Inside Self-Storage World Expo Announces 2024 Keynote Speaker

The Inside Self-Storage World Expo, which is taking place April 2-5 at Caesars Forum Conference Center in Las Vegas, has just announced its keynote presenter. The talk will be given by industry consulting and management expert Anne Ballard, aka The Hat Lady, of Universal Storage Group (USG), who recently announced that she will be retiring at the end of this year. Ballard will present “The Right Time Is Now! Gems of Knowledge to Help Your Self-Storage Business Shine in a Murky Business Climate” at 8 a.m. on April 3.

In this session, open to all attendees and exhibitors, Ballard will share lessons she’s learned during her 31 years spent designing, managing and consulting on self-storage around the world. Topics will include how to track, measure and compare facility performance; ways for facility operators to stand out in a competitive market; how to improve the customer experience; dos and don’ts for successful project development and more.

Currently serving as president of training, marketing and developmental services for USG, Ballard is referred to as “The Hat Lady” for her propensity to wear distinctive headwear. She’s the author of an industry marketing book and a frequent presenter at national and state conferences. Her appearance at this year’s ISS World Expo is her first on a 10-stop speaking tour.

The ISS World Expo comprises four days of education, networking and exhibits. Designed for self-storage owners, managers, investors, builders and vendors, it draws approximately 4,000 professionals from around the world. Attendees can choose from three registration packages to participate in workshops, seminars, roundtable discussions, open-forum Q&A sessions, an evening cocktail reception, vendor presentations, live product demos and more.

This year’s event will offer 100-plus educational presentations and approximately 250 product and service exhibits. It’s produced by Inside Self-Storage, which has provided informational resources for the industry for more than 33 years. Additional educational offerings from the brand include a monthly magazine, an extensive website, the ISS Store, and Self-Storage Talk, the industry’s largest online community.