How often does this podcast release new episodes?

This podcast updates bi-weekly.

Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 10 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

Self Storage Lab

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by swivl

4.7(18 reviews)

45 episodes

Updated Bi-weekly

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FairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality63

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Podcast Overview

Join us for our brand new show, The Self Storage Lab–a new podcast deconstructing how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and how it might impact your business. In the age of hyper-informed, store-anywhere customers, your business needs to be always on, data-driven, and customer-centered. Whether you’re a thousand location operator or looking to get into self storage with your first property, nerd out with us as we help you decide what’s best for your business. tryswivl.com tryswivl.com/blueprint

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🇺🇲

Publishing Since

9/1/2022

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🇺🇸 Charts #3

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Podcast Authority

Beta

FairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality63

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YouTube0

Engagement68

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excellent

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Every 32 days

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Recent Episodes

June 24, 2026

Joel Patterson on Keeping the Personal in Personal Mini Storage

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

June 17, 2026

Ep 43: Travis Morrow on Why the Independent Operator Still Wins

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

February 18, 2026

Brett Copper is Rethinking Remote Storage Management

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

45 total episodes available

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What is Self Storage Lab?: Join us for our brand new show, The Self Storage Lab–a new podcast deconstructing how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and how it might impact your business.

In the age of hyper-informed, store-anywhere customers, your business needs to be always on, data-driven, and customer-centered.

Whether you’re a thousand location operator or looking to get into self storage with your first property, nerd out with us as we help you decide what’s best for your business.

tryswivl.com tryswivl.com/blueprint
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates bi-weekly.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 10 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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