Last week, I took respite from the desk and computer and traveled to Springfield, Mass., for the Greater Northeastern Tradeshow hosted by the Massachusetts Self Storage Association. It was a short drive and a short stay, but I left with the same feeling I leave with after every self-storage conference: This is a great industry!
The conference brought together some new and old acquaintances for educational opportunities. But my favorite part is chatting with people who stand behind the counter and behind the scenes—the vendors and owner/managers who are all in the trenches making self-storage work, technically, organizationally and, best of all, hospitably. During this specific tradeshow, I caught up with friends at Deans & Homer, Mako Steel and DBCI. I learned about one attendee’s transition from an excavator to a self-storage developer, and a New York woman’s journey from turning a proposed mobile-home park into self-storage units.
If you feel like you’re in this business alone, consider venturing out and experiencing the camaraderie of the self-storage community. Contact your state and regional associations and begin to branch out, make friends, share ideas. It’s good for business and peace of mind.
The Inside Self-Storage website keeps a running list of upcoming industry events produced by individual associations. Each listing also provides links to the associations directly, so you can begin networking within your region immediately. Finally, for the a real taste of true self-storage hospitality, Southern style, head for the ISS Expo in Nashville, Oct. 7-10. Hope to see you and many others there!