Self Storage Lessons
VP of Operations
The William Warren Group
Chief Operating Officer
KoBre Companies
With an evolving market, the one thing operators can count on in 2026 is change. Rising tenant expectations, advanced technology developments, and an uncertain future make it essential to nurture your team to adapt quickly to shifting self storage industry trends.
To better understand how facility teams are adapting to change, OpenTech spoke with industry leaders Pedro Florida, Chief Operating Officer at KoBre Companies, and Norm Shore, VP of Operations at The William Warren Group.
Together, they shared practical lessons on helping teams navigate uncertainty, embrace new tools and processes, and stay ahead of evolving self storage industry trends. Keep reading for the highlights or watch the full session below.
VP of Operations
The William Warren Group
Norm Shore is a seasoned self storage executive with 29 years of experience leading operations, asset management, and technology across top storage brands. As Vice President of Operations at The William Warren Group, he drives operational excellence and innovation across the StorQuest portfolio.
Chief Operating Officer
KoBre Companies
Pedro Florida brings 22 years of self storage experience, blending operational leadership with strategic growth expertise. As Chief Operating Officer at KoBre Companies, he leads Trojan Storage to success by driving innovative solutions and business performance across the portfolio.
One of the strongest themes from the conversation was that adaptability isn’t optional. Using a lesson from a retired football coach, Norm illustrates that operators who have remained successful over the past 25 years are those who continually adapt to evolving technology and shifting expectations. Norm emphasized that adapting isn’t just about new tools.
If you're not able to adapt to the technology and to the ability to lead and provide the things for your internal customer as much as the external customers, then I think you'll have a problem succeeding in self storage or any other industry.
Industries evolve fast, and leaders who fail to adjust are eventually left behind. Pedro Florida added that the real challenge isn’t the ongoing changes in self storage industry trends, but the uncertainty they cause.
I don't think people resist change as much as they resist uncertainty. What we're trying to do is reduce uncertainty through messaging, through training, through explaining why, and making people feel like they're a part of it.
By investing in clarity and support for internal teams, operators make it easier for staff to embrace new processes and technology. When teams understand both the “why” and the expected outcomes, change becomes less intimidating and more manageable, allowing the entire facility to stay ahead of self storage industry trends.
Once leaders recognize that adapting to change is essential, the next challenge is guiding teams through it. The conversation reinforced that teams often resist new processes not because they oppose change, but because they don’t understand why it matters. Norm Shore explained that when teams understand the purpose behind training, processes, and meetings, they engage more fully.
Most people don't want to do the wrong things. If we don't train them to do the right thing, then they will do the wrong things.
He emphasized the difference between training teams on long-term outcomes and focusing on the daily actions that drive success. By guiding teams on the specific behaviors that matter day-to-day, like maintaining a clean property, processing rentals, and handling payments, operators set the stage for sustained success. Pedro Florida added that clarifying the “why” is not a one-time conversation.
It takes time. And you have to make time... in that moment of inception to do it right so the process will build itself.
Investing time upfront ensures teams adopt new processes and tools without resistance, helping the facility adapt smoothly through evolving self storage industry trends.
As facilities adapt to ongoing self storage industry trends, strong leadership starts with understanding the people responsible for carrying out change. Teams are far more likely to trust new processes and adopt new tools when leaders take the time to understand their experiences, how they were trained, and what shaped their day-to-day habits.
Norm Shore shared that some of the most valuable insights come from asking intentional questions when onboarding or working with new team members. Rather than assuming everyone learned the role the same way, these conversations help leaders uncover training gaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities to improve communication.
Understanding the person you're working with and what they did before is going to help you create that relationship.
These questions often reveal how processes are actually being taught and where breakdowns occur. When trainers are not fully bought into facility standards, those inconsistencies are passed down and amplified across the business, making it harder for teams to execute confidently as expectations change.
I think culture is ongoing. We have to tap into people who are brand new who bring different things to the table. The industry is successful when we share best practices and make it better for our teams.
As self storage industry trends continue to shift, adaptability depends just as much on who you hire as how you train. Strong processes can only go so far if the people leading your teams are not equipped to guide others through change.
A recurring point in the conversation was that leadership success is not guaranteed by past performance alone. Pedro Florida compared hiring in self storage to sports, where a standout player does not automatically make a strong coach. In the same way, promoting or hiring the wrong leader can quietly undermine culture, consistency, and team confidence.
If you hire wrong, you're essentially contaminating the culture. The key is to continue to hire for your culture. Every company has to have a moment of 'what do we want to be' and go from there.
Before bringing in new leaders, he stressed the importance of clearly defining what you want your organization to be and hiring intentionally toward that vision.
Attitude surfaced as a critical theme throughout the discussion. Norm Shore reinforced that hiring decisions should go deeper than longevity or resumes alone. Leaders shape how teams show up every day, and accepting mediocrity at the leadership level eventually shows up in performance, engagement, and turnover.
Attitude really is important. One of the greatest challenges is the acceptance of mediocrity.
Both leaders emphasized that involving multiple interviewers can help avoid blind spots and ensure alignment across teams. When leaders are selected with intention and accountability in mind, teams are better positioned to stay engaged, perform consistently, and adapt as self storage industry trends continue to evolve.
Hiring the right leaders is only the first step. Preventing mediocrity requires consistent leadership habits that keep expectations clear and teams aligned, especially during periods of change. When expectations are clearly defined at the start of a process, project, or change, accountability becomes easier to maintain, and follow-through becomes part of the culture rather than a correction.
To reduce confusion and reinforce accountability, Pedro shared a simple framework leaders can use in everyday operations:
This approach gives leaders a way to course-correct without creating friction. Addressing issues early and constructively helps teams stay confident, aligned, and open to change, even when expectations shift or new processes are introduced.
By setting clear expectations, reinforcing accountability, and handling conflict with intention, operators build teams that move faster, adapt more easily, and maintain high standards as the industry continues to change.
As self storage operations become more complex, strong partnerships have become a competitive advantage. Clear communication, follow-through, and shared ownership directly impact how quickly operators can execute, adapt, and move forward.
Both leaders emphasized that the industry has outgrown the idea of transactional vendors. Today, partners are an extension of how facilities operate day to day.
20 years ago, you called them a vendor. I feel like now they are business partners. They're a part of how you do business.
When evaluating potential partners, Pedro named three key factors to consider:
The conversation also surfaced a common breakdown Pedro referred to as “tag you’re it” communication. This happens when a single email or call goes unanswered, and no real effort is made to reconnect. Without proactive communication, projects slow down, decisions stall, and momentum is lost. Strong partners stay engaged, follow up intentionally, and work to close the loop rather than wait for the next handoff.
Norm reinforced this mindset by reminding operators that “every day is opening day.” When communication breaks down, transparency slips, or execution slows, facilities lose time and money, affecting everyone involved. Urgency, responsiveness, and follow-through are what sustain strong partnerships.
Strong partnerships give operators the confidence to roll out new processes, adopt emerging technology, and respond to shifting self storage industry trends while keeping operations running smoothly.
Norm and Pedro close the session by looking ahead to 2026 and beyond. As operators navigate challenges like fluctuating lead volumes and rising tenant expectations, they come across new opportunities to build stronger teams, refine internal processes, and adopt advanced technology to future-proof their operations.
In 2026 the fundamentals of how we operate are going to drive success. I do think it's going to be an interesting year.
They emphasize that success comes from building teams that are adaptable, engaged, and well-trained. Norm points out that focusing on day-to-day execution, not just big-picture outcomes, ensures every action contributes to long-term results.
The first three letters in fundamentals are fun. If our managers understand what the standards are and you make it enjoyable then there'll be more passion to get the conversion.
Adapting to industry trends isn’t about chasing every new tool or tactic. It’s about creating systems, processes, and cultures that can withstand change, so your team can perform at its best no matter what comes next.
Watch the full session to hear the complete conversation with Norm and Pedro.
Is your facility ready to adapt to the next wave of self storage industry trends? Explore our latest self storage technology to ensure your team and operations are prepared for the future.