Creating Wealth Through Self Storage

By Mark HelmBusiness Entrepreneurship Education

Creating Wealth Through Self Storage episodes

November 13 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.
I was actually surprised!
Here are some of my takeaways.
Most of you know my feelings about them, but if you pay attention to these numbers, they tell you something about where this industry is and may be headed.
I do pay attention. Here is what I see.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
13 min
November 06 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.
Let me share with you a few ideas on what I do and why. Perhaps this could help you if you don’t meet your goals or feel you are not living up to your potential.
This process has made all the difference for me over my career.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
11 min
October 23 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 to data platforms. We use the data to make assumptions such as rental rate, market health, how fast a project will absorb new square feet, etc.
Next, we plow those assumptions into Excel or something like the Storage World Analyzer and get some kind of financial model to predict the future.
This process has worked well over the years, but now, not so much.
LET ME SHARE THE FUTURE OF SELF-STORAGE PROFORMAS, or at least how I see it.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
14 min
October 16 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.
Well, yes, they have a lot more money than I do, and yes, I had my doubts about whether I could compete for the same customers and win.
Those days are over. I am clear that smaller facility owners who are willing to learn and play the game can go head-to-head and win.
Also, there is a free download you can get with some measurements for the third way I discuss. The link is below.
Free download from this episode: The Community Scorecard
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
11 min
September 25 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 success: our customers.
I found the StorageCafe (an online marketplace for consumers) newly released survey on self-storage in 2026 very interesting.
Let’s explore the results and what they can mean for us smaller owner-operators.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
9 min
September 11 The Storage Business I Knew Is Gone – Here’s What’s Coming Next
As I look to the future, as I regularly do as a business owner, I realize that the self-storage business of the past will most likely not be the industry of the future.
Let’s jump into the time machine and take a look at self-storage in the years ahead.
Hint: To a large degree, this future landscape is already here. Don’t tell anyone.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
15 min
September 04 Why I am Not A Fan Of Storage Funds
Let me tell you why I am not a big fan of large storage funds.
I was recently reminded of this when I read an article in the ISS Newsfeed.
We have got to do something to restore the image of our industry and I think the time to start is now.
Let me explain in this episode.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
13 min
August 21 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 beat into our heads that reduced clicks for consumers is the holy grail for online marketing success.
Now I am all about reducing friction to renting units online, but let me tell you why I am still a firm believer in landing pages.
Even today!
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
13 min
August 14 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 deal was underwritten at today’s interest rates, and if rates go up and the deal is not closed…well, it has to be underwritten at the new rate.
Let’s look at 2 key reports I have been keeping a watch for and how the market reacted to them, and let’s make a prediction where interest rates are going in Sept. and beyond.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
11 min
August 07 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 lesson I wish I had learned early in my career, it is… in this episode.
New to self storage? Start here: Mark’s free 3-part video series
Courses: The QuickStart Academy
Software: Storage World Analyzer
Books: The Creative Method of Wealth Generation · Creating Wealth Through Self Storage
Free tools: 5 KPIs ebook · 4 Critical Metrics · Cap Rate, ROI & IRR Calculator
Store: QuickStart Academy Store
Follow Mark: Blog · YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Facebook · X
11 min

About Creating Wealth Through Self Storage

From the publisher's feed

Self-storage investor, CCIM and bestselling author Mark Helm shares what he has learned since 2000 about buying, building, converting and operating self-storage facilities. Each episode gives small…