Mission Statement #
uStore-it aims to provide every home and business with a professional self-storage facility who delivers reliable, secure clean and timely storage solutions and the opportunity for franchisees to operate a storage owned business within the parameters of a proven successful, professional and comprehensive business package on the market today.”
Franchise Operations Manual #
The purpose of this manual is to serve as a guide for franchisees to get accustomed to the proprietary franchise operations of a uStore-it UK Franchise.
This manual covers key components of your franchise in relevant segments and offers helpful advice and generalizations for success in the marketplace.
It is the hope of the uStore-it Support Centre that you will take the lessons inside and incorporate them into your operation for a greater degree of success with your franchise.
From time to time, there will be updates and changes to the Ustore-it Operations Manual.
Suggestions and submissions are always welcomed for review by Ustore-it, If these suggestions or submissions improve the existing franchise model, they will be included in subsequent versions of this operations manual.
Manual Disclaimer #
The uStore-it Franchise Operations Manual is used as a model of proprietary business operations in the self-storage industry and are not wholly responsible for the success of a franchise operation.
Sections are subject to change as the franchise develops and grows. As changes occur, uStore-it will update and maintain this manuals and any other associated material, news or information necessary to improve your franchise.
Welcome to uStore-it #
Dear Franchisee
To our valued Franchisee Partners,
Welcome to the future of Self Storage! Ustore-it was created in Spain to become the best-selling, most secure, user friendly, professional self-Storage concept on the market today. This concept was created on a carefully-planned strategy to take advantage of the weaknesses in the competition—from the same old same old store in a crate, inconvenient, costly and user-unfriendly offerings on the market today.
From our previous sales and marketing efforts, we know that we are sitting on a winning formula. Our unit rental sales continue to grow year on year starting with nil unit rentals in June 2014 to now having over 800 rented units under the corporate umbrella. Our corporate office (Support Centre) has worked tirelessly to see that Ustore-it becomes the household name that it deserves to become the number one go to Franchise Opportunity.
Our Support Centre has achieved success in the areas of marketing, sales and public relations in order to give you, the franchisee, the right tools you need to succeed. And we will be here for you every step of the way.
We thank you for becoming part of the Ustore-it Family!
Sincerely,
Mark Hare
Founder & Chairman
uStore-it
Mark Hare – Biography #
Mark Hare is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Ustore-it. A seasoned business professional with an extensive career in ownership and operation of multiple industry categories, Mark Hare Co-founded Ustore-it after previously serving as Co-Founder of Cash Converters U.K. Introducing Cash Converters to Europe via the UK. and with an eventual main board floatation on the London and Australian Stock Exchanges. From this inside position, he took a keen interest in all aspects of what made Self storage brands a success, and then founded uStore-it.
Mark is responsible for representing uStore-it in an executive capacity with specific oversight of all national uStore-it franchise and distribution agreements.
Mark is an accomplished International business executive, successful entrepreneur, and industry leader with extensive experience in business start-ups, consolidations and franchise roll outs. In the past, Mark has specialised in Night Clubs, Bars, Restaurants and Hotels and has successfully (sometimes unsuccessfully) been involved in the property industry in the UK and here in Spain
Mark was also responsible for the Introduction of Young Biz, a Miami based education learning program for young children aged 13-16. Teaching them entrepreneurship skills, and finance education lifetime skills (See Sotogrande School).
Mark was also responsible for the successful introduction of Hire-a Hubby an Australian home handyman business here in the UK
Mark was born in Georgetown, Guyana, South America. He attended Marist College in Hull and at the age of 17 entered the Night Club Industry at Scamps Night Club and Hofbrauhaus in George Street, Hull, becoming one of the youngest Licensees in the UK at that time (18 years of age) for a premises holding 2000 people.
Mark then went to live in Perth Western Australia before moving back to the UK in September 1975 whereupon he became the Licensee of a Night Club Bar and Restaurant adjacent to the Tottenham Hotspurs ground where he spent 15 magnificent and memorable years.
History of uStore-it #
uStore-it was incepted in 2014, thus beginning a process that led the company to the current level of success.
As previously mentioned, Ustore-it was created by utilizing a complete evaluation process to take advantage of the self-storage competition’s mistakes. From branded taste, colour, appeal, marketing, sales techniques and public relations, Ustore-it has blazed a path by becoming a unique self-storage offering in a not so crowded marketplace.
In May of 2016, uStore-it began marketing its franchise formula with the the sale of its first franchise to Viv Gilliland, (who was storing goods with uStore-it in Manilva), in anticipation of an eventual move from South Africa to Spain
The company has now received many enquiries for franchise territories with firm reservation deposits being placed.
In May of 2018, Ustore-it branched out to a property in Duquesa Port introducing the uStore-it Express type version. Mainly to capture and capitalize on the shortage of storage space within the local bar/restaurant community, the facility quickly filled up and operates on a 24-hour basis with no staff employed on the premises.
In early 2017, a specialist in SEO, public relations, technical and marketing team were appointed with a brief to aggressively market the business together with the recruitment of franchisees whilst at the same time benefitting our uStore-it franchisees by way of market penetration and the rental of storage units..
uStore-it now has franchisees working across 13 storage centres on the Costa del Sol. With the introduction of our first franchise in Dalston London slated for opening in April 2025
The Franchise Model #
The concept of a franchise is very simple. It is to take a successful working model with proven systems and results and replicate the same with expert and continual support to help ensure the business is successful.
Start-up businesses do not usually have access to support and mentoring, and those that are operating a self-storage business often find it difficult to cover everything, waste money and therefore struggle for success.
Franchised businesses are statistically proven to be more successful than any other type of start-up business[1]. Franchisees still enjoy the independence of operating their own business but with the advantage of working under a corporate umbrella and enjoying the support of the brand.
The brand then expands and becomes better known through generic growth and increased exposure.
Another advantage of owning a franchise is that your privately owned business should increase in value as more franchisees join the network.
While you may be micro-managing your own business, other franchisees are doing the same in their local area bringing more brand awareness, and an increase in market position.
With corporate advertising we can reach a wider audience and can consider local radio and TV as media opportunities which would otherwise be difficult for normal start-up businesses to contemplate.
Can you imagine a TV or radio advert showing your business and the amount this would cost you? As a group however we can achieve this.
We come into contact with franchised businesses on a daily basis. Whether we are taking a morning coffee, a lunchtime sandwich or filling our car with fuel, we are more than likely interacting with a franchised business.
uStore-it is a proven self-storage franchise, offering a professional alternative to the same old same old “storage in a crate” and has the reputation of being trustworthy and reliable, giving new and old customers a welcomed confidence.
[1] Source: Spanish Franchise Association
Key Personnel #
Mark Hare #
Chairman & Co-Founder
Responsible for representing uStore-it in an executive capacity with specific oversight of all national uStore-it franchise and distribution agreements.
+44 7831 172306
Mark is supported by Stuart Kelly. Stuarts role as Operations Director is invaluable having had nearly 5 years experience in owning and running his own Ustore-it Franchise Business in Alhaurin de la Torre.
Stuart Kelly #
#
Operations Director
Responsible for the development of the franchise and franchisee support.
Stuart spent over 30 years in the Defence Industry in the UK, working for the UK Ministry of Defence for the majority of that time and also consulting in supporting defence equipment for a few years.
When he and his family decided to move to Spain in 2020, he wanted to continue working but also wanted to do something different to his original specialist area.
Talking to Mark about the uStore-it franchise model, he became very interested, liked the business model, and opened up his own franchised self storage facility on 2021.
Since then he has doubled his rentable space and now has over 150 units and is running a successful business.
+34 617 075 015
operations@ustore-it.eu
