Storage Unlocked

Thaddeus Campbell
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Storage Unlocked is where self-storage meets reality. Hosted by Thaddeus Campbell, this no-fluff podcast dives into the hard numbers, bold opinions, and surprising trends shaping the self-storage industry and beyond. From housing market shifts and economic red flags to untapped investment opportunities, Thaddeus and Chris break it all down with sharp insight and real-world experience. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just storage-curious, you'll get insider takes, uncensored discussions, and data-backed forecasts that actually matter. Weekly drops. Always unfiltered.

  1. 1 day ago

    We break down the state of storage with a 20 year veteran of the industry.

    Can an independent self-storage operator survive the wave of institutional consolidation while still relying on a five-dollar padlock and an angle grinder ? In this edition of Storage Unlocked, I am joined by Rob Kopp, founder of KISS Locks and owner of American Storage South . Drawing from more than two decades of developing, owning, and operating facilities, Rob shares a hard-hitting look at the operational, financial, and technological hurdles facing storage owners in 2026 . In this episode, I cover: The New Operational Reality: Why the historic post-COVID tailwinds have fully faded and how the 10-year Treasury breaking 5% is exposing operators with approaching debt maturities . The Reality of Trade Show Choice Paralysis: Navigating the sheer flood of new AI voice agents, FMS platforms, and access control vendors without locking up your business workflows . The 48% Independent Footprint: What it means for mid-tier and mom-and-pop operators as institutional players steadily chip away at national square footage . Why NFC Beats Bluetooth: The physics behind using Near Field Communication (the same tech powering NFL ticket entry and passport chips) to secure units within a 20 mm range. Battery-Free Electronic Locking: How harvesting energy directly from the customer's smartphone eliminates battery maintenance, dead circuits, and failed lock cutoffs . The One Lock Hybrid: A look at hardware built to handle standard disc locks for legacy tenants, remote tap-to-clear overlocks, and a $5/month digital access revenue stream. Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners): Email: thaddeus@s3.partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Rob Kapp (KISS lock) Email: rob@keepitsimplestorage.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kapp-7a543210/ This Episode was brought to you by: https://pbbrown.com/

    We break down the state of storage with a 20 year veteran of the industry.

  2. 1 day ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for the Best Possible Life with Oprah and Jim Murphy from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast BUY THE BOOK! Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy https://amzn.to/4rhK0ul Performance coach and bestselling author Jim Murphy’s book Inner Excellence took the world by storm and rocketed to #1 after NFL wide receiver A.J. Brown was spotted reading it during a playoff game. Seemingly overnight the book became a New York Times bestseller, resonating far beyond the world of sports. Drawing from the powerful lessons in Inner Excellence Jim shares the mental tools you can cultivate to help manage your mind, unlock your potential and expand what's possible in your life. He also discusses his transformative new book, The Best Possible Life, revealing how you can cultivate greater peace, purpose and fulfillment. 00:00:00 - Welcome Jim Murphy, author of Inner Excellence 00:04:40 - Jim’s path to inner excellence 00:07:40 - The pursuit of joy  00:11:40 - How to manage our minds  00:13:20 - 5 questions to clear a mental block 00:15:30 - 2 paths in life  00:18:40 - Post sports identity 00:21:30 - The definition of Zoe  00:24:10 - Jim’s advice to those on the journey  00:27:00 - How to figure out what matters  00:30:30 - How to detach from the outcome of your goals  00:35:50 - Power of intention  00:39:55 - We are all human  00:41:20 - Keeping our ego in check  00:47:55 - The pursuit of success   Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast:  https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

  3. 11 Sept

    Cody Payne explains the rise of Small Bay and what is happening in both acquisition and development

    Can you justify building small-bay flex at $15 to $16 NNN when vintage local inventory sits at $12 NNN ? On this episode of Storage Unlocked, I sit down with Cody Payne, partner at FlexParks USA and founder of Small Bay Feasibility . Cody brings two decades of transaction and feasibility data to show developers how to separate viable flex dirt from costly mistakes . In this episode, I cover: Cross-Asset Capital Flows: How post-2023 rate pressure in storage, office, and multifamily is driving investors toward low-TI small bay industrial assets . The Sideline Bottleneck: Why conference attendance is surging, but first-time developers often struggle to take dirt vertical—leading to a spike in shovel-ready land sales . The 3X Radius Rule: Why population and business counts must expand by at least 3X from a 2-mile to a 5-mile ring to support steady tenant absorption . The Spending per Capita Metric: Why areas with under $10,000 to $10,500 in per capita spending struggle to achieve rates above $12/sq ft . Size vs. Absorption Speed: Why 1,000–1,500 sq ft bays lease in 30 to 60 days, while larger 2,000+ sq ft spaces linger for 3+ months . Bank Underwriting Strategy: How to prove to lenders that a new flex park will capture a 20% premium over older 1980s stock . Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners):
 Email: thaddeus@s3.partners
  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Cody Payne (Flex Parks USA): Website:
smallbayflex.com Email:
cody@flexparksusa.com LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/codypayne/  This episode was brought to you by: https://pbbrown.com/

    Cody Payne explains the rise of Small Bay and what is happening in both acquisition and development

  4. 9 Sept

    Why did Storage need another option. Travis Morrow says exactly what made him enter the arena.

    Can an industry event be engineered to deliver genuine operational ROI rather than the same recycled panels ? On this episode of Storage Unlocked, I sit down with Travis Morrow, President of National Self Storage and publisher of Modern Storage Media . Travis pulls back the curtain on the design, economics, and vision behind MSM's The Show, taking place November 4–6, 2026, in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center and Signia Hotel . In this episode, I cover: The Return to Normal: Why operating at sea level requires expanding education, refining operational systems, and increasing marketing visibility rather than cutting budgets . The Exhibitor-Operator Balance: Engineering a trade show environment strictly focused on the ratio of owner-operators to vendors . Floor Plan Architecture: Placing networking cafes directly in the center of the exhibition hall and eliminating competing breakout sessions during trade show hours . Deep-Dive Tracks: Advanced 200-level sessions built around Operations, Development, Investment, and Data . Live Deal Analysis: The Tracked IQ Deal Room, where real acquisitions and feasibility studies are analyzed live on stage . Store Manager Development: The Manager's Office track, crafted to give on-site store managers immediate tools to improve property-level execution . Main-Stage Production: Bringing outside production standards to self-storage with keynotes from Chipper Jones, storage-owning members of Congress, CNN's Scott Jennings, and an opening reception at the Georgia Aquarium . Head to msmtheshow.com and use code unlocked to save $100 on registration . Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners): Email: thaddeus@s3.partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Travis Morrow: Email: travis.morrow@storelocal.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/storageoperator/ Brought to you by our title sponsor, PB Brown General Contractors - https://pbbrown.com/

    Why did Storage need another option. Travis Morrow says exactly what made him enter the arena.

  5. 3 Sept

    2M Truckers needing a safe place to rest, are helping solve storage operators' shrinking margins.

    Can monetizing dead pavement and underutilized expansion land protect your facility's net operating income in today's rate environment ? On this episode of Storage Unlocked, I sit down with Sydnie Wilda, Vice President of Property, Self Storage at Truck Parking Club . Sydnie brings years of hands-on property management experience to break down how self-storage operators are generating new revenue by providing secure spaces for commercial truck drivers . In this episode, I cover: The Daily Turnover Yield: How generating $15 to $20 per night on daily truck parking can outpace flat month-to-month vehicle rentals . The National Parking Crisis: Addressing the reality that 70% of truck drivers lack access to safe overnight parking, with 2.4 million drivers competing for only 697,000 legal spots . Security & Verification: How automated email and SMS alerts give facility owners full visibility over incoming drivers, vehicle types, and stay durations . Why Independent 3PMs Move Faster: How smaller third-party operators implement ancillary revenue streams and adapt tech without the delays of corporate REIT committees . The 6-to-8-Month Rule: Why facility owners must set realistic operational horizons for search engine indexing, unit cleanup, and revenue management to show meaningful gains . Executive Leadership Moves: Breaking down Noah Springer's appointment as CEO of Extra Space and what it signals for industry competition . You can vote for Estelle Rose to be Baby of the Year here: https://babyoftheyear.org/2026/estelle-9d58 Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners):
 Email: thaddeus@s3.partners
 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/
  Connect with Syndie Wilda (Truck Parking Club) 
 Email:
swilda@truckparkingclub.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydnie-wilda-swsj96/ This Episode was brought to you by:
 https://pbbrown.com/

    2M Truckers needing a safe place to rest, are helping solve storage operators' shrinking margins.

  6. 21 Aug

    Noah Starr, CEO of TractIQ, breaks down Q2 Storage earnings and the PSA acquisition of NSA

    Is the frozen housing market actually protecting self-storage operations from a severe downturn? I am your host, Thaddeus Campbell, and on this edition of Storage Unlocked, I am joined by Noah Starr, CEO of Tracked IQ (TractIQ), the market intelligence platform monitoring over 72,000 facilities nationwide. Every quarter, the self-storage REITs release their numbers—and Noah joins me to cut through the corporate spin and examine what the underlying metrics mean for private owners, developers, and syndicators. In this episode, I cover: The Length-of-Stay Metric: How customer retention increased by an average of 1.5 months year-over-year, keeping move-out churn low and preserving net operating income. The Mortgage Lock-In Dynamic: Why homeowners and renters stuck in sub-4% mortgages are staying put and relying on self-storage units longer, giving operators room to execute rate increase strategies. Extra Space's Margin Strength: Analyzing Extra Space's negative expense growth (-0.5%) and broad guidance lift across same-store pools. The $10.5B PSA / NSA Integration: What happens when Public Storage expands into tertiary markets, unlocks 14,000 offline units, and applies institutional pricing power to 1,100 acquired properties. Pipeline Intelligence: How tracking validated municipal permits prevents developers from overbuilding into saturated submarkets. Tune in for an unfiltered, data-driven look at where self-storage fundamentals stand today. Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners): Email: thaddeus@s3.partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Noah Starr (TractIQ) Email: noah@tractiq.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-starr/ Join the TractIQ webinar here: https://tractiq.com/self-storage-webinar/ Brought to you by our title sponsor, PB Brown General Contractors: https://pbbrown.com/

    Noah Starr, CEO of TractIQ, breaks down Q2 Storage earnings and the PSA acquisition of NSA

  7. 14 Aug

    Maurice Pogoda on 40 Years of Storage: Where Is the Market Heading?

    In this episode of Storage Unlocked, I am joined by Maurice Pogoda, founder and president of National Storage. Starting in 1987 with a map and a Rolodex, Maurice has built a 70+ facility Midwestern footprint that has stood the test of every major economic cycle over the last four decades. In this episode, I cover: The Cycle Playbook: Why post-COVID peaks were an anomaly and how a conservative "tortoise" approach consistently outlasts speculative boom-and-bust developers. The Supply Dilemma: Maurice reflects on refusing to build at 2 sq ft per capita in the '90s versus managing through today's 7+ sq ft national average. The Deconstruction of PSA/NSA: What Public Storage's acquisition of National Storage Affiliates reveals about brand consistency, operational economies of scale, and tertiary market validation. The Mid-Tier Tech Filter: How National Storage integrates AI chatbots and revenue management tools without getting lost in vendor hype or losing the essential human, local touch. Disciplined Capital: Why underwriting to realistic 7% prefs protects your equity, while double-digit recapitalization promises signal desperation. Tune in for an unfiltered, four-decade masterclass on disciplined real estate operations and sustainable portfolio growth! Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners): Email: thaddeus@s3.partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Maurice Pogoda (National Storage Management): Email: mpogoda@pogodaco.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurice-pogoda-7ba4326/ Our Title Sponsor: PB Brown General Contractors: The trusted GC for your multi-million-dollar storage and small-bay flex legacy developments from Manhattan to Miami. Visit pbbrown.com.

    Maurice Pogoda on 40 Years of Storage: Where Is the Market Heading?

  8. 7 Aug

    Zach Sette saw opportunity and the unique skill sets of he and his brother made a solution possible.

    Welcome back to Storage Unlocked! I am your host, Thaddeus Campbell, and in this episode, I am joined by Zach Sette, co-founder and CEO of Outbidd. Drawing from a lifetime in commercial construction and development, Zach shares a unique multi-asset perspective on the macro forces reshaping commercial real estate. We unpack the looming $900+ billion debt refinancing wall hitting the market in the second half of 2026, evaluate why rising construction costs are driving developers away from ground-up builds toward acquisitions, and explore how AI software is bringing total transparency to owner project management. In this episode, I cover: The Refinancing Wall: Navigating balloon payments as 2021–2022 loans locked in at 4% face refinancing at 6%+. Build vs. Buy: Why 25% higher construction costs make asset acquisition more attractive than new builds. CRE Sector Heat Check: Why small bay flex and data centers are thriving while office conversions and localized multifamily struggle. Outbidd AI Technology: How Zach and his team built an AI-powered owner's rep tool to digitize RFPs and level contractor bids side-by-side. Connect with Thaddeus Campbell (S3 Partners): Email: thaddeus@s3.partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsthadcampbell/ Connect with Zach Sette (Outbidd): Email: zach@outbidd.com Website: https://www.outbidd.com/ This Episode was brought to you by: https://pbbrown.com/

    Zach Sette saw opportunity and the unique skill sets of he and his brother made a solution possible.
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About

Storage Unlocked is where self-storage meets reality. Hosted by Thaddeus Campbell, this no-fluff podcast dives into the hard numbers, bold opinions, and surprising trends shaping the self-storage industry and beyond. From housing market shifts and economic red flags to untapped investment opportunities, Thaddeus and Chris break it all down with sharp insight and real-world experience. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just storage-curious, you'll get insider takes, uncensored discussions, and data-backed forecasts that actually matter. Weekly drops. Always unfiltered.

Information

  • Creator
    Thaddeus Campbell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Storage Unlocked

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