As an investor, you know that the most commoditized businesses are the hardest to win in. In this episode, I sit down with Joe Downs, CEO of the Bellrose Group, to discuss how he is reinventing commercial real estate with "Pro-Storage." We explore a unique hybrid asset class that sits perfectly between traditional self-storage and small-bay flex space, designed specifically for modern small businesses.
In this episode, we cover:
Moving Beyond the Commodity: Why traditional self-storage is now a well-documented, commoditized market and how to find the "niches within the niche."
The "Contractor Storage" Origin Story: How a plumbing facility became the "Petri dish" for a scalable national brand.
The Superior Tenant Profile: Why Pro-Storage tenants (contractors/small businesses) are more reliable and rarely miss payments compared to residential users.
Defining the Specs: The exact dimensions required, including 14-foot ceilings and 12.5-foot doors built for highway-legal vehicles.
The "Hybrid" Advantage: How this model offers business-friendly, month-to-month flexibility without the high construction costs of NNN flex space.
Partnership vs. Landlord Mindset: Why Joe chooses a gross lease model to act as a business "incubator."
Lender Acceptance: How banks are reacting to this new asset class and why proof-of-concept is everything.
The "Future Self" Mindset: The book by Dr. Benjamin Hardy that is currently shaping Joe's vision.
🔗 Connect with Joe Downs:
Email: joe@belroseam.com
Website: https://www.belroseam.com/Â
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