People who have had the good fortune of working with serial entrepreneur Stuart Simonsen all have the same impression of him. Whether he’s negotiating deals in the self-storage industry, predicting gold futures, or advising on the investment world in general, his uncanny intuitiveness has made him an expert at finding opportunities that align with his interests, help him see patterns in the data, and then use all that information to establish a successful predictor model for the future.
One reason that Stuart Simonsen stands out from his competitors is that he only chooses projects he truly cares about. He lives by the old adage “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. In his case, Stuart relishes being able to implement new, innovative strategies into struggling businesses or stagnant stock portfolios. Nothing brings him greater joy than bringing new life into a project by solving a problem. Another place where Stuart gets to display his optimism and talent is in the gold market, where he enthusiastically shares knowledge about its current state, as well as the digital future of gold-backed cryptocurrency.
Proudly based in Billings, Montana, Stuart Simonsen has enjoyed a 20-year career in a variety of fields. He received his undergraduate degree from Concordia College and then immediately entered the banking industry. Even at a young age, his peers and superiors could see his innate ability for pattern detection and his winning portfolios rivaled the future electronic markets and computer algorithms of today. This led Stuart toward the path of wealth management and investing, as well as the hidden gem that is the self-storage industry.
Some of Stuart’s impressive credentials include working as a Portfolio Manager for Brevan Howard and TradeLink, as a Senior Investment Director for Grizzly Peak Limited Partnership, and a Partner and Director of Joint Ventures for Saddlebrook Investments, to name just a few.
The same gusto for life is applied outside of work, as well. When he isn’t succeeding in business, Stuart Simonsen admires and collects classic cars, attending as many classic car shows as possible. Among the automobiles in his collection, he owns a 1967 Shelby, purchased at the young age of 21. While he misses the Mustang he sold in order to put himself through college, Stuart has since replaced it, along with several others to fill that special place in his heart.
Stuart Simonsen on Why Self-Storage Units Are a Sound Investment
Stuart Simonsen understands that investing in the self-storage industry is the hidden gem of the investment and real estate worlds. For those who are looking for low risk, high-return, as well as low maintenance, this is a great opportunity to add to a portfolio. The self-storage industry has been steadily growing over the past decade for many reasons. One reason is that Americans will always need a place to temporarily store items, whether for downsizing purposes, preparations during/after an estate sale, or because of a move. An average of 1 in 4 Americans say their garage is too cluttered to park their cars, yet many items have sentimental or financial value and must be kept someplace safe. Data shows that the average American moves around 11 times in their life, and many people do not have an on-site shed or basement suitable to withstand all of their accumulated items.
Another reason that self-storage is a timeless commodity is the neverending consumer purchasing-decluttering cycle. Most products can now be easily bought online at the click of a button, which makes impulse buying an effortless afterthought. This, in turn, leads to spaces filling up with too many items. After a period of time, Stuart Simonsen points out that many people feel the urge to clean or declutter their personal space and need someplace to store their possessions.
In the event of a loved one passing, there is also a difficult decision about where to store sentimental possessions and the added stress of a timeline around getting things settled. A storage facility is a great way to put a pause on some of the decision-making, according to Stuart Simonsen.
Many people are starting their own entrepreneurial ventures in this day and age, which means more space is needed for home offices. Items that used to take up space in the households now need to make way for side hustles and business opportunities, as well as inventory.
Stuart Simonsen knows another reason this industry is not going anywhere is the fact that many homeowners need places to store their seasonal items, such as recreational campers and watersport vehicles. In addition, college students have also caught on to the genius concept of storing possessions in-between academic semesters instead of transporting everything home for a few months. College students are now storing dormitory items locally to make moving back in easier, which means a potentially neverending demand for a limited supply of storage units, the textbook format for success as an investor.
