Episode library
Creating Wealth Through Self Storage: Episode Library
Every blog post and podcast episode, grouped by topic. More than 500 episodes since 2015. Search by keyword, or pick a topic.
Getting Started
Episodes for people new to self storage: how the business works and what Mark looked at early on.
How Much Money Do You Really Need to Start in Self-Storage?
When I first got started in the self-storage business, you could realistically get in the game with as little as 10% to 15% down if you used SBA financing. That was one of the key advantages of starting...
Self-Storage Startup Checklist – The First 4 Steps to Enter Self-Storage and Most Don’t Start Here
When entering the self-storage business, you are choosing to become an entrepreneur. In other words, you are starting your own business. This may sound like a simple statement, but if you have never been...
How Much Money Do You Really Need to Get Into Self-Storage Today?
I see a common mistake today as I work with people who are getting into the self-storage business. Especially people getting in their first deal. They will underwrite a deal using the downpayment amount...
Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Taking the Next Quickstart Academy Self-Storage Bootcamp
This episode will be more self-promoting than normal, but I will cover material that will be important to you regardless of whether you are joining us in this upcoming QuickStart Self-Storage Boot Camp...
Buying
Episodes on finding, evaluating and buying existing facilities.
Why the Smaller Investor Can Win in Today’s Self-Storage Market
Nothing in the universe ever remains constant. Everything is always in constant motion. From the subatomic level all the way to the entire universe itself, everything is in constant motion. This includes...
The First-Call Offer: A Different Approach to Finding Off-Market Self-Storage Deals
It has gotten to the point that I almost don’t pay attention to listed self-storage properties anymore. Not quite, but I notice when specific companies’ listings show up in my inbox, I delete them...
AI in Action: How I’m Using It Right Now to Move Through Self-Storage Due Diligence
We all know how AI is changing the self-storage landscape. Others smarter than me have talked about using chatbots for storage answering services, AI in revenue management and tenant data analysis...
How One Person in the Inner Circle Prospects for Self Storage Opportunities
Intro & Disclaimer Welcome to The Creating Wealth Through Self-Storage Show with Mark Helm. Nothing shared here guarantees your success in the self-storage business. This content is for informational...
Site Selection & Feasibility
Episodes on choosing locations and studying a market before building or buying.
The Square Foot per Capita Myth
It’s time to talk about square foot per capita again. I have run into more and more issues with that metric and think it is time to permanently interrupt the myth that still pervades our industry. That...
Not Sure What Features to Offer at Your New Self-Storage Facility? Let the Demographics Tell You.
Let’s discuss what features, what bells and whistles to add to your new facility or one you may be purchasing. But first, let me tell you a story. About half the time on workday mornings, I still head to...
What Are Good Average and Median Incomes for a Self-Storage Trade Area?
Although I did not attend the most recent Self Storage Association convention in Las Vegas, I have been studying many of the sessions that occurred there. One thing I found very interesting was the...
Now Is the Time… Time to Get Rid of Sq. Ft. Per Capita Once and for All as the Metric for Self-Storage Supply Demand Calculations
It seems like once a year or so; I get on a soap box and rail about sq. ft. per capita as the primary measurement for self-storage supply demand calculations. https://youtu.be/TCAy080u1Jo Just some of...
Building, Expansions & Conversions
Episodes on new construction, expansions and converting other buildings to storage.
Development For Small Investors Pt. 3
Two weeks ago, we began a series outlining the five phases our construction company uses when developing self-storage projects in today's unpredictable environment. This is the same process we use...
Development For Small Investors Pt. 2
Last week, we started a series outlining what our construction company uses as a general outline for developing self-storage projects in today’s uncertain world. This series aims to bring in a...
Development For Small Investors Pt.1
Given the continued high cost of existing self-storage facilities for sale and the challenges of getting into the business, let's discuss the development steps for smaller investors. Or at least my take...
Why Most Small Self-Storage Developers Overspend—and How to Avoid It
In episode 451, we discussed how uncertainty in Washington, combined with mixed economic signals, is causing some investors to sit on the sidelines. But for those who can make quick decisions and move...
Financing & Raising Capital
Episodes on loans, lenders, investors and how Mark has funded projects.
Why I am Not A Fan Of Storage Funds
Ok…for the first time in my storage career, I am in an adversarial relationship with some sellers on a project we have under contract. This is not an episode about that deal, but fair warning, it may be...
How to Raise Private Money for Your First Self-Storage DealÂ
So, if you are getting into the self-storage business, or if you have found a deal you are excited about, congratulations. But what if you don’t have enough to fund the down payment? You may be asking,...
Planning a Self-Storage Re-Fi? Here’s Why Understanding Valuations is Crucial
If you took a loan or purchased your self-storage facility around 2018 and it is time to refinance, you better understand where you will stand with a bank. I suggest doing this before calling a lender. I...
Creative Self-Storage Solutions – Reducing the Cost of Capital in a Storage Deal
The cost of capital is high today to do a Self-Storage or Boat & RV development today. Let’s look at a creative way to reduce this cost of capital and perhaps solve another problem for us smaller...
Financial Analysis
Episodes on pro formas, valuation and reading the numbers.
Our Proformas Are Living in the Past – It Is Time To Change That
The self-storage industry is evolving fast, and one of the biggest challenges we struggle with is financial modeling today. If you are in the acquisition business of self-storage, you have subscriptions...
Tax Advantages of Self-Storage: Being a Storage Owner, Including Cost Segregation
One of the best things about owning investment real estate is the tax advantages, especially self-storage. Let’s discuss some of the benefits today. Now, I am not a tax specialist, and if anything I say...
Cap Rates, ROI, IRR – Which Matters Most in Self-Storage?
Even seasoned storage people sometimes get focused on the wrong metric when analyzing self-storage. If you're new to self-storage, it can be hard to understand all the financial metric slang and acronyms...
2025 Tax Reform: Possible Impacts on Self-Storage
Let’s talk about the new tax implications for self-storage owners and take a look at the good, the bad, and the potentially ugly parts of the massive tax bill recently signed into law and championed by...
Operations & Management
Episodes on running facilities day to day: staffing, systems and management.
Vendors Can Make or Break You Today
There has never been a moment in self-storage history where the gap between well-chosen vendors and poorly chosen ones mattered more than it does today. We are currently choosing our vendors for a new...
Insurance Shock: How Self-Storage Owners Can Fight Back in 2026
Let’s look at ways to reduce our insurance cost in 2026 and beyond. This expense line item is doing nothing but rising, and even though we had relatively calmer weather in 2025, excluding the west coast,...
A Big Shout Out To U-Haul
Finally! U-Haul’s President and CEO Joe Shoen took a stand in opposition of the deplorable pricing practices most of the bigger REITs and institutional players use today, with the absolute worst being...
Expense Discipline: The Quiet Way to Grow Self-Storage Value in 2026
A few weeks ago, we had a three-part series on Revenue Strategies designed for 2026. Now let’s focus on the expense side today. In reality, we are really focused on the Net Operating Income (NOI) (income...
Marketing & Customers
Episodes on marketing, lease-up and the customer experience.
Three Ways a Smaller Operator Can Win the Customer Game Against REITs
I will admit that a few years ago I was scared of competing in a market against REITs. I remember an investor in our deals was really questioning me hard asking how we could ever compete and win in the...
What the 2026 StorageCafe Survey Is Telling Us
One of the advantages of being a smaller self-storage operator is that — unlike the REITs and larger players who focus on their investors and stockholders — we can focus on the real source of our...
Put a Bullseye on Your Customer: Why Landing Pages Still Win in Self-Storage
I don’t see owners utilizing landing pages that much anymore in online self-storage marketing, and I am not sure why. I suspect it is because it has been beaten into our heads that reduced clicks for...
The New World of GSO and How It Applies To Your Self Storage Business
Although you may be tired of hearing about AI and how it applies to your self-storage business, the AI hole is only getting deeper. If you haven’t already, it’s now time to embrace it and begin to...
Strategy & Planning
Episodes on business planning, goals and long-term strategy.
Make 2026 Your Year in Self-Storage
Virtual Training • January 16–17 Join Mark Helm’s Virtual Self-Storage Bootcamp and learn how deals are being done right now—in today’s market. https://youtu.be/OhzKb0pgqE0 Register for the Bootcamp Schedule a Call Live online • Fri–Sat • 10:00 AM–5:00/5:30 PM Eastern...
A Strategy for Gaining Momentum and Scaling Faster in Self-Storage
Get a partner. Â I am hosting a virtual online Bootcamp in March on the 21st & 22nd and have been revising some of my content for the event. I thought I would do a couple of episodes sharing some of...
How to Get the Most Out of 2025 for Your Self-Storage Business (Pt.3)
If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is slow-going, this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different...
How to Get the Most Out of 2025 for Your Self-Storage Business (Part. 2)
If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is going slowly, then this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different...
Market Trends & Outlook
Episodes on industry data, REIT reports and where the market may be headed.
What the REIT May Be Telling Us About the Industry (And What It Means for the Rest of Us)
I just read an article in the ISS about the third quarter REIT performance. Here are some of my takeaways. Most of you know my feelings about them, but if you pay attention to these numbers, they tell...
The Storage Business I Knew Is Gone—Here’s What’s Coming Next
So as I look into the future as part of what I regularly do as a business owner, I am realizing the self-storage business of before will most likely not be the industry of the future. If you relate to...
What the Jobs Report, CPI, and Bond Market May Be Telling Us About Interest Rates
It has been a while since I used an SBA loan to develop some storage, but I am in a deal where we are using it now for a boat and RV development. We are racing to get it closed by Sept. 14 because the...
Self-Storage Myth Number 2: REITs Outperform Small Self-Storage Owners
I hear partners, people I coach, and investors ask the question, “How can a smaller independent owner compete today with REITs or a big institutional player today? They have a lot more money and people,...
Mindset & Leadership
Episodes on the entrepreneur mindset, habits and leadership.
What Was Really Keeping Me From My 2026 Goals — And It Wasn’t the Market
Well…it’s the last quarter of 2026, and on the self-storage front, it does not appear like I will hit my targets for this year. I said a few choice words, but for this episode, I’ll just say “dang.” Now...
The One Habit I Wish I Had Started Early in My Career
I have made a lot of mistakes over my business career and done a few things right. Fortunately, it only takes a few good decisions and some grace from the universe to be successful. But if there is one...
Five Lessons About Business I’ve Learned After 40 Years
After over forty years in real estate and the self-storage business, I have learned a few things about business that I am sharing as I hover around this 500-episode mark. I guess we could call these...
Five Things I Have Learned About Creating Wealth
As I hover around the 500-episode area, I am becoming more philosophical and want to share some insights I have had over the last ten years or so in the storage business. I’ve talked about the five...
Series
Multi-part series: Back to Basics, Raising Money for Self Storage, Practices to Develop, and Self Storage Mindsets for 2023.
The Self Storage Fundraising Mindset Series – Mindset Is Everything – Mindshift #3
In the world of self storage, fundraising for self storage, or any other worthwhile endeavors, one needs to know what to do, but the most important aspect of success is one’s mindset. One’s thinking....
The Self Storage Fundraising Mindset Series – Mindset Is Everything – Mindshift #2
Last week I introduced the idea that no matter what the industry, or niche in any industry, the more I hang around people who are at the top of their game, the less they discuss tactics and strategies,...
The Self Storage Fundraising Mindset Series –Â Mindset Is Everything
I have been threatening to create a course on Fundraising For The Small Investor In Self Storage for years. I am in the process of doing so now and will also be speaking on the subject at the April 2023...
Practices for Self Storage Entrepreneurs to Develop Series. Practice Three: Develop Patience … But Move Quick
This is the third episode in a series entitled Practices For Self Storage Entrepreneurs To Develop Series. The older I get, the more I realize how life can occur like a contradiction. Like the last...
Disclaimer: general education only, not investment advice.