Company
The Storage Place
North America
How The Storage Place went from paper books to fully unmanned in a year
Chad Hanson bought his first storage facility in Waco, Texas, with no software background. A year later, the website handles nearly all new leases.
Written by: Jack Colemanzo
Data validated by: Storeganise team
Published: Oct 30, 2026
Updated: Oct 30, 2026
Company information
A family-built facility in Waco, bought by a lifelong entrepreneur and run on Storeganise from day one.
Location
Waco, Texas, USA
Storage type
Drive-up units
Bought last July
First facility
24/7 automated access
Fully unmanned
From paper books to unmanned in a year
The facility had no website and no online sign-ups when Chad bought it. Now nearly every new lease starts online.
Go-live
Running on Storeganise since
Day one
Online leases
New leases signed through the website
Online leases
Staff on site
Fully automated and unmanned
None
Access
Every day, holidays included
24/7
A lifelong entrepreneur finds the right deal
Chad Hanson has never worked for anybody. He runs several businesses and is always looking for the next one. Self storage had been on his list for years, but the right property never came up.
That changed at the start of last summer, when a facility in Waco checked enough boxes. He closed on it in July. It was his first storage property, and he planned to run it on Storeganise from day one.
OwnerThe Storage Place
I've always had an interest in self storage, but just never did find the right deal.
Chad Hanson, Owner, The Storage PlaceA good business, run out of paper books
The previous owner built the facility from the ground up with her husband. She ran it her way, out of paper books, and it worked well for her.
But there was no website and no way to sign up online. To run the site without being there every day, Chad knew the first job was to get it online and automate everything he could.
Owner
The Storage Place
We knew we needed to automate things and get it online. Get a website, get an online sign up done.
Chad Hanson, Owner, The Storage PlaceSoftware a non-tech owner could run alone
Chad researched the options the way most new owners do: online, comparing what each company offered, how easy it would be to do himself, and what it would take to maintain over time.
He does not call himself a software guy. He needed a platform he could use to build the website on his own, connect to his access control, and move tenants onto online leasing. With several businesses to run, the real test was time.
It's all about time at the end of the day. Having multiple different businesses, I don't need it to take up a lot of my time.
Chad Hanson, Owner, The Storage PlaceFree ebook
The ultimate guide to setting up in self storage
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The customer journey
Every sign-up goes through the website
No office hours. No paperwork.
Chad still picks up the phone when a customer has a question. But every new tenant is sent to the website to sign up, and the rest runs on its own.
Watch the interviewStep 1
Find the facility online and pick a unit on the site map.
Step 2
Sign the lease and pay through the online booking portal.
Step 3
Move in the same day. The SpiderDoor gate is connected, so access is ready automatically.
Step 4
Manage units, invoices and payments from an online account.
Learning the platform, one video answer at a time
Chad built the website himself and got the SpiderDoor access control and the rest of the back end connected. He says the integration has been great, and the site map is his favourite feature.
When he got stuck, he emailed the Storeganise team. Answers came back quickly, often with written steps and a short video showing exactly what to do. He leaned on that heavily in the first months, and still does now and then.
ownerThe Storage Place
We're fully automated, unmanned. We direct everybody to the website for all signups, and it couldn't have gone easier.
Chad Hanson, Owner, The Storage PlaceWhat Chad would tell first-time buyers
Expect information overload. A lot comes at you fast when you buy your first facility. Learn as quickly as you can. Check how much you can do yourself. Chad picked a platform he could set up without a developer, website included. Think past setup. Look at what ongoing maintenance looks like, not just the first month. Judge software by the time it saves. If you run other businesses, the platform should not become another job.
Chad has already recommended Storeganise to other owners, mostly because of how simple it makes getting the facility in front of customers.
FAQs
How does The Storage Place run without staff?
Every new tenant signs up on the website, and the access control is connected to Storeganise. Chad still takes calls when customers have questions, but nobody needs to be on site.
Did Chad need software experience?
No. He describes himself as not very tech savvy, and still built the website and set up online leasing himself.
How was the facility run before?
The previous owner ran it out of paper books. There was no website and no online sign-up.
Which access control does it use?
SpiderDoor. It is integrated with Storeganise, so tenants get access as soon as they sign up online.
What is Storeganise support like for a new owner?
Chad emails his questions and gets timely replies, usually with written steps and often a video walkthrough as well.
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Jack Colemanzo
Jack Colemanzo is the Head of Sales at Storeganise, based in Barcelona. With a strong background in the technology industry, spanning software development, sales management, and team leadership, Jack is a catalyst for growth and a builder of positive team culture.
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