Greetings from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This week we are attending the Self Storage Association’s (SSA) annual convention.
It is great connecting with the people in our industry and getting to meet many of you for the first time. I am inspired by you. Many are stepping out and getting into this great business, and many of you are truly growing your self storage business.
It takes courage and knowledge to do that. If you spent the time and money to go to a convention like the SSA’s annual get together in Las Vegas, it is a good indication you are someone who will do what is necessary to succeed. It says a lot about you.
I love the conventions for three main reasons:
1. The education offered. It helps us stay on top of a fast changing industry.
2. Meeting the vendors. Almost every single relationship we have in this business is one we started at a convention.
3. Meeting you. These conventions are my chance to meet you directly and learn more about you and our struggles and successes.
Speaking of you, I love coming here and having a booth so I can meet as many of you as possible. When I published and launched the book Creating Wealth through Self Storage, in March of 2015, I also launched the financial analysis software I created for our company called The Storage World Analyzer. I offer both of these products as inexpensively as possible in order to support people getting in and growing in this fantastic Self Storage industry.
Since then, I have put out a weekly blog and nothing else. I was interested in listening, hearing what it is you really need. What keeps you up at night? What is actually not there, that if was there, would make a difference for you.
You spoke up loud and clear. You said you need a step-by-step simple guide, supporting you in buying your first facility (or could be your next one). Some said a simple guide supporting you in building a facility. After you get a facility, what to do in the first 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days to get off to a great start. You also said you could use some support in identifying what holds you back from achieving what you set out to achieve.
As a response to what you said, in October 2015, we are lunching the Self Storage Quick Start Academy. This is an online, step-by-step training courses, with handouts, check list, and the actual forms we use in our business. The first class offered will be How To Buy Your First Self Storage Facility. It is broken up into short, easy to digest modules with easy to use checklists. For instance, Module Two is “Where To Find Self Storage Facilities to Buy”. Module Four is “How To Get Your Loan”. In this module for example, we show you a sample of a Request For Loan Package we have used. In the “Due Diligence” module, we give you our checklist we use when we buy a facility.
The next class to be offered shortly after the first one is “How To Build Your First Facility”. Building is very different from buying an existing facility. It will come out shortly after the first training course. The next one after that is “What To Do In The First 90 Days of Your Self Storage Business”. And the last class in the first series of training courses is “How To Identify The Blocks That Hold You Back From Success”.
I am sure these step–by-step training courses will truly support you in getting off to a good start, or to support you in growing to the next level. The initial reaction in the Bata testing has been very positive.
I spend most of my days growing our self storage company and looking at new opportunities. However, I have taken the time to ceate these training courses because I truly want to add value and support the smaller investor getting into this fantastic business. The self storage business has changed my life and made something possible for myself, my family, and all the employees and investors that are with us, which was not possible before.
I love this business.
So do most of you I met at the convention. Thanks for stopping by my booth and I look forward to connecting with each of you soon.
