Self Storage Income

Hosted by AJ Osborne

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357

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Aug 2026

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August 18, 202643 min

362. 3 Steps to Get Your First Self Storage Facility This Year

By the end of this episode, you’ll have everything you need to buy storage facilities —not just any facility, but the facility that is best for you. This is the exact pre-acquisition checklist Conner uses to get prepped to buy self storage investments . Not only can it help speed up your timeline to your first storage facility exponentially , but it will also make buying every facility after that even easier. If you wonder how Conner and AJ invest at scale and can move on deals so quickly, this is how it’s done. We’ll walk you through everything you need , from finding lenders and insurance to getting your buy box set up and connecting to brokers who will send you deals , and finally making offers on facilities that fit your exact criteria. This is everything you need to go from zero self storage investments to your first one under contract, and by next week, you could have deals filling up your inbox if you follow Conner’s checklist. What you’ll learn in today’s show: The three things you need to find, offer on, and buy your first self storage investment It is not too early to talk to a lender and why you should be calling them before the deal hits your inbox The exact buy box you can send to brokers that will get them to send the right deals to you Submitting LOIs (letters of intent) and PSAs (purchase and sale agreements) before closing How to get on mom-and-pop owners’ good side so they offer you the chance to buy first — Grab AJ’s Book , Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 : https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank ! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ Check out this episode next: The Last Time Self Storage Did This, We Made Millions (You Have 2 Years) - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/podcasts/self-storage-income-2/episodes/2149240630 Join the Self Storage Income Community to learn how to buy, build, and scale your self storage portfolio: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn-yt?el=yt-episode-362

August 11, 202646 min

361. The Last Time Self Storage Did This, We Made Millions (You Have 2 Years)

Small self storage investors , you’ve got just two years to take advantage of one of the greatest wealth creation opportunities we’ll likely ever see. We’ve officially reached the midway point of 2026 , and things look a little different than most were predicting only 12 months ago. But one thing has happened as expected: self storage is approaching equilibrium again , and we’ve entered an exciting phase in the market cycle . With interest rates unlikely to fall, sellers are finally accepting reality and are coming to the table with deals. And we’ve seen this shift play out firsthand in our own business. We’ve bought more self storage facilities in the last six months than we did in the last three years combined . The market has absorbed new supply, deals are available at better prices, and more sellers are motivated to move their assets. Meanwhile, the REITs are making moves that give us a clear picture of what we can expect over the next few years. The question is no longer what’s going to happen, but who will take advantage before the market shifts again. What you’ll learn in today’s show: An update on the current state of the self storage industry Why operators are more motivated to sell today than they have been in years The two-year window for buying undervalued self storage deals What small investors should do now before new supply comes online What the REITs are telling us about where self storage is headed — Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 : https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Join the Self Storage Income Community : https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn?el=pc-ep361

August 4, 202625 min

360. Self Storage Just Entered a New Era: What Small Operators Need to Know

Self storage just entered a new era. The industry isn’t shifting. The shift has already happened. Within eight days, we saw multiple instances of operator and data infrastructure consolidation . On the surface, these might look like normal acquisitions, but they signal seismic changes within the self storage industry that small operators can’t afford to ignore . The top 100 operators already control over half of the nation’s rentable storage space , and the top five alone control a whopping 35%. That number is growing. This is eerily similar to what we saw when online marketing came on the scene. The REITs and big players adopted search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising long before anyone else. Now, they’re on the move again. In self storage investing , data is king. Thankfully, access has been brought down to the level of mom-and-pop operators in recent years. But those who overlook what’s going on are at risk of losing their competitive advantage in the marketplace . I’m breaking down exactly what small self storage investors need to do to adapt and why the entire industry is in dire straits if they don’t . What you’ll learn in today’s show: Two crucial areas where the self storage industry has consolidated What self storage investors need to know amid a major industry shift Major transactions from the last few weeks and their impact on small operators The parallels between self storage data and online marketing How mom-and-pop operators can harness AI within their self storage business __________ Grab AJ’s Book, _Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0_ : https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 NowMetrics: https://nowmetrics.co/ Storelocal: https://www.storelocal.com/ TractIQ: https://tractiq.com/

July 28, 202653 min

359. The Small Self Storage Owner’s AI Guide (Prompts, Examples, Tools)

Everyone keeps talking about AI . But how do you, a small self storage owner with one, two, or a handful of self storage investments , actually use it to grow your revenue , reduce your vacancy, keep customers for longer , and pick up a fraction of the phone calls? Today, we’re showing you how. Alec Peeples from Storeganise is sharing the beginner-friendly AI “buckets” storage investors can use to easily (and surprisingly cheaply) automate their facilities and make more revenue with way less work . He’ll share the beginner framework that those brand new to AI can try, the “trends” you can discover that generate more income for your facility, and even the exact prompts he uses to find blind spots in storage businesses. These are high-level, highly usable ways for small self storage owners to get the equivalent of a six-figure salaried C-suite employee for less than a couple dozen bucks per month . If you could access that today, why wouldn’t you? What you’ll learn in today’s show: The exact prompts Alec uses to discover the revenue gaps at self storage facilities How to start training your AI to think like a six-figure COO for your storage business The three “buckets” of AI use in self storage and the one that is the most valuable for you How to get AI to handle customer service without having your calls feel like AI Why small investors stand to benefit most from this massive change in the market — Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 - https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Check out Storeganise , the free AI toolkit built for self-storage operators; a library of prompts, skills, and automations you can use with any software: https://ai-lab.storeganise.com Connect with Alec on LinkedIn! - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-peeples/

July 21, 202645 min

358. How to Scale Your Storage Portfolio Quicker (Fast Track AJ’s Path!)

You want your self storage portfolio to build your wealth , replace your income , and give you the freedom to run your business on your own terms. So, how do you get there? Or better yet, how do you get there (much) faster than we did? It took us nearly 20 years to go from a single facility to a self-running self storage portfolio and (many) millions in equity. Can you do it in half the time? Today, AJ and Conner share how to pass through the three phases every self storage business experiences, from a lone investor answering the phones to a true business owner who’s focused on scaling, instead of sending late-payment notices. There are multiple mistakes AJ made along the way that could have saved him years if he had known what he knows now. Now, we’re sharing it with you so you can build the income-replacing , self-running storage portfolio anyone , even you, can scale, starting in 2026. What you’ll learn in today’s show: The “mistakes” AJ made that cost him years of time when investing in self storage How to stop doing all the work yourself and leverage other people to run your portfolio better than you can The three “phases” every self storage investor goes through and whether you need to make it to the final phase Things starting to “break” in your business? Signs it’s time you’re ready for the next phase Before you pay yourself from your self storage cash flow, do this first! Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 - https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Join the Self Storage Income Community - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn?el=pc-ep358 Get our FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast?el=pc-ep358

July 14, 202644 min

357. How to Add 6-Figure Cash Flow to Your Storage Business with Cost Segregation

Most self storage investors focus on things like increasing revenue , maximizing occupancy, and mastering operations . But not enough of them play defense. Depreciation is a powerful tool that can save your self storage business thousands— potentially even hundreds of thousands—in taxes , but few are harnessing its full power. Brian Liles and Brian Broussard from CSSI have done it for over 65,000 facilities to date. With a cost segregation study , you could accelerate depreciation on your self storage facility’s components, creating a massive paper loss this tax year that puts more of your hard-earned dollars back in your pocket today . For many self storage owners, one or two of these cost segregation studies can create enough cash flow to fund major upgrades or even buy the next self storage facility . Whether you’re acquiring an existing facility, building new construction, or looking to catch up on tax deductions, these are real, practical strategies you can put to work right away. What you’ll learn in today’s show: The enormous tax benefits many self storage owners are overlooking Creating six-figure cash flow with depreciation deductions How to accelerate depreciation with a cost segregation study How to claim “catch-up” deductions on an existing self storage facility Strategies that allow you to stack multiple benefits for bigger tax savings — - Get our FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast?el=pc-ep357 - Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 - https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 - CSSI - https://cssiservices.com/ - DSIRE - https://dsireusa.org/ - Email Brian at brian.liles@cssiservices.com

July 7, 20261 hr 0 min

356. We Gave AI the Keys to Our Self Storage Business (It Made a $1M Difference)

AI has changed everything about self storage investing . Not just for the REITs , but for the “small” self storage investor , too—the operator who owns just one or two self storage facilities . It’s so revolutionary that investors who dismiss it as the latest “tech trend” are at serious risk of becoming obsolete. My self storage business saved $1,000,000 in the last year alone by deploying AI throughout our company. It helped us cut over 250 man hours per month and has prevented us from hiring any extra staff, despite scaling our portfolio by 30% . Today, I’m showing you how to do it, too. Travis Morrow, CEO and Chairman of Storelocal , is seeing a very similar impact, and he’s only been working with these tools for a week . In this episode, we’re breaking down the specific ways we’re integrating AI within our self storage businesses—from automating self storage tasks and generating detailed reports to optimizing marketing strategies and eliminating organizational bottlenecks . AI is no longer the “future” of self storage . It’s arrived. And operators have two options: adapt or get left behind . Which one will you choose? What you’ll learn in today’s show: The massive advantage today’s AI tools are giving to “small” self storage investors How my business saved over $1,000,000 in only one year , just by using AI Why self storage investors must adopt AI tools today or risk becoming obsolete Several ways Travis is leveraging AI within his own self storage business How to use AI to automate tasks , generate reports , track crucial KPIs , and more Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Tenant Inc.: https://www.tenantinc.com/ Storelocal: https://www.storelocal.com/ Get $100 Off Registration for The Show 2026 with Code ‘SSI26’: https://www.msmtheshow.com Get our FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast?el=pc-ep356

June 30, 202642 min

355. How to Make Self Storage Offers Sellers Actually Accept (LOI Breakdown)

You’re inches away from buying your first self storage facility . This is where 99% of new investors get stuck. They run the numbers, come up with an offer that works, and…freeze. They wait too long to send the offer, get too nervous , and weeks later see that same facility sold for even less than they were offering. Get out of your own way— this is how you make an offer on your first self storage facility . Conner and George have analyzed thousands of facilities and helped craft hundreds of offers. Today, they’re sharing the step-by-step breakdown of how you can do the same so your offer gets accepted, you get in the game, and you’re a step closer to building your self storage portfolio . We’ll help you get over the hump and write your first LOI , show you the quick deal analysis format we follow to make (accurate) offers ASAP, share the one thing that we ask a seller for with every LOI we send in, and figure out what a “good” deal looks like so you can jump on it when you see it. Your first self storage investment is closer than you think —this breakdown will help you get to it. What you’ll learn in today’s show: How to write an LOI that shows the seller you’re serious The “quick” deal analysis you can perform to screen any potential facilities coming your way SSI’s new challenge to get your first accepted offer in a month (or less) The expense ratio we use when quickly analyzing self storage facilities to see if they’ll work The contacts you need in your network to confirm the deal you’re buying will profit — How to Analyze a Self Storage Facility (Beginners Start Here!) : https://www.selfstorageincome.com/podcasts/self-storage-income-2/episodes/2149212108 Join the Self Storage Income Community to learn how to buy, build, and scale your self storage portfolio: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn-yt?el=yt-episode-355 TractIQ: https://tractiq.com/ Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ Get our FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast?el=pc-ep355

June 23, 202622 min

354. This Self Storage Risk Is Also Its Biggest Wealth-Building Opportunity in Years

The next three years will make or break self storage investors . This isn’t hyperbole. The self storage industry is shifting, and the biggest players—like Public Storage and Extra Space Storage —are telling us exactly what’s about to happen. Their 2026 playbook is all about locking in fixed-rate debt, moving away from variable-rate debt, and lending to private operators in distress. On the surface, it appears that they’re simply mitigating risk , but that’s not all. They’re also filling their deal funnel for when smaller operators start to crack. Then there’s the bond market . The yield curve is flattening, signaling short-term headwinds. Floating-rate debt, bridge loans, and markets with supply pressure are all landmines for investors. But the higher the risk, the greater the opportunity. 2026 and 2027 could represent one of the greatest wealth-creation opportunities self storage and commercial real estate have seen in decades. And if you pay attention to the signs today, you’ll find yourself on the right side of things when the self storage industry shakes up. What you’ll learn in today’s show: The three-part playbook self storage institutions are using in 2026 Why major players are lending to small self storage operators What the bond market is telling us about commercial real estate risk Three “danger zones” self storage investors should avoid through 2027 The two primary ways to create wealth through self storage Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 : https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 👥 Join the Self Storage Income Community to learn how to buy, build, and scale your self storage portfolio: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn-yt?el=yt-episode-354 ✍️ Sign Up for AJ's Newsletter! He shares news and advice weekly about: self storage, business, entrepreneurship, economics, finance, and more! https://ajosborne.com/newsletter ?el=pc-ssi-ep364

June 16, 202649 min

353. Self Storage Won’t Give You Passive Income, But It CAN Make You Rich

There’s a massive lie floating around the self storage industry : that it’s passive. It’s not. But it’s so worth it. And self storage isn’t your average active investment either. It’s a full-fledged business with income, expenses, overhead, marketing , and more. Even self storage facilities that are remotely managed require boots on the ground, fine-tuned systems and processes, and the means to track crucial metrics. If this is your first self storage facility , you may be wearing multiple hats—at least at first. But the beauty of this asset class is that it’s highly scalable . With the right foundation in place, you could grow a large self storage portfolio that helps you achieve all of your investing goals—all while enjoying the type of lifestyle you want. The thing is, you’re going to need help. We share the ideal tech stack, ways to find reliable contractors, and the first hire you should make. From improving your curb appeal and managing move-outs to monitoring your competition , we’re covering everything you need to pay attention to if you want your self storage business to thrive in 2026. What you’ll learn in today’s show: Why self storage isn’t a passive investment (but still worth it) The most important metrics to track within your self storage business How to improve self storage operations with key systems and processes How to find reliable contractors to assist with facility maintenance and upkeep Everything you need to manage your self storage facility remotely Resources Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage - 2.0 https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865 Join the Self Storage Income Community - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn ?el=pc-ep353 Cedar Creek Capital - https://cedar.cc/ Patchwork Labs - https://www.patchworklabs.com/