President And Peacemaker: Robert Madsen, CSSA President

It’s late March when Robert Madsen, president of the Canadian Self-Storage Association and U-Lock Mini Storage, sits down for this interview. He’s video conferencing from Arizona, a long way from his Vancouver home. He admits he was a little wary of the trip due to current Canadian-American tensions, but so far, so good. He knows that the topic of the two countries’ relations is bound to come up during this call, and he’s ready; in fact, his past time as a Rotarian has taught him to get out there, communicate, and interact with others to create better understanding and relationships. But when he learns this issue of Self-Storage Canada won’t drop until summer, he raises an eyebrow. “Anything I say today may be different tomorrow … and certainly by summer!” Whether he’s referring to what may happen with the upcoming Canadian election or how that may further impact relations with the U.S. and Trump, is unclear. “The only certainty is volatility,” he says. 

Rather than focus on what the future may bring, it’s agreed that this chat will steer clear of politics and simply tell Madsen’s story. But before that conversation can begin, Madsen holds up his hand. “I just want to say, as with everything that is smooth sailing for a long time, we tend to get comfortable and even a bit complacent. However, current events and the state of the economy have shown us, whether it’s international relations or our own business, you never know what’s coming. You just need to be agile and prepared, work toward the best outcomes, and put a big smile on your face!” 

Having said his peace, he’s now ready to move on. “OK, let’s do this,” he says with excitement. 

It’s quite clear, following that off-the-cuff speech, why Madsen is president of both a successful business and the country’s national self-storage association. 

The Self-Storage Kid 

Some of Madsen’s earliest memories, at about five years old, involve visiting various buildings, warehouses, and industrial spaces. He remembers being enthralled with the rows and rows of doors. “I thought it was cool, maybe a bit strange … whatever goes through your mind when you’re five,” Madsen says with a laugh. “But at that age, you don’t think much about it. I just knew these were the kind of places my parents hung around.” 

Madsen did associate the strange buildings with some of the perks he experienced as a child, such as going to Florida and California in the early 1980s. The trips were for his parents to attend Self Storage Association (SSA) events, which was then called the Self-Service Storage Association (SSSA), but Madsen didn’t care; he just remembers running around hotel hallways and lobbies with other children of self-storage families, some of which he’s still friends with. Others, he can’t be sure, but because self-storage tends to run in the family, when he meets a second-generation self-storage owner about his same vintage at an event, he wonders if perhaps they’d met some 45 or so years ago. 

Meeting rookies that would eventually become self-storage hall-of-famers is also something that sticks with Madsen. He remembers meeting people like John Yellen, an early pioneer of self-storage, and shaking hands with the late Don Daniels, one of the founders of Shurgard and one of the first presidents of the SSA. “You meet these great, knowledgeable people who were blazing a path for the first time in this industry, and you don’t know it then, but you look back like, wow, these were the guys who were bold enough to forge their own path, hop over all the hurdles, advocate for the industry … they made it possible for all of us today.’” 

Vacancy In Vancouver 

How Madsen’s parents happened into the industry echoes that of other self-storage entrepreneurs of the time. “My dad was selling life insurance policies door to door,” recalls Madsen. “On one call, he ran into the gentleman who owned the Vancouver warehouse that would eventually become our family’s first self-storage business. The poor guy had been attempting self-storage but couldn’t make it work. So, he wanted to offload his property, and he certainly wasn’t looking to buy life insurance.” 

This six-story brick warehouse, supported by huge lumber beams, was in a very industrial railyard. “It was quite a rough area, actually,” says Madsen. “You could call it skid row. Rail yards, shady cafes, and … [Madsen clears his throat to put this as nicely as possible], let’s just say working women.” 

Despite seeing the owner’s woes, his father was intrigued by the business. Making the decision easier was the fact that his mother was too. His parents and grandparents partnered up to make it pencil financially, and they took the building off the man’s hands. 

The Madsen family made it work, but it took some time. Afterall, the industry was in its infancy, so immediately converting the warehouse into a self-storage facility like any developer would do today was out of the question. Instead, units were built to order. “We’d get a client, find out what size unit they needed, and then construct it in the warehouse with wood, chicken wire, and whatever other materials we had,” says Madsen. “So, you’d have a 5-by-10 beside a 10-by-10, beside a 10-by-20. It was just an uneven, unholy mishmash. Not like our pre-planned, well-thought-out unit mixes of today. But at the time it worked, right? In fact, you could say it was the perfect unity mix.” 

Today, this skid row has become a SoHo of sorts, with ritzy restaurants, chic condos, and flashy cars. And while the family no longer owns this particular property, it still stands as a self-storage facility and a source of pride for Madsen. “I’m glad it remains, this is where it all began,” he says wistfully. “It’s still got the high loading bays … those big beams. It’s old school storage all the way, and I love it. At least, that nostalgic part of me does.” 

Breaking Away 

Once Madsen was in high school, his family’s self-storage business, officially named U-Lock Mini Storage by that time, was booming. In addition, the family was partnering with other individuals to convert properties into self-storage facilities. Then, around 1988, came a turning point: the construction of a brand new, ground-up facility. “That was my first real exposure to being involved in the process from beginning to end. Buying a plot all the way through building a property. It was a great experience, and the facility turned out great too—a multistory, row-styled storage facility in North Vancouver.” 

In between university classes, Madsen was taking care of the tech side of the business. Of course, self-storage tech then was a lot different at the time. “This was the beginning of self-storage software, so I was working with the operating systems of the day like Space Control and Domico. I also managed rent increases, printing letters to tenants … and then I’d do my homework. Back then, self-storage was really quiet, so it was a great place to study.” 

Although business was doing well, sadly Madsen’s parents’ marriage was not, and the couple split in the early 90s. “My parents’ divorce rocked the business quite a bit,” Madsen recalls. Although he stuck around through most of his time in university, he began to consider other avenues other than self-storage. “It was partly to test the waters in another industry,” says Madsen. “But it was also to be independent of my parents. After their divorce, it got to be sort of messy being in the middle of both of their storage operations.” 

Madsen went to the Vancouver International Airport, not to leave town but to take a position as an operations manager. “That involved a lot of planning and managing teams and staff resources. It also exposed me to a ton of wild and crazy things. You think weird things happen in self-storage; you should work at an international airport for a few days!” 

Being responsible for the daily operations was fast-paced, technical, and very exciting. It also included meeting dozens of foreign dignitaries, presidents, and prime ministers. “There were contingencies for emergencies and backup plans … it also opened my eyes to the importance of having fun, being passionate, and staying competitive; the Vancouver International Airport is award-winning to this day.” 

Despite stepping away from the storage main stage, Madsen always waited in the wings, even attending the occasional show with his parents. “As the son of storage owners, people would try to get me to convince their kids to enter the business,” he says. Instead, Madsen would tell them they should let their children find their own path. “If you just put the business in their lap, it may be taken for granted. So let them experience other things. If they thrive in a different career, that’s fantastic for them. If they come to the realization that storage is a pretty great business, then they’ll return on their own with newfound appreciation for the industry.” 

And that’s how it went for Madsen. After experiencing something completely different from self-storage, he returned to his roots in 2001. “Stepping away for years was the best thing for my progression in the industry,” he says. “It taught me confidence and independence—that I could go out and do my own thing. It also gave me a newfound respect for the industry, along with new skills I could now apply to self-storage.” 

Back In Business 

Part of what inspired Madsen’s return to the industry was his father’s decision to wind things down and step away from U-Lock. It seemed like the perfect time to make a comeback, learn more from his father, and then take the reins. “Of course, he didn’t fully hand them over for another 10 years,” says Madsen, “so we had meetings every week, with a mediator. He made sure Dad didn’t push back on all my ideas!” 

He also began helping his mother out with her downtown Vancouver facility. “I worked quite closely with her, helping her manage that facility. And we eventually invested together in other properties too.” 

Today, the family assets have in a way come back together. Even Madsen’s grandmother, at 101, who was once one of the business partners, is always asking questions about the business. “I think keeping a finger on the pulse of the industry is part of what keeps them all young. They enjoy hearing about what I’m doing, what’s going on, the new innovations. They’re amazed at how rapidly things are evolving.” 

Today, Madsen has immediate equity and operational involvement in six U-Lock Mini Storage facilities with over 500,000 square feet of rentable space while continuing to help in the management of his mother’s property and one other facility. But he’s not done growing. “We’re actively and aggressively looking for avenues to expand over the next decade. There are a lot of opportunities in Canada.” 

Taking The Lead 

Early on, Madsen saw the power of associations when his father became a director for the western division of the SSA, which included part of Canada. As the industry grew and state associations began to form, the senior Madsen, along with a handful of others, founded the CSSA as an “affiliate” of the SSA. “It was my dad, Sue Margeson, Joe Kormos, and Ken Hick,” says Madsen. “They are the OGs of the CSSA—and I apologize if I’ve missed someone!”  

Now, as president of the CSSA, as well as the local Vancouver Island Self Storage Association, Madsen is proud to be able to carry on his dad’s industry legacy. “More than that, however, I just like being in a position to help newcomers to self-storage, advocate for the industry, and educate others about it. I’m super passionate about storage and love working with all the great people in our industry.” 

One of Madsen’s goals, which has been an ongoing one for the association, is to step up its lobbying ability and improve issues that matter most to members. “Our main priorities are battling overly aggressive taxation, growing communication and knowledge among self-storage owners, and improving Canadian industry data.” 

Madsen also says the association, in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), has been involved in a long-standing battle to reclassify the industry as an active business versus a passive business. “This better reflects the business while also reducing levels of taxation,” he says. “However, this battle has been a roller coaster ride, and we still find ourselves far from the finish line.” 

As the CSSA leader, and knowing that owners and operators have current economic concerns, does Madsen have a message for them? He’s quick to respond. “Run your business the best you can. Most of us thought we were through the bottom last year, and we’d be entering a more positive trend. I don’t believe that to be the case anymore; we need to be prepared for a recession. But it’s sort of like 2008. It was a shock for folks, but it opened our eyes to a lot of areas of inefficiency in our business and a lot of areas for improvement. So, take this unfortunate reality and turn it into an opportunity. Get organized, improve efficiencies, make your business the best it can be. If you do that, you’ll be able to take a lot of downturn hits when they come.” 

Bridging The Divide 

As the interview wraps up, it was inevitable that it would come full circle back to those Canadian-American relations. “I look at the division and I think, ‘How did we get here?’” Madsen asks rhetorically and a bit incredulously. 

He goes on to say that when he told some colleagues he was headed to the states for a bit, they questioned why he would go there right now. As a former member of a Rotary Club, a global volunteer organization dedicated to advancing world understanding, Madsen would tell them it was important to represent Canada. “Perhaps more so now when there’s tension,” he says. “It’s easy to go when times are good, but now is the time to show up, listen to the other side, and share your side. If you put up a wall, then you’re effectively cutting off communication, and that creates more division and misinformation.” 

Madsen pauses for just a moment, then adds, “Canada and the U.S. share a border, but we share much more than that, and we can’t lose sight of the human factor. All of us, whether Canadian or American, need to find ways to be bipartisan and come together. Because when we do, it works. We’re better and stronger together.” Spoken like a true president! 

Brad Hadfield is MSM’s web manager and the lead writer for Messenger and Self-Storage Canada.