Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.

This episode features a special roundtable conversation with the leadership team at Access Self Storage, a Northeast-based operator approaching its 50th anniversary. Joining us are Andrew Rockoff (Marketing), Brian Russ (Third-Party Management), and Chris Feild (Operations), three long-tenured leaders who have helped shape Access’s reputation for hyper-local execution, people-first culture, and thoughtful adoption of technology.

In this episode, we explore how a regional operator competes and wins in REIT-heavy markets by leaning into relationships, local expertise, and disciplined systems thinking. The conversation spans marketing, operations, culture, and technology, with plenty of humor and hard-earned insight along the way.

If you’re a midsize operator wondering how to scale without losing your soul, this episode offers a candid look inside a business that’s been doing exactly that for decades.

In This Episode

• How Access Self Storage balances technology adoption with boots-on-the-ground service

• Why employee experience and retention improve when tech removes friction

• The case for hyper-local marketing in dense, competitive markets

• What most operators misunderstand about automation and unmanned facilities

• How third-party management can be a scalable growth lever

• Why integration and simplicity matter more than shiny new tools

• How Access evaluates ROI before rolling out new systems

• The internal dynamics between marketing, ops, and leadership

• Lessons from nearly 50 years of operating through industry shifts

• Pizza takes, radio DJ throwbacks, and some very honest hot takes

Key Themes

People First, Always
Access emphasizes ownership at the store level, long-term employee development, and trust as the foundation of the business. Managers are treated like operators, not order-takers.

Hyper-Local Wins
From knowing the best pizza place in town to tailoring ads by neighborhood, Access believes storage is a three-to-five mile business where local relevance beats national branding.

Technology as an Enabler, Not a Replacement
Automation and AI are embraced when they remove repetitive work and improve the customer experience, but never at the expense of human connection.

Culture Is Built on Purpose
With clearly defined fundamentals, open dialogue, and long-term careers, Access shows how intentional culture building creates durability and alignment.

• “Self storage isn’t one size fits all.”

• “Technology and people aren’t in conflict if you use tech to eliminate pain points.”

• “Hyper-local beats national every time in our markets.”

• “Unmanned facilities are overhyped.”

🔗 Learn more about Access Self Storage
https://www.accessselfstorage.com

🔗 Connect with the guests on LinkedIn
Andrew Rockoff
Brian Russ
Chris Feild