January 13- From Clicks to Closings: A Storage Year in Review

From Clicks to Closings: A Storage Year in Review

Speakers: Grace Totty (ASM), Sarah Beth DeFazio (USG)

Moderated by: Pete Whittingslow (JMW Contractors) 

Kick off the new year with an engaging panel discussion featuring industry experts from Universal Storage Group and Absolute Storage Management. This session takes a look back at the past year in self storage marketing—what drove leads, what converted tenants, and what lessons matter most moving forward. Attendees will gain practical insights into trends, strategies, and real-world results to help turn clicks into closings in the year ahead. 

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Maggiano's Buckhead

3368 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30326

REGISTRATION: Members: $40, Non-Members: $65

Grace Totty, Absolute Storage Management: 

Grace Totty is the Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Absolute Storage Management (Absolute), specializing in the full customer experience- from discovering a storage facility online to completing a rental. She leads Absolute’s teams and vendor partners to optimize performance, visibility, and conversion across all managed facilities.

With over a decade of experience in the self-storage industry, Grace began her career in operations, working closely with Absolute’s founders. Her operational background gives her a well-rounded perspective on how storage facilities function day-to-day, which is critical in aligning marketing strategies with on-site execution and delivering consistent customer experiences.

Grace is serving as Vice President of the Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA) for the 2025 term and has been an engaged board member since 2019. She is also a member of Absolute’s Senior Leadership Team, the SSA’s Young Leaders Group, and the SSA Women’s Council. Grace frequently speaks at national and state industry events and holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Memphis.

Sarah Beth DeFazio, Universal Storage Group: 

Sarah began her career as a Site Manager and quickly advanced, gaining over a decade of experience in client development, sales, and leadership. Now VP of Sales and Development and a member of the leadership team at Universal Storage Group, she drives strategic growth, secures management contracts, and conducts feasibility studies, and provides expert consulting. A certified specialist in Sales Operational Science, Sarah is also a frequent speaker and contributor to industry events and publications. She is a strong advocate for continual education in the self-storage industry and is passionate about supporting charitable initiatives.