In this episode of Modern Storage Unpacked, Kaylee and Hannah turn their attention to one of the most anticipated events on the self storage industry calendar: ISS World Expo 2026. Hosted by Inside Self Storage, the expo is scheduled for April 8th and 9th in Las Vegas, and it draws a broad cross-section of the industry including independent owners, regional operators, institutional players, technology vendors, and industry consultants. For anyone who wants to take the pulse of where self storage is heading, this event represents one of the clearest opportunities to do exactly that.
Inside Self Storage, commonly known as ISS, has built a reputation as one of the most trusted media and events brands in the self storage space. The ISS World Expo serves as the flagship gathering for the publication and its audience, combining a large trade show floor with educational sessions, workshops, and keynote programming. Kaylee and Hannah break down what the event actually looks like on the ground, who shows up, and why it continues to be a must-attend for serious professionals in the industry. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a veteran of the expo, their preview gives useful context for making the most of your time there.
A major thread running through the episode is what Modern Storage itself will be doing at the event. The team will have a presence at ISS World Expo 2026, and Kaylee and Hannah use this episode to give their audience a heads-up about where to find them and why connecting in person matters. For operators who already work with Modern Storage or are exploring what the brand offers, this is a chance to put faces to names and have real conversations outside of emails and phone calls. The episode makes clear that showing up at events like this is part of how Modern Storage stays embedded in the industry rather than operating from the sidelines.
The episode also digs into the broader value of industry events for self storage professionals at different stages of their journey. For newer operators, expos like ISS World provide exposure to vendors, tools, and strategies that can accelerate growth and help avoid costly mistakes. For experienced owners and operators, the value often comes from the hallway conversations and the chance to benchmark their business against what peers and competitors are doing. Kaylee and Hannah speak to both audiences, making the case that the investment of time and travel is consistently worth it when you approach the event with intention.
From an industry trends perspective, this episode touches on why 2026 is a particularly interesting year to be paying attention to events like ISS World Expo. The self storage sector has been navigating a more complex environment in recent years, with shifts in occupancy rates, increased competition from new supply, evolving technology adoption, and changing consumer expectations around the storage experience. Gatherings like this one serve as a real-time snapshot of how the industry is responding, and Kaylee and Hannah frame the expo as a window into where operators and vendors are placing their bets for the next cycle.
Listeners who cannot attend in person will still find this episode valuable as a preview of the conversations and themes that are likely to define the industry dialogue heading into the spring of 2026. Kaylee and Hannah cover enough ground that you leave with a clear sense of what ISS World Expo is, why it matters, and what to watch for as the event approaches. For those who are going, the episode functions as a practical primer. For those staying home, it is a useful briefing on the state of the self storage industry from two hosts who are genuinely plugged into it.
