As the self-storage industry expands globally, so have the international education offerings at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, the industry’s largest conference and tradeshow. Attendees of the concurrent education program on March 31 will have the opportunity to participate in a five-session International Track that will highlight the Latin American region as well as challenges and development opportunities in other markets around the world.
Beginning at 9 a.m., “Self-Storage Latin America, Part I” will kick off three consecutive sessions presented in Spanish. Designed for operators, developers and investors interested in the region, the first session will examine market trends and strategies operators can use to increase profits. It will be presented by Lucia Darnell, director of the Spanish department at PhoneSmart, a self-storage call center and marketing firm.
The 10 a.m. session, “Self-Storage Latin America, Part II,” will focus on conducting market feasibility studies, including where to find good data, how to analyze competition, build-out strategies and more. This seminar will be presented by Nancy Torres, director of business development for Latin America at Janus International Corp., a manufacturer of self-storage roll-up doors and building components.
At 11 a.m., the third Spanish-speaking session will focus on aspects of operating and managing a self-storage facility in Latin America. It will be presented by Arie Rezepka, CEO of Aki KB Minibodegas, a self-storage operator in Chile.
The two afternoon sessions will be conducted in English and examine issues pertaining to foreign markets in addition to Latin America. Beginning at 1 p.m., “Developing and Opening a Self-Storage Facility In an Emerging Market” will focus on development challenges and opportunities in regions new to self-storage. The session will be presented by John Scheibe, founder and general manager of Go Self Storage Brazil, which develops facilities throughout the country. Scheibe will discuss the importance of understanding local culture and consumers, provide tips on how to find good local professionals and more.
Closing out the track at 2 p.m. will be an international panel discussion hosted by RK Kliebenstein, vice president of acquisitions at Metro Storage LLC, which operates more than 90 Metro Self Storage facilities in 11 states and recently opened its first MetroFit location in São Paulo, Brazil. At nearly two hours, this double session will feature a panel of operators and vendors from around the world, including Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, South America and the United Arab Emirates.
The expo’s concurrent education program, March 31 and April 1, includes 10 tracks covering issues related to self-storage ownership, management, marketing, investment, finance, building, development, liability and more. Five add-on workshop options are also available.
The conference and tradeshow will take place at the Paris Hotel & Resort. Extended early-bird registration rates are available through Feb. 13.
Created for self-storage industry owners, managers, developers, investors and suppliers, the ISS Expo comprises four days of education, exhibits and networking opportunities. The event focuses on strategies for generating revenue, industry best practices, current trends, and new products and services. Details and online registration are available at www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com.
