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When real operations experience meets brokerage, better deals get done.

Scott Meyers welcomes back Alex Erbs for a dynamic conversation about his transition from running a multi-state self-storage management company to becoming a full-time broker with EqiCap Commercial.

They dig deep into what makes for a successful third-party management relationship, why many operators misunderstand what management companies actually do, and how Alex's hands-on experience gives him a competitive edge in helping owners value and sell their properties.

From lighthearted stories to serious strategy, this episode dives into what really drives value in today’s self-storage market.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

:13 The Big Shift: Operator to Broker

4:16 Breaking Away from the Family Biz

9:26 The Dawn of Third-Party Management

25:25 Why Your Storage Facility Isn’t Filling Up

29:05 The Four Must-Fix CapEx Items

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GUEST: Alex Erbs, Director | EquiCap Commercial

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From 20 to 250: What Happens When Self-Storage Management Grows Too Fast?

Peter Smyth returns to the Self Storage Podcast to share his explosive journey, from managing 20 facilities to nearly 250 in just one year.

He outlines the challenges of hypergrowth, from client churn and employee scalability to building systems that can handle everything from rural RV lots to urban mega-facilities.

Peter and Scott talk hiring for skill versus experience, the role of AI and custom-built software in operational efficiency, and why white-label management is becoming the go-to for storage owners who want control without compromise.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

1:10 From 20 to 250: The Rocketship Year

5:53 Hiring for Talent, Not Just Experience

10:24 Scaling Services for Every Size Operator

14:10 KPIs, OKRs, and the Software Shift

21:07 Managing a Startup and a Young Family

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GUEST: Peter Smyth, White Label Storage

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What happens when a college senior aiming for luxury development ends up dominating the self-storage industry instead?

Scott Meyers sits down with Cory Bonda, co-founder of Prestige Storage Capital, to explore Cory’s unexpected journey into self-storage and how he scaled from moonlighting in Columbus to managing a rapidly growing, vertically integrated storage empire.

The conversation dives deep into Cory’s acquisition strategy, the value of fixed-rate debt, lessons learned through explosive growth (and pandemic curveballs), and the cautious yet innovative approach Prestige takes with technology and AI.

Listen For:

0:46 From Student to Storage: Cory's Accidental Entry into the Industry

4:02 How Prestige Storage Exploded Post-2020

6:22 Why Fixed-Rate Debt Fueled Smart Growth During Volatile Times

10:16 How AI is Revolutionizing Hub-and-Spoke Storage Models

16:28 2025 and Beyond: Strategy, Expansion, and the Top 25 Goal

CONNECT WITH GUEST: CORY BONDA

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What happens when self-storage meets artificial intelligence?

Scott Meyers and Joe Downs reunite right after their Mastermind and Academy events to dive deep into the game-changing role of AI in the self-storage industry.

Fresh from coaching hungry investors through their first deals, they shift gears into a passionate discussion about AI’s transformational power—from automating market analysis and underwriting to building personalized dashboards and internal GPTs that replace hours of manual work.

With Joe’s infectious excitement and Scott’s strategic insight, this episode delivers a powerful look at how leveraging AI can drastically speed up, simplify, and supercharge success in real estate investing—especially self-storage.

Listen For:

1:17 Seal the Deal: Whale hunts, masterminds, and champagne for first deals

4:23 Hungry Dogs and First Wins: The energy of new investors and what fuels momentum

11:00 AI Revelation: How Joe realized he's spending 50% of his time learning AI

19:05 Market GPT is Here: The birth of Belrose’s self-storage-specific AI

30:52 Redefining Industry Norms: Why common metrics like supply index might be outdated

CONNECT WITH GUEST: JOE DOWNS

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Want to future-proof your storage business? It starts with systems, scale—and a bit of AI.

Scott Meyers welcomes Steve Raposa from Mini Mall Storage Properties, who shares his unique journey from military service to hospitality and finally to becoming a key player in the self-storage world.

They explore how franchise systems and hospitality efficiency directly translate into scalable, streamlined self-storage operations.

From the impact of AI on underwriting and marketing to the importance of charitable giving and personal growth, this episode dives deep into what it means to run and scale a modern storage business in a data-driven world

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

4:12 Franchise Thinking in Self Storage

7:08 Can AI Make Storage Smarter?

12:16 Zoning, Data, and the AI Revolution

14:40 AI's Impact on Labor and Marketing

18:32 Giving Back: Veterans & St. Jude

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CONNECT WITH STEVEN RAPOSA

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Is the economy heading for a soft landing… or a “touch-and-go”?

Scott Meyers is joined with economist Mark Vitner, to unpack why commercial real estate got overpriced during the low-rate era, how self-storage cap rates often move differently from other asset classes, and what falling market rates plus clearer tariff policy could mean for deals ahead.

Vitner flags a likely 75 bps easing path and a housing cool-stress-relief scenario (mortgages in the 6–6.5% band), with meaningful improvement showing up around April next year.

He also maps migration winners (Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia; continued heat in Dallas, Houston, Miami, Charlotte, Raleigh) and why that churn is good for storage—plus practical advice for operators and new investors alike.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

7:01 How ultra-low rates inflated CRE values

8:40 Why self-storage cap rates can buck the trend

13:55 Vitner’s “touch-and-go” landing and 75 bps roadmap

27:51 Florida’s out-migration—and the Carolinas surge

29:28 Today’s hottest metros for storage demand

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Can AI truly replace the human touch in self-storage?

Scott Meyers welcomes Mason Levy, founder of Swivl, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming customer engagement across the self-storage industry.

From its surprising roots in healthcare and cannabis tech to powering over 4,700 self-storage facilities today, Swivl is revolutionizing the contact center model with its AI-driven platform.

The conversation dives deep into conversational AI, human-in-the-loop systems, future-proofing tech stacks, and why personalization still matters in an automated world

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

0:56 The Accidental Storage Tech Founder

5:48 What Makes Swivl Different From Just Another Chatbot?

10:31 Smarter Gate Codes & SMS: Real-Life Use Cases

20:59 Swivl’s Future: Voice AI, Contact Center Suite & More

32:55 The Human Side of Storage: Why Empathy Still Wins

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CONNECT WITH MASON LEVY

LinkedIn | Swivl

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What does it take to turn a family carport business into a multi-state RV storage powerhouse?

Scott Meyers talks with Travis Bailey, owner of Park’n Shade, about the booming demand for covered RV and boat storage.

Travis shares his journey from working summers in his dad’s business to buying it outright, and the evolution of RV storage from a niche service to a necessity driven by rising vehicle values and customer expectations.

They discuss market demand, construction challenges, regional trends, solar integration, and how cautious growth has fueled Park’n Shade’s steady expansion across eight states.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

0:58 How a Carport Company Became an RV Storage Leader

3:06 Surviving the 2008 Downturn

7:56 The Shift from Luxury to Necessity in Covered RV Storage

17:54 Why Some Developers Are Sitting Out (and Others Aren’t)

24:29 Industry Crystal Ball: Where Covered RV Storage Is Headed

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CONNECT WITH TRAVIS BAILEY

LinkedIn | Park‘n Shade |

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