Creating a unique concept in a long established industry is hard enough, let alone launching it into a groundbreaking and successful app. But as we see time and time again, it can definitely happen with the right ‘a-ha’ moment.
Take Joseph Woodbury’s story, for example. When his friend was going overseas for several months, they could not find a suitable place to store their valuables. Sure, there were storage units, but issues with availability, location, and pricing made these untenable options, so they paid a neighbor to use their garage. After seeing his friend’s struggle and also finding inspiration from their solution, Joseph figured that there had to be a way he could tap into unused residential and commercial spaces for the purpose of safer, more convenient storage – and so Neighbor.com came about.
With their unique community-driven concept engendering trust and affordable rental options, the app built a loyal renter/host userbase quickly. Today, Neighbor.com offers storage solutions of many kinds in almost every city across the US and continues to expand both their service offerings and locations.
Allow me to introduce Joseph Woodbury…
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I’m Joseph, the CEO and Founder of Neighbor.com. We’ve created a revolutionary marketplace that lets individuals or businesses turn their unused space into a steady income stream. By connecting people with extra space to those in need of storage, we’re making it easier to monetize any spaces from empty garages and basements to parking lots and driveways.
The inspiration for Neighbor.com actually came from my co-founder, who personally experienced the challenges that so many Americans face when searching for storage—little to no availability and sky-high prices for sheet metal box in a less-than-desirable location. While preparing for a humanitarian project that would take him out of the country for several months, he struck a deal with a neighbor to use their empty garage for storage. Not only did this save him a significant amount of money, but it also gave him peace of mind knowing his belongings were stored in a safe neighborhood. This experience led him to a realization: there must be untapped, empty spaces in neighborhoods all across the country. And thus, Neighbor.com was born.
Crafting our first platform was a rollercoaster of both highs and lows. Initially, we used a completely manual approach to create the marketplace—simply calling people or knocking on doors to list their unused spaces and asking renters if those spaces would meet their needs. As our customer base grew larger, it became clear this approach wouldn’t scale. We then began taking steps to automate the tasks we were doing manually. We built a platform where hosts and renters could find each other and book without our assistance. We built automated payments into the platform. We’ve continued building useful tools for our hosts and renters ever since to achieve our goal of making our platform the easiest place to find storage or earn passive income. Now we have the number one storage app in the app store. The end goal has always been the same: to create a platform that is not only incredibly user-friendly but also places a premium on the safety and security of both space hosts and renters.
We hit the ground running in our local community, where the concept of Neighbor was first born. Early on, we were literally knocking on doors, offering homeowners the opportunity to earn an extra $100 a month by renting out their unused space. This hands-on approach allowed us to receive real-time feedback and iterate quickly.
The unique challenge we faced was catering to two distinct yet equally important audiences: the hosts and the renters. To reach them, we got creative with guerrilla marketing. Tactics ranged from door-to-door flyers featuring a clipped $1 bill with the message, “This is the first dollar you’ll earn with Neighbor,” to lunch-and-learns with local businesses, and even distributing water bottles with custom Neighbor labels. These hands-on tactics helped us win over our first market.
Fast forward to today, and we do nationwide marketing instead of hands-on or door-to-door methods. We’re proud to be the only storage provider in the U.S. operating in all 50 states. But what sets us apart isn’t just the volume—it’s the community we’ve built. Unlike services like Uber, where you rarely interact with the same driver twice, Neighbor allows you to connect with people in your own community. This ongoing relationship reinforces that we’re not just about storage; we’re a community-oriented service that brings neighbors together, whether you’re renting out space or looking for some extra room.
Our growth can largely be attributed to a multi-pronged approach that includes grassroots marketing, strategic partnerships, and a robust online presence. But if you ask me what really brings in and keeps our hosts, it’s the sheer simplicity of earning money through our platform. Most hosts spend less than 30 minutes a month managing their renters, making use of space that would otherwise go unused. This is in stark contrast to gig-economy jobs like DoorDash, where individuals often need to dedicate multiple hours a week just to make a comparable income.
As for the renters, the value proposition is equally compelling. They not only save thousands of dollars a year compared to traditional storage solutions, but they also benefit from more secure and conveniently located options. It’s a win-win that exceeds expectations, and as a result, our customers naturally become our biggest advocates. The power of word-of-mouth in driving our business cannot be overstated; it has been an invaluable asset in our growth.
I’m not a big fan of business or self-help books. The two business books I’ve found most valuable are “The Hard Thing about Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz and “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel.
Many of my favorite books are classic literature like “Les Miserables” or historical biographies like “With Malice Toward None: A biography of Abraham Lincoln.” Stories like these provide powerful life lessons that are applicable to all life situations, including business.
I’m also a big fan of “The History of English” podcast and the “Follow Him” podcast.
We’re in an industry—storage—that is notably resilient and one of the most profitable sectors in real estate. And I’m thrilled to say that things are going exceptionally well for us. Every day, we see an increasing number of people signing up to become hosts, drawn by the promise of generating passive income from their idle space. Concurrently, the volume of renters seeking more affordable, secure, and conveniently located storage options is also on the rise.
Today, Neighbor boasts the most diverse range of storage solutions in the United States and has a footprint in nearly every city across the country. But we’re not stopping there. The future holds potential for further expansion, not just geographically, but also in the kinds of storage solutions and community-driven services we can offer.
Startups are often referred to as a sprint. Others say that it’s better thought of as a marathon, not a sprint. The reality is that startups are a marathon where you sprint the entire time. You just have to get used to the 200-mile-an-hour pace and never stop.
You can find us at Neighbor.com or on the App Store and Play Store. You can connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.
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