[A blog spot by ISS Managing Editor Elaine Foxwell.]

I thoroughly enjoy being of service to others. I'm involved in several community groups, including one that puts on a large annual event attended by up to 600 people. But sometimes being of service boils down to helping a single individual with a surprising new situation.
 
This happened last week. A dear friend who lives in another state called me for some advice. We have one driving passion in commonour horses. She raises Clydesdales, I raise Thoroughbreds.
 
She and her husband, a contractor, had just moved to a small town in northern Idaho. Another member of her family, who is considerably wealthy, wanted her husband to build him a self-storage facility in the same town.
 
And here I found I could be of help. Now, intellectually I know ISS is a goldmine of information for those in our industry, from the seasoned executive to the absolute newcomer. I say "intellectually" because, most of the time, I'm speaking with the long-term professional who's very familiar with the nuances and intricacies of the business. But emotionally, I wonder how much help I really provide. Until my friend called.
 
What started as sending her a few back issues of the magazine and last years Buyers Guide quickly escalated. I found myself telling her about all our online services that are a real boon to someone in her positionliving in a small town with a population of less than 7,000. Heck, she's only one hour from the Canadian border! Moose and deer amble through her front yard. And right now, she's snowed in. 
 
So I went on to tell her about our Self-Storage Training Institute, webinars and other online services. Through the magic of a cable modem, critical information is available to someone like her and her husband, who are definitely not near big-city resources. They may even come to our Expo in Las Vegas next week! 
 
So thanks to my friend, I've gone from intellectually acknowledging the value of my part in this great industry to actually realizing how it applies to an individual. The feeling of satisfaction is immeasurable. 
 
And if you havent registered for the show, you can do so at www.insideselfstorage.com/expo.