Eureka Moment
My experience running Spokesafe showed me that secure, app-based access to storage could work at scale. By the time we started Pocket Storage, Spokesafe had grown to around 50 locations, and I saw an opportunity to modernise self-storage, where around 40% of operating costs can be tied to on-site staff. Operators were beginning to explore digital locks, but much of the customer journey remained offline and disconnected. We believed technology could reduce operating costs while giving customers faster access, longer opening hours and better remote customer service. We also saw an opportunity to use underutilised space in major cities to bring storage closer to where people live.
Finance
We raised capital from an American private equity company specialising in operating businesses and niche investment strategies. This funded our first five sites, our technology platform and the growth of our team.
Regrets
The main thing I underestimated was how long site openings and lease negotiations would take. We expected to roll out locations more quickly, but securing the right sites and getting them operational has taken longer than planned. It's been a useful lesson that scaling a physical business comes with challenges you can't always speed up.
What would you have changed?
My biggest change would have been our unit mix. At our first facility in Bermondsey, we hadn't built enough smaller units, and they sold out quickly. In hindsight, we should have built more from the beginning. We've since taken that learning into our second location and adjusted the mix based on what customers actually want.
