Episode Details

In this episode, Derek sits down with self-storage powerhouse Jacob Vanderslice, who went from flipping houses in the mid-2000s to owning 41 self-storage facilities, 21,000 units, and 3.5M+ sq ft across 15 states.

Jacob breaks down: • How he survived multiple market cycles • Why self-storage is still strong despite economic uncertainty • How to raise capital the right way • What investors are doing wrong in today's market • Why transparency and discipline matter now more than ever

This is a straight-talking conversation packed with real-world lessons on scaling, managing risk, surviving downturns, and building a durable real-estate business.

• Cycles Create Wealth — Experienced investors make their biggest gains during market dislocations, not booms.

• Self-Storage Thrives on Mobility — Demand is tied to people moving. As movement returns, storage demand will rise.

• The Biggest Issue in 2024–2025: Debt — Rising rates, floating loans, and debt maturities are crushing poorly structured deals.

• Transparency Wins Investors — Deliver bad news faster than good news. Investors value honesty over perfection.

• Don't Force Deals — In tight markets, the winners are the ones who wait for great deals, not "make the numbers work."

• Operational Excellence Matters — In today's environment, execution and downside protection matter more than projections.

• Take Action — The worst thing a new investor can do is nothing. There's no perfect deal, only well-structured ones.

• Evolution from flips → development → commercial → self-storage

• Market cycles, interest rates, and macro pressures

• Investor relations, reporting, capital raising challenges

• Overpaying, rookie mistakes, and "selling the dream" deals

• Operational headaches (break-ins, staff, overhead, U-Haul damages)

• Sustainable business building vs. chasing scale

• Finding off-market deals vs. broker relationships

• Structuring investor equity, preferred returns, and K-1 benefits

• Risk management and avoiding unsustainable models

• Why action beats perfection for new investors

This episode is for you if: