Brett Copper, partner and president of Copper Storage Management, joins Matt Engfer to share how he helped build one of the industry's first third-party remote management companies and what scaling it taught him about growing a business the right way.

Brett grew up in self storage. He spent childhood summers auditing facilities with his father, worked at CubeSmart out of college, and ran feasibility studies and due diligence projects for years before launching Copper Storage Management in 2019. He saw that remote management was possible long before the software or the industry was ready for it.

Then COVID hit, and Copper was one of the only management companies that could operate with no one in the office. The portfolio exploded to nearly 200 stores in a matter of months. In this episode, Brett is candid about what that breakneck growth cost him, why he deliberately shrank the business to around 120 stores, and how learning his true cost to operate turned Copper into a healthier, more profitable, and more resilient company.

He also breaks down the trends that reshaped self-storage technology, the five things he looks for when evaluating a facility to add value, and why a diversified base of small owners protects the business better than a few large clients ever could.

This is a practical conversation about disciplined growth, operations, and what it really takes to build a storage business that lasts.

Key Takeaways:

(0:00) Intro

(3:06) Who Brett is and what Copper Storage Management does

(5:10) Growing up in a self-storage family

(9:01) The origin story of Copper Storage Management

(15:22) COVID and the explosion to nearly 200 stores

(17:50) Copper's remote and hybrid management model

(19:40) What's next, and the cost of scaling too fast

(24:08) How technology transformed self storage

(30:49) Five things that make or break a storage deal

(38:03) Why a diversified client base lowers risk

Resources Mentioned:

Copper Storage Management | Website

https://copperstoragemanagement.com

Brett Copper | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-copper-750672171/

Cubby | Website

https://www.cubbystorage.com

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#SelfStorage #StorageInvesting #Entrepreneurship #CubbyStorage #BusinessGrowth

Karl Graham, Co-Founder of Luminous Capital, joins Matt Engfer to share his journey from oil and gas exploration to building a growing self-storage platform across the heartland.

After spending a decade making high-stakes investment decisions in a volatile and capital-intensive industry, Karl realized he wanted something different. He wanted to build a business where execution, discipline, and team performance had a greater impact than external forces. That shift ultimately led him into self storage.

In this episode, Karl walks through how Luminous Capital scaled from individual syndications to launching a fund, why geographic focus creates a real operational edge, and how disciplined underwriting and risk management have shaped their growth. He also shares how his team is leveraging data, marketing, and AI. This includes analyzing tens of thousands of customer calls to improve sales performance and building more advanced revenue management systems to stay competitive in today’s market.

This conversation is a practical look at what it takes to build and operate a successful storage business today and why the days of easy storage are behind us.

Key Takeaways:

(0:00) Intro

(2:19) Karl’s background in oil and gas and transition to self storage

(13:34) Why he chose self storage over other real estate asset classes

(24:12) Why geographic focus creates a competitive advantage

(28:22) How Luminous operates remotely with local teams

(33:20) How Luminous creates value for self-storage businesses in today’s market

(36:33) Growing the Operation and Taking Next Steps

(42:36) Using data and AI to improve operations and sales

(49:10) Revenue management, pricing strategies, and AI agents

Resources Mentioned:

Luminous Capital | Website

https://www.luminouscapital.com

Cubby | Website

https://www.cubbystorage.com



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Jeff Greenberger, a nationally recognized self-storage attorney and founder of Late2Lien, joins Matt Engfer to explain why lien enforcement isn’t dangerous—but getting it wrong absolutely is.

With more than 30 years of experience serving the self-storage industry, Jeff walks through the real legal risks operators face when notices, timelines, disclosures, or documentation aren’t handled precisely. From evolving state statutes and California’s increasingly complex disclosure requirements to tenant tactics pulled straight from Reddit, this episode exposes how small operational missteps can quickly turn into lawsuits.

Jeff also shares why “compliance is king,” how technology can remove human error from the lien process, and how Late2Lien was built to take responsibility off managers’ plates while protecting owners from liability. The conversation blends legal insight, real-world examples, and practical guidance that every operator—large or small—can apply immediately.

Key Takeaways:

(0:00) Intro

(1:47) Jeff's story

(4:56) Shaping the legal landscape of self-storage

(7:52) Current legal issues Jeff’s clients are facing

(11:12) Making sure clients are limiting risk and exposure to litigation

(12:24) CA & PA Bills impacting rates and lien statutes

(19:46) Reddit threads creating risk for self-storage owners: Credit Cards

(22:31) Reddit threads about change of address scams

(26:14) How does Late2Lien work?

(33:28) Late2Lien helps avoid the sale

(34:54) How Cubby and Late2Lien work together

Resources Mentioned:

Late2Lien | Website

https://www.late2lien.com

Jeff Greenberger | Self Storage Law

https://www.selfstoragelegal.com/

Cubby | Website

https://www.cubbystorage.com

Thank you for listening to “Students of Storage.” Be sure to leave us a 5-star review and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

#SelfStorage #SelfStorageLaw #StudentsOfStorage