How Storagely Rethinks Online Rentals with Amanda DiGaspari and Austin Simmons

Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape—and what it means for the future of the industry. This episode features Amanda DiGaspari and Austin Simmons, CEO and COO of Storagely, a company rethinking what a self storage website should actually do. What started as a digital marketing agency turned into a SaaS platform after one pivotal moment: fixing a broken checkout flow and tripling online rentals. That shift pulled Amanda and Austin out of agency work and into building a conversion-first, revenue-driven website platform purpose-built for how renters behave today—and where AI-driven discovery is headed next. In this conversation, Mason and Rodolfo dig into Storagely’s evolution from services to product, the hard lessons learned along the way, and why websites should be treated as full-time digital managers, not static brochures. The episode spans branding, data, UX, AI, and leadership, with plenty of practical insight for operators navigating changing renter expectations. If you’re thinking about online rentals, checkout optimization, AI search, or how to build product with discipline in a noisy market, this episode is a must-listen. In This Episode, We Discussed: (00:00:00) Introductions, banter, and how Storagely found self storage (00:00:40) From marketing agency to storage tech (00:03:10) The leap from services to SaaS (00:05:38) Early mistakes, false starts, and lessons learned (00:07:50) Why vision and mission became guardrails (00:10:39) Rebranding and what it signaled internally and externally (00:12:59) Current challenges and future direction (00:21:45) Building renter personas to improve UX (00:23:25) What truly differentiates storage websites (00:26:06) Using data, not opinions, to guide product decisions (00:29:28) How renter expectations and online behavior are changing (00:34:39) Balancing operator feedback with behavioral data (00:37:59) Storagely’s framework for product development and iteration (00:45:36) Architecture-first thinking and faster innovation (00:51:54) AI, generative search, and the future of discovery (00:57:26) Morning routines, chaos, and staying grounded (01:03:06) Finding inspiration outside self storage (01:10:55) Alternate universes and creative paths not taken Key Themes Websites Are Revenue Engines Storagely treats the website as a 24/7 manager, not a brochure. Every design and feature decision ladders back to conversion and lifetime value. Data Over Guesswork From checkout flows to feature prioritization, decisions are driven by renter behavior, not assumptions or “in case” thinking. Focus Wins Learning to say no—to features, distractions, and edge cases—has been critical to building a product that scales without losing clarity. AI Is an Extension, Not a Shortcut SEO and generative search are converging, but the foundation remains the same: structured, local, trustworthy content built to serve real users. Favorite Nuggets • “Designing a website in case someone rents online vs because they will.” • Why a 30-second checkout changed everything • Treating your website like a digital team member • The power of showing the work with real data • Why being embarrassed by what you shipped six months ago is a good sign 🔗 Learn more about Storagely https://storagely.io 🔗 Connect with the guests Amanda DiGaspari (  / amanda-digaspari  ) Austin Simmons (  / austin-simmons-3284b3273  )