ecent lawsuits against self-storage operators have left many owners questioning whether their communication practices comply with state Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts (FDCPAs). Surprisingly, some of these lawsuits don’t revolve around typical collection calls—they’re targeting emails sent outside the permissible hours for debt collection communication.

This issue raises critical questions for the self-storage industry, such as whether an email timestamped for delivery at 2 a.m. violates the same laws that restrict phone calls during certain hours. Without legal clarity, it’s left to operators to reassess their practices to avoid the risk of costly litigation.

This article will guide self-storage operators through the current regulatory landscape and provide actionable steps to stay compliant while maintaining efficient communication with tenants.

Disclaimer: This is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The content provided should not be used as a substitute for consulting a qualified attorney. Self-storage operators are encouraged to review their practices in accordance with their state’s laws and regulations.

For example, some plaintiffs argue that an email arriving in a consumer’s inbox at 2 a.m. constitutes an intrusive communication akin to a late-night phone call. This raises an important question for self-storage operators and other businesses: Is an email the digital equivalent of a phone call or a physical letter?

Unlike phone calls, emails don’t demand immediate attention; they sit in inboxes until opened. Yet, consumer protection statutes often use broad definitions for communication, leaving this issue open to interpretation in court.

• Settle Quickly – Avoid prolonged legal fees but “feed the beast” by encouraging future lawsuits.
• Fight The Case – Potentially incur fees far exceeding the settlement amount, with no guarantee of winning.

Until there’s legal clarity, many operators find themselves walking on eggshells, risking litigation by default.

LEVERAGE REMOTE MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Platforms like XPS Solutions can provide robust assistance in streamlining tenant communication while adhering to consumer protection laws.

• Automate email and text delivery during permissible hours.
• Monitor delinquent accounts and send compliant reminders using AI-powered solutions.
• Reduce human error by standardizing communication practices across your facility.

By incorporating remote management systems, operators can avoid accidental violations and maintain positive relationships with tenants.

CONDUCT REGULAR COMPLIANCE TRAINING
Educate your team on state-specific debt collection laws. Understanding the nuances of terms such as “communication” and “permissible hours” will empower your staff to make informed decisions when navigating tenant disputes.

CONSULT A LEGAL EXPERT
For operators who regularly deal with delinquent accounts, consulting with an attorney experienced in consumer protection and debt collection laws can provide much-needed clarity. Legal guidance is your best safeguard against costly oversights.

QUICK SETTLEMENTS
Most of these lawsuits are not aimed at correcting unfair practices but at capitalizing on technical violations to prompt settlements. The outcome of such cases, whether a quick settlement or protracted litigation, makes one thing clear for operators: Proactive compliance with FDCPAs is far cheaper than the cost of a single lawsuit.

Take action now! Your peace of mind is just a call away.

emember back in the day when you walked by a newsstand and were stopped by a headline on the front page? More than likely, you bought the paper to read the article. Newspapers depended on the sensationalism of their headlines for sales.

That still holds true today on social media—it’s “breaking news!” I remember when that meant you were watching a TV show and the national or local news station was “breaking into” your regularly scheduled program. Unfortunately, too many people use that phrase as an attention grabber, which reduces its sensationalism.

How does this apply to your blog or social media? The problem you have as a small business is content overload. You’re not just competing with your industry competitors for the attention of a searcher or a social media user. You’re competing with the kids, grandkids, friends, family, other pages, people they’ve liked, politics, breaking news, ads, causes, etc.

When you write a blog post, you want your enticing heading to stand out on the search engine results page (SERP) and when you share it on social media. You want to get that click-through, which will lead to a conversion.

Here are the elements of good headlines/titles:

• They are written for the human reader with the search engine in mind. Its main purpose is to entice the person.
• They have the right number of words, not too long that it gets cut off in the SERP.
• They have the major keyword or phrase (AKA the topic of the article).

The following is a prompt to use to generate a headline. Start with a keyword phrase or two from your SEO Keyword Research. (If you haven’t done this, use the Google Keyword Tool to discover the most searched-for keywords or phrases for your facility and location.)

You are an SEO expert with a reputation for getting sites to the top of search engine rankings. Please create four blog article headlines for my {website} based on my {keywords} and {location}. The purpose of these articles is to boost my site’s search engine rankings and authority, attract potential customers, and have a high click-through rate on the search engine results page. Please cite the sources of content.
{website}:
{keywords}:
{location}:

Always check the data. Earlier this year, I asked Google’s Gemini for blog post ideas for a client and it gave me “Top 3 Video Editing Programs for 2023.” Yes, 2023!

Here are tips on how to optimize those meta tags and get those clicks.

THE KEY PHRASE
This is the main topic of your page or blog post. It should be one or two words. It needs to be both in the title and the slug, which is the URL or link, as well as the meta description. This is for SEO, and it also needs to make sense to the human.

META DESCRIPTION LENGTH
Ideally, it should be 160 characters. Anything longer than that will get cut off. The Yoast plugin for WordPress will let you know if it’s too long by the color line under it. Orange is too short, red is too long, and green is just right. Look at the preview, and be sure that you don’t see the ellipsis (…) at the end of the meta tag.

THE DESCRIPTION
Here’s where you need to put yourself in your target reader’s shoes. They are looking for an answer to their problem. You don’t want to give the whole answer here, but just enough so they can see that:

• It’s what they need or want,
• The website holds more valuable information, and
• It will behoove them to click on it. In other words, there is a benefit to them clicking on through to the website.

What if you don’t have a WordPress website? If you are on a platform other than WordPress, more than likely, there is a place for you to enter the meta description of a page or blog post. It’s usually under a section called “SEO.”

What if there is no meta tag? If there is no meta tag, the search engine will display the first paragraph. Obviously, that brings up this question: Is the first paragraph on your page or blog enticing enough to keep the reader reading?

In the March 2025 issue of Messenger, I wrote about the Google Analytics Search Console and what you can learn from its data. You’ll see how many times your website comes up for certain keywords and phrases and how many click-throughs it got. Obviously, if your site is brand new, you won’t have this. That’s why you need to have your Google Analytics set up before you start any marketing efforts.

As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts in digital marketing. It takes some time and effort to get everything set up and running smoothly. Nevertheless, with the right goal-setting and strategic and tactical planning, you should start seeing results in two to three months. Each business is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy.

The following are two more AI prompts to help you generate various marketing content.

You are an SEO expert with a thorough understanding of how to optimize social media profiles to improve search traffic. I want you to write social media profiles for {website about page}, including these {keywords} incorporated in a snappy description with relevant hashtags. I want profiles for:

• Facebook with a length of under 200 characters
• X (formerly Twitter) with a length of under 160 characters
• Instagram with a length of under 150 characters
• LinkedIn with a length of under 2,000 characters

{website about page}:
{keywords}:

CREATE A CONTENT PLAN
(The media mix could be your blog, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Instead of keywords, you can put your website. Just make sure what you enter into the brackets { } matches in both places.)

You are an SEO expert with a reputation for getting sites to the top of search engine rankings. I want you to create a one-month content plan for me based on my {keywords}. The purpose of the content plan is to boost my site’s search engine rankings and authority. Start at today’s day and give me a list of suggested content that accounts for my {regularity of posting} and {media mix}.
{keywords}:
{regularity of posting}:
{media mix}:

You get the idea.

Play with various requests. For instance, try entering your facilities’ locations and amenities and ask it to suggest who may be interested in your services—AKA your target market(s). Then ask it what is the best way to reach each of those targets.

As I’m writing this, Elon Musk released Grok 3 (https://x.ai/). I haven’t tried it, but they say it’s the best yet. Remember that AI is a tool. It’s still a computer talking, and you want to talk to people. Don’t forget to add your human touch to whatever AI content you’re using.

ports are not just a game. They start conversations, strengthen community pride, create heroes, and inspire new ones. They also bring people together, regardless of team, even when division may exist just outside the stadium. Because of the goodwill sports create, and the amount of eyeballs games and tournaments can capture, self-storage companies have begun making it a priority to sponsor teams both big and small and, in some instances, individuals with Rocky-esque stories we all want to root for.

Storage Post, founded in 1998 by industry veteran Bruce C. Roch, Jr., understood Americans’ connection with baseball, so in 2023, he decided to partner with the New York Yankees, which is arguably the most popular MLB team in the country. It made sense—Storage Post owns and operates 30 self-storage facilities in the New York metro area, including five properties in the Bronx, the home of the Yankees.

As the official storage provider of the Yankees, Storage Post is featured throughout the stadium on the concourse televisions, LED animation in the Great Hall, and outfield terrace deck LED signage.

Dylan Delaune, Storage Post’s COO, says that Yankees fans are highly concentrated in the markets the company serves. “We are incredibly excited to be associated with such an iconic baseball team,” says Delaune. “Their pride and winning attitude coincide with Storage Post’s goals of delivering high-quality self-storage assets and a winning customer experience.”

As part of the partnership, Storage Post is also able to provide new customers with select game tickets through its website.

One self-storage company paying attention is StorageMart. Founded in 1999 by the Burnam family, who already had a long history in the industry prior to that, StorageMart wanted to connect with the community in which it’s headquartered: Missouri. What better way to do that than to partner with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs?

“The partnership with the Chiefs made a lot of sense geographically, but really, it’s our shared goal of supporting local communities that brought us together,” said Sarah Little, managing director of digital marketing for StorageMart. “The Chiefs do many great things to give back, and we’re thrilled to have partners aligned with our values as a global company.”

Of course, the fact that the Chiefs made it to Super Bowl LIX was just icing on the cake!

Part of the arrangement with the Chiefs is the StorageMart Tackle Tracker, which counts the Chiefs’ tackles at the start of the season. For every successful tackle, StorageMart makes a monetary donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

“StorageMart and the Chiefs are two local brands with deep midwestern roots and a shared mission to give back to our communities, not just here in Missouri but across the United States and even the world,” says Cris Burnam, StorageMart CEO.

This powerful partnership inspired StorageMart to duplicate the success in Canada. Of course, in the Great White North, hockey is king, so the self-storage giant partnered up with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “We’re now the official storage providers of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” says Burnam, noting the Leafs fans are known for their loyalty to the team and are considered the No. 1 hockey fan base in the league. “We think that passion will translate into tenants. At our Scarborough facility [a district within Toronto], we’ve already outfitted it with the Leafs’ insignia and logos. Team members also sport Leafs gear. It’s a great time to be a Leafs fan, and a great time to be in the self-storage industry!”

When setting out to establish partnerships with those who “live big,” athletes would be key. The company found two such individuals in 12-time World Champion Skateboarder Tony Hawk and 11-time World Champion Surfer Kelly Slater. Both are legends in their sport and users of StorQuest facilities. “My StorQuest unit is great,” says Slater. “It feels safe. In fact, I feel safer here than in my own house. My storage unit is the most organized thing in my life.”

One of StorQuest’s latest endeavors is its continued sponsorship of the Bass Angler Magazine (BAM) Tournament Trail, an exclusive West Coast, professional-level bass fishing tournament circuit. It was a natural fit for the StorQuest brand, says Brooke Wiegand, vice president of marketing. “To match the culture of our company, we are always looking for ways to connect self-storage to an outdoor lifestyle and individuals needing to store gear or their personal belongings. This allows us to show our commitment to supporting the lifestyles and passions of our guests,” she says. Of course, outdoorsmen have a lot of gear, as tournament angler Mark Lassagne, the owner of the BAM Trail and Magazine, demonstrates in the following photo and the video here.

In 2023, SmartStop made headlines by sponsoring 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan who was making his last lap at the 107th Indianapolis 500. While he didn’t win, the partnership has prevailed. “Tony is now the team principal of Arrow McLaren, and he is our No. 1 brand ambassador,” says Williams. “He visits our stores, he posts on social about us, he speaks at our leadership conferences—it really gets the crowd excited to see someone like Tony versus the typical speakers you have at these events. Tony has more than 620,000 followers, and they’re loyal followers. When he mentions us, or highlights No. 6, that’s a lot of eyes on us.”

SmartStop also sponsors individual athletes across many sports, including BMX racers and MMA fighters. “We sponsor four to five fights per month with the MMA,” says Williams. “These young men and women may end up battered and bruised, but they train incredibly hard, and we’re proud to support them.”

Adds Williams with a laugh, “Their appearance after a fight can be a bit alarming, so we usually only post those promos on our Insta stories, not our main feeds!”

Ultimately, SmartStop likes to make dreams happen. “Teaming up with people who may not yet be at the top but are on their way there is important to us,” she says. “These people have a dream but may not have the financial backing they need, whether it’s for training, travel, gear, etc. SmartStop provides the support they need to get there, and then we’re able to go along on their journey with them.”

To bring this vision to life, StorQuest has launched a nationwide initiative to partner with local youth sports programs, helping young athletes chase their dreams, build confidence, and develop lifelong skills. To ensure these efforts have the greatest impact, the company has engaged its store managers, which it considers “the heart of each community,” to identify local teams and meaningful organizations for potential inclusion in the program.

“This isn’t just about putting a name on a jersey,” says Joy Martin, field marketing manager at StorQuest. “It’s about showing up for the communities that support us, helping kids stay active, and giving them the resources they need to succeed—on and off the field. Whether it’s a high school football team, youth soccer league, or little league baseball, StorQuest is committed to making a difference where it matters most.”

Support will take many forms, from financial donations and free storage space for equipment to special discounts that help keep local programs running strong. For StorQuest, these partnerships are about fostering teamwork, perseverance, and the belief that anything is possible with the right support.

“At the end of the day, success isn’t just measured in rentals—it’s measured in the impact we make,” Martin adds. “StorQuest is dedicated to giving back, inspiring the next generation, and proving that big dreams can start anywhere, even in the smallest of leagues.”

“If you are driving down the interstate and you see a billboard that just has an ad on it, you may not give it much attention,” says Paul Sickmon, president and CEO of Knox Sports. “Now, if that ad also has your favorite sports team’s logo on it, you’re going to give it a second look.”

While that can help with brand awareness, Sickmon says its effectiveness may not be lasting unless there’s an offer attached to it that can really attract fans. That’s why his company goes beyond just putting two logos together.

“Let’s say that you have a compelling offer that includes something from the team you’re working with,” he says. “It could be as simple as a unique set of koozies or pins or magnets, or maybe it’s tickets or an offer for a special fan moment with the team. Now you’ve turned the sponsorship into an experiential opportunity for fans. That’s when their fan passion really turns into business.”

Knox Sports puts a huge emphasis on ROI. “We have some clients that just simply want more web traffic, so we define the deal based on the amount that we deliver with a particular sports relationship,” says Sickmon. “Other clients need more sales, so we attach what we’re doing directly to a sales initiative so they can see what the difference is.”

If you’re not structuring a sports sponsorship that way, Sickmon feels you’re not doing it right. “Brand elevation is lovely, and sports will always do that. But it’s expensive, so we encourage every client to have a measurable ROI in mind. For self-storage companies, maybe that’s how many more units you can fill because of a particular promotion.”

Although Knox Sports does work with professional leagues, many of its clients gravitate toward college sports. “It’s less expensive and gives you year-round exposure across multiple sports,” says Sickmon, who adds that these partnerships typically focus on teams, not individual athletes. “There is a risk involved when you’re attaching yourself to an athlete’s personal brand—people make mistakes! But with a team, it’s not going to impact you if one individual on the team gets some bad press. You’re pretty much bulletproof because your relationship is with the team, not the individual.”

he self-storage industry has undergone a period of remarkable expansion, establishing itself as a key player in the real estate sector. While the current pace of new facility development may have stabilized, the cumulative effect of this growth has intensified competition within the industry. Furthermore, tenant expectations continue to evolve in tandem with technological advancements. To thrive in this dynamic environment, self-storage operators need to leverage technology that optimizes their operations, maximizes revenue, and enhances the tenant experience. A modern property management software (PMS) is the key to unlocking your facility’s full revenue potential and staying ahead of the curve.

Gone are the days of relying on clunky, outdated software and inefficient manual processes to manage your self-storage facility. Frankly, you can’t afford to any longer. While yesterday’s technology might still “work,” today’s tenants expect a seamless digital experience, from online rentals and payments to automated communication and self-service options. A robust PMS empowers you to meet these expectations, leaving your competition in the dust while you streamline your operations and maximize facility revenue. Failing to adapt could mean losing tenants, missing out on revenue opportunities, and ultimately falling behind in an increasingly competitive market.

Here are the top five reasons why investing in a modern PMS is essential for your self-storage success.

Dominate Online Search
In today’s digital world, your online presence is often the first impression a potential customer has of your business. A modern self-storage website acts as a powerful magnet, drawing tenants in through strategic search engine optimization (SEO). These websites are meticulously crafted with SEO best practices woven into their very foundation. This means they’re not just visually appealing, they’re designed to rank highly in search results when potential customers search for storage options in your area. From keyword optimization and mobile responsiveness to user-friendly navigation and compelling content, every element is strategically aligned to enhance visibility and attract organic traffic. This increased online presence translates to more leads, higher conversion rates, and ultimately increased occupancy and revenue for your facility.

Enhance User Experience
In the fast-paced online world, every second counts. A slow-loading website can drive potential tenants away before they even see your offerings. A modern self-storage platform prioritizes page performance, ensuring your website loads quickly and provides a smooth user experience. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also boosts your search rankings, as search engines prioritize websites that offer a fast and responsive experience. Consider this: A one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7 percent reduction in conversions. A modern PMS will leverage technologies like optimized image delivery, browser caching, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure your website loads lightning fast, keeping potential tenants engaged and improving your chances of securing a rental.

Drive Conversions with Online Rentals
Offer a seamless online rental experience with effortless online rentals, electronic lease signing, and secure online payment options. An integrated website and PMS solution can streamline the rental process, reduce friction for potential tenants, and increase conversion rates. Imagine a potential tenant finding your website at 11 p.m., needing a unit for an upcoming move. With a modern PMS, they can browse available units, select the one that best suits their needs, complete the rental application, sign the lease agreement electronically, and make their first payment—all from the comfort of their own home, without having to wait for business hours. This level of convenience is what today’s customers expect and a modern PMS delivers.

By leveraging the digital marketing and online rental capabilities of a modern PMS, you can effectively attract and convert more tenants, increasing occupancy rates and driving revenue growth.

Dynamic Pricing
Adjust rental rates automatically to capture the highest possible price at any given time. Dynamic pricing algorithms analyze various factors, such as unit size, location, demand, and competitor pricing to determine the optimal rental rate for each unit. This ensures that you are not leaving money on the table by underpricing units during high-demand periods or losing potential customers by overpricing during slow periods. Think of it like airline tickets or hotel rooms; prices fluctuate based on demand and availability. A modern PMS brings this same level of sophistication to your self-storage business, allowing you to maximize revenue without constantly monitoring and manually adjusting prices.

Automated Promotions
Run targeted promotions and discounts to attract new customers and incentivize long-term rentals. A modern PMS can automate the management of promotions and discounts, allowing you to target specific customer segments and track the effectiveness of your campaigns. This can help you attract new tenants, fill vacant units, and increase customer lifetime value. For example, you can offer discounts for students during the summer months or provide a free month’s rent for customers who prepay for a year. A modern PMS allows you to easily set up these promotions, automatically apply them to eligible tenants, and track their success in attracting new business and increasing occupancy rates.

Strategic Rate Management
Strategically managing rates to maximize revenue is crucial. A modern PMS can help you analyze historical data, identify trends in occupancy and demand, and adjust your pricing accordingly. This could involve offering discounts for long-term rentals, adjusting rates based on seasonality, or implementing tiered pricing based on unit features or location within the facility. By analyzing historical data, you can identify patterns and trends, such as peak rental seasons or periods of high demand for specific unit sizes. With this information, you can proactively adjust your rates to optimize revenue and ensure you’re always charging the right price at the right time.

By implementing these revenue management strategies, you can significantly increase your revenue and profitability, ensuring the long-term success of your self-storage business.

Automated Move-Ins/Move-Outs
Streamline the onboarding process with online forms, digital lease agreements, and automated gate access. Tenants can complete the entire rental process online, from signing the lease to accessing their unit, without the need for manual intervention. This saves time for both tenants and staff, reduces paperwork, and improves accuracy. Imagine a scenario where a tenant can move in without ever having to physically interact with your staff. They complete the rental agreement online, receive their gate code electronically, and can access their unit immediately. This not only provides a convenient experience for the tenant but also frees up your staff to focus on other tasks, such as providing exceptional customer service or conducting facility maintenance.

Automated Payments
Simplify payment processing with online payment options, automatic invoicing, and payment reminders. Tenants can make payments online at their convenience, and the PMS automatically generates invoices and sends reminders to reduce late payments and improve cash flow. No more manually processing checks or chasing down late payments. A modern PMS automates the entire payment process, from sending invoices to processing payments and reconciling accounts. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors and ensures timely payment collection.

Automated Communication
Keep tenants informed with automated reminders, notifications, and personalized messages. The PMS can automatically send reminders for rent payments, lease renewals, and other important events. It can also facilitate personalized communication, allowing you to send targeted messages to specific tenants or groups of tenants. For example, you can automatically send birthday greetings to tenants, or remind them about upcoming rate changes. This level of automated communication helps you stay connected with your tenants, build stronger relationships, and improve customer satisfaction.

By automating these key operational tasks, you can significantly improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the tenant experience.

Track Key Metrics
Monitor occupancy rates, revenue per square foot, customer acquisition costs, and other vital metrics to understand your business performance. A PMS provides real-time access to these KPIs, allowing you to track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Imagine having a clear, concise dashboard that displays your facility’s performance at a glance. You can see your current occupancy rate, track revenue trends, and monitor customer acquisition costs, all in real time. This level of data visibility allows you to quickly identify areas where you can improve your business and make data-driven decisions to drive growth.

Identify Trends
Analyze data to identify patterns and trends in customer behavior, market conditions, and revenue streams. This can help you understand your target audience, anticipate demand fluctuations, and adjust your strategies accordingly. For example, you might notice a trend of increasing demand for smaller units during the summer months. With this information, you can adjust your marketing efforts to target customers looking for smaller units, or even consider converting some larger units into smaller ones to meet the demand.

Make Informed Decisions
Use data-driven insights to optimize pricing, marketing, and operational strategies for continued growth. By understanding your business performance and market trends, you can make informed decisions that drive revenue growth and improve efficiency. A modern PMS empowers you to move beyond gut feelings and make decisions based on concrete data. This allows you to optimize your pricing strategy, target your marketing efforts more effectively, and make operational changes that improve efficiency and enhance the tenant experience.

By harnessing the power of data analytics, you can gain a deeper understanding of your business, identify opportunities for growth, and make informed decisions that drive success.

Self-Service Portals
Provide tenants with 24/7 access to their account information, payment history, and communication tools through online portals. This allows tenants to manage their accounts independently, reducing the need for staff intervention and improving convenience. Imagine a tenant being able to access their account, update their contact information, view their payment history, and even submit maintenance requests—all online, at any time of day or night. This level of self-service not only empowers tenants but also frees up your staff to focus on other tasks.

Mobile-First Design
Empower tenants to manage their accounts, make payments, and access facility information from their smartphones. A mobile-first strategy provides a convenient and accessible way for tenants to interact with your facility, enhancing their experience and increasing engagement. In today’s mobile-first world, tenants expect to be able to manage their self-storage account from their smartphones. A modern PMS provides a mobile-friendly interface that allows tenants to easily access their account, make payments, and even open their unit’s door—all from their mobile devices.

Personalized Communication
Enhance communication with automated reminders, personalized messages, and targeted notifications. A PMS can help you personalize your communication with tenants, sending relevant information and offers based on their individual needs and preferences. For example, you can send automated reminders for upcoming payments and personalize those reminders with the tenant’s name and unit number. You can also send targeted notifications about promotions or special offers that are relevant to their specific needs.

By providing a seamless and convenient experience, you can increase tenant satisfaction, improve retention rates, and build a loyal customer base.

erb Chelton has been named the 2024 Manager of the Year by the Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA), a well-deserved recognition for his exceptional leadership at Stor-N-Lok in Brentwood, Tenn. With 29 years of managerial experience, his journey is one of resilience, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to customer service.

Following his military service, he worked for 25 years with the state health department, where he honed his skills in dealing with the public. He also ventured into small business ownership, running a luggage cart franchise at the airport. However, an accident on a tractor left him hospitalized for 27 months. Chelton mentions that this was “one of the most difficult moments of his life,” not only debilitating him but forcing him to reconsider his career trajectory. Despite his hardships, he always kept a determined attitude. “I want to be a responsible person. I’ve always worked hard; I’m pretty much self-taught in the things that I do,” he says. It is this determination and self-motivation that led him to the self-storage industry.

As he reflects on his transition into management, Chelton humorously recalls how it “only took a couple of days” to get into the role. His ability to adapt, work hard, and be resourceful helped him rise to the top.

His role has evolved beyond day-to-day management; he now oversees hiring, training, and operations for all four locations. His hands-on approach ensures that the team is well-prepared and informed, with each location operating smoothly and with the same standards. This also trickles down to loyal tenants. He claims that the amount of late collections is incredibly low, leaving them with little to worry about. “We had one person out of 700 that was two days late,” he says. This is impeccable, as many self-storage businesses struggle with chronically delinquent tenants.

A key part of his leadership style has been making sure the managers and assistant managers are fully involved and capable of handling responsibilities across the board. While there was resistance to having the assistant managers intricately involved, it has proven to be a successful push on Chelton’s part, as when managers are unavailable, ill, or let go, there are assistant managers to pick up the slack. This has created a strong, collaborative team that is committed to providing top-notch service.

More appealing aspects of Chelton’s management style and Stor-N-Lok are their facilities’ design; all four of them, including 3,000 units, are strictly ground level, making their units easily accessible. They offer both climate-controlled units and non-climate-controlled units, giving various price options for their tenants. Chelton makes sure he is involved in the industry overall, visiting other self-storage facilities and seeing how they compare.

One memorable story he shares is of a woman who had rented a storage unit in 1997 and came back years later, only to find that the items stored there (old plush toys) were no longer needed. The woman had spent $29,000 on that storage unit, only to dispose of the items shortly after retrieving them. For Chelton, this story encapsulates the uniqueness of the self-storage business: helping people store and move on with their lives while providing a service that is essential in their time of need.

The company also has a reputation for hiring retired individuals, offering them stability and a sense of purpose. He notes that living on site is part of the compensation package, but it also ensures the security of the facility, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement for both employees and the company.

For other aspiring managers, his advice is simple but powerful: “You can’t rate anything higher than customer service.” He stresses that understanding the customer’s perspective, no matter what challenges they may be facing, is crucial. Providing excellent customer service isn’t just about the transaction; it’s about building relationships that last.

His leadership at Stor-N-Lok exemplifies what it means to be a true manager—someone who leads by example, empowers their team, and prioritizes the needs of the customer. As the recipient of the 2024 Manager of the Year award, Chelton’s legacy is one of excellence, innovation, and unwavering dedication to both his team and his customers.