Self Storage Lab

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today's technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.
This episode brings two guests from StorageMax, Mississippi's largest self-storage operator, spanning 39 locations across three states with a lean 48-person team. Nick Newcomb stepped into the CEO role in late 2024 after joining the family business in 2013 and rising through COO. Shannon Wolfe runs training and development, joining in 2019 from the coffee world just before COVID reshaped the industry. Together they break down how a lean operator stays coherent at scale, even as AI handles more of the customer-facing work.
In this episode, we explore:
Why StorageMax runs with no district managers, and how a siloed, specialty-based structure replaced the traditional model
The CEO transition, learning to delegate, and the "ISMADAT" spreadsheet (Improving StorageMax One Day At A Time)
The acquisition playbook: broker and off-market deals, long-term-hold relationships, and a two-month runway to StorageMax standards
First impressions as strategy, from deep-cleaning every vacant unit to the back lip of the door
What breaks first when you grow: software integrations, not people
Ancillary revenue done right, and how an RV campground near an AWS data-center campus became the primary business at that site
Building an AI-literate team: safe-practices training, AI to enhance roles rather than replace them
Personal tech stacks, from Claude in Excel and vibe-coded dashboards to reMarkable tablets and Superhuman
Why the manager who got poached by a competitor asked for a repaved driveway, not a raise
The bait-and-switch rate problem and what it costs the industry's reputation

If you've ever wondered how a lean team competes with the REITs, when specialization beats the jack-of-all-trades manager, or how to bring AI into an operation without losing the human touch, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level look from two people building it in real time.

In This Episode We Discussed
(00:00:00) Two guests, one lean operator: intros and backgrounds
(00:03:02) Monday mornings and how a small corporate team divides the work
(00:05:32) The CEO transition and learning to delegate
(00:08:35) Building the siloed structure and why no district managers
(00:10:12) What breaks first when you scale
(00:12:00) The acquisition playbook and turning a facility into StorageMax
(00:18:04) Ancillary revenue, RV campgrounds, and the data-center effect
(00:22:37) Investing in people and the repaved-driveway story
(00:27:19) Personal AI tech stacks and how the team actually uses AI
(00:39:09) Training an AI-literate team without losing the human touch
(00:48:35) Biggest surprises and the bait-and-switch rate problem
(00:51:50) Rapid fire: Monday opens, curb appeal, lunch spots, sports, and unmanned myths
Key Themes & Takeaways

Specialize Instead of Cloning Managers
One manager wearing every hat never masters sales. StorageMax replaced district managers with specialists in training, quality control, and personnel, borrowing the logic operators usually reserve for call centers.

AI Enhances Roles, It Doesn't Replace Them
The message to the team is explicit: lean into new tools, but they exist to take work off your plate, not to take your job.

Do Right by Your People
The best team members care about their customers. Sometimes retention isn't about money; it's about paving the road they've been apologizing for.

Favorite Nuggets
"Unmanned properties do not exist."
"Improving StorageMax one day at a time."
"You can't get a first impression back the second try."
"If you're single-sentence prompting, you're doing it wrong."
🔗 More from StorageMax
Learn more at the StorageMax website.
Connect with Nick
Connect with Shannon

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today's technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.
This episode's guest is Joel Patterson, SVP of Operations at Personal Mini Storage and past president of the Florida Self Storage Association. Joel got his start in moving and storage at U-Haul in 2001, then joined Personal Mini in 2004 as a live-in resident manager while finishing college. 22 years and one company later, he oversees operations across 20-plus locations in Florida. He isn't chasing the fully remote model, and he isn't automating the personal out of his business.
In this episode, we explore:
Joel's path from running a U-Haul center to becoming a U-Haul dealer, and lessons about the one-stop-shop mindset
Living on site with his brother in the early years, and what stuck
What Joel watches every Monday morning, and why reviews and referrals are his North Star over vanity metrics
The tech stack behind the operation
Testing ancillary revenue: 18 truck-parking bookings in under three weeks, plus motion-sensor and unit-monitoring experiments
How Personal Mini evaluates new vendors and AI tools without chasing shiny toys
Running a pilot-site rollout the right way: get the team's buy-in, learn in real time, and let managers shape the future
Why half the portfolio still has live-in managers, and the conviction behind that choice
The human-in-the-loop philosophy, and whether the industry is overcorrecting toward automation
Fighting to modernize Florida's lien laws, the newspaper lobby, and the "rally in Tally"
Living in both worlds: operating as an NSA regional partner and as an independent
What Joel keys in on when he walks a property, from the gate to the keypad to the front door
Rapid fire: Percy the kangaroo, giving up coffee for tea, a 24-book reading goal, national parks, and a first concert with a fake ID
If you've ever wondered how a people-first operator competes with the REITs, when live-in management still makes sense, or how to roll out new technology without losing your team, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level perspective from someone who has done it for 22 years.
In This Episode We Discussed
(00:00:00) 22 years, one company: Joel's story and the Costco lesson
(00:01:32) From U-Haul to Personal Mini, and learning the ropes as a live-in manager
(00:06:34) The one-stop-shop mindset and making every customer encounter count
(00:09:22) Joel's North Star: reviews, referrals, and what customers say when you're not in the room
(00:11:12) What a Monday morning looks like: SSM, QuickBase, and a homegrown tech stack
(00:14:14) Ancillary revenue, truck parking club, and 18 bookings in three weeks
(00:17:53) How Personal Mini filters the vendor fire hose and avoids shiny-toy syndrome
(00:22:56) Rolling out new technology the right way: pilot sites, buy-in, and learning in real time
(00:26:02) Why half the portfolio still has live-in managers
(00:29:21) Are we overcorrecting on automation? Where the human fits in
(00:33:36) Florida lien-law advocacy, the newspaper lobby, and the rally in Tally
(00:39:59) Living in both camps: NSA regional partner and independent operator
(00:42:32) Walking a property: the gate, the keypad, and the front door
(00:45:01) Rapid fire: Percy the kangaroo, tea over coffee, books, national parks, concerts
(00:52:08) Where to find Joel and a closing word on state associations

Favorite Nuggets
"We're not looking to take the personal out of Personal Mini Storage."
"We're really renting time, not just space."
"Hey, we don't know what we're doing. We're learning it with you in real time."
"If you're only consuming industry content, then you're only gonna have industry content."
"You can't get a first impression back the second try."
"The people that get stuff done are the people that go up and do that sort of thing."
🔗 More from Joel & Personal Mini Storage
personalministorage.com

This episode's guest is Travis Morrow, Chairman and CEO of Store Local and President of National Self Storage. Few people have seen the industry from as many angles as Travis: operator, co-op founder, publisher, event host, and one of the most connected voices in self storage. He runs a 29-store portfolio, learned the business from the ground up doing feasibility studies as an intern, and has been working remote since 2009, long before anyone had a pandemic to blame. Through it all, he still calls himself an operator first, and every hat he wears traces back to one question: are my stores renting units?
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In this episode, we explore:
Travis's path from a half-semester internship to a portfolio he owns, develops, and manages
The mentorship of Bob Schaff and learning to look out for the whole industry, not just your own facilities
Why the Young Leaders Group exists and what he tells the 25-year-old just entering storage
The cooperative origins of Store Local and the bet that scale can be shared
Whether consolidation has gone too far, and why storage trails hospitality by about 15 years
How Store Local Storage gives independents a brand to fly without becoming a franchise
The advantage independents still hold: speed and nimbleness
Why operators have a reputation for being cheap, and what's finally breaking the habit
"Cheap leads" and the endless hunt for true lead attribution and return on ad spend
AI as a multiplier, not a magic wand, and how Travis evaluates which tools actually rent units
Bringing back MSM, the rebrand to Modern Storage Media, and launching a new fall show in Atlanta
Rapid fire: Red Bull to Celsius, morning person, Tucson vs. Atlanta, and a favorite Braves moment
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In This Episode We Discussed:
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(00:00:00) Intro: a long time coming, and Swivl ahead of the curve
(00:02:50) Travis's many hats, and why he's still an operator first
(00:05:54) The Young Leaders Group and mentorship under Bob Schaff
(00:12:13) Store Local's co-op origins and the long tail of the industry
(00:15:54) Has consolidation gone too far? The hospitality parallel
(00:18:06) The independent operator's real advantage: speed
(00:19:40) Inside the co-op: ownership, choice, and Store Local Storage
(00:23:09) Why operators are slow to invest, and what breaks the habit
(00:27:44) Travis's framework for prioritizing where to spend time and energy
(00:28:33) "Cheap leads" and the endless hunt for true lead attribution
(00:34:25) Evaluating AI tools as an operator and at a tech company
(00:38:27) AI as a multiplier, not a magic wand, and an LLM-as-golf-clubs analogy
(00:43:12) Bringing back MSM and the rebrand to Modern Storage Media
(00:47:00) Why Atlanta, and building a modern conference experience
(00:53:08) Rapid fire: Red Bull, Celsius, mornings, Tucson vs. Atlanta, Braves
(00:59:19) One thing Travis wishes the REITs would stop doing
(01:00:34) Where to find Travis and the MSM show
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Favorite Nuggets
"I am still a self storage operator first, regardless of any of the other hats that I wear."
"Now go rent some units."
"One of the worst things you can tell an entrepreneur is no."
"Technology is a multiplier. It is not a magic wand."
"AI today is as bad as it's ever going to be. And as bad as it is today, it's still pretty cool."
🔗 More from Travis & MSM
Learn about the show and view the schedule at msmtheshow.com. Listeners can use affiliate code SWIVL26 at registration to save $100.
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Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape—and what it means for the future of the industry.
This episode’s guest is Brett Copper, President and Partner at Copper Storage Management. Brett grew up in the self storage industry but chose not to simply inherit the traditional playbook. Instead, he challenged it. What started as frustration with hiring inefficiencies evolved into one of the industry’s most recognizable remote-first management models. Today, Copper manages hundreds of facilities nationwide with a system built around operational efficiency, centralized teams, and disciplined technology adoption.
In this episode, we explore:
Brett’s journey from resisting the family business to redefining it

The real economics behind remote-first storage management

Why efficiency and NOI are the future battlegrounds for operators

Misconceptions about unmanned facilities—and what actually works

How to transition stores from traditional to remote without losing tenants

Pricing pressures in a post-COVID world

AI-driven search and the future of storage marketing

What small operators can do to compete with REITs

The long-term outlook for consolidation in self storage

If you’ve ever wondered whether remote management is hype or inevitability, or how to operate profitably in today’s interest rate and pricing environment, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level breakdown.

This Episode We Discussed
(00:00:00) Nashville ice storms, puzzles, and married life
(00:03:15) When storage became Brett’s business, not just his family’s
(00:08:17) The origin story behind remote-first management
(00:11:41) The operational checklist that increases facility value
(00:15:16) Misconceptions about unmanned facilities
(00:19:26) Preserving human touch in automated environments
(00:22:19) What’s at stake if operators don’t evolve
(00:27:16) Today’s biggest operator pressures: pricing and occupancy
(00:29:28) AI, search, and marketing in a shifting discovery landscape
(00:35:29) Helping other operators adopt remote models
(00:37:23) Will storage consolidate like other asset classes?
(00:44:29) How small operators can differentiate
(00:48:46) What owners misunderstand about third-party management
(00:52:20) Rapid fire: tools, brands, gaming, and Nashville hot chicken

Efficiency Wins
In an environment of compressed margins and higher interest rates, operators who control expenses and maximize NOI will outlast those clinging to legacy staffing models.
Remote Doesn’t Mean Less Human
Copper’s model emphasizes customer choice—phone, chat, text, or self-serve—delivering flexibility rather than eliminating service.
Pricing Is the Industry’s Hardest Problem
Post-COVID distortions continue to impact occupancy and revenue strategies, forcing operators to rethink aggressive rate increase models.
The Attention Layer Is Changing
AI-driven search and generative discovery are reshaping how renters find facilities, creating new urgency around digital presence.

Favorite Nuggets
“Operational problems are the easiest problems to fix.”

“If occupancy is the same but expenses are lower, the math speaks for itself.”

“Remote only works if customer service gets better, not worse.”

“Eventually, storage will be thought of as self-service by default.”

🔗 More from Copper Storage Management
https://www.copperstoragemanagement.com

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape—and what it means for the future of the industry.
This episode features Amanda DiGaspari and Austin Simmons, CEO and COO of Storagely, a company rethinking what a self storage website should actually do. What started as a digital marketing agency turned into a SaaS platform after one pivotal moment: fixing a broken checkout flow and tripling online rentals. That shift pulled Amanda and Austin out of agency work and into building a conversion-first, revenue-driven website platform purpose-built for how renters behave today—and where AI-driven discovery is headed next.
In this conversation, Mason and Rodolfo dig into Storagely’s evolution from services to product, the hard lessons learned along the way, and why websites should be treated as full-time digital managers, not static brochures. The episode spans branding, data, UX, AI, and leadership, with plenty of practical insight for operators navigating changing renter expectations.
If you’re thinking about online rentals, checkout optimization, AI search, or how to build product with discipline in a noisy market, this episode is a must-listen.

In This Episode, We Discussed:
(00:00:00) Introductions, banter, and how Storagely found self storage
(00:00:40) From marketing agency to storage tech
(00:03:10) The leap from services to SaaS
(00:05:38) Early mistakes, false starts, and lessons learned
(00:07:50) Why vision and mission became guardrails
(00:10:39) Rebranding and what it signaled internally and externally
(00:12:59) Current challenges and future direction
(00:21:45) Building renter personas to improve UX
(00:23:25) What truly differentiates storage websites
(00:26:06) Using data, not opinions, to guide product decisions
(00:29:28) How renter expectations and online behavior are changing
(00:34:39) Balancing operator feedback with behavioral data
(00:37:59) Storagely’s framework for product development and iteration
(00:45:36) Architecture-first thinking and faster innovation
(00:51:54) AI, generative search, and the future of discovery
(00:57:26) Morning routines, chaos, and staying grounded
(01:03:06) Finding inspiration outside self storage
(01:10:55) Alternate universes and creative paths not taken

Key Themes

Websites Are Revenue Engines
Storagely treats the website as a 24/7 manager, not a brochure. Every design and feature decision ladders back to conversion and lifetime value.
Data Over Guesswork
From checkout flows to feature prioritization, decisions are driven by renter behavior, not assumptions or “in case” thinking.
Focus Wins
Learning to say no—to features, distractions, and edge cases—has been critical to building a product that scales without losing clarity.
AI Is an Extension, Not a Shortcut
SEO and generative search are converging, but the foundation remains the same: structured, local, trustworthy content built to serve real users.

Favorite Nuggets
“Designing a website in case someone rents online vs because they will.”

Why a 30-second checkout changed everything

Treating your website like a digital team member

The power of showing the work with real data

Why being embarrassed by what you shipped six months ago is a good sign

🔗 Learn more about Storagely
https://storagely.io
🔗 Connect with the guests
Amanda DiGaspari
Austin Simmons