By Amy Campbell  

This month, Self-Storage Talk (SST), the industry’s biggest and best online community, is celebrating its seventh birthday! It’s a huge achievement for the community, its members and the self-storage industry. SST boasts 7,432 members, more than 8,000 threads and nearly 75,000 posts! What an achievement!

I had the honor of being named SST’s community manager about a year ago. In this role, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know SST members on a deeper level. I’ve also learned about their challenges and triumphs, hobbies and lives outside of the office, and their compassion and strengths.

Our members come from all walks of life. Some are new to the storage world, while others were born to it. Some have been in the industry for a few weeks, others for decades. The community draws its share of entrepreneurs seeking advice on getting into the business, and experts who offer words of wisdom. Much like any “melting pot,” the diversity of opinions, ideas and experiences found there is what makes SST so unique.

SST posts cover every aspect of self-storage—from how to handle a partial payment from a late payer to asking for help with management software. Here are just a few recent threads to illustrate how diverse the discussions can be:  

SST is also a place where members can vent their frustrations over customer interactions—notably in the Tales From the Trenches forum—and also share happy experiences. More than a few operators have posted stories about times when tenants have surprised them with gifts or sincere gratitude. No matter the topic, SST members are there to support one another. And isn’t that the purpose of a community?

If you’re not a member of the SST community, now’s the time to join. Registration is simple and it’s free to participate. Perhaps you have advice you’d like to share with other members. Or maybe you’re struggling with an operations issue and need guidance. The SST community is here for you.  

If you’re attending the Inside Self-Storage World Expo, April 7-9, in Las Vegas, be sure to stop by the SST Meet-and-Greet, April 8 in the exhibit hall. Learn more about SST and the values membership brings. If you’re already a member, it will be a chance to put names to faces and learn more about one another. I hope to see you there!