Self Storage Lab

A special one-off episode of Self Storage Lab, recorded live at the SSA Fall Conference on September 11, 2026.This isn't a typical interview. It's a panel titled "What's Real, What's Next?", a candid, unscripted look at how AI is actually being adopted and deployed across self storage, from three people building with it every day. Matt Engfer, co-founder and CEO of Cubby, moderates. He's joined by Mason Levy, co-founder and CEO of swivl, and Austin Rockman, who leads AI at White Label Storage. Between them: machine learning backgrounds, millions of customer conversations, and a lot of hard-won opinions on what works and what's just slop.The conversation moves through three arcs: where AI adoption really stands today, how these teams are applying it inside their own operations, and a closing "what's next" look at where self storage goes from here.What they get into:How to actually drive adoption inside an organization, and why it usually starts with one or two people who "get the joke"Training teams seat by seat, and installing shared skills so people start with a good experience instead of a rabbit holeThe deployment problem nobody warns you about: who gets access, to what data, and where the thing you built actually livesCommunication preferences as the highest-leverage setup step, and why the fundamentals of good work haven't changed even as the tools haveKeeping AI output honest: human review, QA, and avoiding the "it's the coolest thing ever" trap before it's actually goodReal applications in storage, from pricing and collections to review solicitation and field maintenance routingClean, structured, well-labeled data as the thing that still makes or breaks everythingMCPs and connectors explained in plain languageTalking to your models: dictation, cognitive load, and the new social norms of whispering to your computerIf you're just getting started with AI or already deep into building internal tools, this panel offers an unusually honest, in-the-weeds look at the state of play from three people who are living in it.A few ideas worth stealingThe fastest way to spread AI adoption is to find the one or two people already using it well, then productize what they built for everyone else.Don't wait for perfect data to start. The definition of "economic occupancy" can get refined while you're already making progress.Spend real time up front on how you want your AI to communicate with you. It pays off across every session after.The fundamentals of being good at your job haven't changed. The tools have. Curiosity is still rule number one.Structured, well-annotated data is still the whole game. Bad data in, bad data out.Featured on this panelMason Levy, co-founder & CEO, swivl. Matt Engfer, co-founder & CEO, Cubby. Austin Rockman, AI lead, White Label Storage.

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today's technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.This episode brings two guests from StorageMax, Mississippi's largest self-storage operator, spanning 39 locations across three states with a lean 48-person team. Nick Newcomb stepped into the CEO role in late 2024 after joining the family business in 2013 and rising through COO. Shannon Wolfe runs training and development, joining in 2019 from the coffee world just before COVID reshaped the industry. Together they break down how a lean operator stays coherent at scale, even as AI handles more of the customer-facing work.In this episode, we explore:Why StorageMax runs with no district managers, and how a siloed, specialty-based structure replaced the traditional modelThe CEO transition, learning to delegate, and the "ISMADAT" spreadsheet (Improving StorageMax One Day At A Time)The acquisition playbook: broker and off-market deals, long-term-hold relationships, and a two-month runway to StorageMax standardsFirst impressions as strategy, from deep-cleaning every vacant unit to the back lip of the doorWhat breaks first when you grow: software integrations, not peopleAncillary revenue done right, and how an RV campground near an AWS data-center campus became the primary business at that siteBuilding an AI-literate team: safe-practices training, AI to enhance roles rather than replace themPersonal tech stacks, from Claude in Excel and vibe-coded dashboards to reMarkable tablets and SuperhumanWhy the manager who got poached by a competitor asked for a repaved driveway, not a raiseThe bait-and-switch rate problem and what it costs the industry's reputationIf you've ever wondered how a lean team competes with the REITs, when specialization beats the jack-of-all-trades manager, or how to bring AI into an operation without losing the human touch, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level look from two people building it in real time.In This Episode We Discussed(00:00:00) Two guests, one lean operator: intros and backgrounds(00:03:02) Monday mornings and how a small corporate team divides the work(00:05:32) The CEO transition and learning to delegate(00:08:35) Building the siloed structure and why no district managers(00:10:12) What breaks first when you scale(00:12:00) The acquisition playbook and turning a facility into StorageMax(00:18:04) Ancillary revenue, RV campgrounds, and the data-center effect(00:22:37) Investing in people and the repaved-driveway story(00:27:19) Personal AI tech stacks and how the team actually uses AI(00:39:09) Training an AI-literate team without losing the human touch(00:48:35) Biggest surprises and the bait-and-switch rate problem(00:51:50) Rapid fire: Monday opens, curb appeal, lunch spots, sports, and unmanned mythsKey Themes & TakeawaysSpecialize Instead of Cloning ManagersOne manager wearing every hat never masters sales. StorageMax replaced district managers with specialists in training, quality control, and personnel, borrowing the logic operators usually reserve for call centers.AI Enhances Roles, It Doesn't Replace ThemThe message to the team is explicit: lean into new tools, but they exist to take work off your plate, not to take your job.Do Right by Your PeopleThe best team members care about their customers. Sometimes retention isn't about money; it's about paving the road they've been apologizing for.Favorite Nuggets"Unmanned properties do not exist.""Improving StorageMax one day at a time.""You can't get a first impression back the second try.""If you're single-sentence prompting, you're doing it wrong."🔗 More from StorageMaxLearn more at the StorageMax website.Connect with NickConnect with Shannon

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today's technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.This episode's guest is Joel Patterson, SVP of Operations at Personal Mini Storage and past president of the Florida Self Storage Association. Joel got his start in moving and storage at U-Haul in 2001, then joined Personal Mini in 2004 as a live-in resident manager while finishing college. 22 years and one company later, he oversees operations across 20-plus locations in Florida. He isn't chasing the fully remote model, and he isn't automating the personal out of his business. In this episode, we explore:Joel's path from running a U-Haul center to becoming a U-Haul dealer, and lessons about the one-stop-shop mindsetLiving on site with his brother in the early years, and what stuckWhat Joel watches every Monday morning, and why reviews and referrals are his North Star over vanity metricsThe tech stack behind the operationTesting ancillary revenue: 18 truck-parking bookings in under three weeks, plus motion-sensor and unit-monitoring experimentsHow Personal Mini evaluates new vendors and AI tools without chasing shiny toysRunning a pilot-site rollout the right way: get the team's buy-in, learn in real time, and let managers shape the futureWhy half the portfolio still has live-in managers, and the conviction behind that choiceThe human-in-the-loop philosophy, and whether the industry is overcorrecting toward automationFighting to modernize Florida's lien laws, the newspaper lobby, and the "rally in Tally"Living in both worlds: operating as an NSA regional partner and as an independentWhat Joel keys in on when he walks a property, from the gate to the keypad to the front doorRapid fire: Percy the kangaroo, giving up coffee for tea, a 24-book reading goal, national parks, and a first concert with a fake IDIf you've ever wondered how a people-first operator competes with the REITs, when live-in management still makes sense, or how to roll out new technology without losing your team, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level perspective from someone who has done it for 22 years.In This Episode We Discussed(00:00:00) 22 years, one company: Joel's story and the Costco lesson(00:01:32) From U-Haul to Personal Mini, and learning the ropes as a live-in manager(00:06:34) The one-stop-shop mindset and making every customer encounter count(00:09:22) Joel's North Star: reviews, referrals, and what customers say when you're not in the room(00:11:12) What a Monday morning looks like: SSM, QuickBase, and a homegrown tech stack(00:14:14) Ancillary revenue, truck parking club, and 18 bookings in three weeks(00:17:53) How Personal Mini filters the vendor fire hose and avoids shiny-toy syndrome(00:22:56) Rolling out new technology the right way: pilot sites, buy-in, and learning in real time(00:26:02) Why half the portfolio still has live-in managers(00:29:21) Are we overcorrecting on automation? Where the human fits in(00:33:36) Florida lien-law advocacy, the newspaper lobby, and the rally in Tally(00:39:59) Living in both camps: NSA regional partner and independent operator(00:42:32) Walking a property: the gate, the keypad, and the front door(00:45:01) Rapid fire: Percy the kangaroo, tea over coffee, books, national parks, concerts(00:52:08) Where to find Joel and a closing word on state associationsFavorite Nuggets"We're not looking to take the personal out of Personal Mini Storage.""We're really renting time, not just space.""Hey, we don't know what we're doing. We're learning it with you in real time.""If you're only consuming industry content, then you're only gonna have industry content.""You can't get a first impression back the second try.""The people that get stuff done are the people that go up and do that sort of thing."🔗 More from Joel & Personal Mini Storagepersonalministorage.com

This episode's guest is Travis Morrow, Chairman and CEO of Store Local and President of National Self Storage. Few people have seen the industry from as many angles as Travis: operator, co-op founder, publisher, event host, and one of the most connected voices in self storage. He runs a 29-store portfolio, learned the business from the ground up doing feasibility studies as an intern, and has been working remote since 2009, long before anyone had a pandemic to blame. Through it all, he still calls himself an operator first, and every hat he wears traces back to one question: are my stores renting units?‍In this episode, we explore:Travis's path from a half-semester internship to a portfolio he owns, develops, and managesThe mentorship of Bob Schaff and learning to look out for the whole industry, not just your own facilitiesWhy the Young Leaders Group exists and what he tells the 25-year-old just entering storageThe cooperative origins of Store Local and the bet that scale can be sharedWhether consolidation has gone too far, and why storage trails hospitality by about 15 yearsHow Store Local Storage gives independents a brand to fly without becoming a franchiseThe advantage independents still hold: speed and nimblenessWhy operators have a reputation for being cheap, and what's finally breaking the habit"Cheap leads" and the endless hunt for true lead attribution and return on ad spendAI as a multiplier, not a magic wand, and how Travis evaluates which tools actually rent unitsBringing back MSM, the rebrand to Modern Storage Media, and launching a new fall show in AtlantaRapid fire: Red Bull to Celsius, morning person, Tucson vs. Atlanta, and a favorite Braves moment‍In This Episode We Discussed:‍(00:00:00) Intro: a long time coming, and Swivl ahead of the curve(00:02:50) Travis's many hats, and why he's still an operator first(00:05:54) The Young Leaders Group and mentorship under Bob Schaff(00:12:13) Store Local's co-op origins and the long tail of the industry(00:15:54) Has consolidation gone too far? The hospitality parallel(00:18:06) The independent operator's real advantage: speed(00:19:40) Inside the co-op: ownership, choice, and Store Local Storage(00:23:09) Why operators are slow to invest, and what breaks the habit(00:27:44) Travis's framework for prioritizing where to spend time and energy(00:28:33) "Cheap leads" and the endless hunt for true lead attribution(00:34:25) Evaluating AI tools as an operator and at a tech company(00:38:27) AI as a multiplier, not a magic wand, and an LLM-as-golf-clubs analogy(00:43:12) Bringing back MSM and the rebrand to Modern Storage Media(00:47:00) Why Atlanta, and building a modern conference experience(00:53:08) Rapid fire: Red Bull, Celsius, mornings, Tucson vs. Atlanta, Braves(00:59:19) One thing Travis wishes the REITs would stop doing(01:00:34) Where to find Travis and the MSM show‍Favorite Nuggets"I am still a self storage operator first, regardless of any of the other hats that I wear.""Now go rent some units.""One of the worst things you can tell an entrepreneur is no.""Technology is a multiplier. It is not a magic wand.""AI today is as bad as it's ever going to be. And as bad as it is today, it's still pretty cool."🔗 More from Travis & MSMLearn about the show and view the schedule at msmtheshow.com. Listeners can use affiliate code SWIVL26 at registration to save $100.‍

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape—and what it means for the future of the industry.This episode’s guest is Brett Copper, President and Partner at Copper Storage Management. Brett grew up in the self storage industry but chose not to simply inherit the traditional playbook. Instead, he challenged it. What started as frustration with hiring inefficiencies evolved into one of the industry’s most recognizable remote-first management models. Today, Copper manages hundreds of facilities nationwide with a system built around operational efficiency, centralized teams, and disciplined technology adoption.In this episode, we explore:Brett’s journey from resisting the family business to redefining itThe real economics behind remote-first storage managementWhy efficiency and NOI are the future battlegrounds for operatorsMisconceptions about unmanned facilities—and what actually worksHow to transition stores from traditional to remote without losing tenantsPricing pressures in a post-COVID worldAI-driven search and the future of storage marketingWhat small operators can do to compete with REITsThe long-term outlook for consolidation in self storageIf you’ve ever wondered whether remote management is hype or inevitability, or how to operate profitably in today’s interest rate and pricing environment, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level breakdown.This Episode We Discussed(00:00:00) Nashville ice storms, puzzles, and married life(00:03:15) When storage became Brett’s business, not just his family’s(00:08:17) The origin story behind remote-first management(00:11:41) The operational checklist that increases facility value(00:15:16) Misconceptions about unmanned facilities(00:19:26) Preserving human touch in automated environments(00:22:19) What’s at stake if operators don’t evolve(00:27:16) Today’s biggest operator pressures: pricing and occupancy(00:29:28) AI, search, and marketing in a shifting discovery landscape(00:35:29) Helping other operators adopt remote models(00:37:23) Will storage consolidate like other asset classes?(00:44:29) How small operators can differentiate(00:48:46) What owners misunderstand about third-party management(00:52:20) Rapid fire: tools, brands, gaming, and Nashville hot chickenEfficiency WinsIn an environment of compressed margins and higher interest rates, operators who control expenses and maximize NOI will outlast those clinging to legacy staffing models.Remote Doesn’t Mean Less HumanCopper’s model emphasizes customer choice—phone, chat, text, or self-serve—delivering flexibility rather than eliminating service.Pricing Is the Industry’s Hardest ProblemPost-COVID distortions continue to impact occupancy and revenue strategies, forcing operators to rethink aggressive rate increase models.The Attention Layer Is ChangingAI-driven search and generative discovery are reshaping how renters find facilities, creating new urgency around digital presence.Favorite Nuggets“Operational problems are the easiest problems to fix.”“If occupancy is the same but expenses are lower, the math speaks for itself.”“Remote only works if customer service gets better, not worse.”“Eventually, storage will be thought of as self-service by default.”🔗 More from Copper Storage Managementhttps://www.copperstoragemanagement.com