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Can a family of four with full schedules really break into self-storage investing?

Adam and Kirby Leiby from Raleigh, North Carolina, just proved it's possible, and they brought the kids along for the ride.

In this first episode of a special new series “First Deal First Dive” episode of the Self Storage Investing Podcast, guest host Joe Downs connects with the Leibys, recent grads of Scott Meyers’ academy, to unpack how they went from Instagram ad skeptics to proud owners of Lemon Springs Self Storage in under a year.

From initial doubts and late-night training sessions to a near-missed deal and final success, the couple candidly shares their step-by-step journey, how they divided responsibilities, and what it really takes to get your first storage facility under contract.

If you’re wondering whether the dream of passive income through self-storage is actually doable, this is the episode that proves it.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

:49 What was closing your first deal like?

5:55 Why did they leave sales and homeschooling for storage?

11:50 What shifted Adam’s mindset at the academy?

17:01 What was the hardest part of training?

23:21 How did they land their first facility?

What to Watch For

2:07 What does it feel like to close your first deal?
5:29 Why did the Leibys leave the corporate world?
11:45 What changed for Adam at the Academy?
19:46 How hard is it to find your first good deal?
23:20 How did the Leibys land their first facility?

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Click here to get more information and register for the Academy November 6-8, 2025, in St Augustine, FLA.

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What happens when a Navy vet and a sales pro ditch Wall Street and go all in on self-storage? 🔑

Scott Meyers welcomes back Rod and Christin Blunk, a dynamic husband-and-wife duo who went from 401k failures to self-storage success.

They share how losing big in the 2008 crash sparked a mission to build real wealth—leading to over 400 real estate transactions and, eventually, a pivot to self-storage.

From navigating the highs and lows of working together, to building a portfolio of owned and partnered facilities, Rod and Christin offer straight talk on due diligence, market trends, partnerships, and mentoring others in the game.

Listen For:

1:12 How to pivot from traditional investing to self-storage?

6:00 What are the challenges and wins of working with your spouse in business?

14:00 What trends and opportunities are emerging in today’s self-storage market?

19:52 What due diligence mistakes do new self-storage investors make?

34:20 What advice would Rod and Christin give their younger selves?

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CONNECT WITH GUEST: ROD & CHRISTIN BLUNK

Warriors 2 Wealth Website | Warriors 2 Wealth YouTube | Christin's Instagram | Christin's LinkedIn | Rod's LinkedIn | Rod’s Instagram

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Click here to get more information and register for the Academy November 6-8, 2025, in St Augustine, FLA.

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Is your self-storage pricing strategy bleeding cash while you’re sitting at 90% occupancy?

Scott explains one of the most urgent and transformative trends in the self-storage industry today… dynamic pricing and AI-powered revenue optimization.

As markets soften, promotions spike, and new supply floods the industry, savvy operators are turning to real-time data-driven pricing models to protect margins and outsmart the competition.

Scott breaks down exactly how dynamic pricing works, what tools you need, and how to implement this system step-by-step, even if you're starting small.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

2:44 What is dynamic pricing in self storage?

5:27 How can AI increase storage revenue at 90% occupancy?

7:03 What are the risks of using dynamic pricing?

8:44 How do I start using dynamic pricing in self storage?

10:23 How is AI used to predict self storage demand?

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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

Website | Email | LinkedIn

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Click here to get more information and register for the Academy November 6-8, 2025, in St Augustine, FLA.

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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

Website | Email | LinkedIn

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Click here to get more information and register for the Academy November 6-8, 2025, in St Augustine, FLA.

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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

LinkedIn | Website

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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

LinkedIn | Website

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Click here to get more information and register for the Academy November 6-8, 2025, in St Augustine, FLA.

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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

LinkedIn | Mini Mall Storage

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