Navigating the Wholesale Frontier: Secure Storage Shed’s Journey from Repos to Resilience

In just a few short years, Secure Storage Sheds has carved out a meaningful space for itself in the portable storage building industry. Guided by Jeremy Gaither—a seasoned shed builder who branched out on his own in 2018—the company has found its footing and more. Originally enticed by the prospect of selling repossessed sheds, Jeremy quickly realized there was a bigger opportunity awaiting in the wholesale market. Opting for a hands-on approach, he established partnerships with manufacturers to supply his own line of buildings. Now, five years down the line, Secure Storage is doing more than just staying afloat. Thanks to Jeremy’s dedication to teamwork, collaboration, and win-win partnerships, the company continues to prosper.

Getting Started with a Bold New Vision

Jeremy recalls, “I’ve been in sheds all my life. I grew up, kind of like you, just building, delivering, selling, whatever needed to be done, that’s what we did.” So when opportunity knocked in 2018, he was eager and able to answer. “I had somebody reach out to me, they had a bunch of repos that they couldn't sell. So they had a bunch of repos in the area, the manufacturer wasn't selling the repos, and they're like, 'Would you be interested in going out, open up some lots, setting those up, reselling them?'"

The chance to sell 150 repossessed sheds may have sounded good initially, but Jeremy admits, “I was thinking small.” He knew there had to be more potential than a limited, one-time liquidation deal. As Jeremy envisioned something bigger, he decided, “I don’t want to get into manufacturing. I’ve done it. That’s what I’ve done all my life. It’s a lot of headache, a lot of moving parts.” Instead, he proposed, "What if we go start knocking on small manufacturer's doors and see if they would just sell wholesale?"

This novel idea became the foundation of Jeremy’s new venture. He approached small manufacturing shops with a compelling win-win vision. Jeremy found several eager manufacturing partners, all willing to collaborate.

With a steady building supply secured, Jeremy formed his new company Secure Storage in October 2018. One of his first moves was adopting inventory management software Shed Suite, becoming one of Shed Suite’s first customers. This proved a huge asset right from the start. As Jeremy recalls, “It was like an answer to prayer when I found you guys, because I had been using Excel documents and all this stuff where tracking your inventory was a nightmare.” The software provided just what he needed to get operations running smoothly.

The Power of Collaboration

When asked what advice he would give someone starting their own shed business, Jeremy doesn’t hesitate—he recommends focusing on collaboration. In his experience, “The people at the top collaborate and everybody else competes. I mean I was working for the big guys, and you've worked for some of them as well. You didn't collaborate with nothing. It was just their way.”

Jeremy aims to take a different approach with Secure Storage. He wants to “help put [people] in positions to excel, while at the same time I'm able to excel as well. And so if we work together, we might have to take a little smaller slice of the pie, but we all get to eat.” He believes this collaborative mentality is essential, and it has shaped everything from his manufacturing relationships to his leadership style.

Of course, collaboration requires excellent communication. When asked how he maintains strong relationships with his manufacturing partners, Jeremy names this as the priority. “I think constant, clear, transparent communication is a big thing,” he explains. Building trust and being willing to serve his partners has allowed Jeremy to reduce risk and find continued success, even with manufacturers who also sell direct to customers.

Keys to Leadership

As Secure Storage has grown, Jeremy has had to focus on developing his leadership abilities as well. When asked about the most important leadership qualities for running a shed business, he names integrity first. He also mentions listening as essential, which connects back to his focus on collaboration and team empowerment.

Jeremy acknowledges he is still working to improve his ability to set clear expectations and make tough calls when needed. He leans on mentors like Chris Burnettto provide guidance in these areas. Overall, Jeremy aims to lead by example, empower his team members, and continue growing through self-awareness, feedback, and learning.

Maintaining Balance

Rapid business growth often requires great personal sacrifice. But despite growing Secure Storage Sheds into a multi-million dollar company in just a few years, Jeremy has managed to maintain balance between work and family life. He credits this to good communication, proper delegation, and keeping people his priority.

Jeremy offers, “I can't be Superman. I can't do everything. And I made a commitment early on that I don't have to make a lot of money. When I'm 60 years old, I hope I'm sitting well and I hope I'm financially stable, but what I want to have more than that is time. And so you're most successful if you can do whatever you want to with your time, that's how you measure success. So, I want to make sure that I'm structuring my business in my life that, as I'm going, I can spend time with my family if that's what's needed.” After waiting 14 years for children, Jeremy now cherishes his two daughters and invests in quality time with them.

Though admitting balance is still a challenge at times, Jeremy aims to be fully present whether at work or with family. He keeps his calendar full of important personal commitments like date nights, kids’ activities, and getaways. He also makes team members’ lives a priority, hoping to provide education and resources to help them achieve financial freedom. In the end, Jeremy measures success more by time available than money earned. As he puts it, “If you're able to do whatever you want to with your time, that's how you measure success.”

Eyes on the Future

Even while experiencing huge success already, Jeremy remains focused on innovation and continued growth. When asked about exciting developments in the industry, he points to solutions like solar power, water collection systems, and manufacturing automation. Jeremy actively researches emerging technologies, eager to find the next advancement to implement in his own business.

Beyond just adopting innovations, Jeremy thinks big about the future of the entire storage shed industry. He envisions Secure Storage Sheds emerging as a nationwide leader and elite provider of storage solutions. But more than growth and profits, he defines success around the lives of his team members. Jeremy aims to “develop a team united in the pursuit of financial freedom.”

To achieve this vision, Jeremy plans to provide financial education and resources to equip his team. As he explains, “One thing that I've seen, and we've all been guilty of, is it don't matter how much money you make or what kind of resources are thrown at you if you ain't educated properly in money management.” He cares about setting up his people for success decades into the future.

Relationships Are the Foundation

Despite having big plans for the future, Jeremy knows none of it will be possible without the key relationships he’s built so far. As his story shows, collaboration fuels success. When it comes to manufacturers supplying his inventory, communication and transparency minimize risk. Even if partners choose to part ways down the road, Jeremy feels confident in finding new collaborators.

With this win-win attitude, Jeremy has managed to build rock-solid relationships with manufacturers, even when their markets overlap. Explaining his approach, he says, “I'm wanting to collaborate with you, man. It goes back to our very first topic. We're collaborating here, we're talking together, and if we can't, then you're not my partner anyway. I'm going to find somebody else that I can collaborate with.” This partnership paradigm has been essential for Secure Storage thus far, and will remain vital as Jeremy guides the business into the future.

Key Milestones

While relationships may be the foundation, Jeremy still celebrates important milestones that show progress. He remembers the first major wholesale deal as a pivotal moment early on. And once operations were running smoothly, sales milestones like their first $100k day proved his bold vision was becoming reality.

Jeremy also finds motivation in remembering why he started Secure Storage in the first place – to provide security and stability for his team. He shared that the name itself derived from a desire to create an environment where “my people feel like they can get up and go to work and be secure in their environment.” This dream has come true, with Jeremy now providing full-time jobs for 18 families.

Advice for Aspiring Shedpreneurs

For those aspiring to start their own shed business, Jeremy emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with a good team and delegating tasks rather than trying to do it all alone. He recommends collaborating with competitors when possible, as well as suppliers and partners. Building win-win relationships instead of just competing creates more opportunities for everyone.

Jeremy also advises staying self-aware, seeking feedback, and focusing on continuous learning and development. Work-life balance, while tricky, remains essential as well. Jeremy believes if you structure your business correctly, involve capable people, and communicate expectations clearly, you can experience great success while still making time for family, hobbies, and vacations.

Though his business is still young, Jeremy has already built something remarkable with Secure Storage. As he moves forward, he plans to continue trailing new innovations, developing win-win partnerships, and keeping his amazing team members a top priority. For Jeremy, collaboration and people will always drive success more than competition and profits. His journey proves good business doesn’t have to come at the expense of relationships. When passion, innovation and service come together, the possibilities are endless.

‍