Q&A with Senior Director of Software Engineering Nate Green

Nate Green has been with Extra Space Storage since 2018. As Senior Director of Software Engineering, Green is responsible for solution architecture, web development processes, software quality, and working closely with the Marketing and Customer Acquisition teams to ensure extraspace.com remains relevant, user-friendly, and continuously evolving.

In this Q&A, Green shares more about his web development work at Extra Space Storage and some of the successful moments of his career thus far.

How did your career path lead you to Extra Space Storage?

I've been involved in software engineering since the early 2000s, having worked for big companies like Zions Bank and Intermountain Healthcare and doing consulting on the side. My path to Extra Space Storage began in early 2018. Changes in IT leadership and a deteriorating work culture at my previous company led me to look for new opportunities. I was fortunate to come across a job opportunity at Extra Space Storage in May 2018 and decided to go for it. The rest is history!

What is the best advice you've received in your career?

Over the years, I've been told things like "go with your gut" and "take blame but share credit." Both are good pieces of advice. But still, after all these years, some of the best advice I've received was to "come work at Extra Space Storage."

Which experiences in your career influenced who you are today?

Some of the most impactful experiences I've had were interactions with great leaders. I've been fortunate to have bosses who were influential, smart, and driven, yet still laid-back and able to make work a fun place to be. I've tried to emulate these amazing men and women throughout my career.

What has been the most challenging aspect of your career?

The most challenging aspects of my career have always revolved around large technical challenges without a clear path forward. Working with a smart, motivated team to come up with a path forward gives me a lot of satisfaction.

What has been the most fulfilling aspect of your career?

As mentioned above, I love to share the success of those I work with. It's motivating to see people grow and become influential throughout an organization.

Describe your most successful endeavor with Extra Space Storage.

I can't speak to this without mentioning the most unsuccessful endeavor I was involved in—Hat Trick. In mid-2018, we decided to scrap much of that project and launch a new one called Phoenix. In my opinion, this has already proven successful—not because of the expected delivery of business value, but because of the strength of the people here. Pulling the plug on Hat Trick was a tough decision, but it showed me that we have a very supportive and understanding leadership team. It also proved how the company listens to smart people with great ideas.

What advice would you give to future Extra Space Storage leaders?

Hire smart people who fit with our culture, listen to their ideas, and trust them.

This article is part of an ongoing series of interviews with Extra Space Storage (NYSE: EXR) team members. Nate Green is the Senior Director of Software Engineering at Extra Space Storage. Visit our careers page to learn more about our culture and explore open roles.