Episode Introduction:
Discussing self-storage investing with Kris Benson, CIO. Lot’s of talk lately on this asset class and why this should be an investment you should consider to diversify your portfolio with.
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Podcast Episode Summary:
- What is REIT activity telling us about the Self Storage Asset Class?
- What metrics are driving demand for self-storage
- Where are the opportunities in the Self Storage industry and their demand for new development?
- Kris discusses Reliant Investments value-add strategies
- What is Kris’s morning routine for success and what is he most grateful for
Guest Biography:
Kris Benson recognized that “just because all the dogs are barking at the same tree doesn’t mean it is the right tree.” As Chief Investment Officer at Reliant Investments, he is confident in the risks he has taken, the career changes he’s navigated and the “tree” he has established his investment platform on.
After accepting his first job in sales “because I had diapers to buy,” Kris learned both the value and difficulty of cold calling while developing a “hunter” mentality at ADP. He joined the medical device industry with Covidien and later transitioned to Intuitive Surgical, famous for its DaVinci robot.
Kris quit his “corporate job and elected “to find a way to stop trading my time for money and to let my money make money.” He launched his commercial real estate journey, appreciating the value of investing intangible assets. Kris started investing in small residential units over 10 years ago and expanded to commercial multifamily properties before making the jump to self-storage.
Partnering with Todd Allen, managing principal at Reliant Investments, Kris focuses his leadership and management skills on the commercial real estate company’s investment committee, which determines what self-storage properties to purchase while growing equity and creating passive income streams for investors.
His ultimate goal is to help people understand that there is no one route to success: In his words, “School = Job = Security = Retirement = Happiness doesn’t have to be the path everyone follows.”
Focused on making the most of his own quality time, Kris loves to play – spending time outdoors mountain biking, skiing, boating and hiking as well as coaching his son’s lacrosse team.
While listening to a podcast, he was struck by the words: Risk is the tariff paid to leave the shores of predictable misery.
Kris’ risks have paid off as he has charted his own course while building Reliant into an institutional quality investment platform with his partners.