BRIAN GIFFORD is the first to admit his ultimate goal – to see his company Storage Vault hit the £100 million mark – might appear over-ambitious.
But according to the finance director and co-owner of the expanding self-storage and office space provider, step by step growth can make anything possible.
“We want to be the biggest and best in Scotland, and take the business UK-wide” explains the 30-year-old from the company’s base in Glasgow city centre. “Obviously, £100m is an ambitious target and we won’t achieve it overnight. But to me it’s all about breaking goals down into achievable chunks. Last year we had one site – we’re now on our way to having eight. That means we’re eight times bigger than last year, and that’s pretty good growth.
“I’m a goal-driven person and
I need to set the bar quite high.
I like difficult targets to keep me motivated. That’s what drives
me on.”
The 30-year-old joined Storage Vault five years ago when it had a different name and focus, but has been instrumental in its current expansion. Seeing the potential in self-storage, which was previously only a small part of the business, Mr Gifford and his fellow directors bought their current site in Paisley in 2014
and fitted it out for storage and office use.
They now have a second site up and running in Cambuslang, and six more on the way throughout central Scotland, providing a range of flexible services to a diverse customer base.
“In terms of domestic
self-storage we appeal to those going through what we call
the two Ds – divorce and displacement,” says the Strathclyde University business and accountancy graduate.
“We also attract commercial customers, especially now we’ve expanded the office facilities
– we’ve got charities, a weight management business, a photography firm, transport and construction companies. It genuinely is diverse. Some customers simply store tools, stock, even paperwork.
“But at the heart of what we offer is flexibility. All our agreements are month to month and this is good for our customers. Many places renting out office space require six months, a year, even two years of commitment – that can be too much for small businesses just starting up.
“Of course, the flexibility also presents a challenge to us. Tomorrow, all our tenants and customers could tell us they’re leaving at the end of the month. We have to keep our standards up in order to retain our customers.”
Mr Gifford says one of the most fulfilling aspects of watching the business grow has been seeing how the diverse tenants at Storage Vault learn from each other. It’s an approach he both endorses and practises.
“When you’re in business
I think it’s really important to have a circle of people around you that you can bounce ideas off and ask advice of,” he explains. “Even if you don’t always take that advice, the different perspectives offered will always be useful in some way.”
And Mr Gifford is lucky enough to have one of Glasgow’s most successful businesspeople, John McGlynn, in his close circle, as both shareholder and adviser.
“John has been a very big influence on me and the business. He has been mentored by some of the biggest and best, and he is never afraid to ask for advice. As John says, take advice and you’ll make better decisions. I’ve had great advice from him over the years – don’t be egotistical, and when you employ people, make sure they are smarter than you. We’re very fortunate to have
John in our corner, especially as he has such fantastic business connections.”
The other boon for Storage Vault, believes Mr Gifford, is the age of the team that runs it – the oldest is 31.
“We’re all young and hungry and we want to take the business on to £100m together. We share the same goals and we’re looking at the long-term.
“Being part of this business
as it has grown, taking ownership and responsibility over the decision-making, has been massively fulfilling for me.
And I’m looking forward to
see how much more we can achieve.”
Visit Storage Vault online at www.storagevault.com/offices/
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