The Latest Industry News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Temple, GA – December 23, 2014) Janus International Group, LLC announces the acquisition of Steel Storage Europe, a leader in the manufacturer, supplier and installer of self storage systems in Europe. 

 

The combination of Janus International UK LTD and Steel Storage Europe will continue to develop, manufacture and install market leading solutions for the self storage market.  David Curtis, Janus President/CEO, commented, “We are very excited about the Steel Storage Europe acquisition.  With its strong and proven management team and a track record of success in Europe’s dynamic self storage markets, we expect Steel Storage to be an important part of Janus’ plan to lead the development of self storage infrastructure in the UK/European region.  The combined organization now offers a full suite of solutions for operators and builders of self storage facilities.”

 

Steel Storage Europe and Janus International UK LTD will be led by Colin Jeromson, the current CEO of Steel Storage Europe.

 

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Janus International Group is a global manufacturer of roll up doors, as well as a provider of self storage solutions.  Headquartered in Temple, Georgia, Janus has eight U.S. locations, including the United Kingdom and a joint venture in Mexico.  Janus is owned by Saw Mill Capital located in New York.  For more company information, visit our website at www.janusintl.com. 

Janus International Group, LLC

135 Janus International Blvd.

Temple, GA 30179

Phone: 770.562.2850

Fax: 770.562.1991

Contact: Leeann Fleming

marketing@janusintl.com

www.janusintl.com

Before everyone starts singing Auld Lang Syne on New Years Eve and gearing up for 2015, the CSSA would like to present a wrap-up for what has been a most successful 2014. Based, as always, on the premise that it exists to help members in particular and the California self storage industry in general, the CSSA came through with flying colors.

Here’s a list of just some of the top accomplishments of 2014: the passage of AB 983 by the California legislature; co-hosting the initial Tri-States Conference with Nevada and Arizona’s state associations; yet another successful Napa gathering; the 10^th anniversary of the Owner’s Summit in Newport; offering free webinars to members; selection by Inside Self Storage as the top state association in the country and top-notch educational opportunities across the entire state.

Working out of its headquarters in Newport Beach, the staff of the CSSA (Erin King – Executive Director; Brenda Lafontaine -- Online Business Development & Marketing Manager and Amaris Burkel -- Manager of Operations & Member Relations) reached new heights in 2014 in the amount of meetings held across the state as well as benefits offered to members.

“We knew going into this past January that 2014 was going to be an important year for the CSSA,” said King. “Whether it was legislation, conferences, educational opportunities or benefits, we had a great deal on the table. I feel that we not only met our expectations but exceeded them. That said, once January 1 rolls around all our attention bumps forward to a new year and we likewise expect 2015 to be a great year for the CSSA and our members!”

Here is a quick look at the 2014 highlights:

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Pass AB 983

The CSSA thought it was on the right track in 2013 with legislation designed to help self storage operators dealing with delinquent tenants, was derailed by a handful of legislators. Wording was changed for legislative initiative AB 983 and the measure passed the California legislature in late summer and then signed into law by Governor Brown on September 29.

The new law will go into effect on January 1, 2015 and will provide self storage operators with an additional remedy when delinquent tenants store vehicles, boats or trailers. The bill also makes a technical change to the Declaration in Opposition to Lien Sale form. The current form requires the occupant to provide an “address” where he or she may be served. The revised form states that the occupant must provide a “Physical Address.” And the bill also makes it clear that self storage operators may include a provision in the rental agreement that limits the value of the property that customers store. Such provisions have proven very effective at limiting damages when tenants bring suits for loss of or damage to stored property.

King was pleased with the passage of the bill, but feels that more work needs to be done to address the issue of e-mailing lien notices. She hopes to build momentum in that direction in 2015.

Making a Splash at Laughlin

It had never been done before, and defying the concept that too many cooks spoil the cake, three state associations put their heads together to present the first-ever Tri-States Self Storage Conference from October 16-17 at The Golden Nugget in Laughlin, Nevada. The California Self Storage Association (CSSA), Arizona Self Storage Association (AZSA) and Nevada Self Storage Association (NVSSA) combined forces to host the “See You at the River” event that featured speakers like Jeff Greenberger, Esq. and Carol Krendl, roundtable sessions and breakout gatherings for each state association. 125 people from the three states attended the event.

Napa Know How

Building on the success of its initial West Coast Self Storage Owner’s Meeting, the second annual gathering at the Westin Verasa this past spring was equally well attended. The highlights included a West Coast Economic Forecast with Dr. Christopher Thornberg of Beacon Economics, The Threat of Repealing Prop 13 with Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, great networking and a fabulous bocce ball event to raise money for Kure It Cancer Research. As one might expect of any event in Napa, guests enjoyed the best in California wine and good company. The event returns to Napa for a third time from May 13-15 in 2015.

Happy Anniversary Owner’s Summit

10^th anniversaries normally indicate that something must be working really well, and for those who have attended the CSSA’s annual Summit in Newport Beach over the past 10 years, it has become one of the top gatherings of self storage owners in the state. This past July 17 the 10^th Owner’s Summit took place thanks in great part to the generosity of Talvonest Capital. This past year’s gathering featured great speakers, panels and presentations, as well as great networking opportunities, a cocktail party and the opportunity to support Kure It Cancer Research.

Meet Me at the Webinar

Technology marches on and the CSSA is right in step, making sure to offer members great opportunities to expand their knowledge. Starting this past May 1, the CSSA started offering free webinars to its members. The webinars are made available courtesy of Skilcheck Services. Among the topics available to CSSA members were: Security Issues: Help Protect Your Company’s Goods; California ADA Appliance; and Making More Money at Your Auctions. CSSA members must log in at the CSSA website to view the videos.

It is Nice to be Recognized

The CSSA puts a premium on being well-organized and available to help all its members. Sometimes, however, it is nice to be honored for your efforts, however, and the CSSA was tabbed by Inside Self-Storage (ISS) as the winner of the Best State Association category in the 2014 Inside Self-Storage readers poll. It represents the third time in the last four years that the CSSA has won the award. And Erin King was placed on the cover of the October SSA Globe magazine in conjunction with a story about top state association directors.

More Bootcamps, More Coffee, More Meetings

Manager Bootcamps continued this year and the CSSA plans to continue the program in 2015. The “Bootcamps” were created to offer members affordable, relevant content at half-day gatherings in cities and suburbs outside the major metropolitan cities. In 2014 the CSSA worked with Jeffrey Greenberger on its Legal Bootcamps. Examples of this past year’s topics have included vehicle storage nest practices, tenant bankruptcy, lease agreement requirements, eviction and rental agreement “rules” vs. “regulations.”

The CSSA will continue to host coffee meetings throughout the state that are free for anyone to attend. The meetings are typically led by Erin King or Mark Beck, take place from 7-9 a.m., and are very informal with the agenda often dictated by the group on hand. It serves as a terrific opportunity to meet people, catch up with members and see what is happening in the field.

Finally, in the holiday spirit, the CSSA is hosting gatherings in both Northern and Southern California. The 2014 Northern California Annual Meeting and Holiday Reception takes on December 4, from 6-9 p.m. at Il Fornaio in Walnut Creek, CA. The

Southern California Annual Meeting and Holiday Reception will occur on December 11 from 6-9 p.m.

Those are just some of the things that have happened at the CSSA. No doubt, 2015 will prove to be another banner year. In the meantime, Happy Holidays from everyone at the CSSA!

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(Temple, GA – November 26, 2014)  Janus International has confirmed that its self-storage roll-up doors meet ADA regulations. The ADA requires that self-storage roll-up doors must be tensioned at 5 lbs. maximum force as it pertains to the continuous application of force necessary to fully open a door. “We’ve conducted extensive testing to confirm that the normal tensioning of Janus roll-up doors meet ADA requirement,” states Ramey Jackson, vice president of sales. “Coupled with the ADA pull/signage kits we provide, our storage customers can feel secure that their roll-up doors and hallway systems are ADA-compliant.”   

 

Effective March 15, 2012, the ADA has mandated that self-storage facilities follow certain compliance procedures. Fines for non-compliance can be substantial, so all owners are urged to visit www.storagedisabilityproducts.com to understand current requirements. 

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Janus International is a leading manufacturer of rolling doors and building components for the self-storage, commercial and industrial markets.  Storage Disability Products is a Janus division dedicated to assisting storage owners to become ADA compliant. Headquartered in Temple, Georgia, Janus has eight global locations, including a joint venture in Mexico.  For more details, visit our website at www.janusintl.com. 

First-time events don’t always come off as planned, but when they do it means a lot of people contributed to the success. Such was certainly the case with the Tri-State Self Storage Conference held October 16-17 at The Golden Nugget in Laughlin, Nevada. The California, Arizona and Nevada state associations pooled their resources and energy to create the first-ever gathering and, by all measures, it was a huge hit! So much so that the California Self Storage Association (CSSA) hopes even bigger ones can be organized in the future.

“It was great to see so many people flock to Laughlin for the gathering,” said Erin King, Executive Director of the CSSA. “We even had people who said it was their first time attending a conference & trade show. Most importantly, our post-event survey indicated that attendees truly enjoyed the speakers and having a chance to meet others in the industry.”

The California Self Storage Association (CSSA), Arizona Self Storage Association (AZSA) and Nevada Self Storage Association (NVSSA) combined forces to host the “See You at the River” event, that featured speakers like Jeff Greenberger, Esq. (SelfStorageLegal.com) and Carol Krendl (owner of SkilCheck Services), round table sessions and breakout gatherings for each state association. 125 people from the three states attended the event

A post-event survey conducted by the CSSA indicated that Greenberger and Krendl were overwhelmingly appreciated (“A” grades for both), as were the state association breakout sessions (also an “A” grade). The networking receptions on Thursday and Friday also received thumbs-up from those surveyed and every single one of the attendees who answered the survey said they would like a similar gathering next year.

A sample of answers to the survey included: “I think we outgrew the space that the Golden Nugget has - but that is only because of the attendees and how you all did a great job promoting to get people to attend…well done.” “Content good, location reasonably priced, met lots of new people.” “Was basically a 1-day conference. Might consider spreading the info out over 1 1/2 days in the future.” “Everything was great and everyone was so helpful. Thank you so much!!”

“The CSSA would like to thank the AZSA and NVSSA for joining forces in such an impressive and outgoing way,” concluded King. “When you get three state associations so willing to work together, great results can happen, as evidenced by the Laughlin gathering. We certainly hope for more Tri-State conferences as it is good for everyone in the self storage industry in California, Arizona and Nevada.”

 

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To mix metaphors, if at first you don’t succeed, then get back on that horse and ride! At this time a year ago CSSA officials were trying to figure out why Bill AB 983 had not advanced through the 2013 session of the California Legislature following a promising start. After a few changes were made to make the bill more palatable to legislative members in 2014 the good news is that it made it through the legislature and was recently signed into law by Governor Brown on September 29.

The bill, intended to help self storage operators dealing tenants storing vehicles, boats or trailers as well as the value of stored property, finally gathered steam as the summer progressed and was voted to become a law prior to the summer session of the California State Legislature closing on August 31.

“I am pleased with the changes that we were able to get passed on AB 983 because they serve to help every owner/operator in California,” said Erin King, Executive Director of the CSSA. “We hope to address the issue of e-mailing lien notices in the future with the California legislature. I know the CSSA and SSA will continue to work on getting it through in the coming years. Whether we go back next session or wait a year or so remains to be decided.”

In essence, here are the major points of the bill that self storage owner/operators and managers need to know:

The new law will go into effect on January 1, 2015 and will provide self storage operators with an additional remedy when delinquent tenants store vehicles, boats or trailers. Instead of going through the complicated and often very slow Department of Motor Vehicle procedures for selling licensed vehicles and boats, operators will have the option of having vehicles and boats towed from the facility when rent is not been paid for 60 days or more.  The towing will often prove to be a better option than the DMV lien process for vehicles and boats. The operator loses its lien on the vehicle or boat once it is towed; however, the operator can still bring an action in small claims court for unpaid rent and other charges. 

The law requires the operator to send the occupant notice at least 10 days before the vehicle or boat is removed from the facility. The notice must be sent to the occupant’s last known address by first class mail with a certificate of mailing. The notice must include the name, address and telephone number of the towing company and the street address of the location where the vehicle or boat will be stored. The storage operator will have no further liability for the vehicle or boat once it is towed from the facility.

The bill also makes a technical change to the Declaration in Opposition to Lien Sale form. The current form requires the occupant to provide an “address” where he or she may be served. The revised form states that the occupant must provide a “Physical Address.” This change was made because some delinquent tenants would provide a post office box and not a physical address where the owner could serve a suit to foreclose when a Declaration was returned.

The bill also makes it clear that self storage operators may include a provision in the rental agreement that limits the value of the property that customers store. Such provisions have proven very effective at limiting damages when tenants bring suits for loss of or damage to stored property.

Storage operators that do not now have a limit on the value of property a tenant may store should consider including one in their rental agreement. It is recommend that the basic limit be set at an amount that reflects the value of property that the typical tenant stores.  It is also a good idea to allow this amount to be increased with the written permission of the facility operator.  The California Model Rental Agreement offered by the CSSA includes a value limitation that states:

Occupant agrees not to store property with a total value in excess of $5,000 without the written permission of the Owner.  If such written permission is not obtained, the value of Occupant's property shall be deemed not to exceed $5,000.

Most operators set their basic value of property at between $2,500 and $10,000, depending on the area where their facility is located. The lower value is more commonly found in the rural areas of the state and the higher amount in cities like Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

“Many thanks to the national SSA, Carlos Kaslow and everyone else who helped get AB 983 passed,” concluded King. “We know we still have work to do and we will remain committed to bringing about positive changes for the self storage industry in California.”

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The buzz of October is centered on the southwest as the self storage associations from Arizona, California, and Nevada join forces to host the Tri-State Self Storage Conference. “Meet Us at the River,” accurately named according to its location on the Colorado River in Laughlin, NV, is scheduled to take place October 16 and 17. Never before has a group of SSAs come together to collaborate with the specific purpose of unifying area operators in an educational environment.

Through the tools of discussion and networking, industry leaders will cover topics like operations, management, and finances at length – all while promoting positive conversations and problem solving for owners all around the tri-state area.

StorageAhead’s own James Appleton is eager to lead one of these roundtable discussions. Appleton, long-time board member of AZSA and business developer with StorageAhead, plans to challenge owners with his topic, “How to Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck: Measuring Cost per Acquisition and Return on Investment.” Appleton is prepared to analyze the sales funnel and provide several practical takeaways for attendees looking to generate greater profits. It’s a networking opportunity that AZSA Executive Director Anne Mari DeCoster predicts will be a huge hit.

“Finding out what’s available and who is providing it is an important service the Arizona Self-Storage Association provides to our members. That’s why I attend as many industry events as possible,” says DeCoster. “At the SSA Fall Conference in Las Vegas, I learned a lot from StorageAhead’s roundtable discussion. Alex Bernath was helpful and informative – part of a great team.” Those who didn’t make it to the event in Vegas will enjoy several moments at the Tri-State Conference to soak up ideas and collaborate with others in the industry.

Appleton is determined to live up to the hype and, above all, provide the resources owners and operators are interested in. Spaces are still available for the Tri-State Self Storage Conference. If you’re interested in attending, sign up at: http://www.californiaselfstorage.org/event/tri_state_conference.

 

ABOUT STORAGEAHEAD

StorageAhead offers the most comprehensive web technology for the self storage industry. We give your business the competitive edge by providing the tools you need to boost your rentals and maximize your profits. With our personalized marketing websites, lead-generating search engines, and business management software, our professional team is dedicated to your brand. Together, our experience in online marketing and our knowledge of the industry is what makes our technologies – and your storage facility – succeed.

 

(913) 954-4110 or info@storageahead.com

By Tim Schlee

September 16, 2014

Westwood, KS – Nova Storage has joined with web marketing firm StorageAhead to launch a new and innovative website. The locally owned, Los Angeles-based storage vendor hopes to increase visibility across the web and better serve its customers in a highly competitive and concentrated market.

Director of Operations Kelly Hanna wanted a high degree of functionality without sacrificing simplicity and ease of use. "StorageAhead offers a forward-thinking look and feel,” he said. "They are on the cutting edge of technology, and their many years of expertise in the field allows us to be better at our job, which is to draw in more customers and to rent spaces.”

Nova Storage is one of many recent additions to StorageAhead’s WebWorks platform. The Westwood, KS-based web marketing company focuses its efforts on the self storage industry, building dynamic and individualized websites. What drew Nova Storage, said Hanna, was the adaptive design, management software integration, geolocation, and the potential for improved lead generation.

"We’re competing against the big boys,” Hanna said. "By using StorageAhead, we can compete with the major brands by exploiting the same technology they use.” The responsiveness of the new website will allow Nova Storage to be more adaptable to the market and to adjust prices, specials, and features at the same pace that larger storage providers enjoy.

An improved online presence is not the only plan in store for Nova Properties. "We want to buy more facilities in the area,” said Hanna. He stressed the convenience of having locations that are close together, providing the opportunity to move a customer from one location to another based upon availability. "The south L.A. facilities are all within a 15-minute drive of each other,” he said. In partnering with StorageAhead, he hopes Nova Storage will continue to grow and achieve even greater market penetration in an area dense with self storage facilities.

About Nova Properties

Founded in 1979, Nova Storage owns and manages eight self storage facilities in Los Angeles County.Nova Storage is actively looking to grow its portfolio through acquisitions and partnerships. For more information, visit NovaStorage.com.

About StorageAhead

StorageAhead offers the most comprehensive web technology for the self storage industry. We give your business the competitive edge by providing the tools you need to boost your rentals and maximize your profits. With our personalized marketing websites, lead-generating search engines, and business management software, our professional team is dedicated to your brand. Together, our experience in online marketing and our knowledge of the industry is what makes our technologies – and your self storage facility – succeed.

By Tim Schlee

September 16, 2014

Westwood, KS – Nova Storage has joined with web marketing firm StorageAhead to launch a new and innovative website. The locally owned, Los Angeles-based storage vendor hopes to increase visibility across the web and better serve its customers in a highly competitive and concentrated market.

Director of Operations Kelly Hanna wanted a high degree of functionality without sacrificing simplicity and ease of use. "StorageAhead offers a forward-thinking look and feel,” he said. "They are on the cutting edge of technology, and their many years of expertise in the field allows us to be better at our job, which is to draw in more customers and to rent spaces.”

Nova Storage is one of many recent additions to StorageAhead’s WebWorks platform. The Westwood, KS-based web marketing company focuses its efforts on the self storage industry, building dynamic and individualized websites. What drew Nova Storage, said Hanna, was the adaptive design, management software integration, geolocation, and the potential for improved lead generation.

"We’re competing against the big boys,” Hanna said. "By using StorageAhead, we can compete with the major brands by exploiting the same technology they use.” The responsiveness of the new website will allow Nova Storage to be more adaptable to the market and to adjust prices, specials, and features at the same pace that larger storage providers enjoy.

An improved online presence is not the only plan in store for Nova Properties. "We want to buy more facilities in the area,” said Hanna. He stressed the convenience of having locations that are close together, providing the opportunity to move a customer from one location to another based upon availability. "The south L.A. facilities are all within a 15-minute drive of each other,” he said. In partnering with StorageAhead, he hopes Nova Storage will continue to grow and achieve even greater market penetration in an area dense with self storage facilities.

About Nova Properties

Founded in 1979, Nova Storage owns and manages eight self storage facilities in Los Angeles County.Nova Storage is actively looking to grow its portfolio through acquisitions and partnerships. For more information, visit NovaStorage.com.

About StorageAhead

StorageAhead offers the most comprehensive web technology for the self storage industry. We give your business the competitive edge by providing the tools you need to boost your rentals and maximize your profits. With our personalized marketing websites, lead-generating search engines, and business management software, our professional team is dedicated to your brand. Together, our experience in online marketing and our knowledge of the industry is what makes our technologies – and your self storage facility – succeed.

It is a necessary, and sometimes bothersome, element of running any business -- forms. You love them and hate them, but you need them. The California Self Storage Association (CSSA) is actively working to help meet the needs that self storage owner/operators have for forms. The good news is that the CSSA has put together a packet of New Hire Forms and the better news is that they are free to CSSA members in good standing! Not a member? Membership fees start at only $250, and provide access to this product and other forms absolutely free!

This new member benefit from the CSSA is one that executive director Erin King is particularly pleased about. "We consider it a top priority to consistently provide new benefits for our CSSA members and we certainly hope that all of our members take advantage of this free offering,” says King. "We will continue to find ways to help our members and make the CSSA the best state association in America.”

An overview of the New Hire Forms Packet can be found on the CSSA’s online store, but a quick look at the breakdown of what the packet includes is outlined below.

1. NEW HIRE CHECKLIST: Overview of packet contents and new hire process.
2. EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION: Customizable standard employment application template.
3. SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: For Property Manager.
4. SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:  For Operational Associate and Cleaning Personnel.
5. FAIR INTERVIEWING PRACTICES: Outlines standard Fair Interviewing practices and questions to avoid during the interview process.
6. PERSONNEL NEW HIRE FORM: Used to document new hire personal contact, emergency contact and employment information.
7. W-4 FORM: For employee/employer use to calculate new hire Federal Tax with-holdings.
8. I-9 FORM & INSTRUCTIONS: This is a required document for ALL new hires. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to complete the applicable forms of documentation as part of the Employee Verification process.
9. DIRECT DEPOSIT AUTHORIZATION FORM: An optional form to be completed by employee if they opt to have their paycheck directly deposited into their current financial institution.

This packet is available for direct download at absolutely no additional cost and is inclusive of all documents needed to hire a new full-time Self Storage employee (outlined above). Please note that applicable forms are customizable to include your company's logo and address.  Please keep in mind that the CSSA always recommends that you have an attorney review your forms prior to use especially if you make any changes or additions.

VISIT THE CSSA STORE NOW TO LEARN MORE OR DOWNLOAD TODAY! http://www.californiaselfstorage.org/store/view_product.asp?id=3383970

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Leading provider of technology solutions for self storage facilities expands management team in anticipation of hyper growth

Westwood, KS – StorageAhead, a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Nova Labs and leading provider of technology solutions for the self storage industry, announced on September 10, 2014 that Dirk Wakeham will join the company as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of its Board of Directors.

Wakeham has spent the last 20 years leading technology-enabled service companies focused on real estate. He brings to StorageAhead a leadership style that is driven by fanatical customer focus, strategic innovation, and a passionate articulation of a bold future for StorageAhead and the self storage industry. Wakeham previously served as President of RealPage (NASDAQ: RP), a leading provider of SaaS solutions for the rental housing industry. During his five years at RealPage, he led key aspects of the business, gaining a reputation as a trusted and collaborative leader and taking the business to more than $300 million in revenue with more than 2,000 people worldwide.

Prior to RealPage, Wakeham was Founder and CEO of LeasingDesk, a provider of risk mitigation solutions for rental housing. LeasingDesk was acquired by RealPage in April 2007. Wakeham founded LeasingDesk in 2000 after a 14-year career at Western National Group, a diversified apartment investment, management, and development firm in Irvine, California.

According to Dan Miller, Founder and President of StorageAhead, "Dirk brings a strong record of product leadership, enterprise SaaS experience, and an excellent understanding of the needs of our industry. We share a common vision of delivering the first comprehensive cloud-based marketing automation, point of sale, and facility management platform for self storage brands of all sizes.”

"I’m excited to be joining StorageAhead at this point in the company’s lifecycle,” said Wakeham. "StorageAhead has quickly become the leader in websites and digital marketing solutions for self storage. I look forward to bringing the company to the next level and addressing the full platform of needs of all store owners, both large and small. After reviewing nearly every technology solution in the industry, I concluded there was a major void, with StorageAhead closest to filling that void, to deliver a 100% cloud-based SaaS solution that helps customers drive more leads, reduce customer acquisition cost, and improve operational efficiency. I am happy to be part of the team and to be working with Dan to see through his vision of an integrated and comprehensive self storage platform.”

ABOUT STORAGEAHEAD

StorageAhead, a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Nova Labs, offers the most comprehensive web technology for the self storage industry. We give your business the competitive edge by providing the tools you need to boost your rentals and maximize your profits. With our personalized marketing websites, lead-generating search engines, and property management software, our professional team is dedicated to your brand. Together, our experience in online marketing and our knowledge of the industry is what makes our technologies – and your storage facility – succeed.

(913) 954-4110

Katelyn Wyss (kwyss@storageahead.com)