Trista Pirlot

I attribute my success to myself - to being authentically me. I'm a weirdo, and I really own it. I march to the beat of my own bongos, not just my own drum, and boy, do I have fun doing it. I worked really, really hard to get where I'm at, and I couldn't have done it without myself. I choose to participate every day in my career and in my life, and when obstacles and challenges come my way - and they do, every single day - I just figure it out and do it. I think what really sets me apart is that I'm not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the dirty work, from cleaning toilets to hooking up trailers. I'm willing to be that person who can wear multiple hats and not be bored. And most importantly, I stay true to who I am - I don't let challenges become obstacles because I don't allow them to be. I just keep conquering and seeing what else is out there where I can make a difference.

The best career advice I've ever received is: Don't stay where you're not happy. Life is way too short to spend 40 hours a week plus doing something that you're absolutely miserable in. You have to be happy. If you're not happy, nobody else around you is gonna be happy. You know, if you have a family, you have kids - if you're no good to yourself, you're no good to anybody else. That advice has guided me through multiple career changes, from waitressing to hotels to logistics to pest control, and finally finding my passion in self-storage. Each time I felt like I had conquered something and wasn't going to grow anymore, I had the courage to dip my toe in the water and see what else was out there, even when it was terrifying. I knew that sitting behind a cubicle just wasn't gonna cut the mustard for the rest of my life, so I kept moving until I found where I truly belong.

Stand up for yourself, and if you have something to say, say it. That's the most important thing. I think people, especially nowadays, are afraid to speak up. But you know what? What's the worst they can say? No. Big deal. At least you tried, right? You have to speak up. If you want your voice to be heard, it's not just gonna come to you. It's like saying please, please, please, can I win the lottery - but you gotta buy a ticket first. You can't win it if you don't play it, you're not in it if you don't try. And here's another thing - don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. When I worked in male-dominated fields like pest control, there were bets on how long I would last. But don't tell a woman something she can't do - she will do it, and she will prove you wrong. I don't allow gender to be a challenge because I don't let it. You just have to choose to participate every day and be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work.

The biggest challenge in my field right now is that self-storage is becoming more and more streamlined through management companies - facilities aren't manned anymore, they don't have offices, it's becoming more robotic and AI-ish. It's not really an advertised profession anymore because of this automation trend. But I see this as an opportunity too. For young women wanting to get into this field, I would say find owners that are going to respect you enough and allow you to be in the position that you're in. You have to have that backbone, those people that have your back and have faith and trust in you. Without the trust and support of the family owners I work with, none of my personal growth, career growth, or success over the last five and a half years would have been possible. You have to have people that want you there, that know you can do it, that count on you. That's how you can really thrive - by finding the right people to work with who will let you bring that personal, human touch to the business instead of just automating everything.

Respect is everything to me - it's the most important value in both my work and personal life. I come from a different walk of life, and I believe that everybody puts on their pants the same way. You may be important, but you're not entitled. You're no better than I am, I'm no better than you. We may be different, but at the end of the day, that respect is everything. Respect goes so, so far in my world. I also value understanding that nobody is entitled - we're all just people trying to get through life. This shows up in how I treat my customers. I don't let anybody disrespect me or come into my facility with a bad attitude thinking they're entitled and they're going to push me around. I've gained a lot of respect in the community because I'm not gonna put up with petulant behavior. But I also give that same respect back - I treat everyone with dignity, whether they're going through a loss, dealing with family conflict, or struggling with language barriers. Everyone deserves to be heard and treated with respect.