Day 2 of ISS World Expo 2026 brought Kaylee and Hannah back to the show floor for more candid conversations with some of the industry's most active voices. This episode captures the energy of a major trade event while delivering real, substantive insight into the businesses and ideas that are moving self storage forward. Rather than panel recaps or keynote summaries, the episode goes straight to the source, letting operators, builders, and vendors speak in their own words about what they are working on and where they see the industry heading.
Wayde from StoreIT opens the conversation with a look at the operational side of self storage. Running a storage facility today involves far more than managing units and collecting rent. Technology, customer experience, staffing, and revenue management all intersect in ways that require operators to think strategically across every part of their business. Wayde brings a grounded perspective on what it actually takes to run a competitive facility in the current market, and his insights are relevant whether you manage a single location or a growing portfolio.
Melissa from Central States and Hannah from Wilshar Steel represent two major players in the storage construction space, and their appearances in this episode reflect how important the building side of the business remains for an industry that continues to expand. From prefabricated metal buildings to structural components and roofing systems, these companies supply the physical infrastructure that makes self storage possible. Their conversation touches on material costs, construction timelines, design trends, and how developers are adapting their building strategies to meet both budget realities and market demand.
Erich from Bid13 brings a different angle to the episode by focusing on the auction and lien sale process, which is a critical but often underappreciated part of facility management. Online auction platforms have transformed how operators handle delinquent tenants, replacing cumbersome in-person auctions with streamlined digital processes that reach a larger pool of bidders and generate better returns. Erich discusses how Bid13 fits into that ecosystem and what operators should know about making lien sales more efficient and compliant.
Taken together, these four conversations give listeners a well-rounded view of the self storage industry as seen through the lens of one of its biggest annual events. ISS World Expo brings together thousands of industry professionals each year, and this episode captures some of that collective knowledge in a format that is easy to absorb and immediately useful. Whether you are a developer, an operator, a vendor, or just someone curious about the business of self storage, this episode delivers real perspective from people doing the work.
For anyone following the self storage industry in 2026, this episode of Modern Storage Unpacked is a valuable document of where the conversation is happening and what topics matter most right now. Kaylee and Hannah continue their role as connectors within the industry, bringing voices together that might not otherwise reach the same audience and making the insights from a busy trade show floor accessible to listeners long after the expo has ended.
