Get Simple Box is a regional and portable storage company specializing in the rental, sale, and delivery of Shipping Containers used for storage in both residential and commercial settings.
Table of Contents
1997 STORAGE BEGINNINGS
The company was started by Ross Black as All Weather Mini Storage in Lynden, WA in 1997. Ross started the company as a senior in high school, with a goal of building a business that excels in customer service, builds residual income, and allows for owners and employees to use their time, talent, and treasure to make a difference in the world. Our business started with a 17-year old high school student’s dream of building a small storage business for his senior class project. This wasn’t the first business Ross had started with encouragement from his dad, but it was the first business that he was given permission by his teachers to take time away from class to work on! Ross took the initiative and worked on it as much as he could during his senior year.After meeting with consultants and getting advice from a local mini-storage company owner, he quickly drafted a business plan and the blueprints for converting an empty warehouse space in downtown Lynden into a heated mini-storage facility. His initial request for a loan of $50,000 was applauded by the banker as “very bold for someone your age,” but was promptly denied. After being advised by Peter Cutbill, then a loan officer with US Bank, to consider doing the projects in phases, he regrouped and requested a loan of $11,000 with $9,000 collateral coming through the sale of his first car, a 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback (which he had saved for from the time he was 13).
1999 FIRST EXPANSION
The risk paid off and soon the first phase of the mini-storage was built, the first storage units were fully rented, and a second Mustang was purchased (1969 Mach 1 Mustang). Construction of phase two commenced the following summer, and soon all 50 units of heated mini-storage were full and rents were increasing.2003-2004 CONTAINERS ARRIVE
As the demand for storage continued, Ross concluded that the next logical step was to convert another nearby warehouse into mini-storage. When a deal fell through for a 17,000 sq. ft. building that would have had the 20-year-old on the line for a million dollar loan, he was forced to consider other options. Attending the National Mini Storage Convention in Las Vegas, he noticed a small fringe business of people converting used shipping containers into mini-storage. Ross’s father, Dave, quickly saw the possibilities for this budding business and soon his vision began to exceed that of his son’s. Ross was tasked with finding good pricing for shipping containers while Dave began searching for good land to set them on. Within a few days, Dave brought Ross on a field-trip to the “Wiser Lake Trading Post” a 7-acre property – one half covered with blackberry bushes and the other half a dilapidated building that operated as a full-time flea market. The only redeeming factors were that the rent was cheap and it was located on the Guide Meridian, the busiest road in the county. Within weeks, the guys had arranged for delivery of the first order of containers and a deal had been made with the owner of the Wiser Lake property for monthly rent with an option to purchase. The first order of 20 containers began arriving and as they pulled into the yard Ross said out loud “what on earth have we gotten ourselves into?” With a rented forklift they began to unload the Containers and set them up in rows to be used as typical mini-storage. Before the first day was through, someone had already called to ask if they could buy one, and a local berry farmer called wondering if we could deliver one to be rented on his property. By the end of the first month, they were ordering more Containers and searching for a forklift and delivery truck.2005 DEVELOPMENT
This new “mobile storage” company grew at a steady pace, with Dave and Ross learning as they went and working their day jobs at the same time. By the time they had grown to 100 monthly rentals, Ross was working full-time in the company and looking to hire some part-time help. About this same time, Ross and his wife, Taya, had been greatly challenged with their volunteer work with a national non-profit ministry called FamilyLife. They felt a tug-of-war between their desire to spend their time strengthening families through the ministry and their responsibilities in the business. In 2005 they moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, to work full-time with FamilyLife. Dave stepped up to run the company, with Ross phoning in bits of wisdom here and there. It was during the 5 years that Ross was gone that the company grew from just over 100 monthly rentals to nearly 400 rentals. It was also during those years that Ross learned how to develop teams, lead from convictions, and build a brand. It’s funny to think that his time in business prepared him to be a better missionary, and his time as a missionary prepared him to be a better businessman.
2010 LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Before returning to the business, Ross was given several opportunities to observe and consult for other organizations at a high level in the areas of promotion, development, fundraising, branding, and developing systems for managing teams. When he finally returned to his own company, he was armed with a goal of designing a business of that same caliber, while maintaining its core values and being an all around enjoyable place to work.2011 SECOND EXPANSION
As demand for service continued to come from areas south of Whatcom county, another location was added along I-5 in Burlington.2012 BRANDING
Ross created the brand “Get Simple Box” to fuel the future of the business that started back in 1997. Although faced with tougher-than-ever competition and a host of other challenges, the brand took off right away and the business began posting continuous growth.2014 FIRST DEALERSHIP
In January 2014, another location was added in Marysville, WA. This location would become our first Dealership location, owned by Keith and Melissa Hutsell.2015 OVER THE MOUNTAINS
A location in Ellensburg is started. It’s hard to find the center of the universe in Eastern Washington, but without even having the benefit of a full-time employee or an office, this location proved to us that the Get Simple Box model has the potential to serve a much broader area.2016 OUT OF STATE
A Dealership in Hayden, Idaho is added, with additional service areas covering Sandpoint and Spokane.2017 EMPLOYEE TO OWNER
Long-time employees, Trevor and Brittney Eshuis become the first employees to own a location of their own when they move to Salem, Oregon that would serve Salem, Portland, Eugene, and the coast. An additional location is added in Prosser, serving Tri-cities and Southeast Washington state.2019…JUST GETTING STARTED
At Get Simple Box, it is firmly believed that by working together we can accomplish far more than we could ever do on our own. The key to succeeding as a group is for each member to care just as much about the success of the others as themselves.
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Get Simple Box of Ellensburg
2402 W. Dolarway Rd.,
Ellensburg, WA 98926
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15310 Smokey Point Boulevard, Marysville, WA 98271
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7350 WA-539
Lynden, WA 98264
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12998 Farm to Market Rd,
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
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