WiscoREIA Investor Deep Dive
Curious About Self-Storage... But Not Sure Where to Start?
Click here to pre-register!
Thinking About Investing in Self-Storage? Start Here.
Self-storage has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in commercial real estate, but for many investors, getting started can feel overwhelming.
Where do you find deals?
How do you analyze them?
How much money do you really need?
Is now the right time to invest?
Join Chris Hake and Alex Pardo for a practical, educational discussion designed specifically for investors who are curious about self-storage but aren't sure where to begin.
This isn't a sales presentation—it's an opportunity to learn from two experienced investors who have successfully bought, owned, and coached others in self-storage investing.
Whether you're just getting started or you've looked at a few deals and aren't sure what to do next, you'll leave with practical insights and a clear understanding of your next steps.
During this Investor Deep Dive, you'll learn:
✅ Why so many investors are turning to self-storage.
✅ The biggest myths that keep people from getting started.
✅ What your first self-storage investment opportunity should really look like.
✅ The different ways investors are getting into self-storage today.
✅ Common mistakes first-time buyers make—and how to avoid them.
✅ A simple roadmap to help you determine whether self-storage is the right fit for your investing goals.
✅ Live Q&A with Chris Hake and Alex Pardo.
Don't miss this opportunity to gain real-world insights, ask your questions, and discover whether self-storage could be the next step in your investing journey.
Alex Pardo is a self-storage owner, investor, and coach who helps real estate investors and W-2 professionals buy their first cash-flowing self-storage facility—often within 6 to 12 months—without needing prior experience or their own capital.
Before entrepreneurship, Alex was selected into General Electric’s prestigious Financial Management Program. Shortly after, he packed a backpack and spent 3½ months traveling across Europe, visiting 23 countries and 51 cities—an early signal that freedom, not comfort, would shape his life.
Alex entered real estate in 2005, building a highly successful single-family wholesaling and flipping business in Miami. Over the next 15+ years, he closed more than 750 transactions and founded multiple high-level mastermind communities for entrepreneurs seeking better businesses and better lives.
In 2020, despite running a profitable operation, Alex made the difficult decision to walk away from houses and transition into self-storage—without prior storage experience and without using his own money. He navigated the financial, operational, and identity challenges of that shift and went on to own multiple facilities across Florida and Mississippi, totaling over 100,000 net rentable square feet. Today, he continues to own and operate self-storage while actively structuring creative, relationship-driven deals.
Alex is the founder of Storage Wins, a coaching community and education platform designed to simplify self-storage investing and help everyday people move from confusion to confident action. His approach emphasizes clarity, relationships, creative deal structures, and what he calls relationship capital—the backbone of every deal he’s done.
He is also the host of the Storage Wins Podcast (formerly The Flip Empire Show), with over 760 episodes, where he shares real conversations, real lessons, and real stories from investors who are building freedom without trading their lives for it.
Most importantly, Alex is a man of faith, a devoted husband to his wife Natalie, and a proud father to his two daughters, Arianna and Alessia. Family, faith, and alignment come first—and everything he builds flows from that foundation.
Through his businesses, coaching, and content, Alex’s mission is simple:
help others achieve real freedom—financially, relationally, and personally—while living fully with the people who matter most.
Chris Hake – WiscoREIA Owner
Real Estate Investor | Educator | Coach | Entrepreneur
Chris Hake was the founder and driving force behind the rise of Madison REIA, which he launched in August 2012. In 2021, he merged Madison REIA with WiscoREIA, expanding its reach to ELEVEN monthly REIA meeting locations across Wisconsin and growing its community base of guests and members to over 1000 active investors and entrepreneurs.
With more than 30 years of hands-on experience in real estate, Chris is passionate about giving back. He continues to lead monthly meetings in Madison and frequently shares the lessons he's learned from decades "in the trenches." Chris is most energized by helping new investors discover if real estate is the right path for them, and if so, guiding them to the best possible start for long-term success. He speaks regularly at events throughout Wisconsin and across the U.S., covering topics on real estate investing, business, and personal growth.
A lifelong Madisonian, Chris began his investing journey with a house hack in 1994 and since been involved in hundreds of flips and rental properties. Over the years, he has raised more than $20 million to fund deals and has trained thousands of students through his local coaching programs. From 2006 to 2010, he also taught the Real Estate Investing course at Madison Area Technical College, where hundreds more learned the fundamentals from his real-world approach.
Today, Chris focuses much of his energy on growing Just Simple Storage LLC, a storage investment company he founded that now owns 900 units across 9 facilities in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.
Outside of real estate, Chris is a devoted husband to his wife, Suzanna, and a proud father to their three boys: Tyler, Tanner, and Trelan. He’s also a fan of classic muscle cars (especially Corvettes and Mustangs), and enjoys outdoor adventures like golf, fishing, and pickleball. At his core, Chris is committed to living out his Life and Business Vision each day, guided by strong values and a passion for helping others succeed.
Feel free to reach out to Chris at chrishake@gmail.com
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