Gabfocus Self Storage Podcast Choosing the Right Management Fit with Brad North
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Sep 26, 2025 In this discussion, Brad North, a seasoned 36-year self-storage industry veteran and CEO of Advantage Consulting and Management, shares invaluable insights on choosing the right management fit for your facility. He explores various management styles, including owner-operator, third-party, and hybrid models. Brad highlights the importance of effective customer service, operational efficiency, and transitioning between management types. He also emphasizes key indicators to watch for when re-evaluating your operations and offers tips for auditing performance. Perfect for both hands-on owners and passive investors!
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Founder’s Hands-On Origin
- Brad North left a corporate job to build and run his first self-storage facility in 1989, doing everything from fundraising to sweeping units.
- That hands-on start taught him operations, sales, and resilience through market cycles.
Require Sales-Driven Third-Party Managers
- If you hire a third-party manager, require strengths in sales, marketing, and operations, not just bill-paying and staffing.
- Insist they drive leads and train managers to convert visits into rentals.
Scaling Exposed Operational Chaos
- When Advantage took over seven third-party locations, Brad found inconsistent manager practices and had to standardize systems.
- They replaced some long-tenured managers and built training, tracking, and a unified culture.