Coulee Region Women

20 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 www.crwmagazine.com | WOMEN IN THE REGION | Necessity is the mother of invention, the old saying goes, and it certainly held true for Sheila Cundi . She and her husband, Jerald, started Northern Land Storage when they needed storage themselves. “It was 2002, and my boys were starting school,” says Cundi . “When we couldn’t nd a storage unit for ourselves, we decided to look into that business idea.” Beginning with 51 units that year, Northern Land Storage grew to eight locations with more than 900 total units. Cundi ’s newest location opened last month in Brice Prairie. Unit sizes vary to accommodate everything from a few household items to full-size RVs. Preparing for business For Cundi , it’s a long way from doing triage in 100 degrees during Desert Storm and Desert Shield. “I served in the military and was an ER nurse for 10 years before staying home with my boys,” she says. “Although my time in the military and work as a nurse seems so di erent from what I do now, I look back on it as preparing me for business ownership by teaching me about time management, Room for BY JUDITH MUNSON Photo by Jordana Snyder Photography Sheila Cundiff’s Northern Land Storage expands to meet demand. self-reliance and communicating well with others. You really have to believe in yourself.” Cundi ’s husband is an ophthalmologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse but still nds time to make the business a family one. “We both like to nd real estate and nd out if it ts into our business model,” says Cundi . Involving her family was important, and as her boys have grown, so has the business. “My sons, Jerald and Scott, started out sweeping units and picking up garbage. Today they help me manage the business when they are home from college.” The answer to downsizing Storage units are increasingly sought after by a booming retirement population that is downsizing. “We live in a really beautiful area with a lot of recreational opportunities. People often can’t keep their camper or boat at their house because of restrictive covenants, so I’m the answer for that.” As retirees downsize, many possessions need a home of their own, she explains. “ ey put the snow blower in when summer starts and the lawnmower goes in at winter. People also need a place for seasonal items. Even if people have a garage, there’s often no room for kids’ bikes.” It’s not only household items driving her business growth. “Small businesses utilize me all the time: plumbers, electricians, construction workers who are traveling for a job. ey need a space to store their equipment.” Unlike some storage businesses, Cundi ’s customers work with her, in person, not an automated phone system. is personal approach to customer service is only enhanced by technology, not replaced by it. “Customers can pay online from their phone or on our website, or they can call me anytime. I have had people with me for more than 10 years, and I think that speaks volumes.” Working with people at all points of life, from folks in between homes to kids moving parents to assisted living to parents stashing a college student’s stu over summer, Cundi understands people want to work with someone they trust. “People don’t like it when they don’t get a chance to speak to a person. ey want to work with someone they know will help them.” crw Judith Munson is a freelance journalist and memoir writer living in western Wisconsin. More