Self Storage Lab

A special one-off episode of Self Storage Lab, recorded live at the SSA Fall Conference on September 11, 2026.

This isn't a typical interview. It's a panel titled "What's Real, What's Next?", a candid, unscripted look at how AI is actually being adopted and deployed across self storage, from three people building with it every day. Matt Engfer, co-founder and CEO of Cubby, moderates. He's joined by Mason Levy, co-founder and CEO of swivl, and Austin Rockman, who leads AI at White Label Storage. Between them: machine learning backgrounds, millions of customer conversations, and a lot of hard-won opinions on what works and what's just slop.

The conversation moves through three arcs: where AI adoption really stands today, how these teams are applying it inside their own operations, and a closing "what's next" look at where self storage goes from here.

What they get into:

• How to actually drive adoption inside an organization, and why it usually starts with one or two people who "get the joke"
• Training teams seat by seat, and installing shared skills so people start with a good experience instead of a rabbit hole
• The deployment problem nobody warns you about: who gets access, to what data, and where the thing you built actually lives
• Communication preferences as the highest-leverage setup step, and why the fundamentals of good work haven't changed even as the tools have
• Keeping AI output honest: human review, QA, and avoiding the "it's the coolest thing ever" trap before it's actually good
• Real applications in storage, from pricing and collections to review solicitation and field maintenance routing
• Clean, structured, well-labeled data as the thing that still makes or breaks everything
• MCPs and connectors explained in plain language
• Talking to your models: dictation, cognitive load, and the new social norms of whispering to your computer

If you're just getting started with AI or already deep into building internal tools, this panel offers an unusually honest, in-the-weeds look at the state of play from three people who are living in it.

A few ideas worth stealing

• The fastest way to spread AI adoption is to find the one or two people already using it well, then productize what they built for everyone else.
• Don't wait for perfect data to start. The definition of "economic occupancy" can get refined while you're already making progress.
• Spend real time up front on how you want your AI to communicate with you. It pays off across every session after.
• The fundamentals of being good at your job haven't changed. The tools have. Curiosity is still rule number one.
• Structured, well-annotated data is still the whole game. Bad data in, bad data out.

Featured on this panel
Mason Levy, co-founder & CEO, swivl. Matt Engfer, co-founder & CEO, Cubby. Austin Rockman, AI lead, White Label 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 brings two guests from StorageMax, Mississippi's largest self-storage operator, spanning 39 locations across three states with a lean 48-person team. Nick Newcomb stepped into the CEO role in late 2024 after joining the family business in 2013 and rising through COO. Shannon Wolfe runs training and development, joining in 2019 from the coffee world just before COVID reshaped the industry. Together they break down how a lean operator stays coherent at scale, even as AI handles more of the customer-facing work.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why StorageMax runs with no district managers, and how a siloed, specialty-based structure replaced the traditional model
• The CEO transition, learning to delegate, and the "ISMADAT" spreadsheet (Improving StorageMax One Day At A Time)
• The acquisition playbook: broker and off-market deals, long-term-hold relationships, and a two-month runway to StorageMax standards
• First impressions as strategy, from deep-cleaning every vacant unit to the back lip of the door
• What breaks first when you grow: software integrations, not people
• Ancillary revenue done right, and how an RV campground near an AWS data-center campus became the primary business at that site
• Building an AI-literate team: safe-practices training, AI to enhance roles rather than replace them
• Personal tech stacks, from Claude in Excel and vibe-coded dashboards to reMarkable tablets and Superhuman
• Why the manager who got poached by a competitor asked for a repaved driveway, not a raise
• The bait-and-switch rate problem and what it costs the industry's reputation

If you've ever wondered how a lean team competes with the REITs, when specialization beats the jack-of-all-trades manager, or how to bring AI into an operation without losing the human touch, this episode delivers a candid, operator-level look from two people building it in real time.

In This Episode We Discussed

(00:00:00) Two guests, one lean operator: intros and backgrounds
(00:03:02) Monday mornings and how a small corporate team divides the work
(00:05:32) The CEO transition and learning to delegate
(00:08:35) Building the siloed structure and why no district managers
(00:10:12) What breaks first when you scale
(00:12:00) The acquisition playbook and turning a facility into StorageMax
(00:18:04) Ancillary revenue, RV campgrounds, and the data-center effect
(00:22:37) Investing in people and the repaved-driveway story
(00:27:19) Personal AI tech stacks and how the team actually uses AI
(00:39:09) Training an AI-literate team without losing the human touch
(00:48:35) Biggest surprises and the bait-and-switch rate problem
(00:51:50) Rapid fire: Monday opens, curb appeal, lunch spots, sports, and unmanned myths

Key Themes & Takeaways

Specialize Instead of Cloning Managers
One manager wearing every hat never masters sales. StorageMax replaced district managers with specialists in training, quality control, and personnel, borrowing the logic operators usually reserve for call centers.

AI Enhances Roles, It Doesn't Replace Them
The message to the team is explicit: lean into new tools, but they exist to take work off your plate, not to take your job.

Do Right by Your People
The best team members care about their customers. Sometimes retention isn't about money; it's about paving the road they've been apologizing for.

Favorite Nuggets

• "Unmanned properties do not exist."
• "Improving StorageMax one day at a time."
• "You can't get a first impression back the second try."
• "If you're single-sentence prompting, you're doing it wrong."

🔗 More from StorageMax
Learn more at the StorageMax website.

Connect with Nick

Connect with Shannon

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:

• Joel's path from running a U-Haul center to becoming a U-Haul dealer, and lessons about the one-stop-shop mindset
• Living on site with his brother in the early years, and what stuck
• What Joel watches every Monday morning, and why reviews and referrals are his North Star over vanity metrics
• The tech stack behind the operation
• Testing ancillary revenue: 18 truck-parking bookings in under three weeks, plus motion-sensor and unit-monitoring experiments
• How Personal Mini evaluates new vendors and AI tools without chasing shiny toys
• Running a pilot-site rollout the right way: get the team's buy-in, learn in real time, and let managers shape the future
• Why half the portfolio still has live-in managers, and the conviction behind that choice
• The human-in-the-loop philosophy, and whether the industry is overcorrecting toward automation
• Fighting to modernize Florida's lien laws, the newspaper lobby, and the "rally in Tally"
• Living in both worlds: operating as an NSA regional partner and as an independent
• What Joel keys in on when he walks a property, from the gate to the keypad to the front door
• 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

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

• "We're not looking to take the personal out of Personal Mini Storage."
• "We're really renting time, not just space."
• "Hey, we don't know what we're doing. We're learning it with you in real time."
• "If you're only consuming industry content, then you're only gonna have industry content."
• "You can't get a first impression back the second try."
• "The people that get stuff done are the people that go up and do that sort of thing."

🔗 More from Joel & Personal Mini Storage
personalministorage.com

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?

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In this episode, we explore:

• Travis's path from a half-semester internship to a portfolio he owns, develops, and manages
• The mentorship of Bob Schaff and learning to look out for the whole industry, not just your own facilities
• Why the Young Leaders Group exists and what he tells the 25-year-old just entering storage
• The cooperative origins of Store Local and the bet that scale can be shared
• Whether consolidation has gone too far, and why storage trails hospitality by about 15 years
• How Store Local Storage gives independents a brand to fly without becoming a franchise
• The advantage independents still hold: speed and nimbleness
• Why operators have a reputation for being cheap, and what's finally breaking the habit
• "Cheap leads" and the endless hunt for true lead attribution and return on ad spend
• AI as a multiplier, not a magic wand, and how Travis evaluates which tools actually rent units
• Bringing back MSM, the rebrand to Modern Storage Media, and launching a new fall show in Atlanta
• Rapid fire: Red Bull to Celsius, morning person, Tucson vs. Atlanta, and a favorite Braves moment

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In This Episode We Discussed:

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(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 show

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Favorite Nuggets

• "I am still a self storage operator first, regardless of any of the other hats that I wear."
• "Now go rent some units."
• "One of the worst things you can tell an entrepreneur is no."
• "Technology is a multiplier. It is not a magic wand."
• "AI today is as bad as it's ever going to be. And as bad as it is today, it's still pretty cool."

🔗 More from Travis & MSM
Learn about the show and view the schedule at msmtheshow.com. Listeners can use affiliate code SWIVL26 at registration to save $100.

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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:

• Brett’s journey from resisting the family business to redefining it

• The real economics behind remote-first storage management

• Why efficiency and NOI are the future battlegrounds for operators

• Misconceptions about unmanned facilities—and what actually works

• How to transition stores from traditional to remote without losing tenants

• Pricing pressures in a post-COVID world

• AI-driven search and the future of storage marketing

• What small operators can do to compete with REITs

• The long-term outlook for consolidation in self storage

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

• “Operational problems are the easiest problems to fix.”

• “If occupancy is the same but expenses are lower, the math speaks for itself.”

• “Remote only works if customer service gets better, not worse.”

• “Eventually, storage will be thought of as self-service by default.”

🔗 More from Copper Storage Management
https://www.copperstoragemanagement.com

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 features Amanda DiGaspari and Austin Simmons, CEO and COO of Storagely, a company rethinking what a self storage website should actually do. What started as a digital marketing agency turned into a SaaS platform after one pivotal moment: fixing a broken checkout flow and tripling online rentals. That shift pulled Amanda and Austin out of agency work and into building a conversion-first, revenue-driven website platform purpose-built for how renters behave today—and where AI-driven discovery is headed next.

In this conversation, Mason and Rodolfo dig into Storagely’s evolution from services to product, the hard lessons learned along the way, and why websites should be treated as full-time digital managers, not static brochures. The episode spans branding, data, UX, AI, and leadership, with plenty of practical insight for operators navigating changing renter expectations.

If you’re thinking about online rentals, checkout optimization, AI search, or how to build product with discipline in a noisy market, this episode is a must-listen.

In This Episode, We Discussed:

(00:00:00) Introductions, banter, and how Storagely found self storage
(00:00:40) From marketing agency to storage tech
(00:03:10) The leap from services to SaaS
(00:05:38) Early mistakes, false starts, and lessons learned
(00:07:50) Why vision and mission became guardrails
(00:10:39) Rebranding and what it signaled internally and externally
(00:12:59) Current challenges and future direction
(00:21:45) Building renter personas to improve UX
(00:23:25) What truly differentiates storage websites
(00:26:06) Using data, not opinions, to guide product decisions
(00:29:28) How renter expectations and online behavior are changing
(00:34:39) Balancing operator feedback with behavioral data
(00:37:59) Storagely’s framework for product development and iteration
(00:45:36) Architecture-first thinking and faster innovation
(00:51:54) AI, generative search, and the future of discovery
(00:57:26) Morning routines, chaos, and staying grounded
(01:03:06) Finding inspiration outside self storage
(01:10:55) Alternate universes and creative paths not taken

Key Themes

Websites Are Revenue Engines
Storagely treats the website as a 24/7 manager, not a brochure. Every design and feature decision ladders back to conversion and lifetime value.

Data Over Guesswork
From checkout flows to feature prioritization, decisions are driven by renter behavior, not assumptions or “in case” thinking.

Focus Wins
Learning to say no—to features, distractions, and edge cases—has been critical to building a product that scales without losing clarity.

AI Is an Extension, Not a Shortcut
SEO and generative search are converging, but the foundation remains the same: structured, local, trustworthy content built to serve real users.

Favorite Nuggets

• “Designing a website in case someone rents online vs because they will.”

• Why a 30-second checkout changed everything

• Treating your website like a digital team member

• The power of showing the work with real data

• Why being embarrassed by what you shipped six months ago is a good sign

🔗 Learn more about Storagely
https://storagely.io

🔗 Connect with the guests
Amanda DiGaspari
Austin Simmons

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 Anastasia Malagisi, Vice President of Marketing at Safeguard Self Storage. With roots in the industry going back decades, Anastasia brings a rare blend of institutional knowledge, operator empathy, and modern marketing rigor. From competing head-to-head with REITs to building trust-driven brands in dense urban markets, she offers a thoughtful, grounded perspective on what actually works in storage marketing today.

In this episode, we explore:

• The marketing “hill” Anastasia would die on—and why everything starts with the customer.

• How Safeguard balances data, intuition, and storytelling to drive real results.

• The evolution of value-based pricing and CRO testing in self storage.

• What smaller and mid-sized operators can do that big REITs can’t.

• Why transparency, trust, and human connection still matter more than budgets.

• How AI fits into marketing and operations without becoming a distraction.

• Leadership lessons from mentors, family, and years in the field.

If you’ve ever wrestled with competing against larger operators, making sense of endless marketing tools, or aligning brand with real customer experience, this episode is packed with both strategic insight and practical wisdom.

Frameworks & Philosophies
Customer-first marketing
Transparency and trust as brand foundations
Value-based pricing
CRO and continuous testing
Competition as a catalyst for improvement

Tools & Practices
CRO and A/B testing programs
Digital marketing agencies and partners
Dashboard-driven decision making
AI as an operational and marketing assist

Favorite Nuggets
“Marketing starts with knowing who you’re serving.”
“You won’t win every sale, but you should always be honest.”
“Data doesn’t replace intuition—it sharpens it.”
“Small operators can win by doing what big ones can’t.”

🔗 More from Anastasia & Safeguard
https://www.safeguardit.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasiamalagisi/

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 features a special roundtable conversation with the leadership team at Access Self Storage, a Northeast-based operator approaching its 50th anniversary. Joining us are Andrew Rockoff (Marketing), Brian Russ (Third-Party Management), and Chris Feild (Operations), three long-tenured leaders who have helped shape Access’s reputation for hyper-local execution, people-first culture, and thoughtful adoption of technology.

In this episode, we explore how a regional operator competes and wins in REIT-heavy markets by leaning into relationships, local expertise, and disciplined systems thinking. The conversation spans marketing, operations, culture, and technology, with plenty of humor and hard-earned insight along the way.

If you’re a midsize operator wondering how to scale without losing your soul, this episode offers a candid look inside a business that’s been doing exactly that for decades.

In This Episode

• How Access Self Storage balances technology adoption with boots-on-the-ground service

• Why employee experience and retention improve when tech removes friction

• The case for hyper-local marketing in dense, competitive markets

• What most operators misunderstand about automation and unmanned facilities

• How third-party management can be a scalable growth lever

• Why integration and simplicity matter more than shiny new tools

• How Access evaluates ROI before rolling out new systems

• The internal dynamics between marketing, ops, and leadership

• Lessons from nearly 50 years of operating through industry shifts

• Pizza takes, radio DJ throwbacks, and some very honest hot takes

Key Themes

People First, Always
Access emphasizes ownership at the store level, long-term employee development, and trust as the foundation of the business. Managers are treated like operators, not order-takers.

Hyper-Local Wins
From knowing the best pizza place in town to tailoring ads by neighborhood, Access believes storage is a three-to-five mile business where local relevance beats national branding.

Technology as an Enabler, Not a Replacement
Automation and AI are embraced when they remove repetitive work and improve the customer experience, but never at the expense of human connection.

Culture Is Built on Purpose
With clearly defined fundamentals, open dialogue, and long-term careers, Access shows how intentional culture building creates durability and alignment.

• “Self storage isn’t one size fits all.”

• “Technology and people aren’t in conflict if you use tech to eliminate pain points.”

• “Hyper-local beats national every time in our markets.”

• “Unmanned facilities are overhyped.”

🔗 Learn more about Access Self Storage
https://www.accessselfstorage.com

🔗 Connect with the guests on LinkedIn
Andrew Rockoff
Brian Russ
Chris Feild

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 Susan Hovey, Director of Marketing at Strat Property Management, whose career path spans tech, wine, and now self storage. Susan is known for blending creativity with data, grounding modern marketing tactics in timeless fundamentals, and building brands that feel human in an industry often reduced to square footage. From fax blasts to AI-driven search, she’s seen every evolution, and brings a rare combination of storytelling, operational alignment, and pragmatic strategy to the table.

In this episode, we explore:
• How a background in theater, tech, and wine shaped Susan’s marketing philosophy
• Why marketing should be viewed as operational infrastructure, not a discretionary expense
• How AI search and zero-click experiences are reshaping visibility for operators
• The do’s and don’ts she wishes every owner understood—from Google habits to FAQs
• Why attribution is still the holy grail (and why most people chase it wrong)
• How brand authority and authenticity now matter more than ranking alone
• The future of storage marketing and the growing role of retention and community

If you’ve ever wondered how to elevate your brand, navigate a shifting search landscape, or align marketing with operations across dozens of properties, this episode offers a masterclass from one of the most thoughtful voices in the industry.

In this Episode

(00:00:00) Why marketing isn’t optional anymore
(00:01:03) From theater storytelling to fax blasts to AI
(00:04:23) Catching the “self storage bug”
(00:07:26) What wine, tech, and storage have in common
(00:09:52) Serving customers across personas, preferences, and channels
(00:11:28) Google's chaos, AI overviews, and the new search reality
(00:14:55) The messy truth about attribution
(00:17:19) How AI is already impacting storage rentals
(00:21:39) Brand authority as the new SEO
(00:26:11) The first things to fix when taking over a facility
(00:30:00) Storytelling as the foundation of every great brand
(00:33:30) What operators get wrong about their audience
(00:37:17) Winning internal debates and making the case for marketing
(00:42:08) Marketing don’ts: Google searches, Q&A neglect, and chasing rankings
(00:48:00) The future of storage marketing: retention and brand-led strategies
(00:50:41) Rapid fire: rituals, routines, tools, and staying grounded

Frameworks & Philosophies
• Storytelling as strategic foundation
• Brand authority over pure keyword strategy
• Meeting customers exactly where they are
• The importance of community and belonging

Tools & Practices
• Google Business Profile essentials
• Schema markup and FAQs for AI-driven search
• Brand reputation platforms
• Personal rituals for clarity and grounded leadership

Favorite Nuggets
• “Marketing is not the only cost with a price tag. We just see it more clearly.”
• “Don’t Google yourself every morning.”
• “Self storage isn’t about belongings. It’s about helping people feel like they belong.”
• “Attribution is the holy grail and no one has it fully figured out.”

🔗 Connect with Susan:
LinkedIn: Susan Hovey

Strat Property 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.

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This episode’s guest is Noah Starr, founder and CEO of Tract IQ—a data intelligence platform giving operators, brokers, and investors visibility into over 70,000 self storage properties nationwide. Before launching Tract IQ, Noah built a portfolio of 12 self storage facilities and underwrote billions in real estate transactions. That operator-first perspective now powers one of the most talked-about data platforms in self storage.

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In this episode, we explore:

• Noah’s leap from Wall Street to storage entrepreneur (and why it all happened in the same week he got engaged and bought a house).
• The data gap that led to Tract IQ—and why smaller operators were flying blind for too long.
• How independent operators can use data transparency to compete with REITs.
• The balance between scaling fast and staying focused on quality.
• What “AI hype” gets wrong about real innovation in real estate tech.
• Why empathy, trust, and relationships will always be the real moat—even in a data-rich future.

If you’ve ever wondered how better data could transform the way you evaluate deals, forecast performance, and build trust with investors, this episode is a must-listen.

(00:02:32) From corporate burnout to closing on his first storage deal.
(00:05:22) Building a 12-facility portfolio—and discovering the data problem firsthand.
(00:06:05) The story behind acquiring Tract IQ and shifting from investor to tech founder.
(00:08:20) What scaling fast actually looks like (and what not to do).
(00:10:00) Why real estate data has been broken—and how Tract IQ is fixing it.
(00:14:00) How smaller operators can differentiate from REITs through transparency and partnership.
(00:16:35) Real customer stories: how Tract IQ helps users find—or avoid—their next deal.
(00:18:50) The cost of a bad deal (and why saying “no” can be your best ROI).
(00:20:00) What headlines get wrong about street rates, rents, and market health.
(00:24:00) Why there’s no single “health metric” for self storage—and what to track instead.
(00:25:47) The cost of data is dropping—and why that’s good for operators.
(00:27:00) AI, data quality, and why Noah refuses to chase the hype.
(00:39:02) How Tract IQ builds culture around transparency and empowerment.
(00:43:00) What will truly differentiate operators once everyone has access to the same data.
(00:45:00) Leadership lessons, favorite books, and the routines that keep Noah grounded.

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Frameworks & Philosophies

• Data transparency as a competitive advantage
• “There’s nothing more expensive than a bad deal.”
• Relationships as the ultimate moat in a data-rich world
• Technology should simplify—not distract—from operator focus

Tools & Practices

• Tract IQ’s custom prospecting engines
• Mentorship and conservative underwriting frameworks
• Journaling and “offline weekends” for clarity

Favorite Nuggets

• “Real estate data today is mostly peripheral metrics—we’re fixing that.”
• “The AI is only as good as the data.”
• “You can’t automate empathy, trust, or partnership.”
• “It’s a fun time to be a builder—but the unsexy problems still matter most.”

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🔗 More from Noah & Tract IQ:

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tractiq.com

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LinkedIn: Noah Starr