KSS eKourier July 2022

Kennards Kourier Ko EDITION: JULY 2022

BACK WITH A BANG KSS ACHIEVEMENT DINNER 2022

LOOKING AT IT FROM GOOGLES VIEW

WHISTLEBLOWERS, COURAGE UNDER FIRE

STORAGE LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD

1 Kennards Kourier July 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

Message From Sam

3

10 Questions With...

4

Team Member Profiles

5

Looking At It From Googles View

6

Back With A Bang...

7 - 10

The Ever Changing World

11

Teaming Up For Great Things

11

NZ Up And Running Post Covid

12

Storage Looking Back And Forward

13

Spotlight On...

14

Whistleblowers, Courage Under Fire

15

KSS Expands In The Highlands

16

Reviews

16

What's A Photo shoot... 17 10 Steps To Become A Better Leader 18 - 19 Look What We're Building Now 20 Homes For Homeless Youth 21 Relay For Life 21 Nev's Notes 22 Kennards Community/Backtracks 23

NEXT ISSUE

Deadline: September 9, 2022 Editor: Sharon Munro Email: sharon@kss.com.au

Front cover: L to R: Mike Howard, Centre Manager Kirrawee being acknowledged for his 25 Years of Service at KSS, by Sam Kennard CEO of KSS.

Kennards Self Storage Wetherill Park, New Mini Warehouses

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MESSAGE FROM SAM

Lto R: Caren Johnson Centre Manager Tauranga, Sam Kennard CEO KSS, Terry Friel Assistant Manager Tauranga NZ

We are in the process of the largest development expansion for the business in our history, with 16 new centres in the pipeline. We have also been successful in acquiring new operating centres in the last 8 months. ‘ WE HAVE ATTRACTED SOME VERY BRIGHT AND CAPABLE PEOPLE TO THESE ROLES WHICH

A s the company expands its footprint across Australia and New Zealand, this has also created new job opportunities. Seeing people come in to new roles and advance their career is particularly exciting. It is genuinely pleasing to see people get new career opportunities from the success of our business. Our performance in the business enables the capital re-investment for growth. Being good at what we do; providing memorable customer experiences; maintaining high quality properties, are all fundamental to our success. It is the fuel to further expansion. People sometimes tell me that what we do is essentially a ‘land banking’ business. But this observation really misunderstands our business and our intentions. It suggests we just buy, hold and are inactive and lazy with

people into our customer-facing roles. In recent times we have added to the growth and support capacity too. We have seen the Property Develop- ment Team grow and we have added an additional Operations Manager in Melbourne and Queensland and are currently recruiting for an Operations Manager in South Australia. With the growing amount of commercial lease space now in the portfolio including retail shops, quick service restaurants and Telco Towers we have also added a Commercial Property Manager to our Team. We have attracted some very bright and capable people to these roles which is exciting for the business. These people are clearly excited, ambitious and keen to learn.

IS EXCITING FOR THE BUSINESS. THE NEW PEOPLE ARE CLEARLY EXCITED, AMBITIOUS AND KEEN TO LEARN

property. In contrast, our ability to grow had always hinged on the quality of the business we are. We need to be really good at what we do in order to have the profit to invest further. Our new invest- ment is heavily scrutinised to ensure it is sound and we are able to add value. ‘

Sam Kennard Chief Executive Officer

The growth has seen the addition of

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WHO’S WHO

10 QUESTIONS... With Kellie Robley - QLD Operations Manager

Operations Manager role as giving me the opportunity to add value to the company and help develop proactive, constructive Teams. What hobbies do you have outside of KSS? Outside of Kennards I am a mum of three, so I have the school drops and weekend sport. My kids call me their `Slove`, slave I love. My other passion is Scooters, I have three Vespas now and am a member of the local scooter group so needless to say I get away from my kids on my two wheels whenever I can! Music is always in my life from Classical to Ska, you will find it on my phone. Name a person who has inspired you both professionally and personally? There was a Manager a long time ago who told me that no one is coming and no one cares! And if you want something you need to reach out and own it, make it yours and love it. I tried to find that man again only a few months ago and sadly he had passed, but his words and kind heart etched a mark that I will never forget. Sunshine Coast, grew up and went to primary and high school in Buderim, lived in Cairns for three years then moved back to Brisbane. I always loved the Sunshine Coast and now I get to travel there for work ... life is a strange beast. Favourite gadget? My Portable Speaker, anything you want to hear it tells you, also it is quiet with a touch of a button and doesn’t hold a grudge. I love my music and Books. To sum up KSS in one word would be? Unity. Where did you grow up? I was born in Nambour on the Favourite food? 80% Mexican, 20% Spit Roast.

been an amazing tool for learning, no matter the level of experience.

How many years have you been part of the KSS Team and what was the last centre that you worked at? I have been part of the KSS family since 2018, starting as the Manager at Browns Plains, then applying and being successful with the Managers position at the new centre that opened at Coorparoo. Digital Agreements came in one week after I started in my Training Hub! Digital Agreements were a breath of fresh air for busy storers and centres. It was an exciting journey that we all had to learn together. Atlas was introduced instead of the Daily Diary and Compass has What major changes have you seen over that time?

What do you enjoy most about KSS? When I started at Kennards I knew I had made the life change for the future that I required. FREEDOM was what brought me in and has kept me interested. I enjoy the ability to journey a little off reservation from time to time to help find solutions to issues. What inspired you to move from a Centre Manager role to an Operational Managers role in QLD? I have a passion for training and developing high performing Teams and helping others achieve their goals within our day-to-day operations. I saw the

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WHO’S WHO

TEAM MEMBER PROFILES

Shona Kitchen Centre Manager - Palmerston North NZ Tell us about your career background: Trained three years to work in the clothing industry, then nine years as a Pattern Maker and Sample Developer. I was a Fruit Picker, a Packer for a moving company, a Sales and Customer Service person in tourism at Bay of Islands and Taupo, a Sales Rep in the clothing and printing industry, an Account Manager and now Kennards for over six years. What do you enjoy doing when not at KSS? (Hobbies/ Interests)? Love the outdoors, being fit and active, Mountain and Road Biking, Hiking and my garden and home maintenance. What are you reading now? The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester, fiction with an historical theme. What are you watching now? Aussie Travel Guides, it's hilarious, and I'm looking forward to another The Block. I also like Kayaking and Biking clips made by pros. What favourite foods or restaurant would you recommend? I love salad, vegies, fruit and cheese, but also venison, roast pork and steak on the BBQ. Love our local Japanese restaurant Haru. Where did you grow up and what was it like? Greytown, South Wairarapa. A small town surrounded by farmland, mountains and rivers. Biked everywhere with whole days exploring, swimming in rivers, and scrambling in the bush. Favourite hangout people when not at work? My Husband and outdoorsy best mates. Favourite holiday destination or interesting place you’ve been to? Turangi, a small town in the central North Island. Heaps of outdoorsy stuff to do. Have been to Ireland and the Isle of White, loved the history and family connections.

Tell us about your career background: When I left school, I started working in the Nightclub Industry in the UK, then went on to manage pubs for Greene King Pub Company. I worked at Stanstead Airport coordinating agents who escorted wheelchair passengers to and from the aircraft. Just before moving to NZ, I worked as an Assistant Manager at a Supermarket for five years. What do you enjoy doing when not at KSS? (Hobbies/ Interests)? I love watching Football, I’m a massive fan of Liverpool Football Club. What are you reading now? Unfortunately, I’m not a big reader but love listening to Podcasts (the funnier the better) and music. What are you watching now? I love anything horror, but as I’ve nearly completed the horror section on Netflix I don’t mind watching anything really. What favourite foods or restaurant would you recommend? My favourite food is Curry. I love making my own Curry from scratch with home grown vegies and chillies. Most frequented restaurants are Indian, Thai and Chinese. The best takeaway is KFC. Where did you grow up and what was it like? Corby in England, I love going back to see family and friends when I can. It's in the heart of England and is known as Little Scotland. Favourite hangout people when not at work? Apart from spending time with my lovely wife and kids, I go to the pub and have a couple of pints, hit the Karaoke Bar or watch the footy. Favourite holiday destination or interesting place you’ve been to? Ibiza, a Spanish Island, I’ve been there plenty of times as well as Lanzarote. And Australia, I’m now lucky enough to have been three times. I currently also have a trip to New York pending. Paul Buckby Assistant Manager - Palmerston North NZ

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FEATURE

LOOKING AT IT FROM GOOGLES VIEW Fifteen years ago, Street View began as a far-fetched idea from Google co-founder Larry Page to build a 360-degree map of the entire world. Fast forward to today and there are billions of Street View images from over 100 countries and territories, allowing people to fully experience what it’s like to be in these places right from their phone or computer.

"We just wanted to say how great our experience was with you guys at Kennards. Any time we had to come in to do something with you ladies it was such a fun experi- ence. Everything was so easy and I would recommend KSS Napier to anyone due to the service we got. I believe every interaction in a day you have with another human has an effect and you guys are the epitome of that. We always left with a big smile. Doesn’t always happen with business today so I wanted to make a point of saying you guys have got this sorted! 5 stars. Thank you. Many thanks, Laura." "What a helpful and terrific Team at Kennards self storage at Murarrie. Extremely helpful, polite, polished and always pleasant. I’ve had dealings with Kevin and Leonie, and can’t speak highly enough of their service. Thanks to you all, and also to the help desk/ phone line. Joanne and Greg." "Friendly efficient staff coupled with great service made storing my work related spare parts and tools a breeze. Well done to Medhat George, Alison, Mick and Jim and all the crew at Kennards Castle Hill. Thank you, Steve." "I have had numerous pleasant experiences with this particular Kennards. As a former removalist who has visited countless storage facilities in Melbourne in my time, Langridge St Abbotsford always stood out. Great inner city location with a great price, plus they have super friendly staff who make sometimes difficult life times far more manageable. Fantastic service. Cheers, Bart."

G oogle published its first ever Street View in 2007, images of San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and Denver. Since then, Street View cars equipped with cameras have captured and shared more than 220 billion Street View images and mapped 10 million miles, the equivalent of circling the globe more than 400 times! Street View is a powerful tool that adds an extra dimension to our presence on Google, it’s a virtual representation of our surroundings on Google Maps consisting of millions of panoramic images. This gives our prospects and customers the chance to take a virtual tour around the business and allows them to get excited about the centre even before walking through the doors. It helps customers make an informed decision. When visiting a space for the first time customers like to be prepared and have as much information as possible. Simple things like “Is there a parking spot” may be the deciding factor.

you can now show them. This is also a great way to differentiate ourselves from competition. STREET VIEW IS A POWERFUL TOOL THAT ADDS AN EXTRA DIMENSION TO OUR PRESENCE ON GOOGLE, IT’S A VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION OF OUR SURROUND- ‘

INGS ON GOOGLE MAPS CONSISTING OF MILLIONS OF PANORAMIC IMAGES

We have just completed the shoots for all our centres and are in the process of publishing them. This should make it easy for us to maintain consistent engagement on Google, helping the business to beat competition, drive more traffic and ultimately make more sales. Deepa Chirayath Digital Marketing Coordinator ‘

It also helps build trust. Instead of just telling the customers who you are

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FEATURE

BACK WITH A BANG KSS ACHIEVEMENT DINNER 2022 On a cold winter’s night on the 25th June 2022, Teams gathered from across Australia and New Zealand to celebrate the annual Kennards Self Storage Achievement Dinner. These nights are an opportunity to recognise the accomplishments of our Team, in addition to an opportunity to gather together. This was the first in-person celebration afforded to the Team in almost three years, following the recent challenges the pandemic had presented.

Nassif (Artarmon2) and Adam Snowdon (Caringbah) received recognition for an incredible 15 Years of Service. David Courtney (Kirrawee), Sathish Rao (THQ), Helen Tancred (Moore Park) and Geoffrey Turner (Kunda Park) were absent but also celebrate 15 Years. While Mike Howard (Kirrawee) and Wayne Birch (THQ) were honoured for a phenomenal 25 Years of Service. The final formality of the evening saw Jelena Stricevic (NSW Ops Manager) and “Maverick” (or was it Goose?) Darryl Hodgson (NSW Ops Manager) present the FREEDOM Certificates, FREEDOM Awards and Rookie of the Year Award. Carol Dunne (Sandgate) and Nealla Little (Napier) were recognised with certificates; while Pheng Lo (CCC), Kellie Robley (THQ), Charles Shepherd (TSM) and Stuart Smith (Homebush) took home the iconic FREEDOM Blade Award. Chris Sanson of Newstead was acknowl- edged for his dedication and hard work during the recent QLD floods with this years’ Rookie of the Year Award. It was then time to let our hair down and dance, as we were treated to the sounds of the One Hit Wonders, our band for the night. Some partied harder than others, but it is fair to say that a great night was had by all. The night could be said to be a complete success, never lasting long enough as all great nights do. It was a fitting precursor to next year’s 50th Birthday celebrations for Kennards Self Storage. To steal Sam Kennards words from the night, “I challenge you all to attend next year and make the night the biggest Achievement Dinner we’ve ever had”. Jared Mobbs NSW Operations Manager

T his year brought with it a new venue, Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf. Against the backdrop of a stunning Darling Harbour and Sydney City skyline, Teams embraced old friends and a host of new Team Members experienced their first Kennards night of nights. MC for the evening Peter Berner of stand-up, radio and television fame, kept proceedings moving while sprinkling in quite a bit of humour. This evening had fewer awards and less ceremony than previous nights, with a focus instead on camaraderie and a long-awaited coming together. Nicky Goodwin, QLD Ops Manager presented the Five Year Service Awards, an astonishing 27 Team Members in all. It is a true testament to the culture and our remarkable Team to see so many proud KSS Team Members make it to this milestone. After a timely set from Peter Berner, dinner was served. Many cheeky Team Members took this opportunity to swap seats, to make new friends, or share stories with long-time ones.

Proceedings continued with Darren Marshall, COO of KSS, honing his best comedic skills to try and outdo the MC Tony Vuongs tie was the unfortunate casualty and was then not seen again for the remainder of the night. Darren presented the 10 Year Service Awards: Sylvia Gouvas, Dane Talbot, Chantal Bastiaans, Antone Boustani and Anthony Rous all on hand to receive their awards for the great milestone. I challenge you all to attend next year and make the night the biggest Achievement Dinner we've ever had There were an impressive eight in total, with Flex Dasquerzine, Matthew Jones and Belinda Filipe unfortunately unable to attend. Sam Kennard then took the stage and presented the longer service milestones. Some great tales and memories were regaled as Leanne ‘ ‘

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FEATURE

5 Years of Service Awards. Above L to R: Presenter Andrew Kirkham (THQ), Stuart Smith (Homebush), Simon Spring (Wellington), Jelena Stricevic (THQ), Carol Dunne (Sandgate), Bronwyn Maugavao (Campbelltown 1), Jared Mobbs (THQ), Paul Buckby (Palmerston North), Presenter Nicky Goodwin (THQ).

10 Years of Service Awards. Above L to R: Antone Boustani (THQ), Dane Talbot (Hawthorn), Sylvia Gouvas (Bankstown), Chantal Bastiaans (Maroochydore), Anthony Rous (THQ), presented by Darren Marshall (THQ).

FREEDOM Certificates and Awards. Above L to R: Chris Sanson (Newstead), Kellie Robley (THQ), Carol Dunne (Sandgate),Stuart Smith (Homebush) with presenters Jelena Stricevic (THQ) and Darryl Hodgson (THQ).

15 Years of Service Awards. Above L to R: Leanne Nassif (Artarmon2), with Sam Kennard presenting, and Adam Snowdon (Caringbah).

25 Years of Service Awards. Above L to R: Mike Howard (Kirrawee) with Sam Kennard presenting.

Con't Page 9

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FEATURE

BACK WITH A BANG KSS ACHIEVEMENT DINNER 2022 "This is to thank you for a wonderful evening and your hospitality. A great effort by all concerned for making the evening a success. It clearly demonstrated Kennards values of a a brilliant night. Top that off with a great venue, a funny host that looked like me and just as funny! Amazing food, a little wine... Yep, I was amongst the last to leave. Huge thanks to everyone." Steve Jansen Centre Manager Pymble

and proud of as a company and to be involved in. Thank you for the 15 Years of Service gift I got to choose also." Leanne Nassif Centre Manager Artarmon2 "My vision of KSS hosting such an extraordi- nary event for the 2022 Achievements Dinner was definitely surpassed within the doors of Doltone House function venue. Such a wonderful location, fantastic night to catch up with many old faces after a few years absence, and to meet many new employees embarking on their journey with the company. I was fortunate to sit next to the Master of Ceremonies, Peter Berner, having been a big fan of his ‘The Einstein Factor’ quiz show in the early 2000’s. Awesome to have the band playing later in the evening, adding to what was a great atmosphere. Many thanks to all those involved." Kevin Mouatt Centre Manager Murarrie

family business treating all its employees as family. I am very proud to be part of the organisation and look forward to continuing working within our network, where there is excellent teamwork and support. Congratulations to all the winners and to those who were recognised and acknowledged for their hard work. Looking forward to the next!" Phillip Boniface Assistant Manager Macquarie Park "After what felt like an eternity it was so good to finally get together with everyone at our Awards Night. Great to touch base with so many old friends and meet many new ones. So many hugs given out and handshakes, it was just

"It was a lovely night and more like a family get together than an office party!" Krishna Challa NSW TSM "It was a lovely evening spent with work colleagues. It was nice to be able to see everyone after two years of experiencing on and off lockdowns. It was generous to be given the opportunity to visit Doltone House and enjoy the entertainment of a Comedian, a band and a tasty dinner. Very few companies can accommodate for Achievement Dinners and hand out Awards, so it is something to be grateful

Left: FREEDOM Award, L to R: Charles Shepherd (TSM Vic) with Keenan Mowat (THQ) presenting. Middle: 5 Years, L to R: Nicky Goodwin (THQ) presenting, Maria Garcia (Warrawong). Right: 10 Years, L to R: Flex Dasquerzine (Rydalmere) with Jelena Stricevic (THQ) presenting.

Left: 10 Years, L to R: Belinda Filipe and Matthew Jones (Wollongong). Middle: 5 Years, L to R: Michael Cimoli (Vermont) with Keenan Mowat (THQ) presenting. Right: 5 Years, L to R: Katherine Wakefield (Vermont) with Keenan Mowat (THQ) presenting.

Left: 15 Years, L to R: David Courtney (Kirrawee) with Jelena Stricevic (THQ) presenting. Middle: FREEDOM Award, L to R: Pheng Lo (CCC) with Fiona Harding (THQ) presenting. Right: 15 Years, L to R: Sam Kennard presenting, Sathish Rao (THQ).

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FEATURE

Top far left: 15 Years, Helen Tancred (Moore Park). Second top far left: 5 Years, Lesley Fitzpatrick (Hornsby). Left: 10 Years Hands in Cement, Chantal Bastiaans (Maroochydore). Below: 10 Years Hands in Cement, L to R: Belinda Filipe (Wollongong), Sylvia Gouvas (Bankstown), Matthew Jones (Wollon- gong), Antone Boustani (THQ).

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FEATURE

THE EVER CHANGING WORLD W e have been through fire, floods and Covid, surely things will

Interest Rates and they will continue to rise.

I t looks like we are back in the seventies, is this a good or bad thing and what should we do?

return to what we feel is normal soon. Alas, the world keeps churning out surprises with the unexpected almost becoming the new normal.

• Fruit and Veg prices going up as a result of recent rains and supply issues of fertiliser etc.

• The good news is people got through the 70’s unscathed.

Has this happened before?

• Times were tough but they only lasted a few years.

What is currently impacting the world?

The last time the world faced such economic issues was in the early 1970’s; • Israel was invaded in the six day war (was a lot quicker than the Ukraine War) and the Vietnam War was ending.

• Super returns were negative or low.

• War in the Ukraine is pushing up world energy prices for oil, gas and coal. This will have a direct impact for all of us as we see significant increases in prices. • China working towards a zero Covid Policy – this is causing signifi - cant supply chain disruptions and further uncertainty in mineral prices (iron ore down) and world economic development.

• Investing was risky and a job was crucial.

But the 70’s did deliver Disco, Bell Bottoms, Flower Power and peace and love! So go out get your flares, put a flower in your hair, hug someone and let’s work together to get through these uncertain times. Anthony Rous Chief Financial Officer

• USA inflation was high and interest rates increasing.

• Basic food shortages – wheat etc.

• The world went into recession and stagflation arose – inflation and a recession.

• Inflation lifting and as a result the Reserve Bank of Australia is lifting

TEAMING UP FOR GREAT THINGS

because of the experience level of those Team Members in the room.

much overdue training.

I've had the privilege recently to assist the Teams and run NET in Adelaide. We’ve also just completed two NET courses for the NZ Teams. At the same time, Wayne Brown has conducted some bigger groups in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It has been refreshing to be back out there, to see enthusiasm and hunger to learn more about the business. Likewise, it's been quite surprising to see how significantly training has been interrupted with many Team Members attending having been part of the KSS family for over a year! We aim for Team Members to get through NET somewhere around their 8 to 12 week mark after joining us. It's led to a different experience for some and a nice opportunity for a deeper dive into some subjects simply

There’s been great discussion on many of the key principles including a deeper understanding of the three pillars of storage, the principles behind FREEDOM and our goal to be a Famous Household Name. It was a pleasure to visit the Hawkes Bay Team and be hosted by Nell and her Teammates. Onekawa is a great venue, a really pretty town near Ahuriri and Napier. They suffered through my dad jokes with dignity and stoicism. They should be proud! Seriously though, congratulations to all who attended; Marie, Joshua, Terry, Toni, Caren, Steve and Lyn for completing their NET. You’re in charge now!

W ith the relaxing of Covid rules and the opening of borders, many of you will have seen a push by us at THQ and within Operations to get back into L to R: Toni Metz (TSM), Terry Friel (Tauranga), Marie Sullivan (Hastings), Joshua Beach (Napier/Onekawa).

Darryl Hodgson NSW Operations Manager

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FEATURE

NZ UP AND RUNNING POST COVID

As we come into a new financial year, our NZ Team have finally returned to normal after a significant period of constant recruitment. Borders opening up has either created opportuni - ties for travel or enabled people to move locations as life events occur.

R egretfully we saw Chris Peters (Wairau Valley) returning to the finance industry, Simeon Brown (ex Three Kings) return to the UK and more recently Jimmy Duthie (ex Hastings) leave to return to Banking. It is always sad to see good people move on but that is reality and I now take the opportunity to welcome Beena Rani to Three Kings, Emma Fraser to Mt Eden and Ange Huawai (ex Murarrie QLD) to the Napier Team. I congratu- late Maree Sullivan (pictured above) on her successful internal promotion as the new Hastings Manager and Joshua Guys transfer from Mt Eden to Wairau Valley. All of the NZ sites maintained high performance occupancy levels and the portfolio grew an impressive 21% in revenue or 12.7% on a like for like site basis in the last financial year.

understand how new customers found the experience and where we can improve, instead of just ringing about their complementary insurance being up for renewal. The Teams have also considered how we operate the sites as efficiently as possible to save costs in this higher than normal inflating environment where value pricing is more desired. Now is a good time for all sites to check for any signs of complacency and replace them with excitement and opportunity. Business is going to become more challenging, however that is the fun part, we all have to engage and sharpen the saw with our approach, to continue the momentum and march towards making Kennards a Family Household Name.

The key now is to maintain this momentum as we now operate in a challenging post Covid world where the economy is not as optimistic. NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR ALL SITES TO CHECK FOR ANY SIGNS OF COMPLACENCY AND REPLACE THEM WITH EXCITEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY The NZ Team have been reviewing their handling of the basics, as when the going gets tough, it is how well we do them that will reward us with continued growth. All sales enquiries are treated as gold and followed up. Care Calls are used as an opportunity to really ‘ ‘

Andrew Kirkham NZ Operations Manager

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FEATURE

STORAGE LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD

The last two years have been good for storage in Australia and New Zealand, and this trend continues in 2022 with strong results driven by both occupancy and fee rate growth. Average occupancy in like-for-like stores is estimated at 88%. I would suggest that for the established operators it is closer to mid to low 90’s. According to recent Self Storage Association of Australasia industry data (2021) the average storage fee rate is ~A$304 per square metre per annum. As a result, revenue has been strong with the more established operators achieving double digit growth, helped also by a reduction in the use of discounts and incentives. ment since the pandemic, we have observed a significant demographic shift in people moving away from the major cities to more regional locations, largely for lifestyle reasons. Improved occupancy in regional stores that have historically experienced low fee rates, combined with new customers with different price expectations has allowed greater capacity for fee rate growth, in turn leading to a higher rate growth in regional rather than major city locations. Most significant population shifts have occurred in states such as Victoria and New South Wales to other Australian states that offered potentially a better lifestyle. The resilience and success of the storage industry has been attributed to a macroeconomic level of population and national wage growth. Australia has seen neither of these for the last two years. Rather, the pandemic has caused disruption for many people and self storage is driven by disruption; you could say the 4’D’s can be consoli- dated under one “D” for disruption. As we well know international travel and overseas migration slowed to almost zero as expected with closed borders. Another interesting factor has been that because of the changing work environ-

Interstate migration patterns were disrupted as mentioned, while birth and death rates showed relatively little change. In 2020, Australia's population grew by 136,300 people, or 0.5% and this is a sharp decline from the 1.5% population growth in 2019. Australia is considered among the most mobile of societies in the world with 15% of the population changing their address within Australia in the year prior to the 2016 Census, and 39% changing their address in the five years prior to the Census May 2018. I imagine the next census results will indicate a sharp spike in these statistics. Data released in 2021 by the Self Storage Association of Australasia indicated that the industry continues to expand in size, estimating 1,570 self storage facilities across Australia and 490 in New Zealand with more than six million square meters of space servicing nearly half a million self storage customers. The estimated combined turnover of $1.5 Billion augurs well for the industry. The introduction of new storage supply has been a little slower over the last 24 months but is estimated to increase by 12% on the East Coast alone in 2022 according to recent data from the Self Storage Association of Australasia. The rate of existing supply across Austral- asia is 2.11, up from 2.04 in 2020 (measured as floor space in square feet per capita for ease of comparison). New Zealand’s rate of supply leads Australia, at 2.34 (NZ). Australia has fared well economically during the pandemic with economic growth currently at 3.3% and unemployment down to 3.9%, techni- cally a 48-year low. ‘ into storage and more importantly, people who have never needed or experienced storage before now do ‘ The pandemic has driven more people

There are going to be many challenges and unknowns facing Australian businesses in the near future. The low unemployment rate, low to no immigra- tion, and populations leaving the major cities, are causing major disruptions to many businesses who are finding it challenging to maintain their workforce. Job vacancies are at record highs, close to 50% higher than the prior year. Australians are taking advantage of this situation to seek more favourable working conditions. For most people this is positive however the reality is it will drive up costs. Supply chain disrup- tion is hurting many businesses who rely on imports to provide their products and services. We can see the effects on supermarket shelves that are empty. In addition, there are growing concerns around rising inflation although many believe this could be a short-term event related to the pandemic. None the less it is being watched closely and the Reserve Bank is responding, with cash rate increases. No one is sure how long the height- ened demand for storage will last. The Self Storage Association of Australasia’s recent data indicated that our customers of today are our customers of tomorrow. Customers storing today indicated a 50% chance of needing storage again in the future. The pandemic has driven more people into storage and more importantly, people who have never needed or experi- enced storage before now do. Has this created a new base of customers for the future? Awareness of self storage has increased and I’m optimistic this will be true for the industry. The combination of expected signifi - cant new storage supply, high storage fee rates and high occupancy results will inhibit revenue growth. Combined with higher costs, may create some headwinds into the future. Time to brush up on those sales skills! What does the future hold for self storage in Australia?

Darren Marshall Chief Operating Officer

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PROPERTY

SPOTLIGHT ON WETHERILL PARK

KSS Wetherill Park is located on the corner of Cowpasture Road and The Horsley Drive, next to a major roundabout, giving the centre a lot of exposure to the busy passing traffic. The original buildings were built in 1988 as a Purpose Built self storage centre. It had an office with a flat upstairs which a Manager could live in. There was also a row of industrial units built in front of the centre which also had a flat built into it. In 2009 there was an extension that saw the old office demolished and a new three-story building erected with a new office. The existing industrial units were converted into self storage units. As of last week, we have just completed the latest extension in the vacant lot next door. This contains 219 new units, including four mini warehouses with shop frontage. Except for the industrial units that were converted into self storage units the rest of the centre is Purpose Built. We have a combination of alarmed and unalarmed units, driveway units, corridor units, upper level units and mini warehouses. Being a Ranch Style centre, we have more drive-up units than the average centre. The new shop front warehouses are a unique addition, they have access straight onto the street. We are interested to see how they rent up.

In total we now have 927 units. Our largest unit is 14.1 x 9 square metres with a mezzanine of 9 x 5 square metres for a total of 172 square metres of rentable space. We don’t really have any local competi- tion in Wetherill Park. Being in an industrial area we have more business customers than most centres. We have a customer “Mr Fancy Candy” who has been with us for over a year now and has an online

store that sells all kinds of candies and snacks. Or as they describe it; “Exotic rare treats from all around the world here in Australia.” Our Team here at Wetherill Park consists of Phillip Gallop, Centre Manager, Bianca Adattini, Assistant Manager and Trina-Stassia Fuli, Part Time Assistant Manager.

Phillip Gallop Centre Manager KSS Wetherill Park

L to R: Phillip Gallop, Centre Manager with Bianca Adattini, Assistant Manager and Mr Fancy Candy

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FEATURE

WHISTLEBLOWERS, COURAGE UNDER FIRE

What is Whistleblowing? “Calling attention to a wrongdoing that is occurring in the business”, according to Google.

O ver recent times I’ve started to get worried about how and when whistleblowing is encouraged. My concern is that we are trying to turn society into Policemen. I don’t think that ends well for anyone. On the news, Government and law enforce- ment have been encouraging the public to speak out for any breach of Covid rules. I’m not sure society knows where to draw the line at such requests. In some jurisdictions like the United States, whistleblowing is legislated and companies need to provide a framework that allows for employees to call out wrongdoing in a safe and confidential manner. Despite my recent worries whistle- blowing is incredibly valuable to a business. It minimises risk and harm to

the business and its people. When you have a Team who possess the courage and have the trust in the business to speak up, it creates an environment with less controls and more freedom to go about their daily work. Over the years and even recently Team Members have stepped up and called out behaviours contrary to who we are and what we do

We are a geographically spread workforce making supervision very difficult and it is not our preferred method of operating, instead preferring to place an enormous amount of trust in our people. Sadly, from time-to-time people have done the wrong thing. Regardless of having a formal Whistleblower Policy or regulations I am proud to say we definitely have a Team of people who care. Over the years and even recently Team Members have stepped up and called out behaviours contrary to who we are and what we do. This bravery will always be welcomed and celebrated in our business so that we can maintain and foster a workforce of people who care.

It demonstrates that the people in the business are ethical and care about what happens in the business. Every business owner’s dream!

Darren Marshall Chief Operating Officer

15 Kennards Kourier July 2022

PROPERTY/REVIEWS

KSS EXPANDS IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS

T he Southern Highlands has been a magnet for travellers for more than a century, drawn to the lush landscapes, rustic charm, and a slew of pretty villages. A new generation of food makers, wineries, retailers, and hoteliers continue to make the region the ideal destination to rewind, refresh and rejuvenate. The Southern Highlands is around a 90 minute drive from Sydney and less than two hours drive from Canberra. GOOGLE REVIEWS TRUGANINA VIC Stored our boat here, staff are friendly and very understanding. 24 hour access secured storage! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for storage space. Population growth in the Highlands has accelerated in recent years, the desire

to move away from the noise, pollution and crowds has increased. Awakening the need to be closer to nature so we can slow down and smell the roses. The demand for storage in the area has also increased and the need for an extra burst of blue and orange colour was inevitable! We recently acquired two proper- ties formerly Storage Express, now known as Kennards Self Storage Moss Vale 2 and another satellite site to our current Mittagong site. The acquisi- tion strengthens our position in the Modern facilities and awesome customer service from Chris and the Team! Were up front and transparent about the terms and storage access! Highly recommended. CAMPERDOWN NSW Both Ben and Andrew were very helpful. They’re knowledgeable and enthusiastic, providing good customer service with a smile. ABBOTSFORD LANGRIDGE ST VIC Emma and the team at Kennards Abbots- ford are fantastic. Friendly and extremely helpful. Definitely recommend! COORPAROO QLD

Southern Highlands.

Moss Vale 2 at 1 Farmers Place, will operate as a stand-alone centre for now. When we open our new larger project on Berrima Road Moss Vale, the centre will then transition into a satellite operation. The Moss Vale 2 centre has approximately 350 spaces. The Mittagong satellite at 8 Frankland Street, will become part of the KSS Mittagong operation. The Mittagong centre has 100 spaces. Jelena Stricevic NSW Operations Manager

CAMPBELLTOWN BLAXLAND RD NSW

Absolutely excellent experience. If you go and manage to get helped by Bronwyn you will definitely be wanting to go back. Very helpful and super friendly. Would give a sixth star if I could.

MAROOCHYDORE QLD

WARRAWONG NSW

Used Kennards Self Storage Maroochy- dore for a few years never any issues and always very friendly and helpful. Thank you.

Amazingly friendly service and really helpful! We hired for a month but only needed three weeks, so were refunded a week of fees. Easy access, great security and super clean! Highly recommend.

PORT MELBOURNE VIC

Fantastic service, so helpful. David at the Port Melbourne site was just lovely assisting us with sourcing a new (and cheaper) storage locker. They were even able to provide a forklift and trolley jack to get our items from the transport vehicle into our locker. I would have been lost without their advice.

MILE END SA

WAIRAU VALLEY NZ

Exceptional friendly and efficient service. Highly recommended for all storage needs!! The staff were very friendly and helpful to all our needs above and beyond the call of duty.

Great facility. Super easy to sign up and terminate rental. The staff were very helpful and responsive to emails. Super secure, really great set up. Highly recommend.

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FEATURE

WHAT'S A PHOTO SHOOT WITHOUT LAST-MINUTE DRAMA

E arlier this year Sharon and I introduced you to the Slaters, a young couple who were moving into their new home. It was part of a series of staged photo shoots planned in the pipeline to capture the “people side” of our business. We are now pleased to bring you shoot number two. It's Moving Day at Macquarie Park. But what’s a photo shoot without some last-minute drama! It was 8.30pm the night before and the phone rings, it was the Talent Agency. “We’re sorry but the talent has Covid”. It was the phone call every set director dreads. The furniture props had been delivered, the unit staged, and for the first time in months the weather was on our side. More importantly, the photographer was set to meet us at 8.30am the following morning and the furniture picked up later that afternoon. There was less than 12 hours to pull the shoot together. We jumped on the phone and madly starting ringing Team Members in hope to find someone who might

in. The day presented many laughs as guests dropped in to see what all the action was about, (Sam Kennard pictured above left, with Melissa and Jordan, Photographer - Orlando Sydney). As we continued the day, we were able to visually harness the real and genuine people side of what we do. Working through our storyboards we success- fully captured yet another round of our 'Store with People Who Care' values. It's branding images like these that customers can relate to, appealing to our customers emotions and relatable life experiences. We will now work towards capturing our niche markets to complete the KSS portfolio. Wine Storage, Business Storage, Deposit Boxes, Gun Storage, Lockers, are all on the 'to do' list and we will continue to share these photos as they are completed. Keep an eye on the KSS Website and Social Media channels, as we start to bring these images to life.

be able to stand in. As a last resort it was going to be myself or Sharon, determined by a best of three, rock, paper, scissors shoot out. Thankfully, the Agency pulled through with a new young couple and we were both spared. As we continued the day, we were able to visually harness the real and genuine people side of what we do. We success- fully captured yet another round of our 8.30am and the shoot came together, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Melissa and Jordan, a young couple who slotted right into the moving mindset. Through a series of photos, we took them on a journey of buying boxes, viewing storage units, and moving ‘ ‘ 'Store with People Who Care' values

Fiona Harding Business Development Manager

17 Kennards Kourier July 2022

TRAINING

10 STEPS TO BECOME A BETTER LEARNER Knowing the most effective strategies for how to learn can help you maximise your efforts when you are trying to learn new ideas, concepts and skills. If you are like me, your time is limited, so it is important to get the most value out of the time you have.

S peed of learning is not the only important factor however. It is important to be able to accurately remember the information that you learn, recall it at a later time, and use it effectively in a wide variety of situations. Knowing how to learn well is not something that happens overnight, but putting a few of these learning techniques into daily practice can help you get more out of your learning. 1 Improve Your Memory There are a number of different strategies that can boost memory. Basic tips such as improving your focus is a good place to start. There are more lessons from psychology that can dramatically improve our learning efficiency. - Spending time socialising with other people. - Getting enough sleep. - Eliminating distractions so you can focus on what you are learning. - Organising the information you are learning to make it easier to remember. - Using elaborative rehearsal when studying; when you learn something Strategies that can help improve your memory include:

new, spend a few moments describing it to yourself in your own words. - Using visual aids like photographs, graphs, and charts. - Read the information you are learning out loud. - Getting regular physical exercise, which is linked to improvements in memory and brain health. For example, you might use general learning techniques like setting aside quiet time to learn, rehearsing, and reading information aloud. You might combine this with strategies that can foster better memory, such as exercising and socializing. 2 Keep Learning New Things One sure-fire way to become a more effective learner is to simply keep learning. Research has found that the brain is capable of producing new brain cells, a process known as neurogen- esis. However, many of these cells will eventually die unless a person engages in some type of meaning learning. So, if you are learning a skill it is important to keep practicing in order to maintain the gains you have achieved. This "use-it-or-lose-it" phenomenon involves a brain process known as "pruning." In pruning, certain pathways

in the brain are maintained, while others are eliminated. If you want the new information you just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it. 3 Learn in Multiple Ways Another one of the best ways to learn is to focus on learning in more than one way. For example, instead of just listening to a podcast, which involves auditory learning, find a way to rehearse the information both verbally and visually. This might involve describing what you learned to a friend, taking notes, or drawing a mind map. By learning in more than one way, you’re further cementing the knowledge in your own mind. on a laptop, tablet, or computer. Research has found that longhand notes can help cement information in memory more effectively than digital note-taking. 4 Teach What You Are Learning Educators have long noted that one of the best ways to learn One helpful tip is to try writing out your notes on paper rather than typing

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TRAINING

10 STEPS TO BECOME A BETTER LEARNER the mistakes were close to the actual answer was actually a helpful part of the learning process.

covered on the test.

something is to teach it to someone else. Remember your year six presenta- tion? By teaching the rest of the class, your teacher hoped you would gain even more from the assignment. You can apply the same principle today by sharing newly learned skills and knowledge with others. Start by translating the information into your own words. This process alone helps solidify new knowledge in your brain. Next, find some way to share what you’ve learned. 5 Build on Previous Learning Another great way to become a more effective learner is to use relational learning, which involves relating new information to things that you already know. new vocabulary and grammar you are learning with what you already know about your native language or other languages you may already speak. 6 Gain Practical Experience For many of us, learning typically involves reading textbooks, podcasts, classes or doing research online. While seeing information and then writing it down is important, actually putting new knowledge and skills into practice can be one of the best ways to improve learning. If it is a sport, athletic skill or instrument perform the activity on a regular basis. If you are learning a new language, practice speaking with another person and surround yourself with language- immersion experiences. Watch foreign- language films and strike up conversa - tions with native speakers to practice your budding skills. 7 Don't Be Afraid to Make Mistakes Research suggests that making mistakes when learning can improve learning outcomes. According to one study, trial-and-error learning where For example, if you are learning a new language, you might associate the

This phenomenon, known as the testing effect, suggests that spending time retrieving information from memory improves the long-term memory of that information. This retrieval practice makes it more likely that you will be able to remember that information again in the future. Stop Multitasking For many years, it was thought that people who multitask (perform more than one activity at once) had an edge over those who did not. However, research now suggests that multitasking can actually make learning less effective. Multitasking involves trying to do more than one thing at the same time. It can also involve quickly switching back and forth between tasks or trying to rapidly perform tasks one after the other. According to research, doing this not only makes people less produc- tive when they work but also impairs attention and reduces comprehension. Multitasking when you are studying makes it harder to focus on the information and reduces how much you understand it. Research has also found that media multitasking, or dividing attention between different media sources, can also have a detrimental impact on learning and academic performance. SUMMARY If you want to know how to learn, it is important to explore learning techniques that have been shown to be effective. Strategies such as boosting your memory and learning in multiple ways can be helpful. Regularly learning new things, using distributed practice and testing yourself can also be helpful in becoming a more efficient learner.

Another study found that mistakes followed by corrective feedback can be beneficial to learning. So if you make a mistake when learning something new, spend some time correcting the mistake and examining how you arrived at the incorrect answer. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO LEARN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE LEARNING TECHNIQUES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE This strategy can help foster critical thinking skills and make you more adaptable in learning situations that require being able to change your mind. 8 Use Distributed Practice Another strategy that can help is known as Distributed Practice. Instead of trying to cram all of your learning into a few long study sessions, try a brief, focused session, and then take a break. So if you were learning a new language, you might devote a period of time to an intensive session of studying. After a break, you would then come back and rehearse your previous learning while also extending it to new learning. This process of returning for brief sessions over a long period of time is one of the best ways to learn efficiently and effectively. 9 Take Tests While it may seem that spending more time studying is one of the best ways to maximise learning, research has demonstrated that taking tests actually helps you better remember what you've learned, even if it wasn't ‘ ‘

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Wayne Brown Learning & Development Manager

19 Kennards Kourier July 2022