• December 08, 2024

The Last Word

Pete Frayser, Janus

28 Oct, 2024

The Last Word: Pete Frayser, Janus International Group

Combating Break-Ins In our industry, few issues can damage the reputation of a facility or brand...

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Chris Walls, Go Mini's

20 Oct, 2024

The Last Word: Chris Walls, CEO & President of Go Mini’s

In an era where urbanization and changing lifestyles have reshaped the way we live and work, the...

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Adam Pogoda

2 Aug, 2024

The Last Word: Adam Pogoda, Pogoda Companies

In April, I had the pleasure of writing MSM’s “Last Word” column, which appeared in May Messenger....

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Richard Allen, Elevate Structures

31 Jul, 2024

The Last Word: Richard Allen, President of Elevate Structures

When we gather at trade shows, the atmosphere reminds me of the deep camaraderie that defines our...

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Kelly Gallacher

10 Jun, 2024

Remote Management: A Snail’s Pace Of Acceptance

In the year 2000, a not so well-known revenue option came to the forefront of the self-storage...

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Harry Sleighl

25 Mar, 2024

The Last Word: Harry Sleighel, Chairman of Michaels Wilder

Many of us are seeking ways to bring in new revenue, but it’s so important to consider all aspects...

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Noah Springer Extra Space

28 Feb, 2024

The Last Word: Noah Springer, Extra Space Storage

As kids, we all look forward to the future—to see what is coming and when.The older I get, the...

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Mike Burnam, Storagemart

16 Feb, 2024

The Last Word: Mike Burnam, CIO & President of StorageMart

It’s odd that I ever get the “last word,” especially at my house, so I guess it is apropos that...

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Arlen Nordhagen NSA

20 Dec, 2023

RM Isn't Right: Arlen D. Nordhagen, Founder & Vice Chairman, NSA

We’ve all heard the hype about how the latest and greatest revenue management (RM) system can...

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Steve Mirabito StoragePro

30 Nov, 2023

Are Rent Caps Coming? Steve Mirabito, President of StoragePRO, Weighs In

I fear our industry faces a potentially existential public relations and business threat caused by...

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Economic woes for self storage

23 May, 2023

Ensuring Your Success in Any Economy

Having been in the self-storage industry for over 26 years, spanning through multiple economic...

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covid impacts self storage

29 Sep, 2021

Rental Rate Pressures During COVID-19

Unfortunately, as we sit here today, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. As a result, issues...

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self storage resiliency

10 May, 2021

The Resiliency Of The Self-Storage Industry

Over the last year, through a massive public health crisis and a distressed economy, the...

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24 Mar, 2021

Upholding The Golden Rule

By Donald Jones, president of Donald Jones Consulting & Services LLC “Do unto others …” or “Treat...

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24 Mar, 2021

Persevering In A Pandemic

By Michael Baillargeon, Senior Vice President, Operations, Store Space By now, all of us in the...

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24 Mar, 2021

Streamlining Development

Virtual Cost Savings, Productivity, And Projections By David Meinecke, Vice President of Jordan...

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24 Mar, 2021

Re-opening Your Business During COVID-19

By J. Ashley Oblinger, Esq., Associate Attorney, Weissmann Zucker Euster Morochnik & Garber P.C. ...

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24 Mar, 2021

Running 100 Miles Is A Lot Like Starting A Business

By Rod Bolls, founder and CEO of Boxwell, LLC There are some things that are commonly considered...

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24 Mar, 2021

Recognizing The Warning Signs Of Oversupplied Markets

By Monty Spencer, CEO, The Storage Acquisition Group A developer builds a new storage facility in...

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24 Mar, 2021

In the Limelight

By Tim Hobin, Executive Vice President – Real Estate, The William Warren Group, Inc. As I write...

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24 Mar, 2021

Technology And The Manager

By Andy Kelly, Principal and Broker of A B Kelly Realty, LLC (Self Storage and Commercial Property...

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24 Mar, 2021

Enjoy The Ride!

By John H. Gilliland, president and CEO of Investment Real Estate, LLC Remember where we were 10...

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12 Feb, 2021

Leveraging Technology: Customer Experience Is King

In the past, to find a self-storage unit you would: Ask some friends or family, Look it up in the...

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12 Feb, 2021

The $10 Rule Maximizing Your Self-Storage Profits

Over my 20-plus years in the self-storage industry, I’ve heard the phrase “three mile” quite a...

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12 Feb, 2021

The New "Cash" Laws Impacting "Cashless" Self-Storage Operations

Over the last five years, as the use of technology has blossomed in the self-storage industry,...

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12 Feb, 2021

Just Give Me Your Price!

Perhaps the most frustrating call received by mangers is the person who just wants to shop your...

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12 Feb, 2021

Revenue Management: A Business Discipline, Not A Project

Everyone does pricing. Some do it by intuition, others do it in a more sophisticated way. Every...

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12 Feb, 2021

Making A Lasting And Positive First Impression

I attended a seminar last week that discussed trends in the real estate market for the...

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12 Feb, 2021

It’s What’s Inside That Counts

August is sort of a bittersweet month for me. It’s the time two of my kids are getting ready to...

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1 Mar, 2019

Automated Storage Facilities

Why They Aren’t A Myth If you’re unsure about embracing automated self-storage, here’s a...

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1 Feb, 2019

Why Automation Is The Way Of The Future

When I started Red Dot Storage, the business plan was pretty simple: acquire self-storage...

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1 Jan, 2019

Open Platforms Are Good For Everyone

When self-storage operators first started using technology it was in the form of PC software that...

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1 Nov, 2018

What Took Us Down … And May Save Us Today

By Devin S. Huber, Principal, The BSC Group As a mortgage broker specializing in self-storage, my...

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Noah Springer Family

1 Oct, 2018

Self-Storage Perspectives: Are Your Kids Ugly?

Before I had kids, I knew that mine would be the best looking, most polite, and smartest kids out...

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1 Sep, 2018

The Help Heroes Heal Campaign

Raising Funds For Wounded Warrior Charities Sherman Gillums, Jr. Throughout 2018, AZSA is...

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1 Aug, 2018

Reconsidering The College Rental

By Norm Shore, Director, Kayne Anderson Real Estate How many years have we heard that the college...

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1 Jun, 2018

The Times They Are A-Changin'!

Tom Garden – Owner of Syrasoft Management Software and co-owner of Catskill Self Storage in Leeds,...

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1 May, 2018

Storage Rent Growth Is Strong

by Jeffrey W. Adler, Yardi Systems, Inc. Storage rent growth is decelerating but still trending...

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1 Apr, 2018

Is Your Website Accessible To The Blind?

After the ruling in favor of a customer in the Gil v. Winn-Dixie case (Florida District Court),...

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1 Mar, 2018

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” –Yogi Berra

Joel Deis, vice president and regional manager, Marcus & Millichap – Seattle Office, and national...

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1 Feb, 2018

The Last Word: Self-Storage Trends To Watch For In 2018

Over the last 15 years, the self-storage industry evolved from a mom-and-pop investment class to a...

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1 Jan, 2018

Outselling Your Competition

Do you feel like there’s a self storage property on every corner? Or, you have had several large...

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1 Nov, 2017

Networking iIn The Self-Storage Community

By Nick Malagisi, SIOR, Managing Director/National Director Self-Storage of SVN Hardy Good, one of...

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1 Oct, 2017

The Importance Of Securing Every Unit Door

In today’s world of instant access to goods and services, we’ve all grown accustomed to a certain...

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1 Sep, 2017

Need Data?

Join Us In Arizona! Information is the key to success. Given the importance of that fact in our...

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1 Aug, 2017

Minding The One Percent

As industries evolve, the competition gets fiercer and the stakes become higher. The things that...

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1 Jun, 2017

Prospering While Managing Risk

As real estate and economic cycles go, things are usually fine, until they are not. The old adage...

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1 May, 2017

Why Offering Tenant Insurance Is Good Customer Service

James Appleton, Director of Sales, Publishing & Special Risk, MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC ...

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1 Apr, 2017

Site Selection Insights

As the self-storage development cycle moves over the crest and onto the downward slope, the...

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1 Mar, 2017

Storage Emergencies

Helping Customers In Distress Upon recently returning to the U.S. from a vacation, I immediately...

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1 Jan, 2017

Navigating Change

In many respects, 2016 was another banner year for the self-storage industry. Transaction velocity...

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1 Nov, 2016

YLG And The Self-Storage Industry

A little over four years ago, the Young Leaders Group (YLG) was nothing more than an idea tossed...

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1 Oct, 2016

Remaining Relevant

It’s Time To Take Advantage Of Technology An “entrenched industry that is failing to recognize...

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1 Sep, 2016

Credit Card Surcharges

Storage operators have long experienced the anguish of the transaction fees charged by credit card...

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1 Aug, 2016

Training Is The Key To Tenant Insurance Success

Tenant insurance is one of the oldest insurance products in the self-storage industry. Once viewed...

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1 Jun, 2016

How You Can Go Wrong With A Grace Period

I spend a good part of my professional career parsing words trying to protect the self-storage...

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1 May, 2016

Are We Getting The Credit We Deserve?

I have made my living in the self-storage industry for more than three decades. I have watched our...

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6 Apr, 2016

No Excuses; No Exceptions!

The Importance Of Revenue Management In A Highly Occupied Environment For as long as I can...

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1 Mar, 2016

Let’s Do This Deal:

A Buyer’s Perspective Like many of you, I am an owner-operator to the core; but for the last four...

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1 Feb, 2016

Vindication … Finally?

Self-storage is on fire! Since 2013, it has crushed the competition in the commercial real estate...

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1 Jan, 2016

Empowering Your Team: The Best Business Resolution

These are certainly wonderful times for the self-storage business. In my 30 years in the industry,...

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