Self Storage Now Q2 2022

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The ABCs Of Digital Marketing Long-Distance Leadership The Self-Storage Hawaii unConference

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Q2 • 2022

Cover Story

A PUBLICATION OF MINICO CEO, MiniCo Insurance Agency Mike Schofield PUBLISHER Poppy Behrens PRODUCTION MANAGER Jeffry Pettingill EDITOR Erica Shatzer DESIGN Jim Nissen, Command Shift Option jim@commandshiftoption.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Claudia Johnson (800) 824-6864

11 11 Digital Daze Is Technology A Leading Or Bleeding Edge?

BY JERRY LAMARTINA

Feature

CIRCULATION & ONLINE SALES COORDINATOR Amy Sharman (800) 352-4636 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– WEBSITES www.selfstoragenow.com www.ministoragemessenger.com www.minico.com www.aranins.com EMAIL ssnow@minico.com CORRESPONDENCE Editor Self-Storage Now! 10851 N. Black Canyon Highway Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85029 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Self-Storage Now! is published quarterly for $19.95 per year by MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC - P.O Box 35700, Phoenix, Ariz. 85069-9979. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, and photographs must be accompanied by an addressed, return envelope with the necessary postage affixed. MiniCo Publishing assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited materials. © 2022, MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in the United States.

21 Employee Poaching

Avoid Litigation And Loss of Trade Secrets When Workers Jump Ship

21

BY PHILLIP M. PERRY

Columns 17 Supporting Servicepersons

Supporting Servicepersons StorageGives Funds Homes For Our Troops

BY ALONNA RODD

26 The ABCs Of Digital Marketing

Creating A Long-Term Strategy For Growth

BY LISA APOLINSKI, CMC

29 Crucial Provisions

26

Settling Tenant Disputes In The Age Of Social Media

BY SCOTT I. ZUCKER, ESQ.

30 Long-Distance Leadership

Managing A Remote Or Hybrid Workforce The Right Way

BY KATE ZABRISKIE

33 The Self-Storage Hawaii unConference

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A Gathering Like No Other In A Place Like No Other

BY TRON JORDHEIM

36 A Woman Of Distinction

Callow’s Inspirational Vision And Determination

BY BRENDA BAKER

41 Heartfelt Help With Easy Implementation Charity Storage Board Member Spotlight: Lisa Barth-Chiappetta

BY KATIE TOMPULIS

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Departments 3 Editor’s Letter

4 Industry News

45 Managers In Action

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Universal Storage Group(USG) pg 2

EDITORS LETTER

LET’S TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY!

S

Erica Shatzer ­– Editor

ummer is quickly approaching, and your property managers are likely bracing themselves for your self-storage facilities’ busiest time of the year. After all, customers need storage now for home renovations, relocations, school breaks, and a multitude of other reasons. How can they better serve self-storage customers during this seasonal influx?

Technology is one answer that can provide numerous time-saving solutions, but there are some drawbacks that should be addressed before implementing new tech at your self-storage business. For that reason, this issue of SelfStorage Now!, offers insights about both sides of technology, starting with “Digital Daze” on page 11. “The ABCs Of Digital Marketing” provides tips for creating a long-term growth strategy. You’ll also want to read Scott Zucker’s article, “Crucial Provisions,” for legal advice about how to handle tenant disputes on social media. Our last technology-related column, “Long-Distance Leadership,” which begins on page 30, aims to help operators better manage their remote and/or hybrid workforces.

Although technology continues to be a timely topic, there are other approaches to business that can attract as many customers as high-tech features, such as community involvement and philanthropy. Therefore, two of our columns provide examples of the kinds of charitable giving that can polish your public image: “Supporting Servicepersons” and “Heartfelt Help With Easy Implementation.”

Whether you are fine-tuning operations or completely overhauling procedures to improve your customers’ storage experiences, I hope this informative issue of Self-Storage Now! helps guide you throughout your self-storage journey!

Warmest wishes for your continued success,

Erica

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 Sentry Reports Q4 2021 Results

Nuveen Partners With My Place

Sentry Self Storage Management has announced operating results for the fourth quarter ending on Dec. 31, 2021.

The company reported same-store revenue growth of 19 percent, and reduced operating expenses drove net operating income (NOI) to a 26 percent year-over-year same-store increase.

Quarter over quarter, revenue grew by 6.5 percent, operating expenses increased by seven percent, and NOI increased by six percent. In addition, expansion is currently in progress at three properties in Florida: one in Boca Raton, another in Tampa, and a third in Orlando, with anticipated completion dates in 2022. Sentry is in the planning phases for three new stores as well.

Nuveen Real Estate, an American asset manager and subsidiary of financial-planning firm TIAA Investments that manages more than 2,000 real estate investments worldwide, with $138 billion of assets under management, has entered into a $300 million joint venture with My Place Self Storage. The partnership plans to acquire and operate self-storage properties nationwide. My Place was launched a year ago along with Frigatebird Investments by Kurt O’Brien, who has more than three decades of self-storage industry experience as an investor, developer, and operator. Larry Medvinsky, New York corporate partner, and Tushna Gamadia, real estate counsel for international law firm Morrison & Foerster, were advisors on the deal.

Absolute Releases 2021 Operating Results Absolute Storage Management (Absolute) has announced its operating results for the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2021. Compared to the same period in 2020, the company increased same-store revenue by 18.6 percent and reported same-store square foot occupancy of 93 percent.

As for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, Absolute increased same-store revenue by 14.9 percent compared to the same period in 2020. It also acquired 19 management contracts, achieved 18.1 percent same-store NOI for the year, and increased GPI by 33 percent.

Marcus & Millichap Renames Group The Hatcher Group of Marcus & Millichap is now The Hatcher Coe Group of Marcus & Millichap. The group was renamed to include Gabriel Coe, who has been an integral part of the firm for nearly eight years.

According to Brett Hatcher, senior managing director investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Columbus office, Coe has been essential in the completion of more than 348 self-storage transactions totaling close to $2.1 billion. The team consists of 11 agents, including Coe’s brother, Nathan Coe.

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CAPCO Designs Medals To Benefit SYLO For the very first time, CAPCO has designed fiesta medals to sell. Proceeds from the Capco medals will benefit the Somerset Youth Livestock Organization (SYLO), a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support local 4-H and FFA youth in the area of Somerset, Texas. The company’s goal is to raise $1,500 for the Somerset Youth Livestock Organization. To donate and receive a Capco medal, visit https://bit.ly/ capcofiesta2022.

1-800-Self-Storage Raises Funds For Ukraine 1-800-Self-Storage is collecting new and unopened goods at three facilities within metro Detroit to send to Ukraine. Items accepted for donation include shampoo and soap (travel size), toothpaste and toothbrushes, hairbrushes and combs, feminine hygiene products, first-aid kits, flashlights, batteries, camping headlamps, blankets (including baby blankets), towels, backpacks, diapers in all sizes, baby wipes, baby bottles, Danny Thomas, regional manager for the local 1-800-Self-Storage. baby food and formula, diaper rash cream, pacifiers, com facilities, says donations are children’s over-the-counter medications and vitamins, coming in for the Ukraine relief efforts. adult over-the-counter medications, water purification Photo by Lania Rocha. filters and tablets, lightweight camping utensils and disposables, camping mattresses, sleeping bags, power banks/solar power, reflective emergency blankets, new empty water canisters in 10- to 20-liter capacities, and professional medical supplies. The team at 1-800-Self-Storage.com donated medical gear (including stretchers, surgical tables, a dental chair, tactical first-aid kits, and other medical equipment) to help outfit a field surgical hospital. 1-800-SelfStorage.com also partnered with the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee, Razom, and SHARE Ukraine to identify needed items, arrange overseas transportation, and deliver the donations.

Talonvest Continues Support Of OCRMH Talonvest Capital, Inc., is once again raising funds for the Orange County Ronald McDonald House (OCRMH), which provides a “home away from home” for families with seriously ill children who are receiving medical care at the local Children’s

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 Hospital. Talonvest has been actively involved with OCRMH for years through their Adopt-A-Room Sponsorship Program, by periodically serving meals to the families staying at the house, and by being the Top Corporate Fundraiser for the past seven years (2015 to 2021) at the Walk for Kids. In addition, Talonvest contributed $150,000 to the development of a second facility adjacent to the current location in Orange County, allowing OCRMH to double its impact on families in need. To make a donation, contact Savannah Baron at sbaron@talonvest.com.

Storage Company Supports Refugees The owner of mylockup.com in the North Yorkshire, U.K., cities of Knaresborough, Northallerton, and Thirsk will be sending relief to refugees in Poland. Toiletries, sanitary products, and non-perishable foods are being collected at all the mylockup. com branches. The company, along with up to 20 others, will help get the supplies to Ukranian refugees in Poland.

TSG Hires Powell The Storage Group has hired Christina Powell as strategic sales consultant to spearhead several new sales initiatives over 2022 and beyond. Powell, a previous executive director of business development in third-party management and national sales associate in digital marketing, has more than 10 years of experience in self-storage. She also has more than 13 years of entrepreneurial experience managing her own largescale event photography company.

MakoRabo Promotes Executive CSSA Hosts Charity Golf Classic The California Self Storage Association will be hosting its third annual charity golf classic on May 16, 2022, at the Napa Valley Country Club in Napa, Calif. The golf classic, which will benefit Kure It, the non-profit organization that supports underfunded cancer research, commences at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start. Prizes will be awarded to winners of the various on-course contests. There will be a 19th Hole Reception following the tournament. Registration costs are $375 per person or $1,500 for foursomes. Visit www.californiaselfstorage.org/page-18213 to register.

Storage Fire Devastates Theater Co. Time & Again Theatre, a theater company that specializes in historical productions, has lost its entire collection of props, costumes, and stage equipment following a fire at Armadillo Self Storage in Cheadle, U.K., that required nearly 130 firefighters and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service put out a blaze at several hours to extinguish.

Armadillo Self Storage.

Greater Manchester Police is treating the incident as suspected arson and launched an investigation. The company had all of its belongings stored in a unit at the self-storage facility. Though nothing was salvageable, and many of the unique, antique, and handcrafted items cannot be replaced, nearly £3,000 (close to $4,000 USD) was raised in a week for Time & Again to purchase new period costumes, props, and equipment.

Storage Property Tax Legislation Update In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little vetoed legislation (SB 1301) that sought to amend the way property taxes are calculated for self-storage businesses. The bill would have subjected self-storage businesses to a different standard for property tax assessment than other commercial property types, mandating county assessors to use a cost approach only in calculating their taxable value. SB 1301 passed the Senate on a 22-12 vote on March 11, with opponents raising some of the same concerns Little raised in his veto message; that is short of the two-thirds margin required to override a veto. It passed the House March 17 on a 55-15 vote.

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MakoRabco has selected John Cross as its new CEO. Cross has served the company as COO for the past two years. He will now lead the financial and operational functions of MakoRabco, headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., along with its East Coast office in Winter Garden, Fla. In addition, Caesar Wright, who has served as the company’s CEO since 1997, has been named as its new executive chairman. Wright’s responsibilities will be focused on growth and promotion of the company through its sales and marketing teams.

OpenTech Announces ULP Results OpenTech Alliance, managing stakeholder of StorageTreasures.com, reported significant cost-savings for operators that have leveraged the Unit Liquidation Program (ULP) on its online storage auction platform. The ULP program gives operators a cost-effective, efficient method to resolve auctions that don’t sell. With estimates for minimum standard disposal costs often at $350 or more, the 4,000-plus units cleared in the 10 months the program has been available equates to a reduction in operating costs related to storage unit cleanouts at over $1.4 million. Since the program launched in May 2021, the StorageTreasures e-commerce website reported that participating sellers resolved 58 percent of unsold online storage auctions on the same day of the original auction end date through

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 the ULP. In addition to the significant potential for cost-savings, the expediency and potential to earn new rental revenue are primary advantages for operators that use the service.

SAM Announces 2021 Results Storage Asset Management (SAM), recently announced its same-store results for the year ending Dec. 31, 2021. Over 2020, SAM increased same-store revenue by 18.3 percent and grew NOI by 26.6 percent. SAM manages 442 locations, including 105 unmanned locations, which encompass 26,736,537 square feet of storage and 181,131 units.

Storelocal Elects Board Members Storelocal, the storage co-op, recently announced the results of its annual election for the open seats on its board of directors. John Lindsey and Scott Ramser were elected to fill the two three-year terms. Lindsey is the pres-

Storage Post Expands Portfolio Storage Post Self Storage added a 92,470-square-foot property to its brand and business structure. The multistory facility is in lower Manhattan’s East Village.

Storage Post Self Storage now acts as third-party management of the storage facility.

unConference Discounts Available The 2022 Self Storage Hawaii unConference is scheduled for October 17 to 21 at the Waikoloa Marriott. Discounts on registration are available by contacting one of the event’s sponsors. A list of sponsors is available at hawaiiunconference.com/register-1.

Charity Storage 2021 Results John Lindsey

Scott Ramser

ident of Lindsey Self Storage Group and one of the co-op’s early founders.

Ramser, the managing general partner of Ramser Development Company and one of the co-op’s original board members, has served on the Storelocal board for more than eight years.

Charity Storage, the official charity of the self-storage industry and charity partner of the Self Storage Association (SSA), recently announced significant charity auction results for 2021—its 10th year of giving. Through nearly 500 charity auctions, self-storage operators raised $111,671.04 for organizations across the nation.

Kure It Reaches Milestones Kure It, a non-profit that raises funds for kidney cancer research as well as rare cancers, has celebrated its 15-year anniversary. Since its inception in 2007 by the self-storage industry’s late Barry Hoeven, the charity has raised more than $12 million. A portion of every Charity Storage auction is donated to Kure It.

AZSA Honors MiniCo Publisher

Hot Wheels

At the first day of the Arizona SelfStorage Association’s 22nd annual conference and trade show, during the Owners Summit at the WeKoPa Casino Resort in Ft. McDowell, Ariz., on Feb. 17, 2022, MiniCo Amy Amideo and Poppy Behrens. Publishing’s Poppy Behrens, publisher and AZSA conference and trade show chair, was honored with the association’s 22nd Achievement Award. Formerly known as the Pioneer Award, the Achievement Award is given to industry professionals who show leadership and execute successes that benefit AZSA members.

According to the Boston Police Department, an investigation is underway after 50 dirt bikes and ATVs were found inside a self-storage unit in Roslindale, Mass.

The bikes were discovered by the Boston Police Auto Theft Unit and confiscated “as a result of a coordinated investigation involving the Seekonk Police Department.”

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Storage Development Restricted The Kyle, Texas, City Council recently passed an ordinance amendment that restricts self-storage development. To be approved, new projects must be at least two miles from an existing facility. According to city records, Kyle currently has six self-storage facilities; based on its population, it only needs 2.57 self-storage facilities.

UNITS Makes Franchise 500 List UNITS Moving and Portable Storage has been ranked as No. 353 among the nation’s top franchises on Entrepreneur’s 2022 Franchise 500 list, earning a place for its outstanding performance in unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. Entrepreneur’s editorial team researches and assesses several factors that go into the evaluation and each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points; the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order. UNITS® Moving and

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 Portable Storage is a franchise that provides self-storage, on-site storage, and local and long-distance moves to clients across the country. Its nationwide network of storage and service centers reaches over 2,750 cities and continues to grow.

Woman Of Distinction Named Darcy L. Knapp-Fricks of Mansfield, Texas, has been honored as a Woman of Distinction for the first quarter of 2022 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) for her outstanding contributions and great success in the fields of agriculture, real estate, investments, and self-storage. Knapp-Fricks is the president and co-owner of Darcy L. Knapp-Fricks Knapp Sisters Rental, Ltd., a land rentals company she started with her sister in 1999. She has over 25 years of experience in the fields of real estate, investments, cattle production, ranching, and self-storage.

Record Month Of Auctions OpenTech Alliance, managing stakeholder of StorageTreasures, recently announced record auctions results for operators on the online storage auction platform in 2021.

The platform saw significant spikes in December, recording the most auctions ever hosted by storage operators (a total of 59,672 auctions) in the site’s 11-year history.

NSA Announces Promotions National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) has promoted Tiffany S. Kenyon to executive vice president and general counsel from senior vice president and senior legal officer. In addition, Melissa M. Cameron has been promoted to senior vice president of customer acquisitions from vice president of customer acquisitions.

MakoRabco Unveils New Brand To mark the one-year anniversary of New State Capital Partners’ and Mako Steel’s majority investment in Rabco Enterprises LLC, MakoRabco, which now offers nationwide self-storage solutions, unveiled a new brand and website. The company’s logo evolved from displaying a shark to a fast-moving shark fin and incorporates the blue from Rabco’s former branding as well as the companies’ combined name. And the company’s winning, quick style has been carried over into its new slogan, “The Edge You Need!”

including the city of Louisville, where a StorQuest facility is located.

StorQuest’s donation will assist in aligning resources, while the non-profit foundation will work with government and nonprofit partners to disperse the funds to support those impacted. The Wildfire Fund is distributing $5 million in financial assistance to those whose homes have been destroyed or damaged and an additional $500,000 to support the needs of the evacuees. By choosing Boulder County’s Community Foundation, StorQuest is committed to supporting the immediate needs of the community throughout this devastating crisis as restoration and rebuilding efforts continue in Boulder County. To learn more about Boulder County’s Community Foundation Wildfire Fund, visit www.commfound.org/grants/ getgrant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund.

MiniCo Editor Writes Children’s Book Congratulations to MiniCo Publishing’s editor, Erica Shatzer, who has selfpublished a children’s book titled Hamlet the Unlucky Piglet, an endearing rhyming parable about a superstitious piglet who learns a valuable lesson in the city. The e-book is currently available for purchase on Amazon.

Doorage Continues To Expand Chicago-based Doorage Storage is buying Boston’s On Demand Storage as part of its plan to expand its pickup and delivery services across the Northeast. The five-year-old company’s also launching new services in Las Vegas and Columbus, Ohio. Terms of the Doorage/On Demand deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. By the end of 2022, Doorage will be offering local services in six markets: Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Boston, Las Vegas, and Columbus. Next year Doorage will focus on establishing services in the New York City area.

StorQuest Supports Fire Victims In an attempt to support Louisville, Colo.’s restoration efforts, and help those impacted by the Marshall Fire, StorQuest is donating $1 from every rental at 28 Colorado facilities to support the Boulder County Community Foundation’s Wildfire Fund. The Marshall Fire, which started on Dec. 30, destroyed over 1,000 structures, and 35,000 people were forced to evacuate from Boulder County,

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 Starwood And Morningstar Form Joint Venture Starwood Real Estate Income Trust, Inc., a non-listed REIT managed by a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, and Morningstar Properties, LLC, recently forged a joint venture to own and operate high-quality stabilized assets in the self-storage sector. The joint venture includes the recapitalization of 25 assets owned

by Morningstar, as well as a commitment of capital to continue acquiring assets in the sector under the Morningstar brand.

Lock Stock Sponsors Charity Ride Lock Stock Self Storage, a U.K. storage company, supplied the jerseys for one of the 22 teams that participated in a 500-mile charity cycle ride in February that raised funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which provides funding for motor neurone disease (L to R) Ruthin Rugby Club’s Dr. Matt Davies, Wyn Jones, Steve (MND) research. The Morgan, and Rob Boyns, along with Lisa James of Lock Stock Self Storage. Photo credit: Mandy Jones Photography 500-mile trip started at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium and finished at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, just in time for the Wales vs. Scotland Doddie Weir Cup match in the Six Nations.

Virginia May Revise Lien Laws A pair of bills that would allow self-storage operators to advertise their lien sales online instead of in a local newspaper are being considered by Virginia lawmakers. The identical bills, House Bill 21 (HB 21) and Senate Bill 199 (SB 199), would give facility operators the option to advertise “on a publicly accessible website that conducts property sales.” The measures are supported by the Virginia Self Storage Association (VSSA) and the national Self Storage Association (SSA). The SSA’s encouraging self-storage operators to contact their state representatives in support of the bills. On Jan. 24, SB 199 was referred to the general laws and technology committee by the senate.

Infectious Funds

Woodruff Storage Named Best In State In October 2021, the Georgia Self Storage Association honored Woodruff Storage in Midland, Ga., with its annual Facility of the Year award. The three-story, 100,800-square-foot property, which was built by Woodruff Real Estate Services, LLC, opened ahead of schedule on May 17, 2021. It offers 554 climate-controlled units, 24-hour electronic access, outdoor and indoor surveillance, and two elevators. The facility is managed by Absolute Storage Management.

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Raoul Mangrum Jr., owner of Detroitbased Biochem Technical Services LLC, is being sued by the state of Michigan for allegedly violating state waste disposal laws and public health codes. Mangrum, who was stockpiling medical waste from doctor’s offices, laboratories, and funeral homes in storage units instead of hauling them to a landfill or incinerator, said his actions were not malicious. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) wants a judge to order reimbursement of $53,000 in state cleanup and disposal costs and bar Mangrum from doing further business in medical waste collection and disposal. Mangrum allegedly stored medical waste at a Public Storage facility on West Eight Mile Road and a U-Haul facility on Eight Mile Road in Southfield, as well as frozen sea lampreys from a laboratory at the Detroit Cold Storage facility in Livonia.

CA Lifts Restrictions In January, price-gouging restrictions on self-storage rental rates ended in several counties, including Butte, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Ventura. The restrictions, which were put in place through multiple states of emergency issued in response to

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INDUSTRY NEWS Q2 2022 California wildfires, dated back to the 2017 to 2019. More recent restrictions were also lifted in Alpine, Lassen, Plumas, and Siskiyou Counties. Late-summer 2021 restrictions that applied in El Dorado, Nevada, and Placer Counties were in place until Jan. 29. According to price-gouging information posted by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), 17 other California counties were expected to lift price restrictions that included self-storage rent.

MiniCo Announces Promotion MiniCo Insurance Agency is pleased to announce two leaders stepping into strategic leadership roles. Rick Krouner, formerly president of MiniCo’s casualty division, has been named president of MiniCo’s specialty programs division. Krouner’s significant experience in multiple lines, products, and agency underwriting operations makes him uniquely qualified to lead and support the specialty programs teams in their distribution, growth, and product-development strategies. Jim Henry, formerly chief underwriting officer of Aran Insurance Services Group, an affiliate company of MiniCo, is the new president of MiniCo’s national programs division. Henry brings his multi-line underwriting and carrier experience to his leadership of the national program teams in their distribution and growth activities at MiniCo.

Devon Self Storage Promotes Four Devon Self Storage has announced four promotions. Greg Mackay, who’s been with Devon for 28 years in various positions, has been named president - acquisitions and construction. After four years with the company, Shannon Dodge has been promoted to senior vice president - construction. Ronitris (Roni) Murry, who has been serving as assistant controller for the past nine years, has been named vice president - assistant controller. After four years as acquisition analyst, Mike Olson has been promoted to vice president – acquisitions. Chuck Gamm has been promoted to senior vice president – operations after serving as vice president – operations for three years.

Margolis Takes Pledge For Diversity Extra Space Storage CEO Joe Margolis officially joined the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion and took the CEO Pledge. CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion is a group started by CEOs to rally the business community to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The CEO Pledge outlines a specific set of actions a CEO will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcome and employees feel comfortable and empowered to have discussions about diversity and inclusion.

The CEO Pledge includes four goals that Extra Space Storage has met and will continue to meet: 1. Make workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion.

2. Implement and expand unconscious bias education.

3. Share best–and unsuccessful–practices with other companies.

4. Create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with boards of directors.

Varley Joins PS

Marshann Varley

Marshann Varley has joined Public Storage (PS) as senior vice president of insurance. She most recently served as managing director and resident sales director at Aon. Varley replaces Capri Haga.

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LaCava Named COO Jencap Group LLC (Jencap) recently announced that John LaCava has been named COO. He currently serves as president and CEO of Jencap Program Administrators (JPA), a division of Jencap. LaCava co-founded Aran Insurance Services Group, which is now part of JPA, and has more than 35 years of industry experience.

NSA Announces Promotions National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) has announced promotions within its senior leadership team. Tiffany S. Kenyon is now executive vice president and general counsel; she was previously senior vice president and senior legal officer. Melissa M. Cameron has been promoted to senior vice president of customer acquisitions; she had served as vice president of customer acquisitions.

Blanchard Joins TSN Toy Storage Nation (TSN) has named Judy Blanchard as director of marketing. Blanchard brings nearly 20 years of marketing experience for the self-storage industry. She previously worked at Informa Exhibitions on the Inside Self-Storage industry tradeshow and family of digital brands. She holds a Bachelor of Science in business management and an MBA in marketing from Arizona State University.

Store Space Hires Bowman Store Space Self Storage recently announced that Herby Bowman has joined the Herby Bowman company as senior director, business development.

His primary area of focus will be to grow the brand’s third-party partnerships and contribute to its acquisition portfolio. Prior to Store Space, Bowman was director of business development at Public Storage for 2.5 years.

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Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Ask Storelocal®

We Solve Owners’ Problems

Where owners come for answers.

• Buying Power • Independence • Problem Solving

SCAN ME www.selfstorage.coop

By Jerry LaMartina

I

t’s everywhere. Virtually everyone uses it. It defines modern life, with both good and bad effects. And it keeps changing and growing.

It’s technology. It has changed how industries, including self-storage, do business, how consumers buy and use products and services, and in many other ways how people live their lives.

Various technologies continue to improve self-storage facilities’ ease and efficiency of operation and usage.

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These technologies enable a host of functions, including signing the lease, paying rent, accessing the storage site and unit, and managing security, accounting, payment processing, documentation, and tenant protection plans, among many others.

Most, if not all, of these technologies are adapted for use on mobile devices, and some include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. While technology makes these functions easier

and more efficient for operators and tenants and bolster operators’ bottom lines, it also presents possible pitfalls for operators to avoid.

Tech’s Impact On Self-Storage The Alexandria, Va.-based Self Storage Association estimates the industry generates $34 billion in annual revenue in the United States. In roughly the past two years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s worldwide disruptions, and in some ways because Self-Storage NOW!

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of it, self-storage has outperformed the traditionally main classes of real estate: multifamily, office, retail, and hospitality. Technology has played a significant part in the industry’s strong performance and promises to continue strengthening it.

Anne Mari DeCoster, chief operating officer for Storelocal Storage Co-op, based in Newport Beach, Calif., says technology is developing “faster than ever with more disruptive potential than ever.” She spoke at the Storelocal Innovation Summit in February. She asked at the summit, “In 20 years, what will the world look like, and what can we do now to prepare?”

“Exponential” technologies are reshaping the world.

DeCoster cites the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine as a prime example of an exponential, disruptive technology.

She says technology’s disruptive power is also improving self-storage, which has a strong foothold because “our business is based on Americans’ love affair with their stuff.”

The industry’s business owners have a history of adopting technology more slowly than many other industries, DeCoster says, but they should ask themselves whether they want to be disrupted or would rather be the disruptor. Disruptors must take risks and invest to keep up with changes.

Jeff Adler, the Englewood, Colo.based industry principal of self-storage for Yardi Systems Inc., says technology “is incredibly important,” generally, but especially in self-storage because it’s a “consumer-facing industry” that lends itself to remote transaction processing.

“It’s more of a transaction and less of a relationship,” Adler says. “It’s not

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as if I live at the storage facility where I want to have a personal relationship with the manager or my other tenants.

No, this is a transaction. I need space.

I want things to be easy. It’s not central to my life. It’s a thing that I do that I need. I want it as painless as possible, as easy as possible.”

The pandemic has increased the need for self-storage among individuals and businesses. For example, more

“Our business is based on Americans’ love affair with their stuff.”

--ANNE MARI DECOSTER people switched to working from home and needed to create a home office.

Some converted space to a gym. Both of these created a need for storage in order to free up space at home. Some businesses that closed their offices put key equipment and supplies in self-storage for easy access.

Chadwick Macferran, director of marketing for Scottsdale, Ariz.-based PTI Security Systems, says the pandemic has attracted new self-storage investors and agrees that it has driven increased technology adoption by tenants and operators. Portfolios are looking at opportunities to improve efficiency and increase automation with unmanned and partly manned operations. Acquisitions and consolidations have shown a “huge uptick” in the past

year. All these trends rely on remote access to software applications.

Online reservation systems also play a bigger part in self-storage for operators looking to rent and occupy units as quickly as possible, Macferran says.

Security software provides better data, key performance indicators, and reporting capabilities. These tools enable operators to better understand their businesses. Data dashboards allow them to quickly diagnose and correct problems that arise. This is especially important for multi-site portfolios, which need to monitor properties across regions and isolate or aggregate data from multiple properties.

Self-storage security has traditionally focused on a facility’s perimeter components, such as the gate, entry keypad, and walls, according to Macferran. But operators are also increasingly focusing on interior security components, such as unit security with alarms and smart locks, access-restricted areas, and improved visibility with cameras and lighting.

Macferran has seen some use of AI (artificial intelligence) with video, though little overall increase in this technology’s adoption, “but there hasn’t been a conveniently packaged solution for the masses.”

The internet of things (IoT) also has drawn bigger operators’ interest, but the industry hasn’t widely adopted it, either, Macferran says. Techterms.com defines IoT as “an umbrella term that refers to anything connected to the internet.” This includes computing devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets; security cameras; cars; home appliances; and wearable electronics, among others.

The self-storage industry is already working on things such as biometric locks and automated entry, Adler says.

With IoT, “the building itself talks.”

“Those things are coming, and we will be part of that in terms of either integrating to those providers or offering elements of those,” says Adler.

Yardi is also testing a product in the multifamily sector called Chat IQ, a

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chat bot attached to the operator’s website that uses AI and machine learning to better respond to consumer interactions than with human-operated chat sessions contact centers.

AI is becoming more commonplace in everyday life, says Mike Roberts, executive vice president of business development and operations for Plano, Texas-based XPS Solutions.

“In the call center industry, we don’t view it as a threat but rather as a potential trap for operators looking for a lower-cost substitute for live human interaction, which unfortunately leads to a diminished-quality customer experience for many tenants or prospects who are simply looking for friendly help,” Roberts says.

AI has undoubtedly changed how XPS Solutions does business, and it will continue to shape how it provides customer service. “However, we are still a few years away from mass adoption, and we believe there will always be human interaction desired in general,” Roberts says, “… but a hybrid model that includes AI will probably be the happy medium that is eventually embraced.”

Tech Adoption Macferran shares the view that traditional customer service still has its place despite expanding technology.

For example, operators are considering semi-manned operations more in which an employee might be based at one location but regularly visit nearby properties.

“This leverages automation but doesn’t sacrifice a personal touch or eye on the property when they need it,” says Macferran.

Roberts says XPS is “confident human interaction will never be eliminated.”

“The tone of voice, a particular matter that a bot cannot address, or just someone who wants to talk for a moment, will continue to be a part of the customer experience,” Roberts says.

DeCoster agrees that customer service “still requires high touch, even in a

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high-tech world.” Without that personal touch, consumers who want it will do business elsewhere. If an operator bases its business model on remote management, “it is designed for tenants who want today’s technology, automation, and on-demand access to use your business. Only you can determine the right mix for your business, and it usually takes trial and error.”

Traditional customer service means employees serving people in traditional ways, in person, but increasingly remotely as well. Technology can cut labor costs, which can be a big component of operational costs, Adler says. While the need to have that personal touch may continue, providing seamless customer interactions cuts costs and offers “increased consumer welfare and makes the investment more profitable. Everybody wins.”

Adler believes self-storage has led the way in technology adoption among the top real estate classes because its needs drive tech adoption. Operators emphasize “front-ofthe-house automation” comprising leasing, lease inception, and customer access.

But those components often are “cobbled together.” Yardi has combined them in one package. That integration lowers costs.

According to Adler, one of self-storage’s big advantages is that 85 percent of customers make recurring payments in a recurring format. This lowers costs receivables management and collection.

“A lot of property management systems have to dump into a general ledger accounting system,” Adler says.

“Our system has both the property

management capabilities and the accounting capabilities built together, which also enables investor reporting at the same time. It allows us to have maintenance, payables, electronic payables, and the back-office part wrapped in together. It’s not rocket science and not a lot of fun. But if you’re going to be in the self-storage business, those are necessary conditions. You just have to deal with them.”

Mobile accessibility, with all this technology, also has become a requirement. But Roberts says property owners need to evaluate the purpose and benefits of mobile apps. Do they solve a problem and make it easier for customers to do business with you and your facility?

For example, XPS offers a free app called MyStorPal, which allows customers to pay anytime, access gate codes and other tenant information, and see their storage unit’s contents.

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“This is designed with one larger idea in mind, to improve the customer experience, both for the tenant and the property,” Roberts says. “Ironically, as a call center, we also developed MyStorPal to reduce the number of phone calls for self-storage facilities. So, if we can provide a preferred contact medium to the tenant that also saves them time and allows them to make a touchless payment, or prevent that phone call for their gate code, we have achieved our goal.”

Tech Pitfalls Adler says “cloud” security is “a massive problem, challenge,” because the cloud contains sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers and credit card numbers.

“It takes some organizations of some meaningful size to be capable to keep all of it secure,” he says.

Cloud computing is “the practice of storing regularly used computer data on multiple servers that can be accessed through the internet,” according to merriam-webster.com.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology defines it as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.”

Another aspect of security is reflected in “some deep concerns in our industry that maybe some of the service providers don’t have the best interests of the industry at heart and aren’t necessarily financially stable,” Adler says. “If all the eggs are in one basket, how stable is the holder of the basket?”

Cyber security “is huge across all industries,” says Adler. “At some point in time, I don’t think any organization will be perfectly safe forever. So many attacks from so many directions.”

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Adler speaks of self-storage’s “ecosystem”—“all the capabilities needed to run a self-storage facility.” That’s a long list, and it includes online leasing, site access, call center, payment processing, property management, tenant protection plans, accounting and payables functions, and sometimes utilities management function.

Per Adler, technology use comprises three stages. The first one is technology adoption to improve the organization and its operations. The second is improvements in costs and simplicity. And the third is “who holds the hands of that.”

“I would say self-storage is very far down the first set of waves of technology adoption,” he says, “of finding elements of technology that will improve operation, profitability, and consumer experience. It’s just beginning to think about the second wave, which is how does one reduce the total cost and complexity of all those capabilities? And the industry may be beginning to understand the third level, in whose hands is that capability vested.”

Adler believes the self-storage industry will continue to adopt technology because “seamless interactions are in the consumer’s interest and in the company’s interests for cost reductions.” It’s unclear whether the technology adoption rate will speed up because it has adopted tech relatively quickly. But technology must be provided a “very reasonable costs because the sites’ budgets lend themselves to fairly cost-effective solutions.”

“You can’t have very expensive things,” says Adler. “If your rents average $100 a month and maybe your average number of units can scale anywhere from 200 to 800, it would be fairly efficient from a cost perspective in order to provide those solutions at a reasonable cost that can gain wide adoption. The market’s large and the need is there.”

Adler also covers investment and research for Yardi Matrix and says the self-storage industry’s performance has been “unbelievably positive,” not only by simply surviving during the pandemic. Occupancies and rents have risen “almost uniformly in places where people move into but also places they move out of.”

“Any dislocation among populations benefits the storage industry,” Adler says. “Get them coming and going, as it were. The financial results of industry have been stellar. It has attracted tremendous amount of institutional capital, who have tried to put their money to work. There is a lot of capital looking to be deployed in the industry.

A lot that should be deployed into development, but the cost structure makes it difficult.”

He goes on to say, “Therefore, operating your facility to maximum capability is absolutely in your financial interest. And if you’re going to stay on top of providing great customer experiences, you’ve got to be on the forefront of this. Because if you don’t do it your competitor will. We’ve been talking about operational execution and the role of technology in it.”

Viewed from any angle, technology is amazing. It’s revolutionary and it’s complex, but in the end, it’s designed to make things simpler. For businesses, the goals of using more technology necessarily involve serving your customers well so they’ll keep doing business with you.

“If there’s anything we’ve all learned from reviews and reputation management, a good reputation can be ruined very quickly when shortcuts to customer service or customer experience are arbitrarily imposed on good, paying customers,” Roberts says.

“Don’t allow leading edge to become bleeding edge.”

Jerry LaMartina is a freelance reporter and editor based in Shawnee, Kansas. He is a regular contributor to Mini-Storage Messenger.

SECOND QUARTER 2022

THE EDGE

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A committed team passionate about your success

Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives

is a proud supporter of

Homes For Our Troops builds and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.

$75,000+ Raised and counting

We look for charities with a local and national reach.

One where almost 100% of the money goes to the charity. StorageGives is that charity.

They vetted wonderful, deserving charities so our members know their dollars are going to a worthy cause and will make a difference in people's lives.

Amy Amideo Executive Director at AZSA

Every Unit Impacts a Life Storage Gives supports eight remarkable charities that provide life-giving necessities for those who need it most. Scan this code to learn more about Storage Gives and the causes we support.

STORAGE GIVES SUPPORTING SERVICEPERSONS

StorageGives Funds Homes For Our Troops

By Alonna Rodd, Business Development Manager of StorageAuctions.com

H

ow do you possibly say “thank you” to the men and women who have sustained some of the most severe injuries imaginable to protect and defend our way of life? These courageous warriors have sacrificed so much for our country, and it’s time that we show our appreciation by doing our part to help them rebuild their lives.

That’s what Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is all about, and that’s why StorageGives has added HFOT to its list of global charity organizations.

The Force Behind StorageGives Lonnie Bickford, the force behind StorageGives, knows that veterans have a special place in the hearts of Americans. He wanted to be sure that veterans were a big part of the StorageGives mission to give back.

After careful consideration, HFOT was added to the StorageGives causes because of the enormous positive impact they have on the lives of injured veterans and their families. At Homes For Our Troops, nearly 90 cents out of every dollar donated goes directly to the veterans’ programs.

HFOT has a goal of building a specially adapted home for every veteran who qualifies for one of these homes.

Homes For Our Troops is a publicly funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

SECOND QUARTER 2022

that builds and donates adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. Many of these veterans have sustained unimaginable injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), limb amputations, and partial or full paralysis. These homes are built in locations that veterans choose, and HFOT continues its relationship with veterans in order to help them rebuild their lives.

Because of the generosity of donors like StorageGives, HFOT enables injured veterans, as well as their caregivers, to rest and recover without the added stress of financial concerns. These custom homes are equipped with over 40 special adaptations that exceed ADA compliance standards. Wider halls and doorways, as well as automatic door openers, enable complete wheelchair access and hands-free accessibility when entering or exiting the home. A therapy tub eases the pain of severe injuries, and a safe room provides a place for the family to shelter from severe weather and natural disasters.

For almost two decades, HFOT has been building adapted homes for injured veterans, continually updating building materials and methods to ensure high quality. Roll under sinks, pull-down stovetops and counters, generators, and safe rooms are designed to

help veterans live fulfilling, independent lives. The 2,800-square-foot homes are the perfect size for a veteran to comfortably raise a family, and energy efficiency reins in the utility costs while keeping the homes safe and cozy.

Adapted Homes Once they receive their home, over 95 percent of veterans see a reduction in household stress. They now have the time to pursue their long-overdue education or career plans. The number of veterans who have obtained or are pursuing a degree or trade certification increased from 15 to 71 percent, and the number of spouses/caregivers is even greater, growing from 14 to 80 percent. Peace of mind fostered by eliminating safety concerns has empowered over 99.5 percent of recipients to return to the workforce, and the employment rate of spouses/caregivers has increased by over 285 percent.

Moving into a donated home enables veterans and their families to plan and save for the future. To ensure long-term success, HFOT provides three years of pro-bono financial planning to all home recipients. After receiving their homes, 57 percent increased family income and 55 percent decreased family debt.

Family savings were increased by 76 percent. Not only do they attend school and obtain employment, but they

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STORAGE GIVES

launch businesses, expand their families, and accomplish life goals and dreams that they never could have imagined without HFOT.

Unimaginable Generosity The Arizona Self-Storage Association chose StorageGives as the AZSA charity for 2022. “When selecting a charity partner, we look for charities with both a local and national reach. Our No. 1 goal is to support charities with almost 100 percent of the money raised going to the charities. StorageGives is that charity,” says Amy Amideo, AZSA Executive Director. “I was unfamiliar with Homes for Our Troops prior to working with StorageGives. During a Zoom call with Lonnie, the conversation turned to a spotlight on this charity and the local connection to our community. I can say there wasn’t a dry eye at the end of that call.”

AZSA quickly decided to allow Bickford and StorageGives to use their conference as a platform for a fundraising event. All the money raised during the conference would be donated to a local HFOT build happening in the Queen Creek, Ariz., community for Marine Cpl. Yevgeniy “Yev” Shenker. During his first combat deployment, Cpl. Shenker lost his left leg and sustained damage to his right leg and arm when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated. He wants HFOT’s donors to know that he is incredibly grateful for their

generosity. “Your kindness brings happiness to so many veterans who have been struggling since their injury,” he says. “What you all do for us is truly selfless and gracious. From the bottom of my heart, I can’t thank you enough for the gift of a safe place, a home.”

Thanks to the outpouring of generosity from conference attendees, StorageGives raised almost $30,000 for HFOT. The original goal was to raise a few thousand dollars. This outcome is far beyond what StorageGives had imagined, and the StorageGives team wants to personally thank each and every one of you who opened your hearts and your wallets to help veterans live more fulfilling lives.

“When I was first notified that the Arizona Self-Storage Association was interested in choosing StorageGives to be the grantee for the charity golf tournament in beautiful Scottsdale, Ariz., I thought it may be a good reason to leave currently 20-degree Alaska,” says Bickford. “It was very humbling for us, and we were very grateful to be considered for this. It was the first time a state association wanted to involve StorageGives as a benefactor for the charity. In talks with Homes for Our Troops, we discovered a home build approximately 10 miles from where the association event would be held. I thought ‘wow, what a great way to involve the industry as well as keep it local within Arizona.’

Talking to the Arizona board members

Many Thanks!

StorageGives would like to extend another heartfelt thank you to Shane Albers of 1784 Capital Holdings, who generously donated $10,000 during the live auction. Words cannot express the gratitude for this donation.

And to all the others who donated, StorageGives wants to say thank you!

• Diane Gibson, Cox’s Armored Mini Storage Management

• Walter Brauer, CBRE

• Chris Sonne, Newmark

• Chris Rudel, Rudel Company

• Shawn Hill, The BSC Group • Alistair Schneider, AI Lean

• Ted Williams, TLW Construction

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• Hartley Turley, Big Dog Self Storage • George and Joan Bell, The Bell Group

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on the golf course, we came up with the idea to auction a Ping Golf Experience. Being a storage auction guy myself, I loved this idea.”

A huge thank you to James Appleton, MiniCo Insurance Agency, for donating a custom experience with Ping. This item was first won by Darren Walborn of Walborn Ventures, who unselfishly donated the experience back to StorageGives. It was then won a second time by Ray McRae of Storage Solutions. McRae also generously donated this experience back to StorageGives, and it will be auctioned off again at a future event.

“The next day, when the tradeshow event started, the board graciously allowed me to show a video of Cpl. Shenker,” says Bickford. “I then asked the owners if they would join me to put up $1,000 to hit a donation goal of $16,000. Several owners and vendors stood up one after the other, until Shane Albers stood up, donating $10,000. The whole room broke out into a round of applause. Together, with the support of these great Arizona self-storage owners and vendors, we raised close to $30,000 altogether.”

Originally StorageGives was set to take only a percentage of every unit we hosted on StorageAuctions.com, donating to the eight charities we support. One of the things StorageGives does is feed five kids for every auctioned unit that ends on StorageAuctions.com. In 2021, StorageGives fed over 500,000 children.

Facilities have the choice to give anything from 10 to 100 percent, but by giving a little bit from a lot of units, we’re able to have a larger impact on those charities. After the launch party in November, owners and operators were looking for another way to donate to StorageGives. This prompted the opening of direct donations to StorageGives.

Opening up for direct donations enables StorageGives to impact its charities now more than ever.

For more information, go to StorageGives.org to learn how you can support those in need.

SECOND QUARTER 2022

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EMPLOYEE POACHING

EMPLOYEE POACHING

Avoid Litigation And Loss of Trade Secrets When Workers Jump Ship

By Phillip M. Perry

A

California sales executive who jumped ship for a competing employer took along a folder of customer lists and marketing plans.

Those items proved valuable resources for the conduct of his new duties—so valuable that his previous employer sued for violation of confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and illegal use of trade secrets.

The results were costly cash settlements against the executive as well as the new employer who had encouraged use of stolen material.

If that story sounds familiar, it’s no accident. Similar cases occur

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regularly around the country. When a star employee moves from one business to another, the resulting conflicts are often resolved in court.

“This area of law is growing quickly,” says Ben Mathis, an Atlanta attorney and managing partner of the nationwide law firm of Freeman Mathis & Gary. “There are two competing interests at stake. The first is that of employers who have a right to protect their information from having people walk off and take it all with them. The second is that of the individual’s right to compete against his earlier employer.”

Resolving those competing interests can hit profits hard. “Court remedies usually involve financial damages for harm that had been done to the original employer,” says Theodore J. St. Antoine, degan professor emeritus of law at University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor. “There may also be an injunction prohibiting the losing party from continuing an illegal practice. If the losing party ignores the injunction and continues to do the prohibited activity, the result may be additional fines for contempt of court, or even jail time in extreme cases.”

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EMPLOYEE POACHING

Restrictive Covenants The moral of all this is clear: Businesses must take steps to ensure they do not lose valuable information when employees leave for competing firms. At the same time, employers need to protect themselves from costly lawsuits when poaching top performers from competitors.

Protecting business interests has become more important with recent changes in the work environment. The employment relationship is less stable than in the past, high-level talent is in demand, and recruiting is aggressive.

Intellectual property—easily carried between companies—is more valuable than ever before. Customer information, pricing data, business plans, and proprietary marketing strategies are all at risk.

Businesses looking to negotiate this rocky terrain have a valuable tool at their command: restrictive covenants.

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These written agreements can keep departing employees from competing against former employers, soliciting the same customers or employees, or using a former employer’s sensitive information for their own ends.

“Most employers have confidential, proprietary, or sensitive information,” says Joon Hwang, shareholder in the Tysons Corner, Va., office of Littler Mendelson, P.C., the nation’s largest law firm defending employers in labor and employment disputes. “Or they may have certain employees with desirable skills, experience, training, or intimate knowledge considered integral and invaluable to their businesses. Restrictive covenants, drafted properly, can be a powerful tool for protecting all of this valuable information.”

There are two sides to the trade secret coin. Incoming personnel must

also be quizzed about any restrictive covenants signed at their former employer. And they must be prohibited from bringing along customer lists, marketing plans, financial records, confidential information, or anything else that might be determined to be the former employer’s property.

Non-Competes The most powerful restrictive covenant prohibits the employee from accepting employment at a competitor. Called “covenants not to compete,” or “non-competes,” these agreements specify a period of time for the prohibition and a geographic area where the prohibition applies. They usually also prohibit the individual from serving as an independent contractor for, or having any ownership interest in, a competitive organization.

“I generally do counsel my clients to have non-competes, certainly with their higher-level employees,” says Jeffrey A. Dretler, a partner at Rubin and Rudman in Boston. “I think it’s a very important and effective tool for protecting company confidential information and relationships in which they have invested.”

So far so good. But employers need to be wary of a not-so-secret vulnerability of these covenants: The possibility they will be deemed invalid by a court of law. That’s because such covenants raise concerns about limiting the capacity of employees to earn their livelihoods.

Employers can help improve the enforceability of their non-competes by ensuring the terms balance the concerns of the employer with the reasonable interests of the employees. “The wider the covenant goes geographically, and the longer the term of the restriction, the less likely the court will uphold it as reasonable,” cautions St. Antoine. An example of a very reasonable covenant would be one that calls for a one-year moratorium on working for a competitor within the radius of one mile of the original employer.

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EMPLOYEE POACHING

State Laws Achieving the right balance is a tricky proposition, not only because each employer-employee relationship poses unique circumstances but also because no federal law provides a common nationwide playing field.

Everything depends on state law, and that can differ substantially.

“Fifty states have 50 permutations of what employers can lawfully restrict with written agreements,” says Mathis.

“Many states allow restrictions for reasonable periods from six months to two years. Some states are more employee friendly than others. In California, employers generally cannot have any kind of restrictions.”

The challenge is becoming greater because in many states the law is trending toward greater worker protections. “The world is changing very rapidly,” says Dretler. “States are trending toward limiting non-competes. Many federal, state, and local initiatives, legislation, and news commentaries are asking whether there should be limits put on them. Are they anti-competitive? What’s really protectable? There’s a lot of litigation about these issues.”

Employers, then, need to avoid overreach that can backfire when an unfavorable court decision removes the protections that were thought secure.

“Another reason to avoid overreach is because it may reduce the employer’s credibility with the court when seeking to enforce the non-competes that really matter,” says Dretler. And he adds one more potential pitfall of unreasonable non-competes: Some valuable prospective employees may decide not to join a company out of fear they will be bound by a tooonerous non-compete when the time comes to leave.

Non-Solicits As the above comments suggest, non-competes can backfire when they fail to hold up to a court challenge.

Very often that means an employee

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COVID-19 Heightens Risk With so many employers trimming work forces in response to the COVID19 pandemic, many terminated individuals will be taking positions with competing firms. Employers may be tempted to overlook the terms of restrictive covenants so their terminated workers can earn a living. Doing so, however, may jeopardize the employer’s future profitability.

“Employers who choose not to seek enforcement of restrictive covenants during this time should understand that failure to do so may hinder later enforcement,” says Joon Hwang, shareholder in the Tysons Corner, Va., office of Littler Mendelson, P.C., the nation’s largest law firm defending employers in labor and employment disputes. He points out that future employees who breach restrictive covenants may assert a waiver argument—that the employer’s prior forbearance proves a lack of legitimate business interest to support enforcement of the agreements.

There is a solution to this conundrum. Hwang suggests employers take steps to minimize the risk their well-meaning inaction may have by memorializing their justification for not seeking to enforce the restrictive covenants. Legitimate reasons might include: • A lack of resources necessary to enforce the agreements due to the impact the pandemic has had on the employer’s business • A decline in business from certain clients, or their bankruptcy • Model records of former employees for whom restrictive covenants have been unenforced, including the fact that the individuals returned all confidential information and agreed not to solicit customers serviced Hwang offers another tip: “It would be helpful for employers to explicitly state that the decision not to enforce at this time should not be interpreted as a waiver of any future right to enforce the restrictive covenants against other former employees.”

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EMPLOYEE POACHING

who has jumped ship is free to conduct business without any restrictions.

And that can leave the former employer in a bad competitive position.

There is a solution to this problem, and it comes in the form of another restrictive covenant. Often referred to as “non-solicits,” these covenants are designed to keep an employee who moves to a new business from soliciting a former employer’s customers for a set period of time.

“An agreement not to solicit customers is often easier to defend than a covenant not to compete,” says Joseph Y. Ahmad, a founding partner in the Houston law firm of Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing. “That’s because it is narrower in scope, allowing the employee to work for a competitor.” Courts like the fact that these agreements preserve the ability of the individual to continue to earn a livelihood while protecting the rights of the former employer.

What if a former customer tracks down the departed employee at his or her new employer? Even then the terms of the non-solicit agreement usually hold. “The employee has to say ‘no, I can’t help you,’ and the former customer needs to contact another employee,” says Ahmad.

“Occasionally, one can go further than that and actually specifically direct them to a person who can help them. But the safest thing is to not give the previous customer much direction at all.”

Again, though, employers need to be careful about over-reach that can void the agreements. Not only should the terms specify a reasonable time limit, but they should also avoid prohibiting the solicitation of all customers served by the current employer.

“There usually needs to be some relationship between the employee and the customers, in terms of

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previous interactions,” says Ahmad.

“The exception would be if you could argue, for example, that the employee had confidential information about your margins on certain products and that information can be leveraged at any customer. You can often make that argument work.”

There’s another kind of non-solicit.

Often called an “anti-raiding provision,” this one keeps departing employees from luring co-workers to the new employer. “I don’t know of

“An agreement not to solicit customers is often easier to defend than a covenant not to compete.”

- JOSEPH Y. AHMAD

anything that triggers litigation more than a high-level employee leaving a company, and then is suspected of being the Pied Piper and causing a bunch of other employees to leave,” says Ahmad. “Many times that gets articulated as some type of raiding claim, even though not every state has protections specifically for that.”

Having a well-written non-solicit of employees, he adds, can help protect against this situation.

Confidentiality Agreements As the comments so far suggest, sometimes the old adage “less is more” can be a smart business posture: Employers may get more value from less restrictive covenants. Just as a non-solicit may be more effective than a non-compete, one more less onerous restrictive covenant—the confidentiality agreement—can in some circumstances be the most effective of all.

“A confidentiality or non-disclosure provision prevents the departing employees from disclosing or using the proprietary or confidential information of their ex-employers, or that of their employers’ customers,” says Hwang. After defining the nature of the organization’s sensitive information, the agreements state that the signers will take measures to keep it secret.

“The information in dispute does not have to be a ‘trade secret,’ but must simply be confidential, proprietary, or not publicly available.”

Because the legal system of every state recognizes the right of businesses to protect their sensitive information, confidentiality agreements are generally highly defensible in court.

Attorneys advise that they be signed by any employee who has access to sensitive business information. They provide valuable evidence that an employer has taken steps to communicate the importance of discretion to employees.

Luring Star Performers Now for the other side of the coin.

Employers need to be careful about violating a competing business’ restrictive covenants when luring away a star performer. The legal fees and time required to defend one’s actions can be costly, even when a court strikes down the first employer’s covenants as unreasonable. “Some employers draft restrictive covenants, knowing they will not be enforceable but will scare people into behaving as desired,” says Mathis. “Employers with deep pockets can cause a lot of trouble.”

Attorneys advise taking some prudent precautions during the hiring process. Ask what agreements the employee has signed with his current employer. The individual who never signed a non-compete might have signed an agreement not to solicit the certain customers or to recruit coworkers.

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EMPLOYEE POACHING

“When a new employee is hired, it’s a good idea to get a verification or agreement the individual is not taking confidential information from somewhere else,” says Ahmad. “And also that that employee is not subject to a restrictive covenant that they have not made the new employer aware of.”

When determining the risk involved in poaching, employers also need to examine their conscience: If the goal is not to attract a skilled employee but to cripple a competitor by grabbing trade secrets, hiring the individual can be actionable in court.

“You may simply see a very talented person performing for another firm and you think you can give that individual a better deal,” says St. Antoine. “That won’t give rise to a cause of action. But you can be the target of litigation if you have

some other element in the picture, such as an effort to get insider information.”

Employers should also avoid tarnishing the picture by spreading false and damaging information about the employee’s current company. “If an employer falsely tells a coveted person that his current employer is going out of business, that is ‘trade libel,’ a special form of ‘libel and slander,’” says St. Antoine.

Changing Laws Non-competes, non-solicits, and confidentiality agreements form a threelegged stool of defense for employers looking to protect valuable business information. But restrictive covenants must balance the needs of the employer with those of the employee.

At the same time, employers must

periodically review such agreements to ensure they continue to comply with state laws that are becoming more protective of workers by imposing new and tighter restrictions on what employers can prevent them from doing.

“The viability and enforceability of a company’s restrictive covenants, particularly non-competes, are more likely to be the subject of rigorous review today than in the past,” says Hwang.

“To ensure enforceability when it counts, employers should review the scope and terms of such documents to ensure they are sufficiently and narrowly defined to meet their legitimate business interests.”

New York-based freelancer Phillip M. Perry negotiates win-win deals with his clients everywhere.

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DIGITAL MARKETING

THE ABCs OF DIGITAL MARKETING

Creating A Long-Term Strategy For Growth

By Lisa Apolinski, CMC

A

ccording to the Harvard Business Review, and the post-COVID CMO survey, social media marketing spending saw a 74 percent lift in 2020. In addition, traditional marketing activity was projected to decline during the same time period. Digital marketing is becoming more of the budget focus for companies, and rightly so. With the pandemic, the importance of having a digital focus has come sharply into view for many organizations. These same companies are looking to expand their digital growth.

When it comes to digital growth, there is no “silver bullet” to achieve the growth companies want or need in a postpandemic world. If digital growth was easy to achieve in the digital space, everyone would do it and do it well. Anyone who tells companies that digital growth should be easy does not understand that proper digital growth requires a longterm strategy.

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Digital growth combines patience and commitment in order to develop strong relationships. These strong relationships provide the foundation for trust in your brand and, in turn, engagement. Trust is not something that can be faked, and prospects cannot be rushed into giving their trust to your organization without some work. This translates into a much longer focus and investment in that digital engagement and growth. To understand why digital growth is a long game, you need to revisit your ABCs.

A

is for Aspiration

What is the purpose of your organization? What impact are you hoping to have on your clients, your employees, and your community? Many companies skip right over this key initial step to understand, document, and share the

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DIGITAL MARKETING

trust in your word? Trust is a key component in your digital growth strategy. And because most prospects have an inherent distrust of what they are told online, there is a steep uphill battle to gain their trust. Keeping that trust and providing leadership and value are just as hard to maintain.

This can be thought of as providing water so the seeds of what your company has planted are able to take root and grow with your audience. Your company cannot phone this in or think that gaining the trust of your audience can be done overnight. Trust in your brand and word takes time.

C

organization’s aspirations. This is not about sharing features and benefits of the company’s products and services. This is about sharing your company’s values and what feeds your passion, your purpose, and your plans for how you serve clients in the future. That share has to be consistent and long term as a reminder of why your company exists, to clients, vendors, and employees (really anyone who interacts and supports the brand). People who get your organization’s aspirations are more likely to align with them and go the extra mile to provide support.

B

is for Belief

Does your company practice integrity and transparency in communication and customer service? Has your digital engagement created a consistent message and a sense of

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is for Connection

Connection is very different from selling. When you focus on creating connection in your network, and with your prospects and clients, you are creating something that lives beyond your interactions. Connection can happen in any and all digital communications. Connection prioritizes how your company can serve others and how your company provides value in every interaction. Connection helps to strengthen the trust your organization wishes to develop and add when fostering a strong client base. Connection is also important when considering your organization’s pool of potential employees and vendors in your community. When you look at all of the community that can support your company’s success, have you taken the time to connect into that community? Working on your company’s connection to your different communities will take a long-term approach.

While digital engagement moves at lightning speed, your prospects are looking for more meaningful engagement with your company. And with prospects and clients who want to have digital engagement in faster terms, the idea of going slower in communication and digital engagement may seem counter-intuitive. However, digital engagement is similar to face-to-face engagement in that this is a personto-person connection between someone in your organization and someone online.

With a focus on how you can create and build relationships, you are adding to the long-term growth of your company. Relationships, in order to stand the test of time, need time to grow. Relationships in the digital space are no different. Those relationships, even though they are online, still require the time and investment to gain roots to grow properly.

Using the ABCs of digital growth can help your company set up digital engagement success, which translates to digital growth. But make sure you invest in actions that promote that long-term digital growth. And that digital growth cannot be achieved with a silver bullet.

Lisa Apolinski, CMC, is an international speaker, digital strategist, author, and founder of 3 Dog Write. She works with companies to develop and share their message using digital assets. Her latest book, Persuade With A Digital Content Story, is available on Amazon. For information on her agency’s digital services, visit www.3DogWrite.com.

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TENANT DISPUTES

CRUCIAL PROVISIONS

Settling Tenant Disputes In The Age Of Social Media

By Scott I. Zucker, Esq.

A

self-storage facility, like all businesses, is subject to the risk of dissatisfied customers.

Unfortunately, with the use of social media, the megaphone for that dissatisfaction can be widespread. Therefore, if a dispute does arise with a customer and the matter can be resolved, it is important for the facility operator to include in its settlement terms that the facts of the dispute and its resolution are to remain confidential and, most importantly, that the customer will agree to withdraw any negative social media posts that he/she has placed and will desist from any future negative posting.

The intent of a settlement in a customer dispute (whether the issue involves rent, claims of property loss or damage, or even a lien sale) is to resolve the ongoing conflict with the dissatisfied customer. In today’s world, one of the considerations for a facility to agree to the settlement of a claim is not only to find a way to satisfy the unhappy customer but also to avoid the risk of negative customer reviews.

Therefore, two vital provisions should be included in any customer settlement agreement. One is a confidentiality provision and the other, a non-disparagement provision. General terms for such provisions are as follows:

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Confidentiality Claimant agrees that the terms of this Agreement shall be confidential such that Claimant may not disclose the terms or conditions of this Agreement to any person or entity, unless ordered to do so by a Court of competent jurisdiction or to Claimant’s attorney(s) or accountant for tax and/or income reporting purposes. The Claimant understands and agrees that this Paragraph is a material provision of this Agreement and that any breach of this Paragraph shall be a material breach of this Agreement and that the Respondent (business) would be irreparably harmed by any violation of this provision.

Non-Disparagement Claimant agrees that it will not, at present and at any time in the future, in any manner or by any medium, disparage Respondent (business), its predecessor and/or successor companies, affiliates, its current and former officers, directors, and employees to the press or to any other third party through any verbal or written medium including, but not limited to, social media. For the purpose of this Agreement, disparage is defined as comments or statements that would be detrimental to the good name and/or

reputation of the Respondent (business), its predecessor and/or successor companies, affiliates, its current and former officers, directors, and employees. The Claimant understands and agrees that this Paragraph is a material provision of this Agreement and that any breach of this Paragraph shall be a material breach of this Agreement and that the Respondent (business) would be irreparably harmed by any violation of this provision.

The power of social media, especially as to the reputation of a business, is significant. If a dispute arises and can be settled, it is important to consider these elements of the settlement agreement as fair consideration for reaching a resolution.

Stay safe and happy storing!

Scott Zucker is a partner in the law firm of Weissmann Zucker Euster Morochnik & Garber P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia. Scott specializes in business litigation with an emphasis on real estate, landlord-tenant and construction law. Scott is a frequent lecturer at national conventions and is the author of Legal Topics in Self Storage: A Sourcebook for Owners and Managers. He is also a partner in the Self Storage Legal Network, a subscription-based legal service for self storage owners and managers.

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LONG-DISTANCE LEADERSHIP

LONG-DISTANCE LEADERSHIP

Managing A Remote Or Hybrid Workforce The Right Way

By Kate Zabriskie

M

anaging people who work from home is nothing new for many leaders, but getting the mechanics right can be another matter. With a few smart moves, anyone can learn to manage a remote workforce effectively.

Move One:

Recognize that you may have been thrown into the deep end of the pool without much preparation.

A lot of leaders who are managing remote or hybrid teams didn’t get much warning about their new normal. People were in the office one day and gone the next. Although everybody did the best they could at the time, fast answers and actions don’t always equal good management. If your remote or hybrid team is running like a well-oiled machine, take a hard look at why, and don’t use location as an excuse.

Move Two:

Move Three:

In much the same way that apples are apples and oranges are oranges, remote work is different from an in-person experience. Accept and embrace the differences.

Yes, people working remotely may move laundry from the washer to the dryer in between meetings. Yes, they may answer the doorbell during work hours. No, you’re not going to run into them in the cafeteria. And just because they will answer email at 9 p.m. doesn’t mean that you should accept that behavior as a given. Remote is remote, and on site is on site. Think about how you should adjust your style and behaviors to enable people to give you their best in each environment.

Managers without a plan and routines often survive in an on-site environment. Their charm, personalities, and quick thinking saves the day. When work goes remote, however, many of those people stumble. Leading at a distance requires deliberate calendaring and regular check-in meetings.

Some people check in at the beginning or end of each day, others meet every other day, and some schedule virtual lunches. Regardless of the specifics, what’s consistent is a contact pattern. To keep your remote group in the loop, build routines and stick with them. In uncertain times, this is one area where you can nail it simply by having a plan and executing it.

Stop trying to make remote work function as in-person work does.

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Plan better.

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LONG-DISTANCE LEADERSHIP

Move Five

: Resist the urge to micromanage.

“Even though she says she works best late at night and our work doesn’t slow down if she keeps odd hours, I don’t care. I want her focused from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., just as if she were in the office.” While there are plenty of reasons to zero in on how work is done, ask yourself if you’re too deep in the weeds. For instance, if your direct report has a kid’s soccer game at 3 o’clock in the afternoon but he started working at 6 a.m., does that schedule shift affect the work in any material way? If not, and you can’t flex, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Most people dislike working for control freaks and will get away from them when the opportunity presents itself.

Move Six:

Spend more time connecting the dots and explaining why.

“Rebecca, you are in a customer-facing role. Because our clients may need to reach you during our core hours, it’s important that you are available to them between 9:00 and 5:00 each day.” A why explanation communicates not only the expectation but the reason behind it.

When a reason is missing, people draw their own conclusions about why, and sometimes they get it wrong. “Rebecca, we need you to be available between 9:00 and 5:00.” In the second example, Rebecca may conclude that her core hours requirement is due to micromanaging instead of a genuine business need–a false conclusion, but nevertheless the one at which she arrived.

Move Seven:

Help the team make connections with each other.

Good remote managers have strong relationships with their direct reports. Great remote managers do the same, and they help their people connect with each other. In practical terms, this means scheduling watercooler time and deliberate team building.

Move Eight: Ask for feedback.

Move Four:

Be specific about expectations.

Strong managers know that clear expectations are an essential element in the equation for getting what they want, and remote work amplifies the requirement. In other words, if you are not clear, don’t be surprised when you are disappointed.

Ask yourself a lot of questions. Do you expect people to be available at certain hours? Do you expect them to shut work off at a certain time? Have you told your team what you want in terms of quantity and quality of work? What about milestones and status updates?

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Thanks to technology advances and shifting norms, the remote workplace is constantly evolving. What worked two years ago may not work today, and what’s working now probably won’t be the perfect fit in the future. Periodically take stock and ask your team for feedback. Do you get enough guidance? Do you get too much? Do you feel connected with your coworkers? What can we do to improve? What should we stop doing? If you ask good questions, you’ll learn a lot.

Leading at a distance is a skill anyone can develop. What’s your next move?

Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team provide on-site, virtual, and online soft-skills training courses and workshops to clients in the United States and internationally. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

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R E G I S T R AT I O N N O W O P E N • O C T 1 7 - 2 1 , 2 0 2 2

GET READY TO TRAVEL TO THE BIG ISLAND Say “Aloha” to paradise this October!

Join us at this special event for industry insiders.

• Unrivaled Resort • Unequaled Education • Unparalleled Networking

$100 OFF Registration using the

coupon code: MINISTORAGEMESSENGER Don’t miss out, attendance limited to 100!

2022 Self Storage Hawaii unConference

brought to you by The Inside Self Storage World Expo Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort and Spa Big Island of Hawaii October 17 to 21, 2022

REGISTER NOW: hawaiiunconference.com

THE SELF-STORAGE HAWAII UNCONFERENCE

(L to R) XX.

Photo credit: XX

THE SELF-STORAGE HAWAII UNCONFERENCE

A Gathering Like No Other In A Place Like No Other

By Tron Jordheim

T

he 2021 Self-Storage Hawaii unConference took place in October of 2021 on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our host hotel was the beautiful Marriott Waikoloa beach resort and spa, which has lovely pools and a beautiful beach in a shallow calm bay. It’s just a lovely place. We’ll be there again in 2022 from Oct. 17 to 21. We have some amazing hotel rates that you can take advantage of for several days before and after the event, so you and your loved ones can take in the beauty of the Big Island and collect some of the Aloha Spirit.

We had people join us from many states in the U.S. Because of COVID, unfortunately, we could not have international guests join us. And because

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of COVID, we were limited to the number of attendees by the COVID prevention rules that the county of Hawaii had in place. But nonetheless, we had a fantastic time because of a few things. This year, there are very few COVID precautions in place, and we hope it will stay that way.

Great Opportunities The unConference is set up to create lots of great opportunities for solid networking, making new contacts, catching up with old friends, and enjoying activities you’d probably never have a chance to do otherwise.

We also have some great content, curated by some very smart and very kind people.

We started the 2021 unConference off with a tour to the visitor center on Maunaloa mountain, which is not quite all the way to the top, to view the night sky.

Our timing was a little bit off, because there was almost a full moon, so it was a little hard to do stargazing.

But I have good news for 2022: It should be a fairly dark night for our stargazing adventure for the 2022 unConference. It will be just amazing to see the sky there. The Big Island of Hawaii is one of the best places in the world to view the night sky.

That’s part of the reason why there are so many observatories on the island. At the height of the visitors center you are above the clouds, and

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THE SELF-STORAGE HAWAII UNCONFERENCE it’s like you can reach out and touch the stars. That’s the wonderful way we’ll get started again for 2022.

We also had a snorkel cruise before all of the sessions got underway, and this is just a wonderful thing to do. We go out on a larger catamaran boat to some great snorkeling spots and have a chance to spend a good solid hour in the water, looking around and seeing what’s happening in the coral.

On the 2021 snorkel cruise, my wife and I thought we saw a big band of yellow seaweed. I thought to myself that that didn’t make much sense.

I didn’t know that seaweed came in that color. And as we got closer, we discovered it was a school of Yellow Tangs all entangled with each other so that from a distance it looked like a kelp field. It was quite amazing and a beautiful sight. It’s not unusual to see turtles and all kinds of other fish that live in the area. Plus, you get to enjoy a nice boat ride with your storage friends. It is a lovely experience and a great networking opportunity.

We also had a tour to go down to the volcanoes. The active volcano on the big island, Kilauea, is an interesting volcano. It is very slow erupting and something that’s fairly easy to go see. We were lucky in 2021; it was spitting lava down in the caldera, and from the observation area at the Volcano House Hotel you could see the caldera glowing at night. We’ll go look at the volcano again in 2022 and see what it’s doing.

together kids from all over the place to the Big Island each summer for a summer camp that is all about land science, air science, sea science, and more. They do some amazing field work and study some of the naturally occurring amazing things on the Big Island. For those of you who are a little bit familiar with the Big Island, you know that it has almost every weather zone in the world on this one island. It’s just amazing. It also has amazing plant life and wildlife, much of it is native only to the Hawaiian islands. It’s a beautiful place to have a camp for high school aged kids, where they can not only experience the beauty of the Big Island but also the

many years ago. At one of the selfstorage trade shows I mentioned to him that I wanted to do an unconference type event on the Big Island. I had no idea he had a home on the Big Island, and he said, “Hey, I would love to help support that.” At the first SelfStorage Hawaii unConference in 2009, we did our first fundraising event for Kure It. Our Opening Reception in 2022 will be a fundraiser and a chance to focus on Kure It. I realize fundraising is done a little bit differently now than it used to be in 2009.

People still brought checks with them to fundraisers then.

Now I would encourage all of you to set up your recurring online donations to Kure It. I would encourage all of you to sign up for Kure It’s round up program, where you can just round up your rent for tenants. And there are many other ways that you can support Kure It. I would not stop you from bringing a big check along to the opening reception though.

One of the other not-forprofits that we support at the unConference is the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests. Danny Akaka Jr has been a supporter of our unConference since really the very beginning. We first met him at the Mauna Lani resort where we did the first two Self-Storage Hawaii unConferences. He is the head of the cultural center there. His work, his avocation, and his passion all revolve around promoting the Hawaiian culture, history, and language. He has done some amazing things over the years, and we’ve been fortunate enough to have him come talk to us about the amazing people and the amazing places of Hawaii at each of the unConferences. We hope to have him back again in 2022, if his busy schedule allows for that.

He’s on the board of the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests. The foundation encourages and promotes

“I hope you will have the chance to join us and see what sort of special connections you can make and what valuable business takeaways you bring home.”

Showing Support One of the great things about having the trip to gaze at the stars and the trip to go to the volcano is that Mike Richards, the director of Science Camps of America, leads those tours.

Science Camps of America is one of the not-for-profits that the Self-Storage Hawaii unConference supports.

Science Camps of America brings

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-TRON JORDHEIM amazing science that can be done around the Big Island.

We support other nonprofits through the Self-Storage Hawaii unConference as well. One of those is Kure It, the cancer research funding organization that was started by Barry Hoeven many years ago. He contracted a type of cancer that was not getting much research dollars and people did not know a whole lot about it. In researching his own situation, he found that there were all sorts of cancers that were having a negative impact on many people, but because they weren’t the well-known cancers, they were getting very little research funding. So he put together Kure It as a way to address that situation. I became friends with Barry Hoeven

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THE SELF-STORAGE HAWAII UNCONFERENCE the care and protection of native trees and native forests in tropical areas.

The Ohia tree in Hawaii is a very special native tree that is having trouble with climate change and invasive species. The foundation is trying to carve out areas where the tree can thrive and take its place in the natural scheme of things. They’re also working on promoting and improving the condition of the Koa tree, which is a really fast growing tree that’s only found in Hawaii. If any of you have ever bought any wooden gifts from Hawaii, a lot of those were probably Koa wood. It’s an amazing wood used in everything from ukuleles to furniture.

Networking Galore Now, of course, one of the main reasons for getting together at the SelfStorage Hawaii unConference is the networking. In 2022, we’ll have even more networking opportunities. Last year we did a luau together, which was a lot of fun. We will have luaus available again in 2022. There will be two opportunities to attend the luau on the Marriott grounds. They do luaus every Monday and Wednesday evening. If you have not been to a luau, it’s a lot of fun. It is a great celebration of the Hawaiian and Polynesian foods, cultures, music, and dance.

In 2022, we’ll also have a new way of doing breakfasts together. Each of our experts in residence (that’s what we call our presenters and our knowledge base experts) will host a breakfast round table on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Attendees will be able to have breakfast with one of the experts in residence and receive a $25 voucher towards breakfast. We’re going to add a second reception in 2022 as well. We’ll have an additional reception Thursday night, so we can get back together again with everyone who was at the opening reception Tuesday night to share stories of some of the adventures we’ve had on the Big Island and talk more about the issues that concern us while we get to know our new friends better and have a chance to reconnect with our old friends.

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Some people will go for bike rides, play golf, swim with sharks, relax on the beach, enjoy a sunset cruise, float in the pools, read in their cabanas, and explore the many unique parts of the island. There will be a lot of great stories to share.

If all of this is not enough, our morning sessions bring fascinating and illuminating conversations about the issues of the day. In 2021 we talked about future-proofing our businesses, examined the rise of China as a competitor, talked through the latest website design and function trends, shared best practices in remote management, explored ways to make sure our site audits are done well, and gained insights into how and why people buy online, as well as the power of making sustainability a core corporate pillar. We are switching up our presentation/discussion format this year to make it even more

un-conferencey and stimulate even more conversations.

The Self-Storage Hawaii unConference attendees make up a wonderful and close kindred group. I hope you will have the chance to join us and see what sort of special connections you can make and what valuable business takeaways you bring home.

To join us, use the coupon code “ministoragemessenger” when you register and save $100 off the cost of the full registration package.

I hope to see you on the Big Island! Aloha!

Tron Jordheim is the host of the Self Storage Hawai’i unConference. He is the Managing Partner of Self Storage Strategies, was formerly the Chief Marketing Officer of one of North America’s largest privately held self-storage companies and director of the industry’s largest outsourced call center. He has worked on self-storage projects, consulting assignments, and spoken at conferences in six countries.

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MANAGER PROFILE

Samantha Callow

A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION

Callow’s Inspirational Vision And Determination

By Brenda Baker

I

n celebration of Women’s History Month, we recently set out to interview one of the female leaders within the storage industry. We chose Samantha Callow, whom I recently met at the Boxwell Summit for portable storage. A few minutes into our conversation, I learned that she has three children of similar ages to my own. Naturally, that made me want to dig deeper into her life. What I found out is that she is also a lawyer, a professor, and an owner of a very lucrative storage business. With vision and determination, anything is possible. Besides her obvious strength of character and realness, what’s amazing about Callow is her air of calm, especially amidst her busy, full life.

Callow studied law at the University of Windsor and obtained her master’s degree in law at Osgoode Hall Law School, both in Ont., Canada. While in her youth, she spent a year traveling the world. She volunteered with a non-profit, international global organization, Up With People. Their vision is to build “an inclusive and

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sustainable world where people are equal in dignity and rights.” Currently, she is a law professor at Humber College and leads five classes per semester. She also co-authored a legal textbook used by colleges across Ontario. And, on top of all that, she owns and runs Calloway Storage.

When I asked her how she appears to do it all, she replied, “Working hard for yourself really matters.” She comes from a very entrepreneurial family that spans five different industries. It’s the “Callow-Way.” Her family owns and operates Budget Propane, a propane supplier in Ontario.

They also own a national cake company called WOW! Factor Desserts, manufacturing desserts for the food service industry. Samantha recalls her father starting the business from a piece of paper and an idea. Many of his deals were consummated by a simple handshake. Some offers were signed on a napkin. The Callow family learned firsthand about the rewards and sacrifices of owning a family business. And she used her determination to carry on the tradition.

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MANAGER PROFILE

“You don’t need to be an expert in everything.

Have the courage to try it, do it with integrity, and don’t look back.”

- SAMANTHA CALLOW

Entering The Industry How exactly did Callow get into storage, though? Her father taught her to think outside the box, to look forward with vision, and to keep dreaming. In his words, “When opportunity knocks softly, listen carefully, and have the courage to open the door.” Such was the case of the storage concept.

Few properties were readily available, but all it took was one that stood out. And the idea blossomed from there!

She found one that would work for both storage and propane. So, in 2015, with vision and determination, Callow took her father’s advice to purchase a self-storage facility.

The idea back then was for her to run the facility as an additional income opportunity, but she doesn’t just “run things.” She runs with things. In her spare time, she learned the ropes from the inside out. She signed up for a self-storage operators certification course and met some great people in the industry. That’s how she found Boxwell.

Callow followed up with every reference, and she cold called other industry owners to figure out the best storage unit to use for her business. She instantly bonded with Rod Bolls, founder and CEO of Boxwell. His passion and attention to detail reminded Callow of her own, and that made it a done deal.

There were so many things to learn. For example, she needed to know how to process invoices and contracts, set up a new website, and communicate with customers.

Samantha changed the facility’s name and had signage made.

She worked through permits and hired contractors, cleaned out storage units, and ran storage auctions. Essentially, she learned the whole business. She believes that you need to figure things out when it’s your own business and that, “It’s important to become masterful at each task.”

As a lawyer, Callow knows the importance of doing her research. During her new storage venture, she tapped into her community, meeting with other storage facility owners for ideas, resources, references, and overall industry knowledge. Over time, she was able to expand her existing facility with additional relocatable units. From there, she remembers asking, “How can we make our units available for people to rent off site?” Basically, “What’s next?” And then the portable storage arm of her business was created.

Working with towing companies and different delivery systems, she was able to transport portable containers directly to her customers. Again, she saw a need and figured it out with a vision and determination.

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MANAGER PROFILE

A Feminine Touch Callow and I discussed how complicated it can be to raise children. As any parent can attest, it takes a village. Being able to rely on others to help create a life balance is key. She is a passionate, active person with a long list of good books to read and places to travel. She is also a go-getter and an organizer. Along with a vision and determination, these are very crucial attributes while running a busy household, teaching students, and running a growing business.

It’s important for her to pass along this strong work ethic and strategies to her children. She involves all family members in the businesses as much as possible. This includes her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. She also says that it is “not uncommon to have at least five family members come out to help with a build.” They sometimes even turn it into a fun competition for the highest output. In her words, “This is their legacy too, and they all realize the power of working together.”

When asked about being a woman in the historically male-dominated storage industry, Callow has a few pain points. She remembers feeling that others did not trust her to make decisions. “They would try to go around me or call my father and brother,” she says. Callow needed people to take her seriously, so she sought to find her “voice of expertise.”

She knew how to figure things out, be resourceful, study, and walk the walk, but for people to believe in her, she needed to be an expert in business–not just a mom, lawyer, and professor. She soon realized the five things she needed to do:

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1. Trust in her abilities.

2. Make those tough executive decisions and run with it.

3. Show up with a vision and determination.

4. Be OK with failure and not look back.

5. Surround herself with meaningful connections and network, network, network.

When asked what advice she would give her 25-year-old self, Callow said, “You don’t need to be an expert in everything. Have the courage to try it, do it with integrity, and don’t look back.”

It’s that sort of positive energy and can-do attitude that brings Callow where she is today. She leads by example, gives back to her community, and believes in being a part of the team, especially if it’s family. And she’s pushing to go further, always looking for what’s next. Calloway Storage currently has three locations and offers self-storage and portable storage solutions. Her vision is to continue to expand, inspire, and lead in all realms of her life.

Brenda Baker is the public relations coordinator for Boxwell, the Boulderbased manufacturer of innovative storage solutions for businesses around the world. Along with the rest of the Boxwell team, she balances working hard and playing hard. She lives in Niwot, Colo., and believes that a good day includes laughter, yoga, writing, and sunshine.

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Unite with your community THE OFFICIAL CHARITY OF THE SELF STORAGE INDUSTRY

FREE TO JOIN HOW IT WORKS Charity Storage is a 501(c)3 non-profit that helps storage operators use auctions to raise funds for charities throughout the United States.

Sign Up | Designate a Drop-Off Point | Collect Items | Auction Your Unit | Support Local Charities

The official charity partner of the

and all affiliated state associations.

Charity Partner of the ISS World Expo, StoreLocal and SBOA. EIN: #45-3253579

Support the charity of YOUR choice! *All seller fees waved on StorageTreasures.com.

Watch to learn more!

Special thanks to:

www.charitystorage.org

CHARITY STORAGE

HEARTFELT HELP WITH EASY IMPLEMENTATION

Charity Storage Board Member Spotlight:

Lisa BarthChiappetta

By Katie Tompulis

Lisa Barth-Chiappetta

L

isa Barth-Chiappetta is no stranger to self-storage. She learned the ins and outs of facility management by lending a helping hand to her family business as she grew up. From an early age, BarthChiapetta recognized the significant role managers played in the success of her family’s facilities and how close involvement in their local community coincided with a positive customer and employee experience. Now co-owner and operator of Barth Storage, BarthChiappetta prioritizes community at the forefront of her company.

“We care about the community because the community is what made our business and kept us successful over the years,” says Barth-Chiappetta.

“And it inspires our employees to be engaged, energized, and provide the ultimate customer experience.”

Before the idea of Charity Storage was conceived, Barth-Chiappetta had already begun to leverage her storage units for good in a manner nearly identical to the model the program would follow years later. Barth-Chiappetta brought her experiences with her own units and the nonprofits in her local

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community to the Charity Storage team to offer her support to other operators who had a similar mission of giving back.

“I work very closely with our local homeless shelter,” she says. “Over the years we would collect unwanted items from customers that they did not want

“Any storage facility can donate a unit. It does not cost anything besides space.”

- LISA BARTH-CHIAPPETTA

to dispose of. We started using some of our storage units and collecting the items that they did not want to help support families served by the shelter.

They would have a family that needed some furniture so they would come into our storage units.”

Barth-Chiapetta goes on to say, “The community really helped me get that going and keep those units

stacked for when the shelter had people in need. That is how I got into Charity Storage, because it was near and dear to my heart.”

Her background in the industry gave her unique insight into utilizing the space in her facility for a greater cause. “Any storage facility can donate a unit. It does not cost anything besides space. I am sure there is always a broken unit or a manager unit, or some units that are not being rented at the time,” Barth-Chiappetta says. “You may have a bunch of extra 10-by-10s or something like that at the end of the season, and you could afford to hand out one or two. Any storage facility can participate on some level. It is not difficult to have one unit lease available to hold these items and then sell them to donate to your local community through Charity Storage.”

Barth Storage advocates often for the ease that comes with the Charity Storage program. “It is a grassroots program that should be brought up more because it is so easy for operators to implement,” she says. “It is incredibly easy to collect a few items

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CHARITY STORAGE to help raise money for causes critical to your community—in our case, the local homeless shelter.”

Barth-Chiappetta calls on two important actions facilities can implement to maximize their impact. “First, make sure your employees know about it and bring enthusiasm to the program,” she says. “Secondly, when someone is moving out and has unwanted items, your managers can help guide them to Charity Storage by telling them all about the program.”

According to Barth-Chiappetta, word of mouth is key to getting the program up and running at your facility.

“Branding is the best thing to engage customers in the Charity Storage program,” she says. “I always make sure we have signage near doors and the elevators for customers to read and learn about Charity Storage.”

Charity Storage announced this year that they plan to send free marketing kits to facilities. These

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marketing kits are used for signage to have around your facility.

Lastly, Barth-Chiappetta encouraged every self-storage operator to embrace the power and means they have to give back to their local communities. “It is just one unit that you donate once or twice a year—that is all you need to make a difference to support local charities in your community.”

To learn more about the Charity Storage program, go to charitystorage. org today.

About Charity Storage Charity Storage was conceived by Lance Watkins, who had first-hand experience with the storage industry and the reality television show “Storage Wars.” The late Barry Hoeven, founder of Westport Properties, co-founded Charity Storage, bringing many years of self-storage and philanthropy experience to the endeavor. Today, Charity Storage is an independent 501(c)3

national self-storage industry nonprofit that is supported by many self-storage owners, operators, management companies, industry associations, organizations, and vendors. Ninety percent of all funds raised are distributed to qualifying charitable organizations (60 percent to the charity chosen by the operator/ facility, 20 percent to Kure It Cancer Research, and 10 percent to the Self Storage Association Foundation [SSAF] Scholarship Program).

Charity Storage utilizes existing storage facility operations to raise funds to support charities throughout the United States. Donated and abandoned items are placed into a vacant unit and the contents are auctioned off on site or online, via Storage Treasures.com or other online auction platforms. Operators online with Storage Treasures.com can opt-in via their account dashboard today and start selling charity units immediately.

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Looking for information?

It shouldn’t be this hard!

We have what you need. Published since 1979, the Mini-Storage Messenger has become the most respected international trade magazine for self-storage operators, owners, developers and investors.

Each monthly issue delivers a valuable mix of self-storage business news, research data and interviews, as well as reports on various aspects of the development, management and marketing of profitable self-storage facilities.

Get the answers you need in the Mini-Storage Messenger, the Education Destination for Self-Storage Management

Start your subscription today! www.ministoragemessenger.com

800.352.4636

Managers In Action

By Erica Shatzer

W

ithin the self-storage industry, it’s common knowledge that a property manager can “make or break” a facility. Typically, those who “make” the site are best known for their exceptional customer service and attention to detail, as well as their tendency to take pride in the property they oversee.

Indeed, an all-star manager can become a facility’s greatest asset by attracting and retaining tenants while improving and/or maintaining the property. And the two runners-up for the 2021 Manager of the Year award definitely proved themselves to be the most valuable players at the sites they manage!

Kameron Bishop, Life Storage The first runner-up of the 2021 Manager of the Year award, Kameron Bishop, property manager at Life Storage in Gainesville, Fla., is a self-proclaimed “jack of all trades.”

Before joining the Life Storage team more than two years ago, Bishop dabbled in several industries. Some of her previous work experiences include: 911 dispatcher, where she learned exceptional telephone skills; real estate broker, where she picked up

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some sales techniques; business owner of a bicycle shop, where she developed an aptitude for bookkeeping and customer service; janitor at a fairground as a teenager; and even nursing before becoming a stay-athome mom to her stepdaughter.

It was during her time as a stay-athome mom that she gradually entered the self-storage industry. Bishop, who knew the owners of the mom-and-pop facility in her neighborhood, offered to serve as a “fill in” at the couple’s self-storage site. They taught her the ropes, and that’s when the “storage bug” bit her, she says, noting that she felt like she had finally found a job that incorporated all her various experiences and skillsets. By the time her son was off to school, she was ready to be a full-time employee in the storage business, so she applied for a position at a Life Storage facility in Jacksonville, Fla., where she spent one year as an associate manager.

Bishop did such an outstanding job at the Jacksonville location that she was promoted to site manager of a new, state-of-the-art facility in Gainesville. That Life Storage property opened on July 15, 2020, which also happened to be her one-year anniversary with the REIT. Though she admits that the brandnew property and its high-tech features make it “easier” to sell, it’s Bishop’s commitment to the Golden Rule that keeps customers satisfied and leaving stellar reviews. “I put myself in my customers’ shoes,” she says, adding that

“The success of our company relies on individuals like Kameron, and the contributions she brings forth each and every day do not go unnoticed.”

-GREG D’ARCE

simply treating people as you’d want to be treated is the best kind of customer service you can provide. Obviously, her approach is working, as she managed to exceed 50 percent occupancy in merely 11 months.

“From working with vendors to identify areas for improvement at opening to taking on additional training courses to better prepare for the new challenges ahead, she did it all,” says Greg D’arce, an area manager for Life Storage.

“Kameron possesses the ability to handle difficult situations with a practical approach while remaining optimistic and focused on the goal at hand.”

In addition to providing excellent customer service, Bishop promotes the Life Storage site every chance she gets, handing out flyers everywhere she goes and talking to everyone she meets—even outside of company time because she loves helping people and loves her job. In fact, Bishop is so “content” with her work-life balance right now that she plans to stay with Life Storage until she retires.

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MANAGERS IN ACTION And Life Storage couldn’t be happier with Bishop and her desire to stick with the company. “Her dedication and commitment to grow is a shining example of the type of leaders we foster and promote,” says D’arce. “The success of our company relies on individuals like Kameron, and the contributions she brings forth each and every day do not go unnoticed.”

Dereck Conway, Extra Space Storage Dereck Conway, the second runner-up of the 2021 Manager of the Year competition, came to the self-storage industry from the hospitality industry more than 18 years ago. Conway, who was working as a maintenance manager for a hotel in New Jersey, actually trained someone for his position at the hotel who contacted him a few years later about joining the self-storage industry as a property manager. The rest, as they say, is history. Conway started his self-storage journey at Shurgard, where he was a manager in training before the company was acquired by Public Storage. After serving as a manager for Storage Bins, Conway was employed by Devon Self Storage until the facility he was managing was sold to Metro Storage. Then, it was back to Devon for another 13 years before joining Extra Space Storage.

He started at Extra Space as a manager for a property in Philadelphia, Pa., where he managed to reach 100 percent occupancy in 1.5 years. Once an opportunity arose in his home state of New Jersey, Conway put in for a transfer. He currently works at an 80,000-square-foot facility in Sicklerville, N.J., managed by Extra Space that opened in February 2020.

In less than a year and a half—and amidst a pandemic—Conway used his lease-up magic to reach 90 percent occupancy, crushing the owners’ lease-up projection of 36 months to obtain that occupancy rate. This spectacular feat even enabled the owners to secure refinancing for the facility at a better, lower rate.

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During the onset of the pandemic, Conway, who made reaching stabilization his mission, was filling up units at breakneck speed. Donning a face mask and running clipboards of paperwork to customers who were waiting in their cars, Conway was sometimes assisting five or six customers at once in the facility’s parking lot.

His dedication to helping his customers in any way possible, no matter the circumstance, is apparent in the sterling Google reviews his tenants leave; in fact, he received 330 of them in less than two years for an impressive, perfect average of 5.0 stars.

Tenants and team members alike appreciate Conway for his professionalism, enthusiasm, sincerity, courteousness, and helpfulness.

“Dereck always treated our store as his own and did whatever he could to keep it in A-plus condition.”

-CHRIS PATTON

Obviously, there is no greater satisfaction for A-plus effort than heartfelt praise directed to your employer. Here are two examples of the profound impact Conway’s had on his customers: In February 2022, one tenant writes, “Dereck is absolutely a wonderful and compassionate representative of your company. He has the knowledge and experience to assist with every aspect of the storage business.

Extra Storage is very fortunate to have such a true gem of a worker here!” In March 2022, another says, “Dereck is a very friendly and helpful person. He has gone above and beyond and has truly made my first experience renting a storage unit a great one! Thanks for your understanding and compassion Dereck! You’re an asset to Extra Space Storage!”

“It’s all about how you treat people,” says Conway, who takes time to build

rapport with customers. He accomplishes this by listening to them, assessing their needs, and giving the “best customer service possible.” It also helps that he loves assisting customers, especially those who are going through tough times.

Along with devotion to his customers, Conway takes pride in the facility he manages, keeping it sparkling clean and inviting. “On one unannounced visit, we noticed that Dereck was using a mop to clean the facility,” says Chris Patton, one of the facility owners. “We immediately authorized the purchase of a commercial cleaner to assist him.

Dereck always treated our store as his own and did whatever he could to keep it in A-plus condition.”

For all these reasons, it’s not surprising that Extra Space invited Conway to participate in the company’s advanced management program last year. And Conway was thrilled to take the course, which started in August, since his objective is to eventually “move up to the next level,” and possibly even own his own self-storage facility one day.

Three Cheers!

It’s plain to see why these outstanding MVPs were chosen for the 2021 Manager of the Year awards. With unrivaled, unwavering dedication to their customers and properties, they are more than deserving of a healthy round of applause—or three!

Congratulations!

Erica Shatzer is the editor of Mini-Storage Messenger, Self-Storage Now!, Self-Storage Canada, and MiniCo Publishing’s annual SelfStorage Almanac.

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