August 21 Meeting Summary - Max Storage Limited

🚧 Construction Update

Component	Status	Timeline	Notes
Concrete Slab	✅ COMPLETE	Poured Aug 19	Curing for 10 days (ready Aug 29)
Fence	85% Complete	Few days	Finishing this week
Security Gate	Scheduled	Friday Aug 23	Includes pin pad system
Driveway	Planned	With gate install	Widening for truck/boat access
Shed Construction	Not Started	After Aug 29	3-4 weeks once started

💰 Payment Due

IMMEDIATE: $86,956 due for slab completion

Upcoming: $69,555 when shed construction starts

🎯 Strategic Decision: "Agricultural Storage" Approach

Phase 1: Stealth Launch (6 Months)

The team has decided on a strategic "agricultural storage" approach to avoid triggering council business permits initially:

NO ADVERTISING - Strictly word-of-mouth only
6 MONTHS FREE storage for initial customers to build appearance of use
Frame payments as "maintenance fees" not lease payments
Jenny to take daily photos as evidence of low impact
After 6 months, apply for formal consent with documented evidence

Key Insight: "We built sheds for our own use, neighbors asked to store things, we charge a maintenance fee to help with upkeep" - This narrative supports the agricultural/supplementary use classification.

🔒 Security System Decisions

📹 Camera Systems

Option 1: Tapo (Budget)

~$200 per camera
3-pack for $624
Home-grade quality
Good app interface

Option 2: Dahua (Commercial)

$450-600 per camera
Commercial grade
Better night vision
Built-in siren

Action: Connor researching this weekend

🔐 Access Control

Gate System

Pin pad included with gate
Possibly includes fobs
Tom to get model details

Shed Access

Start with basic locks
Upgrade to electronic later
Consider connected system for remote management

📡 Infrastructure

Requirements:

Wi-Fi coverage to sheds
Hub for camera system
Possible repeater needed
4-5 cameras minimum (gate + corners)

Features Needed:

Human detection
Night vision
Motion alerts after hours
Cloud storage option

🚜 Critical: Farm Lease Decision

⚠️ Important Relationship

The neighbor who wants to lease the farm has friends needing boat storage. This relationship is critical for initial customers.

Tom's Action: Convince Jenny to proceed with farm lease
Why it matters: Good relationship = storage referrals
Jenny's concern: Getting fair value for the lease
Team consensus: As long as it covers rates, the referrals are worth more

👥 Team Assignments (Updated)

Ed Douglas - Technology & Research Lead

✅ Created GitHub repository for documentation
✅ Built HTML documentation system with Claude
📞 Follow up OTSB Te Puna for pricing (021 807 708)
📞 Contact Bay Secure Storage for full pricing
📊 Continue pricing analysis and competitor research
💻 Manage GitHub repository and documentation

Tom Douglas - Site Operations Lead

🏗️ Coordinate Friday gate installation
📝 Get pin pad model details from installer
🗣️ Talk to Jenny about farm lease (CRITICAL)
👷 Oversee driveway widening
📅 Schedule Totalspan for shed construction after cure

Connor Douglas - Security & Compliance

🔍 Research security camera options (Tapo vs Dahua)
💰 Compare pricing and features
📋 Present recommendations to team
🔒 Evaluate access control options
📡 Determine Wi-Fi/infrastructure needs

Jenny Douglas - Asset Owner & Documentation

🤔 Make farm lease decision
💰 Arrange payment for slab ($86,956)
📸 Prepare for daily photo documentation
🌳 Order screening plants for site
📄 Arrange insurance after construction

💰 Pricing Strategy Confirmation

Launch Price

$95/week

Competitive entry
First 3 months

Standard Price

$110/week

After 3 months
Target rate

Premium Price

$125/week

At 70% occupancy
Market rate

Large Units: 48m² covered storage (6 units) | Small Units: 12m² covered storage (6 units) | Outdoor: $35-85/week depending on size

📅 Next Steps Timeline

Aug 23 (Friday): Gate installation with pin pad

Aug 24-25 (Weekend): Connor researches security cameras

Aug 29: Concrete fully cured, ready for shed construction

Early Sept: Totalspan begins shed construction (3-4 weeks)

Late Sept/Early Oct: Soft launch with free storage offers

Oct-Mar 2026: Build usage evidence for council

April 2026: Apply for formal consent with documentation

🔑 Key Takeaways

✅ Progress & Decisions

Construction on track - slab complete, gate Friday
Clear strategy: "Agricultural storage" for 6 months
Security approach defined - Connor leading research
GitHub repository active - Tom and Connor added
Farm lease critical for initial customers
NO advertising initially - word of mouth only
6 months FREE storage to build appearance

📝 Meeting Notes

Key quotes and insights from the discussion:

On strategy: "We built sheds, needed storage, neighbors asked to use them, we charge maintenance fees"
On cameras: Comparing Tapo ($200) vs Dahua ($450-600) - quality vs budget decision
On farm lease: "As long as it covers rates, the referrals are worth more than the money"
On technology: Ed demonstrated Claude-generated HTML documentation system
On payment: Not charging lease fees, charging "maintenance fees" for regulatory reasons

📊 August 21 Meeting Summary