What Makes Self Storage Such a Strong Industry for Women?
A Changing Industry
For industries connected to property, logistics and operations, women have historically been underrepresented. Across the wider UK transport and logistics sector, women still make up only around 27% of the workforce, and in some operational roles, the number is even lower.
But the self storage industry is different.
Over the last few years, more women have become visible across every part of the industry - from site management and operations to marketing, technology, customer experience and senior leadership roles. Attend any self storage conference today and you’ll see women leading discussions, running businesses, building brands and growing some of the industry’s most recognisable companies.
Across the UK business landscape, progress is happening, but leadership gaps still exist. Women now hold around 43% of FTSE 350 board positions, compared to less than 10% in 2011. Yet women still make up only around 36% of leadership roles overall, and female CEOs remain rare across many industries.
Why Self Storage Feels Different
What makes self storage interesting is that the industry has quietly built a culture where relationships, networking and visibility matter. It’s an industry where people know each other, support each other and are willing to have conversations, and that creates opportunity.
For many women entering the industry, seeing other women already succeeding within it makes a huge difference. Whether it’s women leading operational teams, running marketing departments, speaking on conference panels or managing large-scale projects, that visibility creates confidence for others coming into the sector too.
More Than One Career Path
One of the strengths of self storage is the variety of career paths within the industry. Some people enter through operations or customer service, others through sales, marketing, technology, construction, ecommerce or business development. It’s an industry where careers can grow quickly, and where networking often opens doors to new opportunities.
At WiSE, we’ve seen first-hand how valuable those connections can be.
Some women attended their very first industry conference through WiSE and walked away having met new contacts, built confidence and formed relationships they still have today. Others spoke about how refreshing it was to meet women from across different parts of the industry and realise there was already a strong network around them.
Why WiSE Exists
That’s exactly why WiSE exists.
Not because the industry needed fixing, but because there was an opportunity to bring more women together, celebrate the women already making an impact and help more people feel part of the industry from the beginning of their careers.
As self storage continues to grow across the UK and Europe, more women are entering the sector, building long-term careers and becoming increasingly visible throughout the industry.
And that’s something worth talking about.
