Gabfocus Self Storage Podcast

Experts from 6Storage, Storable, Storage Commander, and Storeganise join us to talk all about software. Good self storage software can make all the difference for both the customer experience and the manager/owner. What functionality should software have? How should it interact with security, call centers, and payment portals? What are the pain points operators are trying to overcome? And of course, what's coming in the next few years? From integrations, to customer interactions, to management needs, our guests overview what you should be looking for in a software system. Guests: Jason Palmer (Storable), Alyssa Winkelman (6Storage), Steve Smith (Storage Commander), and Jack Colemanzo (Storeganise) Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Tommy Nguyen, founder of StoragePug, shares his origins both in the US and in self storage. From his humble beginnings coming to America from Vietnam, to his early days in tech after UT, to the beginnings of his company StoragePug, we hear all about his amazing journey. He discusses his personal story, the heart behind StoragePug, and his thoughts on the self storage industry's past and future. Guest: Tommy Nguyen, StoragePug Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

What data matters in self storage? Where do you get it? James McLean from Radius+ joins Tommy and Melissa to discuss all the analytics you can handle. It can be hard to sort through all the available data out there from your website to your online profiles to your management software. We discuss the tools that are available and the key data to keep track of to keep your business competitive and successful. Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff Guest: James McLean with Radius+ Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Welcome to Episode 2 of Legal Chat. This virtual "Power Hour" covers a variety of topics and questions sent in from self storage owners and operators around the country. Today we cover the recently passed legislation regarding non-monetary defaults, the ability to enforce unsigned leases, properly disclosing fees, force-placing tenant insurance, laws against junk fees, legal tips for taking over a troubled facility, and much more. You can watch this episode over on their YouTube channel- Legal Chat Episode 2 Make sure to subscribe to watch future episodes. Hosts: Carlos Kaslow & Scott Zucker with the Self Storage Legal Network Brought to you by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

In this special 100th episode, we revisit our very first topic from two years ago- work life balance. Whether you own a business or just work for one, the motivation behind your work ethic drives everything you do, from the amount of time you spend with your family to the effort you put into your job. We discuss our own work life balance, the "Why" behind Lighthouse Storage Solutions, and some things to consider as you examine the relationship between your personal and professional endeavors. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

The future of tenant communication is video. Face time, snaps, zoom, google meet, and a host of other options have grown this tech in person to person communication, but we haven't seen it hit its stride in the self storage space... that is until Live Switch decided to enter our industry. It's not often we're blown away by a new piece of tech that enters the self storage space, but today is an exception. James Hatfield joins us to talk about the origins of Liveswitch, how it's already working with major organizations (Adobe, NFL, Department of Defense, etc.), and how it's changing the way we talk with our tenant and co-workers in self storage. And the best part of it all is the simplicity with which anyone can use this tech. Plus, we dive into some of the charitable work connected to Liveswitch (linked below) and think about the future of how this tech will impact self storage. *Live Switch is not a sponsor of this episode Guest: James Hatfield, CRO of Live Switch Charitable Organization from the episode: Inmates to Entrepreneurs Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff

Snakes, birds that attack, glow in the dark tenants... we've got a few fun stories from our recent travels to share on this lighter 4th of July special episode. There is never a dull day in self storage, and we are extremely thankful for the freedom to work in this industry and build our business. Despite the strange circumstances, tempermental technology, or aggessive animals, we wouldn't trade our time in this industry for anything. Enjoy the fun stories and feel free to share a few of your own with us. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Get ready for one of our most entertaining podcasts of the year. Aaron Harwell from SpiderDoor joins Tommy and Melissa to talk about self storage security. Aaron has experience both as a self storage owner and the owner of a self storage security company and talks about what has (and hasn't) worked for his facilities and what led him to the many unique solutions SpiderDoor provides. From lasers, to attack dogs, to gates, and just about everything in between, we hit on all the security you should look into for your facilities. Plus, Aaron reveals his top 2 must have security features every facility needs to be using today. Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff Guest: Aaron Harwell with SpiderDoor Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Up next in our series on "Dealing with Problem Tenants" are our business operators. This is a tricky category as many of our business tenants are our best tenants. They follow the rules, pay on time, and stay forever. But there's a difference between a business that stores with you and one that operates on your property. How can you discover this problem business before you rent to them? What are the red flags to watch for? As with the other types, so many problems can be avoided with an active manager and clear guidelines in your lease. We discuss all the angles of this important tenant type, plus give a brief update on StorageGives towards the end. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Theft is one of many security issues facing every self storage facility. Preventing it should be a top concern. Sadly, one of the sources of theft is our own tenants. For most of your renters, you have nothing to worry about. But what about that one bad apple? How can you "thief-proof" your facility? Better yet, how can you head off a thief before they ever become a tenant? Today, we tackle the next problem tenant on our list, the Thief. We go over very practical ways to prevent them from renting, recognizing them on the property, and keeping your property safe. From curb appeal, to police presence, to unit alarms (plus several funny stories), we explore this issue like Danny Ocean explores a casino. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions