Ryan Blank has spent the last few years in business development and investor relations for the Poverni Sheikh Group. In that time, he had a very specific focus on self-storage facilities. From the very beginning, he found a ton of success, having many people label him the Storage King as he built an impressive portfolio.
The journey to getting where he is today took knowledge, work ethic, and dedication to becoming an expert in self-storage facilities. As he continues to grow, Blank and his group have only witnessed more success.
Taking the Next Step with the Poverni Sheikh Group
Getting to the Poverni Sheikh Group took a little bit of time for Ryan Blank. He worked in finance, real estate investing, and other sectors of the business world before getting into business development and investor relations with the firm. When the opportunity opened up, he felt like it was a perfect opportunity to make the most out of a situation.
If there is one aspect Blank fell in love with early on, it was fundraising. Getting the opportunity to work directly with investors can seem intimidating to some, but Blank relied heavily on his confidence that any project he presented could take off. Proper funding is necessary to make dreams into reality, and Blank's mastered that at this point.
Growing with Each Project
To keep investors interested and to please the Poverni Sheikh Group as a whole, Ryan Blank is learning to grow with each project. A relatively new completed one in Woodbridge, New Jersey ended up being a perfect example of being patient and finding the right investment opportunity for the company.
Right in the middle of several residential communities in Woodbridge, New Jersey seemed like the perfect location for a fully developed self-storage facility. The area had 96,600 ft.² of available storage, as well as an additional space for retail. Being able to put the project together and sell it off helped investors make a quick turnaround with their money.
Up and down the East Coast, Ryan Blank has found an opportunity to help out as well. There's a 90,000 square-foot self-storage project at the Mall at Prince George's that's linked to the Poverni Sheikh Group. Self-storage locations at malls have grown in popularity over the last few years, as there's less of a need for huge shopping areas.
One big thing that's helped Blank succeed comes down to the understanding that any existing building can be redeveloped. An example of this is in Baltimore, where he turned an electrical substation into a storage facility that was ultimately purchased by Extra Space Storage. Using an existing building saves time and money, and the community doesn't have to worry about a ton of construction.
A Side Hustle at the Poker Table
Blank has passions outside of work that has led to some great opportunities. Perhaps the biggest example is playing poker recreationally and winning prize money at tournaments.
Poker is something that Blank fell in love with early on in his life as a way to pass the time. As he became better and better, he started to look into tournaments that had payouts. He's even been successful enough to receive an invitation to the Main Event at the World Series of Poker. Playing against some of the top poker players in the world has allowed Blank to stay competitive outside of work.
Why Blank Looks Forward To Growth Opportunities
Whether it's working in self-storage, real estate, or playing poker, Blank is always focused on what lies ahead. He hopes to get better and continue following his passions so that it feels less like work and more like something. He truly loves.
Spotting perfect locations for self-storage real estate is never easy, but it becomes simpler with each new project that finds success. Knowing where the right locations are and what prices make the most sense will help eliminate a lot of subpar locations to eventually open up something great. Blank has always been about quality over quantity, and that's a shared thought with the Poverni Sheikh Group.
Finding investors is great, but Blank also hopes to invest some of his own money into projects as time goes on. He doesn't want to always rely on others to fund everything properly.
Poker continues to be a passion, and he plays it for competition at times. His main job will always be the top priority, but getting a chance to play an activity for extra money never hurts.
All in all, Blank feels like his focus as the Storage King allows him to reach heights. More opportunities exist out there, and each project gets a little easier to navigate thanks to everything he's learned.
