Word is circulating that self-storage is where people should be placing their money, but not many people understand why. Out of all the other sectors to invest in, why is self-storage the top choice? And if it’s so popular, is it too late to jump in?
Self-storage investing is a little different than other types of investing, and it makes perfect sense to be worried about having enough capital to get started or questioning whether it’s really that profitable. Regardless of what is holding you back or making you think twice, AJ Osborne, CEO of Cedar Creek Capital, is here to tell you all you need to know.
Osborne is a bestselling self-storage investment author and a renowned mentor within the space, and his well-documented start in self-storage is both inspiring and motivational. One day, Osborne was working at a high-paying insurance job, and the next he was paralyzed and unemployed. On his road to recovery, he relied on previous well-placed self-storage investments to keep his family afloat.
From the Ground Up
It was in this tough period that he realized he needed to do something new with his life, something that would help others who also sought financial stability, and it was with this in mind that Cedar Creek Capital came to be. He had a goal in mind to empower others and reshape capitalism, and his belief that self-storage investing was a wealth-building tool paired with his determination has helped him make that goal a reality.
Now, Osborne has 20 years of experience in self-storage as an owner, operator, and developer. He has played a significant role in establishing the largest self-storage co-op, Storelocal, and Tenant Inc., a self-storage property management SaaS tech company. With Tenant Inc., Osborne and other respected owners and operators within the industry came together and developed a self-storage software platform. Osborne’s coined term, “Universal Integration,” fully encompasses all the work he does and highlights his dedication to consistently improving the self-storage industry.
Osborne has taken the self-storage industry by storm and has significantly impacted the value of this asset class. He has cemented his role in this industry with his highly-acclaimed podcast, where thousands of listeners every month download his words of wisdom. Given all he has learned and accomplished, people may be hesitant to believe that he is truly interested in helping others join this space. Unlike many “mentors” in popular industries, Osborne does not only give snippets of his teachings, secretly hoping you fail. The fact of the matter is that he wants more competitors in the space, and he wants them to be educated when they enter it.
The Importance of Competitors
When asked outright why Osborne is open and educational with all content he puts out, his answer wasn’t what was expected.
“Consolidation of the asset class with monopolies would kill my business,” Osborne explained. “I need single owners to compete! We started the world’s largest self-storage resource center, which includes Storelocal and Tenant Inc., giving new self-storage owners the tools they need to succeed. It is my mission to teach people how to successfully join this space, because I know if that doesn’t happen, it will ruin the entire industry as a whole. There is no benefit to me for somebody coming into my market and failing. If you come in and build a storage facility in my area and fail, and that does happen, you give self-storage a bad name.”
And that’s really as simple as it gets. Industry leaders who view others within their industry as the enemy are actually hurting what they claim to admire and support. With more investors, owners, and developers entering the self-storage sector, and entering it educated, the entirety of the sector will flourish.
For those who are curious about self-storage — how profitable it is, how resistant it is to economic fluctuations, how to enter it, and all other pertinent information — you don’t need to look further than Osborne. While his podcast is a great tool, you’ll learn the most by reading his books. Osborne’s bestselling book, The Investors Guide to Growing Wealth in Self Storage: The Step-By-Step Playbook for Turning a Real Estate Asset Into a Thriving Self Storage Business, has received high praise on Amazon, with one reviewer claiming:
“This is a great book to read if you are just getting into Self Storage. It gives a great overview of what it will look like and the pitfalls to avoid along the way. It gives you the basic framework needed of understanding, but you will need to do a lot more study to put the meat on the bones. If you begin listening to AJs podcasts and videos after reading this book, your understanding of the Self Storage space and how to navigate it will grow in leaps and bounds.” — From Amazon reviews, by Franklin
Even better than this? Osborne is releasing a much-anticipated volume 2 this summer.
Even More to Offer
The second edition of Osborne’s book is expanded by 80%, which means that readers will get all the valuable information from the first edition and then some. In this new book, Osborne shares his Stacking Method to building your portfolio, he opens up about his underwriting process, gives case studies with never-before-seen information, and he breaks down everything you need to know about operating and managing a facility with low expenses using technology for automation.
Why the need for a second volume?
As Osborne puts it, “Prior to 2008, self-storage, as an asset class, was a child. After 2008, self-storage was a teenager. Now, it is an adult asset class that can compete with the big guys. It has gone through Covid, consolidation, new technologies, and more. I wrote the first book during the “teenage years.” This second edition holds new, invaluable information that informs readers of the post-Covid landscape. Not to mention, it is beginner and seasoned-investor friendly, and you can reference my podcasts to learn more about topics that interest you throughout the book.”
Osborne’s highly-anticipated book will be released soon, and there will be an accompanying audiobook voiced by him.
About AJ Osborne
AJ Osborne is the CEO of Cedar Creek Capital and has an impressive 20 years of experience as a Self Storage owner, operator, and developer. He is a founder and board member of the largest Self Storage Co-op, Storelocal, as well as Tenant Inc — a saas company supporting self storage facility management. AJ has also written the No. 1 bestselling book on Self Storage Investing and hosts the top rated and listened to self-storage podcast, Self Storage Income. Accredited investors can find more information here: https://www.cedarcreekwealth.com/
