Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What does it look like to build a 12-year career at Extra Space Storage, starting as an assistant store manager and working your way up to senior district manager? In episode 11 of the Inside Extra Space Storage podcast, McKall Morris sits down with Ana Valentin, Senior District Manager for the Chicago market, to talk about self storage operations, district manager responsibilities, hiring strong store teams, and leading through the unexpected realities of property management.
Ana shares what she looks for when hiring and developing storage managers, how she uses data to coach her team, and why communication, consistency, and being yourself at work have shaped her career at Extra Space.
Follow the podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-extra-space-storage/id1891824905
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6EWXGUBUXbfkF4KiEVm67B
Explore more:
Read the full episode: extraspace.com/inside-exr/podcast/s1-e11-ana-valentin
Apply to Extra Space Storage: careers.extraspace.com
Find storage facilities near you: extraspace.com/storage/facilities
00:00 About Inside Extra Space Storage Podcast
00:40 What a District Manager Actually Does
01:26 A Day in the Life: Store Visits, Reporting, and Coaching
02:25 How Ana Reads Data and Shares It With Her Team
03:22 What Makes a Great Customer Experience
04:14 What Ana Looks for When Hiring Store Managers
04:58 From Assistant Manager to Senior District Manager
06:44 How the Learning & Development Role Made Her a Better Leader
08:10 Why Being Yourself at Work Matters
08:56 What Extra Space’s Culture Means to Ana
09:38 Self Storage Surprises: Film Crews and the Unexpected
11:28 Leading Through a Crisis
13:50 How Ana Coaches Her Team to Stay Resilient
15:03 Ana's Leadership Motto
15:34 Collaboration Across the Organization
16:23 What Customers Should Know Before They Store
17:15 What Makes a Great Chicago Storage Property
19:08 Career Advice: Be Proactive and “Almost Annoying” About Your Growth
20:08 Inside the LDP Leadership Development Program
20:48 Mentors Who Supported Her
23:09 How Ana Mentors Her Team
About Extra Space Storage
Extra Space Storage owns and/or operates more than 4,300 self storage properties in 42 states and Washington, D.C. The company offers secure, conveniently located storage solutions for personal, business, boat, and RV needs, with more than 2.9 million units nationwide.
#InsideEXR #ExtraSpaceStorage #StorageCareers
What does it look like to build a 12-year career at Extra Space Storage, starting as an assistant store manager and working your way up to senior district manager? In episode 11 of the Inside Extra Space Storage podcast, McKall Morris sits down with Ana Valentin, Senior District Manager for the Chicago market, to talk about self storage operations, district manager responsibilities, hiring strong store teams, and leading through the unexpected realities of property management.
Ana shares what she looks for when hiring and developing storage managers, how she uses data to coach her team, and why communication, consistency, and being yourself at work have shaped her career at Extra Space.
Follow the podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-extra-space-storage/id1891824905
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6EWXGUBUXbfkF4KiEVm67B
Explore more:
Read the full episode: extraspace.com/inside-exr/podcast/s1-e11-ana-valentin
Apply to Extra Space Storage: careers.extraspace.com
Find storage facilities near you: extraspace.com/storage/facilities
00:00 About Inside Extra Space Storage Podcast
00:40 What a District Manager Actually Does
01:26 A Day in the Life: Store Visits, Reporting, and Coaching
02:25 How Ana Reads Data and Shares It With Her Team
03:22 What Makes a Great Customer Experience
04:14 What Ana Looks for When Hiring Store Managers
04:58 From Assistant Manager to Senior District Manager
06:44 How the Learning & Development Role Made Her a Better Leader
08:10 Why Being Yourself at Work Matters
08:56 What Extra Space’s Culture Means to Ana
09:38 Self Storage Surprises: Film Crews and the Unexpected
11:28 Leading Through a Crisis
13:50 How Ana Coaches Her Team to Stay Resilient
15:03 Ana's Leadership Motto
15:34 Collaboration Across the Organization
16:23 What Customers Should Know Before They Store
17:15 What Makes a Great Chicago Storage Property
19:08 Career Advice: Be Proactive and “Almost Annoying” About Your Growth
20:08 Inside the LDP Leadership Development Program
20:48 Mentors Who Supported Her
23:09 How Ana Mentors Her Team
About Extra Space Storage
Extra Space Storage owns and/or operates more than 4,300 self storage properties in 42 states and Washington, D.C. The company offers secure, conveniently located storage solutions for personal, business, boat, and RV needs, with more than 2.9 million units nationwide.
#InsideEXR #ExtraSpaceStorage #StorageCareers
