Well as the week draws to a close, I will now admit to you that I have spent a lot of time obsessing over the A&E “Storage Wars” marathon. I love the show. Watching people notice opportunities that others miss. It is the essence of business with a hint of gambling and a dash of nostalgia and intrigue.
A friend of mine was teasing me for watching “Trash TV” but as I defended myself, I realized that the real interest in this show comes from the characters who all are involved with the same business, but employ different tactics to achieve their goals.
Dave Hester owns a large auction house and the Rags to Riches second hand store. He is famous for his bidding style which is intended to intimidate but often annoys. Yuuuuuuuuup. You can probably understand why he is considered the villain when you see his that his twitter handle is @DaveTheMogul. Dave treats everyone like they are below him. They are like every boss you ever had that you hated. He is stern, angry, competitive and effective. His lack of personality is made up for by his hard work and experience. 
Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante are the relationship team that are new to the game. They also own a thrift store. Despite their bickering, they work very well together toward their common goal. Jarrod overcompensates constantly, being concerned with how he is perceived by his peers. Brandi offsets that by holding the cash and keeping Jarrod in line when he gets too far out of line.What Can They Teach You? It is important to have good team work skills. Knowing your weaknesses allows you to surround yourself with people who can help support those weaknesses. It’s also important to not be intimidated when you are new into a venture. Experience is great, but it comes with baggage. Sometimes a fresh perspective can be just as big an asset.
Darrel Sheets is the tank top wearing redneck. He seems more far more concerned with beating everyone else at the perceived “game” than anything else. This makes him dangerous to go up against because he is more interested in ruining you, than getting ahead. He is experienced in the game, so he knows when to drop a locker on you, just to make you haul away some overpriced trash.What Can He Teach You? Some people are just as happy making you lose, as making themselves win. You need to have a strategy for these people, and more importantly, you need to not be one of these people. Focus on YOUR successes, and don’t begrudge others the same satisfaction. There is a time to fight, but it’s not every time.
Barry Weiss is clearly my favourite. The 60 year old retiree uses his likability and sense of humour to charm those around him. He is different than the others because he is only concerned with rare antiques and in the process of his treasure hunt, tends to destroy a lot of the contents of the storage unit to this dismay of the other bidders. I spend the entire show rooting for Barry, and getting angry when the other bidders pick on him.What Can He Teach You? Barry hits and misses, but when he makes a score, it’s usually pretty sizable. In the grand scheme he comes out ahead. He has lots of friends and has lots of fun with what he does. He is the richest of all the characters and a lot of it has to do with his charm. Be nice to those around you, and good things happen.
So that’s what Storage Wars can teach you. There is opportunity everywhere and many different paths to get there. The most successful people in the world have drawbacks and failures on their resumes. The important thing is being a person you can be proud of, and not to let setbacks stop you cold. There is always another project, another opportunity and another day.
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