The Storage Strategy Every Investor Should Know

Derek and guest Jacob Vanderslice dive deep into the mindset and mechanics behind building a durable real-estate business — specifically self-storage. Jacob shares how he went from fighting fires to building a multi-state storage empire by surviving market cycles, raising capital responsibly, and developing systems that scale.
They discuss the current market environment, rising rates, cracks in the economy, deal flow challenges, overpriced assets, and investor fear. Jacob explains why transparency and delivering bad news quickly is critical when managing investor capital, and why operational excellence matters more now than ever.
The conversation also covers sourcing off-market deals, building long-term investor trust, managing a large operations team, navigating overhead, and avoiding the pitfalls that wipe out rookies. The episode ends with timeless advice: take action, take smart risks, and don’t wait for the perfect deal.