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/