Self-storage has always been a real estate business. Buy the land, build the units, fill them up. For decades, that was enough.
It's not enough anymore.
The operators winning today aren't winning because of their locations. They're winning because of their systems, their brand, and their ability to move faster than the competition — including the REITs. That's what The Power of More podcast is built around. Real conversations with real operators about what it actually takes to compete and win in today's self-storage market.
Storelocal CEO Travis Morrow sat down with Dane Elefante, COO of Platinum Storage Group, and Lance Watkins, founder of Tenant Inc., for an unfiltered conversation about what it really takes to acquire a facility and build it into a performing asset.
Dane has been in self-storage for over 20 years. Platinum Storage Group has grown as large as 125 properties and currently operates a 40-facility portfolio. Lance has founded some of the most influential companies in the industry, including Storage Outlet, Storage Treasures, Storelocal, and Tenant Inc. These are two operators who have done this more times than most people in the industry can count.
The conversation covered the full acquisition playbook — from what Dane looks for before he even closes on a deal, to what day one looks like when you take over a facility that's been running on spreadsheets for 25 years. They deep-dive into revenue management, the importance of being on the right brand and tech stack from day one, and why the operators who are winning today are the ones who treat self-storage as an operating business first.
One of the most memorable moments comes when Lance describes his own portfolio: "I have dogs with fleas and I have Taj Mahals." It's a candid admission that not every unit/space is a winner — but as Dane proves with his own Storelocal Storage facilities, surrounded by Public Storage, Extra Space, and CubeSmart, that doesn't matter. With the right strategy, you can be the small guy and compete.
Storelocal Storage exists to give independent operators the tools, brand, and collective strength to compete at the highest level. The Power of More podcast is an extension of that mission. Every episode will feature the kind of honest, experience-driven conversation that operators actually need — not theory, not sales pitches, just real talk from people who have built and scaled storage portfolios.
We're just getting started. Episode 1 sets the tone for everything that follows.
Episode 1 of the Power of More podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Watch or listen using the links below.
▶️ YouTube: https://bit.ly/4cWLGEN
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/40zMpEw
🎧 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Nli6OO