
Self Storage Income
The authority on creating wealth and income through self storage.
Find our video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoaCszL7eN9T7EixaJgL49WTLsT-CWLD1
Latest episodes

Apr 22, 2025 • 56min
293. How to Structure a Self Storage Investing Partnership (Properly) in 2025
Partnerships can be a huge net positive for your self storage business, especially if the partner brings something different to the table. Unfortunately, they’re also the number one reason self storage deals fall through, and when partnerships fail, it’s messy. Good news—today, we’ll show you how to set up your partnership for success.
What’s the key to a long and profitable partnership? You need to prepare for the worst first—divorce, death, and dissolution—and work back from there. In this episode, AJ and Connor will show you how to do just that. You’ll learn about some costly mistakes to avoid and some major red flags to watch out for when teaming up with other investors, and AJ will even share his biggest wins and losses from past partnerships.
If you’re new to self storage investing, maybe you don’t possess the knowledge, experience, or capital to take down a self storage facility on your own. But you might have the one thing wealthy investors don’t have—time. Hunt down the right deal and investors will flock to YOU. Don’t believe us? Stick around and find out why!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
The number one reason why most self storage deals fall through
How to properly structure your own self storage partnership
The three financial “mechanisms” to account for in a partnership
AJ’s biggest wins and losses from current and past partnerships
The easiest way to create value that attracts other (wealthy) investors
The only way to maintain “control” in a self storage partnership
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📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/
🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! We seriously love them. https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/
🖊️ Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s Book: https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207

Apr 15, 2025 • 41min
292. How to Create Massive Value by “Converting” Old Buildings Nobody Wants w/Chris Genard & Ronald Fremin
Self storage has been a “goldilocks” asset for the last 15 years, but it’s a little harder to find opportunity today. If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, though, you can create massive value with self storage conversion projects, and just one or two of these deals could make you VERY wealthy!
Today, we’re chatting with Chris Genard and Ronald Fremin—college friends turned self storage investors and co-founders of Safe Space Companies. By combining Chris’ acquisitions expertise and Ronald’s construction background, the duo has built a portfolio of 12 self storage facilities, nine of which were converted from old buildings—including bowling alleys, hospitals, and big box retail stores. In this episode, you’ll learn how buying these properties at a deep discount and repurposing them for storage can be a highly profitable strategy!
If you stick around, Chris and Ronald will show you the pros and cons of ground-up construction and conversions, how to find and analyze conversion deals, and the secrets to maximizing your square footage and increasing revenue. Whether you’re looking to buy your first facility, develop new facilities, or convert old buildings into storage, there’s something in this episode for you!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
How Chris and Ronald built their self storage empire from scratch
Turning a huge profit by converting old buildings into self storage facilities
Creative ways to maximize your facility’s square footage (and revenue!)
How to find and analyze potential self storage conversion deals
The pros and cons of ground-up construction and converted facilities
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Safe Space Companies - https://www.safespacecompanies.com
📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/
🖊️ Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s NEW Book: https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207
🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207
📖 Get AJ's book for $1 teaching you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq
📉 Take advantage of our current self storage deals HERE: https://cedar.cc/invest

Apr 8, 2025 • 54min
291. Self Storage Seasonality: Moves to Make NOW Before “Busy Season” Hits with Jesse Harmon of Cedar Creek Capital
Self storage is a seasonal business, so if you’re not capitalizing on the busy and slow seasons, you risk your entire year of revenue. Why do we raise rates in the winter, strategically encourage tenant turnover before spring, and constantly obsess over occupancy by unit size? Today, we’re bringing on Jesse Harmon, Cedar Creek’s Director of Revenue Optimization, to reveal our proven game plan for self storage seasonality. This WILL make or break your facility, so get this RIGHT!
We’re about to enter (if not already in) the “busy” season of self storage. People are moving, spring homebuying is picking up, and you BETTER have units ready to lease at your facility—at the highest price possible. Have units below market rates that need to reach street-level pricing? Jesse shares the data to look at before putting in a rent raise and how to “test” higher rents so you can keep the most high-paying customers.
Next, we’re talking about leads: how to get them at a low cost—or even for free—and which marketing services we use most to fill our pipeline with self storage renters. Plus, before paying a service six months’ rent to get a customer, calculate this CRUCIAL metric to see precisely how much you should pay per lead.
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
Self-storage seasonality and how we optimize for busy and slow seasons
“Testing” new rental rates and the one metric that is a sign you can raise rents higher
Why you WANT move-outs (especially in one season) to maximize your facility’s revenue
The metrics you should be looking at every day to guide what moves to make at your facility
Marketing tactics we use to get more leads and customers while keeping costs low
Helpful Related Articles:
Calculating For Marketing: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/market-dynamics-key-metrics-and-Insights-for-smart-investments
How To Increase Revenue: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/how-to-increase-revenue-in-self-storage-investing
Why Occupancy Doesn't Matter The Way You Think it Does:
https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/why-occupancy-doesn-t-matter-in-self-storage
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Resources Mentioned:
📉 NowMetrics: https://nowmetrics.co/
📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/
🎙️ Apply to be a Guest On Self Storage Income HERE: https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207

Apr 1, 2025 • 1h 2min
290. The Secret to Building a Highly Profitable Self Storage Business in 2025
Self storage is much more than a piece of real estate, and if you’re not “in the business of storage,” your investment is doomed to fail. Today, AJ and Conner will give you the blueprint for running not just a functional self storage facility but a profitable self storage business you can scale!
Your customers might see a large metal box, but there is much more going on behind the scenes of your self storage business—including people, operations, systems, and processes—that will make or break your success. In this episode, AJ winds back the clock and shares why he got into self storage investing in the first place, the four “pillars” he used to build his business, and the secrets that allowed him to scale a company that is now worth several hundred million dollars!
Along the way, you’ll learn why you need to prioritize talent—even if it means taking a temporary cash flow hit—and how to transition from “wearing many hats” to creating specialized roles and departments in your business. You’ll also learn the dos and don’ts of people management and why you can’t afford to stop learning, even as you delegate responsibilities!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
How to build and run a profitable self storage business in 2025
The four-bucket strategy AJ used to build his own company
The number one mistake that causes new self storage owners to fail
Common operational expenses that many investors don’t account for
How to effectively manage the people within your self storage business
The one thing you can’t afford to do when hiring a new employee
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Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s NEW Book - https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207
Sign up for the Self Storage Income newsletter - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/newsletter/

Mar 25, 2025 • 45min
289. Will Trump’s Tariffs Upend the Self-Storage Industry?
Trump’s tariffs are back, and they could send shockwaves through the self storage industry. With new tariffs on building materials, development costs are rising, demand is shifting, and investors need to prepare. Whether you’re a self storage owner, developer, or investor, these US tariffs could impact everything from occupancy to rental rates and long-term supply and demand.
At the time of this recording, Trump’s tariff policies remain in place, affecting trade with Mexico, Canada, and China. With uncertainty surrounding US tariff negotiations, how will these changes reshape the self storage industry? Will new restrictions drive rents up, slow development, or create unexpected opportunities?
We’re explaining the first, second, and third-order consequences of these tariffs, breaking down how they affect self storage investors at every level—from REITs to mom-and-pop operators. Plus, what lessons can we learn from previous tariffs and economic cycles, and how should you adjust your self storage investing strategy moving forward?
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
How Trump’s tariffs could impact self storage development costs
Why higher steel prices could slow new facilities and reduce supply
How shifting trade relationships with Mexico, Canada, and China affect self storage industry players
What happened in 2018’s US tariff cycle and what it means for today
Whether storage rental demand will rise as new development projects stall (good news for owners?)
Why you MUST update your underwriting/analysis for these new tariffs
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Why U.S. Debt is Everyone’s Problem (Including Yours) - https://youtu.be/DFDZwj64EeQ?si=9yppssHb01hhcWUr

Mar 18, 2025 • 39min
288. The Undersupplied Self Storage Markets That Everyone Else Is Ignoring w/Brady McDonald
Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast
Brady McDonald is not only a fellow self storage investor but also the founder of Barefoot Land Co., a company that specializes in acquiring and entitling land for self storage development. Only a few years ago, Brady owned a large portfolio of rental properties in Canada. But when he realized that “you can’t eat equity” and needed more cash flow, he packed up his young family, moved to the US, and started a business that sources land off-market, entitles it, and then sells it to other developers. He has even developed a couple of his own self storage facilities, too!
In this episode, Brady shares his journey into self storage investing, the major changes he’s noticing throughout the self storage industry, and the steps he takes when analyzing a market for development opportunities. Stay tuned if you want to know where rental rates are headed and where class A storage could take off in 2025!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
Crucial metrics to look at when analyzing a self storage market
Forecasting where storage rental rates are headed in the next 12 months
The “smaller” markets where class A storage could explode in 2025
Building a cash-flowing business to offset low-cash-flow investments
Brady’s journey from residential real estate to self storage investing
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Barefoot Land Co.: https://www.barefootlandco.com
Brady’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brady.mcdonald84
📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/
📑 Our Self-Storage Feasibility Studies will help you speed up the process in understanding markets, potential risks, and analyzing the facility itself. https://cedar.cc/feasibility-studies/
🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the Self Storage Income or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here!
https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207
📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq
📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us:
https://cedar.cc/invest

Mar 11, 2025 • 42min
287. Self Storage “Deals of a Lifetime” Flooding Back to the Market (We’re Buying!)
Self storage “deals of a lifetime” are already hitting the market!
Is the self storage deal drought over? It’s certainly starting to feel like it. More and more self storage investments are now making financial sense at prices sellers are willing to accept—and we’re taking full advantage. If you’ve been waiting to buy your first or next self storage facility, this may be the perfect time to get in, as sellers are FINALLY waking up to reality and considering offers well below asking price. We’ve already got multiple deals under contract this year, but this buyer’s market will NOT last long.
Why are sellers finally starting to come around? Is it due to low buyer demand or high interest rates lasting too long? There are multiple factors forcing sellers to reconsider offers that they would have, up until recently, laughed at. So, how do YOU take advantage now and acquire assets that’ll be home-run deals in just a few years?
We’re walking you through how to get in the game, build your self storage investment “buy box,” and score a “deal of a lifetime” before the market flips back to the seller’s side.
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
Why self storage sellers are finally starting to accept under-asking price offers
The new buyer’s market forming and how long it could last
The one thing you MUST do before you start making offers on storage facilities
Why it will cost you to NOT make offers (even on “overpriced” deals)
Beginner-friendly self storage facilities with ZERO competition from the big players
Scoring a 30% price reduction on a facility everyone else overlooked!
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Self Storage Inner Circle - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/inner-circle

Mar 10, 2025 • 41min
286. 6 Ways to Optimize Your Storage Facility with AI (Pricing, Revenue, Support)
Can you use AI to run a self storage facility? Yes, and it can do it better than you can. Don’t worry; AI (artificial intelligence) won’t take your checks and put them into its artificial bank account. You’ll still keep all the profits. But, thanks to massive leaps in technology, you can use AI to streamline and optimize almost every part of your self storage business, from customer support to revenue management, drafting lease agreements, and even underwriting deals for you!
Today we’re sharing how we’re using AI in 2025 to boost our self storage profits, reduce our team’s busy work, and find opportunities for us. We’ll walk through the six ways AI can help any storage operator, whether they’re a large or small investor. We’re talking about operations, marketing, revenue management, customer retention, business strategy, and legal and compliance.
If you’ve got a couple of storage facilities and you’re running them by yourself, these integrations can help cut your workload in half so you have more time to focus on building your portfolio. For larger operators, we’ve seen these additions massively trim the busy work (and costs that come with it) we’re used to dealing with daily.
AI is a game-changer IF you use it the right way. Good news: we’re explaining exactly how to do that.
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
How to use AI (artificial intelligence) to make MORE money from your facility with less work
Using AI to analyze key customer trends so you keep more monthly revenue
Pinpointing the “gaps” in the market to beat out all other storage operators in the area
Getting more five-star customer reviews with a simple AI outreach template
The one thing you MUST have a professional look over AFTER AI gives you a first draft
AI investment analysis and underwriting so you can review deals even faster (and make moves on the best ones)
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Self Storage Income Newsletter - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/
Nokē Smart Entry - https://www.janusintl.com/products/noke

Feb 25, 2025 • 35min
285. How RV Rentals Can Boost Your Storage Revenue in 2025 w/Garr Russell & Mark Beasley
Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast
What’s one of the best ways to make more money with your current storage facility? You’ve probably already considered tenant protection insurance, selling moving supplies, or building more units to boost your income, but what about hosting RV rentals? RV self storage isn’t new, and many storage owners have already caught onto the fact that RV and boat parking can bring in considerable revenue without building more units. But what if, like U-Haul trucks, you become the operator for RV rentals all from your storage facility?
Garr Russell and Mark Beasley from Fireside RV Rental are making this income stream dream a reality for self storage owners all across the country. As a self storage owner, you can get a cut of the revenue by providing parking and pickup space for RV owners renting out their vehicles. If you’ve got parking and an operator who can handle on-site rentals, you might have everything you need to increase your facility’s income.
So, how does it work? Which storage facilities can get in on it? And is it worth the small amount of effort? Garr and Mark walk through the entire process and why this may be the ultimate win-win-win for storage operators, RV owners, and RV renters, resulting in more money from the same self storage facility!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
Why RV self storage is a no-brainer for those with storage facilities and extra space
What you’ll need to start renting out RVs from your self storage facility
How much the RV owner and self storage facility can make through these rentals
The reason this business model is booming and why it’s a perfect time for storage owners to get in
How to make even more money off RV rentals by installing specific perks at your facility
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Fireside RV Rental: https://firesidervrental.com/ My Wheel Estate Story: https://www.mywheelestatestory.com/freebook-v2

Feb 18, 2025 • 55min
284. Why the Self Storage Industry MUST Adapt or End Up Like the Hotel Industry w/ Steve Mirabito
Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast
Is self storage in trouble? Not exactly, but we need to adapt to avoid suffering the same fate as the hotel industry. Today’s guest has had his finger on the pulse of the self storage industry since the 1980s, and he’s going to share where we’re at and where we’re headed!
We had the opportunity to chat with Steve Mirabito, who is not only the founder and president of StoragePRO but also a board member for Storelocal, the largest self storage co-op in the world. In this episode, he winds the clock back nearly 40 years and shares about his journey into self storage and the challenges he faced early on. You’ll learn all about the birth of the industry, the role Steve played in popularizing this asset class, and how self storage has evolved since.
Most importantly, where does the industry stand today, and what can investors expect going forward? Steve will share his unique perspective on some of the biggest opportunities and threats in self storage, the lessons investors can learn from the rise and fall of the hotel industry, and the number one thing you need to prepare for in 2025 and the years ahead!
What you’ll learn in today’s show:
The number one thing self storage investors need to prepare for
Why self storage owners should start overlaying the “valet” storage model
Steve’s journey to becoming a major player in self storage development
How the self storage industry has evolved since the 1980s
Why all independent operators should join a self storage co-op
What self storage investors can learn from the hospitality industry
StoragePRO: https://www.storagepro.com
StoragePRO Management: https://www.storagepromanagement.com
📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/
Mentioned article: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/the-self-storage-industry-a-brief-overview
📑 Our Self-Storage Feasibility Studies will help you speed up the process in understanding markets, potential risks, and analyzing the facility itself. https://cedar.cc/feasibility-studies/
🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the Self Storage Income podcast? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207
📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage ! https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq
📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest