Celebrating 20 Years of Leadership and Innovation at the CSSA Annual Owners Summit, where QuikStor proudly joined as a Silver Sponsor.
The 20th Annual Storage Owners Summit hosted by the California Self Storage Association at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach was more than just a milestone event. It was a full day of insight, energy, and connection, bringing together industry operators, vendors, and visionaries to discuss the future of self-storage in California and beyond.
From the moment the morning networking began, it was clear the room was filled with both experience and curiosity. Operators, executives, and team members from across the state came ready to learn, share, and lead.
CEO Super Session: Different Paths, Shared Wisdom
Leaders from across the industry share insights on scale, strategy, and resilience during the CEO Super Session at the CSSA 20th Annual Owners Summit.
One of the most talked-about sessions was the CEO Super Session. With leaders from both major publicly traded companies and private family-run organizations on stage, it made for a dynamic conversation. Joe Margolis (Extra Space Storage), William Hobin (StorQuest), Brian Caster (Caster Group), and H. Michael Schwartz (SmartStop) pulled back the curtain on how their organizations weathered the pandemic-era boom, and how they’re now adapting to a market that’s cooled.
The consensus? COVID brought three incredibly strong years to self-storage. Rent increases and full occupancies were the norm. But today, operators are having to make more nuanced decisions, often trading price for occupancy. The big question: when will the industry regain control of pricing? No one had a crystal ball, but the need for operational discipline and long-term vision was clear.
Legislative Update: SB709 and the Call to Action
A powerful slide from the Legislative Update session highlights the urgent need for industry advocacy in response to proposed California bill SB709.
A standout moment came during the legislative panel, which shed light on California bill SB709, introduced by Senator Menjivar. The bill sparked strong reactions, especially around the perception of self-storage as a predatory industry. Terms like “bait and switch” were used in political discourse, prompting immediate concern from industry leaders.
Panelists urged everyone to take the time to learn about SB709 and understand how it could directly impact operators of all sizes. Unlike other real estate sectors, self-storage is already highly accessible, often requiring minimal personal information from tenants. Regulations like SB709 risk imposing unnecessary limitations that could hurt operators’ ability to run their businesses successfully. The message was clear: now is the time to get involved, speak up, and protect the integrity of our industry.
Palmer Luckey: Sci-Fi Thinking Meets Real-World Innovation
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus and CEO of defense tech firm Anduril, brought a fascinating blend of intellect and imagination to the keynote. Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sporting a mullet, he immediately defied expectations. Yet beneath his casual exterior was a razor-sharp mind.
His address encouraged attendees to think differently about innovation and leadership, drawing from his journey as a teenage founder and disruptor. Many in the audience were captivated not just by his success, but by the wild creativity and perseverance it took to get there. Whether or not attendees shared his worldview, it was hard not to be inspired.
Capital Markets and Looking Ahead
Experts from leading financial institutions share insights on funding, interest rates, and long-term investment strategies during the Capital Markets panel at the CSSA Summit.
The Capital Markets panel provided helpful, if more technical, context for where storage investment and funding stand today. Attendees heard from experts at Wells Fargo, Ares, MetLife, and Crow Holdings, with a focus on long-term strategies and navigating today’s more complex economic environment.
A Space for Passion, Partnerships, and Progress
QuikStor was proud to be recognized among the Silver Sponsors at the CSSA 20th Annual Owners Summit, supporting innovation and community in self-storage.
More than anything, the Summit reminded us why we do what we do. It was a chance to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new ones, and share stories about a rapidly evolving industry that we all care deeply about. For QuikStor, it was a powerful moment to reintroduce ourselves to the industry and to show how aligned we are with the challenges and opportunities that were discussed on stage.
From streamlining operations to enabling more automated, intuitive site workflows, QuikStor is helping storage teams unlock new levels of efficiency without sacrificing the human touch. Whether it is better data, smarter move-ins, or seamless reporting, our tools are designed to reflect the same forward-thinking mindset that defined this year’s event.
To everyone we met at the Summit, thank you. Let’s keep building smarter, together.