From Layoff to Legacy: How an Ex-Electrician Built a Multi-State Storage Empire
When the 2008 financial crisis left Skyler Hartman fired from a job at Kimberly Clark, where he worked as an industrial electrician, it sparked an entrepreneurial awakening. “Ever since then, I just had a bad taste in my mouth for putting work into somebody else’s company,” Hartman recalls. “I’ve been certifiably unemployable since then.” This mindset would eventually lead him to build a multi-state self-storage enterprise, but the path wasn’t straight.
After selling his first business in Colorado, Hartman ventured into residential real estate, only to find himself dissatisfied with the traditional agent role. “I felt like a waiter working nights and weekends,” Hartman recalls. “It wasn’t where I wanted to be.” The transition to real estate investing and house flipping seemed more aligned with his hands-on background, but Hartman still wasn’t seeing the potential for legacy wealth he envisioned.
Personal challenges, including a divorce, left him at a crossroads – with just $3,000 in his bank account. It was during this low point in late 2019 that Hartman identified his breakthrough opportunity – acquiring a unique property in Pocatello, Idaho.
After securing a contract on a strategically located piece of land, he persistently pursued the owner of an adjacent and unremarkable storage facility, who rejected his overtures more than 30 times. But Hartman saw the potential for transformation of the storage business as a lucrative turnaround opportunity, and through a combination of strategic thinking and creative financing, Hartman made the deal happen – not only acquiring the facility but also laying the groundwork for what would become Your Way Storage.
Starting with that initial Idaho facility, Hartman engineered a remarkable turnaround through systematic operational improvements that improved the fledgling self storage facility into a thriving money maker. He started by adjusting the 30-40% below-market rents to proper rates, and implemented sophisticated remote management systems and lean staffing models that would become the foundation for Your Way Storage‘s expansion. The operational model now combines centralized management with minimal on-site presence, allowing facilities to operate extended hours (7 AM to 9 PM) while maintaining efficiency. “All we have on site is a maintenance person,” Hartman notes, “doing cleaning, lock checks and verifying there’s no vandalism.” This approach, refined through daily 1% improvements, has become a competitive advantage across their portfolio.
That portfolio now spans four strategic locations, each showcasing the company’s value-add capabilities. The flagship facility in Pocatello has grown to 104,000 net rentable square feet, with an appraised value of $15 million on less than $9 million in debt. Additional locations include a facility in Winston Salem undergoing similar operational improvements, a converted 60,000+ square foot warehouse in Columbia, South Carolina combining interior storage with drive-up units, and a class A facility in Augusta, Georgia acquired below replacement cost.
The company’s success across multiple markets stems from a clear set of core competencies and market selection criteria. “We’re looking for the demographic drivers,” Hartman explains. “Is it the right area? Is there strong growth? Is the education area good? So all the normal demographics that are sought after.”
With no prior self-storage experience, Hartman turned his outsider perspective into an advantage. Rather than following conventional industry wisdom, he immersed himself in learning from successful operators, studying industry podcasts, and networking extensively with other owners. His philosophy centered on finding the best practices in the industry and then improving upon them incrementally.
Hartman’s approach to partnership and investment structure also sets him apart. Rather than following the typical syndication model, he’s moving toward joint venture structures that keep investors involved long-term. “I’m really not looking for [a syndication] business model. I want to keep my investors closer,” he says. In an innovative twist, Hartman has even begun involving construction subcontractors as investment partners in new developments, encouraging them to build long-term wealth rather than simply earning transaction-based income.
Today, Your Way Storage continues its ambitious expansion, with an $8 million development recently breaking ground in northwest Houston, Texas. The project, spanning just over 100,000 square feet, will showcase the company’s latest technological innovations. “I’m really looking forward to taking the knowledge on the tech side, all the access control, the AI cameras, and different ways to increase operational excellence,” Hartman explains. The company is also preparing to open a new facility in Grand Junction, Colorado in early spring. Located in what Hartman describes as an “outdoor enthusiast’s paradise,” the Grand Junction location represents a strategic expansion that aligns with both business objectives and has additional lifestyle benefits.
From those challenging early days to running a sophisticated storage operation with multiple facilities across states, Hartman’s journey demonstrates how innovative thinking and operational excellence can transform traditional real estate assets into modern, tech-enabled businesses. His story serves as a blueprint for others looking to build lasting wealth in commercial real estate, proving that with the right systems and persistence, significant value creation is possible even from humble beginnings.
