Ever tried to shove a mini-fridge into a sedan at 2:00 AM while your roommate cries about a chemistry final? It’s a nightmare. That specific brand of college chaos is exactly what Sam Chason and Matt Gronberg turned into a multi-million dollar empire. But if you’re looking for the storage scholars net worth because you think they’re just "the guys from Shark Tank," you’re missing the bigger picture.
Most people see the $250,000 deal they made with Mark Cuban and assume that's the whole story. It’s not. Not even close.
Honestly, the way these two grew their business is a masterclass in "unsexy" entrepreneurship. They didn't build a flashy app that burns cash; they built a moving and storage company that actually makes money. In an era of "growth at all costs," that’s almost unheard of. By 2024, they were already clearing $7 million in annual revenue. Now, in early 2026, those numbers have only climbed as they’ve expanded to over 175 campuses across the U.S. and Canada.
Calculating the storage scholars net worth in 2026
Net worth is a tricky beast for private companies. We can't just check a ticker symbol. But we can look at the math.
🔗 Read more: 100 Church St NYC: What Most People Get Wrong About This Lower Manhattan Landmark
When Sam and Matt walked into the Tank, they were seeking $250,000 for 5% of the company. That’s a $5 million valuation. Cuban eventually talked them down to 10%, which effectively valued the business at $2.5 million at that moment. But here is the thing—that was years ago.
Since then, the company has:
- Doubled and then tripled its campus presence.
- Partnered with global logistics giants like SIRVA.
- Introduced "Ship to School" programs that capture revenue before students even arrive on campus.
- Maintained a cash-flow-positive status (the Holy Grail for Mark Cuban).
Given that the company was on track for $7 million in revenue in 2024, and assuming a standard industry multiple for a high-growth logistics and tech-enabled service business, the company's valuation is likely north of **$15 million to $20 million** today. Since Sam and Matt still own the vast majority of the equity—even after Cuban's 10% slice—their combined personal net worth is easily in the multi-millions.
Sam started this thing with $18,000 and a bunch of flyers. Now? He’s running an enterprise.
The Mark Cuban effect and the $250,000 handshake
People always ask if the Shark Tank deals actually close. For Storage Scholars, it did. And it closed fast.
Matt and Sam have been vocal about how Cuban isn't just a silent partner. They’re in his inbox. He’s opening doors at universities that previously wouldn't give two students the time of day. That "Shark" endorsement is basically a skeleton key for campus administration offices.
👉 See also: Convert Vietnamese Dong to US Dollar: What Most People Get Wrong
But Cuban didn't just buy in for the storage. He bought into the technology. Matt’s brother built a custom web app that handles the logistical nightmare of 3,300 moves happening in the same week across dozens of states. That’s the "secret sauce." Without that tech, they’d just be two guys with a truck. With it, they’re a scalable logistics firm.
Why the business model is actually genius
It’s about the "Hot Weeks." In May and August, the volume of tickets jumps from 10 a week to 400 a day. Most businesses would crumble under that seasonal swing.
Storage Scholars handles it by hiring the students themselves. In the 2023-24 academic year alone, they had over 1,200 student workers on the payroll. It’s a brilliant loop. They solve a problem for students, using student labor, and pay those students enough to help them graduate debt-free—just like Sam and Matt did at Wake Forest.
They’ve paid out over $800,000 in student wages so far. That’s not just a "feel good" stat; it’s a low-overhead labor model that scales automatically with the student population.
Revenue streams you might have missed:
- Storage Fees: The bread and butter. $17 per month per box, 4-month minimum.
- Shipping: They’ll send your stuff home or to your new internship city.
- Furniture and Oversized Items: Luggage, couches, and those ubiquitous mini-fridges.
- Ship to School: Getting boxes to freshmen before they even move in.
Is the growth sustainable?
Some critics point out that the moving industry is crowded. You've got the "two men and a truck" types and the big-box storage facilities. But Storage Scholars has a moat: University Partnerships.
They are the only ones with the "pack it, lock it, leave it" endorsement at many of these schools. They get keys. They get access to dorms after students leave. That is a level of trust that a local moving company simply can’t replicate.
The real challenge for their net worth moving forward is the "customer lifecycle." Right now, they own the four years of college. Sam has mentioned in interviews that he wants to follow those students. When they move into their first apartment or buy their first house, he wants Storage Scholars to be the name they trust. If they can pivot from "college storage" to "lifetime logistics," that $20 million valuation will look like pocket change.
Actionable insights from the Storage Scholars story
You don't need a tech degree to build a high-value company. You need to find a process that is broken and fix it with a combination of "boots on the ground" and smart automation.
If you're looking to replicate their success or just understand the business world better, keep these points in mind:
- Solve a "Pain" Not a "Want": Moving is a physical and emotional drain. People pay to make pain go away.
- Leverage Your Environment: Sam used his .edu email to get advice because "no one views a student as competition."
- Focus on Cash Flow: They were profitable before they ever met Mark Cuban. That gave them the leverage to negotiate a better deal.
- Own the Niche: By focusing strictly on college campuses, they became experts in a specific, repeatable logistical challenge.
The storage scholars net worth isn't just a number on a spreadsheet—it's the result of two guys who weren't afraid to do the "heavy lifting" (literally) while everyone else was looking for a shortcut. They’ve proven that even in 2026, a service-based business with a tech heart is one of the safest bets for building real wealth.
Next Steps for Entrepreneurs: Review your own business model for "seasonal scalability." If you can't handle a 10x surge in demand without breaking, look at how Storage Scholars uses a "Campus Co-founder" model to decentralize their operations. You might find that empowering others to run their own "mini-branches" is the fastest way to increase your own net worth.