Meet our 'Student Storage Specialist' of the Week- Robert Nielsen! Robert joined the Storage Scholars team in January 2022. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his fiancee, Katie, and their two pups, Sport and Kirby. When he's not running the Customer Success Team at Storage Scholars, you will find Robert on the golf course, playing fantasy football, trying out a new restaurant, or at the dog park.  

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My Role at Storage Scholars

My official title at Storage Scholars is "Head of Customer Success," but we all wear many hats here. My primary responsibility is ensuring that my department provides a top-notch customer experience throughout the entire moving process. This could be anything from explaining how our service works to new customers, organizing a last-second emergency pack-up, or training the team on a new service offering. I also love interviewing new candidates, finding solutions to complex logistical issues, and working with our tech team to fix or improve our proprietary client interface. The busy season is exhausting, but it's also the time when we get to build strong relationships with our customers and our entire Storage Scholars team! We're like a well-oiled machine by the end of it, but as soon as it's over, we all start trying to figure out how to make the next season even better!

A Little About My Background:

Before I landed at Storage Scholars, I had a few jobs that required a boatload of communication so running the Customer Success department was a perfect fit! I had a stint in the mortgage industry (just like a few of my coworkers, Jenna and Chelsea!) as a licensed broker, but I spent most of my professional career working in insurance sales. I have also held training roles in the past, so responsibilities like teaching new teammates how our systems operate or helping our campus teams accomplish their tasks are right up my alley. I currently work remotely from my home in Las Vegas, but I am originally from Massachusetts, where I plan on returning soon.

Humor in the Workplace:

I'm always looking for a laugh, and I'm in an excellent environment for that here. At this very moment, we are having an interoffice debate about whether or not a hotdog is a sandwich (I mean, it's not a sandwich, but that's not important). The fact that conversations like this occur make my days a heck of a lot more enjoyable. Is there a better stress reliever than laughter? When things get overwhelming, it's usually time for a dad joke or maybe to make fun of your coworkers' weak attempt at growing a mustache (sorry, Matt, but it had to be said). I've been a goofball since I was a kid, so I don't see why that needs to change just because I'm in my very, very, very low 40s. At a previous company, I was voted "Most Comedic" by my coworkers for 7 straight years in a row. I had plenty of other accomplishments throughout those 7 years, but I'm pretty sure that's the only one I called my mom about. She must've been so proud!

Working remotely from Las Vegas:

While the rest of the Storage Scholars team is located in Texas, the Carolinas, and New Hampshire, I am the lone wolf working from out west. As I mentioned earlier, I am from the east coast, but I have been living in Las Vegas for over ten years. Although I plan on moving back to the northeast in the near future with my fiancée, I'll always love living in the desert–especially a desert that is open 24 hours! The summers here are painful (mainly because of my electric bill), but the rest of the year is fantastic. Here are a few other things I love about living here:

• Many stores and restaurants are open 24 hours
• Unique theater and concerts options are all close to home
• We now have multiple sports teams, including the Raiders (Go Pats!) and the Golden Knights
• Great golf all year round
• Some of the best restaurants in the world are here
• Great dog parks
• Family and friends are always willing to come for a visit to Las Vegas
• Mountains and lake retreats are only a short drive away 

Most Rewarding Part of My Job

While coordinating hundreds of moves in a single day can get stressful, I'm lucky enough to say that I love my job. I haven't just gained new skills in logistics and relationship building, but I have been able to help this small business grow into something that I am really proud to be a part of. When I started a year ago, there were only four of us in our weekly meetings. That has now grown to double digits and counting! I've been able to watch our founders, Sam and Matt, build something incredible, and It's a great feeling knowing that I've played even a tiny part in the company's growth. This past year we got to watch them appear on Shark Tank and get the deal of a lifetime with Mark Cuban. It's been a wild ride and to think ahead about the future of this company and where we can take it is amazing. 

-Robert

Please visit our website if you'd like to learn more about college storage at Storage Scholars. If you have specific questions about our services, don't hesitate to email Robert a personal message! He'd love to hear from you (just don't tell him a hotdog is a sandwich!).

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