What makes self-storage one of the most resilient investment sectors in real estate? In Episode 235 of The Jay Young Show, Jay Young and Jordan Soto sit down with Paul Bennett of AAA Storage to break down market cycles, alternative assets, investor returns, and why disciplined operators win over time.

Paul shares how he got started in real estate syndication, the biggest lessons he learned over a 45-year career, and how financial strength, disciplined investing, and the right partnerships help investors survive downturns and capitalize on opportunity.

The conversation dives into self-storage development, small bay industrial, private market investing, risk vs. return, IRR expectations, and what young investors often get wrong when evaluating deals. Paul also explains AAA Storage’s current fund strategy, how ground-up development creates value, and why he believes self-storage remains one of the most resilient sectors in real estate.

If you’re interested in real estate investing, alternative investments, private equity, self-storage funds, wealth building, and market cycle strategy, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

Topics covered in this episode:

Self-storage investing
Real estate syndication
Alternative assets
Private market investing
Market cycles and downturns
Small bay industrial
Fund structure and investor returns
Wealth building strategies
Risk management in real estate
Lessons for young investors

Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 Intro to The Jay Young Show
01:05 Jay welcomes Jordan Soto and talks weather in Colorado and Dallas
02:10 Introducing Paul Bennett of AAA Storage
03:20 Paul Bennett’s background and how he got started in real estate syndication
07:10 Reinventing through market shifts and downturns
10:00 Lessons learned from a 45-year career in real estate
13:05 Why financial strength matters in every market cycle
16:00 How adversity creates opportunity in self-storage
19:10 Inside AAA Storage Growth Fund 2
22:10 Ground-up development, Texas markets, and small bay industrial
25:15 Why Paul stays focused on fundamentals instead of trends
28:05 Institutional buyers, RV and boat storage, and exit strategy
31:20 Expected returns, IRR, and how investors get paid
35:10 Capital calls, timelines, and fund structure
38:00 What young investors underestimate most
41:15 Why sponsor quality matters more than flashy returns
44:00 The future of self-storage and why the sector remains resilient