”

By Brad Hadfield

ighway 58, the main artery running from rural Tennessee into Chattanooga’s urban landscape, may not be as iconic as Route 66, but it’s mentioned in no less than five songs. Now, it’s also featured within the logo of 1up Self Storage, located just off the highway. Although 1up’s nine buildings are single level, owners Bradley Adams and Tom Willumson had a two-story false front installed to make a big first impression from the highway.

The facility houses 428 units and clocks in at 78,628 square feet. With proximity to boating hotspot Harrison Bay, there’s climate-controlled boat and RV storage plus outdoor and covered parking and loading docks for semi-trucks.

The facility was partially converted from a motorcycle dealership; the rest was built ground-up. COVID supply and pricing issues lingered, and the city’s unusual bathroom requirements added complexity. However, Adams says the worst setback was being scammed $50,000 by a gate contractor, so the smart-thinking owners became AutoGate dealers and installed the gates themselves.

1up opened in May 2024, combining REIT quality with local customer care. “Everything is top notch,” says Adams, adding that 1up’s story isn’t complete. “Phase 2 is on the way!”

In Flight

By Jen Barroqueiro

By Jen Barroqueiro

n today’s competitive self-storage market, operators are investing more than ever in marketing strategies designed to drive calls and clicks. But what happens when those calls go unanswered, or when your website fails to convert visitors into renters?

The truth is that your call center and website might be costing you more than just phone bills and hosting fees. They could be costing you rentals.

Most owners feel relief knowing that someone is answering the phone. That’s the baseline. In an industry where 30 percent to 50 percent of rentals still come from phone leads, that baseline isn’t enough. If your call center agents are simply taking messages or passing along basic info, you’re missing out on one of the most important conversion points in the customer journey.

The phone call is often the first real interaction a potential tenant has with your business. It should feel like a front desk experience, not a phone tree.

Every unanswered or poorly handled call has a cost. These costs aren’t always obvious, but they add up fast:

• Lower conversion rates – Potential tenants move on to the next facility when their questions aren’t answered quickly or confidently.
• Lost revenue – One missed rental could equal $1,200-plus per year.
• Brand damage – Inconsistent or unhelpful interactions shape how your brand is perceived in the market.

If your marketing budget is doing its job, but your call center isn’t closing the loop, you’re leaking revenue.

A great call center strategy doesn’t just answer phones—it drives revenue. Here’s what top-performing storage operators prioritize:

• Dedicated sales agents and team segmentation – Assigning specific agents or teams to designated facility groups allows for personalization, stronger rapport with tenants, and a more consistent customer experience. This structure improves lead conversion, enhances follow-up, and ensures that tenant questions are answered with facility-specific context.
• Sales-trained agents – Your call center team should be trained in objection handling, upselling, and urgency creation, not just customer service.
• Full system access – Agents need visibility into unit availability, pricing, and promotions in real time. Without this, they can’t book confidently.
• Lead tracking and follow-up – Every call should be logged, and every missed rental followed up. What gets measured gets improved.
• Script flexibility – The best agents follow a framework, not a rigid script. They should sound human, not robotic.

Even if your call center is strong, your website may be silently hurting your conversion rate. Today’s self-storage customers are often mobile-first, price-aware, and ready to rent now.

Here’s where many storage websites fall short:

• No online rentals or reservations – If a customer can’t book immediately, they may not come back.
• Slow load times or poor mobile UX – Frustrated users bounce before they ever see your pricing.
• Lack of clear calls to action – If it’s not obvious where or how to rent, you’re creating friction.
• No integration with live inventory – Showing availability and rates in real time builds trust and drives urgency.

Just like your call center, your website isn’t just a digital brochure—it’s a 24/7 leasing agent.

Regular testing is essential. You should complete test rentals on a scheduled basis, not just once and done. Test the process using a mobile phone, desktop computer, and tablet to ensure a smooth, consistent, and user-friendly experience across all platforms. If the process breaks down or feels clunky on any device, you’re likely losing potential tenants.

Operators often focus on SEO and digital ads but forget to evaluate what happens after the click or call.

Ask yourself:

• Can a customer rent or reserve a unit on my site in under 60 seconds?
• Does my site perform well on mobile?
• Is my call center seamlessly integrated into the online journey?
• Am I tracking conversion data and using it to make improvements?

If any of these questions give you pause, now’s the time to take a closer look.

Your call center and website are more than conveniences—they’re your first impression and your frontline sales tools. In a world where self-storage demand is shifting and competition is everywhere, the difference between a full facility and one that’s underperforming may come down to who’s picking up the phone and what happens when someone clicks “Rent Now.”

It’s time to stop thinking of these tools as support roles and start treating them like the revenue engines they truly are.

By Cori Garrod

elf-storage operators have long struggled to prove the value of investing in social media marketing for years. The statistics are “fuzzy;” views, likes, clicks—how do you determine your cost per rental with those? We’ve heard for years that more and more users are using social for search, but if you’ve run social media ads, you’ve likely never seen a direct conversion in your analytics. Unless you’re a large brand with deep pockets, investing in social media felt like a “nice to have” instead of being an essential in your digital marketing playbook.

Things dramatically shifted on July 10, 2025, when Google began rapidly indexing more public Facebook and Instagram content, giving rise to the importance of social SEO. You can no longer depend on your website and Google Business Profile (GBP) to be found online. Optimizing your social content so that it surfaces in both social platforms and Google is an essential component of your digital marketing strategy.

Traditionally, self-storage operators have focused on local SEO. Making sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across multiple directories, creating content on your website using local search terms, optimizing your Google Business Profiles, and getting reviews have all been key components of any good local SEO strategy.

Today, search results are blended with social signals. Optimizing your social media profiles and content to improve your visibility in search results is social SEO. Facebook events, Instagram posts, and Reddit threads all show up alongside your website and GBP when searching for “storage units near me.”

Social SEO is a component of your technical and local SEO strategy. It complements your citations, backlinks, and on-page optimization efforts. Consistent messaging across the web and social platforms reinforces your local authority.

You should update your social media strategy to include social SEO. Do your homework. Research the terms and keywords your potential tenants are using to search on Google and integrate them into your social content. Consider your social profiles additional local landing pages and optimize them accordingly.

Ensure that all your social media accounts are correctly using your facility name, address, and phone number. Write a great description about your facility, use the correct business category, and be sure to add a link to your website. Link your social accounts to your Google Business Profile.

Posting consistently to your social media accounts gives you many opportunities to create hyper-local content. Update your social strategy to include:

• Using keyword-rich, descriptive captions. Avoid generic posts and include terms like “storage units in [city]” and “[city’s] best climate-controlled storage.”
• Gain further reach by using keyword-rich hashtags.
• Tag your location when posting photos of/at your facility.
• Add alt text (descriptive text that coneys the meaning of an image) to images on Instagram.
• Keep Facebook posts public and shareable.
• Use spoken keywords in Instagram Reels and Facebook videos.

Don’t go overboard with keywords when creating your captions. Remember, they should be engaging and easy to read for real people. Using hashtags will allow you to add additional keywords without making your posts look spammy.

Be sure to encourage engagement with your tenants, vendors, referral partners, and other local businesses. Encourage your tenants to post photos and add reviews of your facility. Promote your sponsored community events by publishing them on Facebook and Instagram. Public comments, photos, and reviews are also crawled, and community engagement is another opportunity to increase your search visibility.

Social media is reshaping how local businesses get discovered. While Google still dominates search, more and more consumers prioritize social proof and user-generated content over a brand’s website. A clean, mobile-friendly site is still essential, but when a consumer compares two storage facilities, the one with authentic Facebook reviews, tagged Instagram posts, and a stream of community engagement will often win trust. Expect Google to keep doubling down on surfacing these signals, especially as fake or thin websites become easier to generate.

One of the biggest shifts we’re already seeing is the rise of AI-driven search experiences. Whether it’s Google’s AI Overviews, Bing’s Copilot, or ChatGPT, the algorithms are drawing heavily on social sources. Verified reviews, user-generated photos, and fresh social posts are increasingly prioritized because they offer the kind of real-time, authentic signals AI looks for when answering questions like “Where’s the best storage unit near me?”

Another key trend is the growth of visual and voice search. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are training users to discover through images and short-form video. Meanwhile, voice assistants are leaning on structured data, reviews, and social profiles to serve local results. This means that keyword-rich captions, alt text, and even spoken words in videos will directly influence whether your business shows up in search.

To stay visible wherever your potential tenants are searching, social media must be part of your digital marketing playbook. By embracing social SEO now, you not only increase today’s visibility but also future-proof your business against tomorrow’s inevitable search shifts.

Product:

Smart Unit Monitoring Dashboard

StorageDefender

By Brad Hadfield

heir signature red coats may draw attention at conventions, but it’s StorageDefender’s smart technology solutions that keep the spotlight on the company year-round. While the six-year-old business is no longer a startup, their quest to innovate with new features like +VisualVerify™ sets them apart.

The foundation of StorageDefender lies in the complementary strengths of its founders, Mark Cieri and Nathan Wright. Cieri had a long career as a global leader at microchip technology companies, even serving as vice president for Philips Hue’s North American smart home lighting division. Wright held roles as a product engineer at Texas Instruments and Schlumberger before founding his own engineering development firm. Both held over a dozen patents when they partnered, and today hold many more together.

“These experiences were certainly valuable, but ultimately what mattered most was taking a swing at starting my own business,” says Cieri. “I didn’t want to leave room for any regrets when I spoke to my future self.”

Founders/Partners: Mark Cieri and Nathan Wright

The turning point came in 2018 when Cieri began efforts to acquire a technology business. During these pursuits, he was introduced to Wright by a mutual friend, and the two spent time as angel investors. Eventually, they realized the best path forward was to build their own company. Leveraging their collective backgrounds and passion, they decided to create a complete vertical IoT solution, with its key building block being a battery-operated wireless sensor with long battery life and mobility, while ensuring a low cost for implementation and maintenance.

As they progressed, they saw an opportunity to create an entire hardware-enabled SaaS solution for intelligent monitoring, which became the genesis of their now WMP (Web Management Portal). They conceived applications across numerous industries but were unsure where to start.

“My brother was driving down the highway, noticing one self-storage facility after another,” Cieri recalls. “When he suggested it, that was the aha moment. I made the connection that customers considered storage an extension of their home, such as a remote garage, and my experience with smart homes directly applied. The No. 1 reason people were purchasing smart home products was peace of mind, and they paid a premium for it, too. We realized we could help transform self-storage similarly by introducing individual unit monitoring as a service.”

The duo launched StorageDefender in April 2019, then COVID hit. “Everything went remote,” says Wright. “We were concerned, but self-storage was resilient. This helped us develop deep roots with our early partners as contactless technology became a priority.”

Initially, Cieri and Wright drove around Texas installing the product for clients; fast forward a few years, and StorageDefender is embedded in the self-storage ecosystem with a nationwide installation network. The reception has been extremely positive; some operators pre-outfit units with a smart device, while others offer it as an upgrade or include it in their value-based pricing offerings.

“We’re proud to have pioneered smart-unit-as-a-service for the self-storage industry, and it’s one of the top-rated features tenants will pay for,” Marketing Manager Brook Bland says, citing the SSA’s 2025 Self Storage Demand Study. “Tenants are price-sensitive, so if you just raise rent, they often push back. But when it’s tied to a feature like smart monitoring, the value is clear.” She adds that one recent company case study showed a 72 percent opt-in rate when smart units were offered as an upgrade, which added over $50,000 in annual revenue to a single property.

Cieri and Wright’s latest innovation, +VisualVerify, is a platform that seamlessly integrates with their smart device technology. It also capitalizes on existing camera systems, bringing all property views into one centralized dashboard.

“We saw owners being pushed to buy expensive new AI cameras and multi-property operators struggling to effectively manage multiple camera platforms,” Wright says. “We thought, why not let them work with what they already have?”

With +VisualVerify, most camera systems can be integrated into one dashboard or a “single pane of glass.” When paired with the company’s Smart Units and Smart Zones, it becomes even more powerful, allowing operators to go straight to the exact timestamp of an incident. The platform leverages AI analytics, enabling operators to locate and prioritize incidents autonomously.

“+VisualVerify saves time, money, and provides higher awareness across facilities, especially larger portfolios,” says Bland.

Cieri and Wright haven’t just built a product—they’ve built a company that reflects their complementary strengths. “It’s clear what a natural fit they are,” says Bland. “Mark handles vision, product definition, marketing, and sales, while Nathan orchestrates R&D, product development, and communication infrastructure. They both truly care about our clients, the community, and company culture. I don’t use the term ‘power duo’ lightly, but that’s them.”

That balance of vision and execution has fueled StorageDefender’s growth, and today the team rallies around a core promise: to defend storage and provide peace of mind that profits. “We won’t stop innovating,” says Cieri. “We’re evolving our technology, growing partnerships, and always have new products in development.”

Wright agrees. “Our focus is expanding the solution across the self-storage industry. Stay tuned—there’s more to come.”

From startup to standout, Cieri and Wright will keep building their business and the self-storage industry itself, donning the red coats, naturally!

f all the variables in play when designing a new facility, final operator considerations must be fought for as the concept begins to take shape. The natural focus of engineers and architects centers around engineering and design problems like life safety travel distances, structural load line tracing, and so on. These are important factors, but the ability to operate the facility efficiently can’t become a casualty in the process. Here are some operational considerations to keep in mind when designing a new facility.

Unit Mix – The right mix of unit types/sizes, placed strategically throughout the building, optimizes revenue potential for a facility based on local demand.

Customer Travel Distances – Where possible, lay out the building floor plans to minimize the number of units with excessive travel distances. Units with long travel distances are often discounted to compensate for this inconvenience.

Site Access Controls – Plan for the right equipment and technology to enable efficient customer access while restricting non-renters from parts of your facility.

Building Access Controls – Elevator keypads programmed to specific floors and specialty stairwell lockset hardware are two easy ways to restrict access within the building.

Site Drainage – Consider drainage patterns for storm runoff, snow, and ice. Site layout can work for or against property managers in terms of site water management.

Loading Area Features – Provide some form of cover from the elements for unloading, whether that’s a simple canopy outboard of your building or a dedicated covered loading bay.

Security Camera Layout – Where controllable, avoid choppiness in your hallway layout to maximize camera visibility and increase oversight throughout the building.

Restroom Placement/Access – This may seem like a small thing, but cities often require an additional restroom based on building code prescription vs. what a low-traffic facility needs, driving up costs.

Dumpster Enclosure Placement – Placing your dumpster somewhere easily accessible by a waste management company will save the property manager time and energy.

Drive-Up Unit Materials – Customers will hit door jambs with vehicles. It’s a fact of self-storage life. Design those jambs to be an easily replaceable material and keep some replacement stock on site.

At the end of the day, you’re designing a revenue-generating asset that’s housed within a physical building. Getting a design team on board early that works backwards from your investment goals will directly impact your ability to optimize that facility’s NOI potential and its value.