“You have to use a little misdirection” — Storage Wars star Brandi Passante explains how she reads her rivals to win auctions

Storage Wars season 16 returned to A&E on June 7, 2025, featuring the familiar faces of Brandi Passante, Dave Hester, Ivy Calvin, and others as they compete to secure valuable storage units. With a new hour-long format, the show continues to follow professional buyers as they attend public auctions, assess the potential value of storage lockers, and take chances on mystery contents.

In an exclusive interview with AETV in June 2025, longtime cast member Brandi Passante opened up about her journey across 16 seasons, the challenges of working in a male-dominated field, and how she navigates the competitive auction environment.

Brandi explained that beyond physical strength and market knowledge, strategic thinking is key.

“You also have to use a little misdirection with these fellas sometimes, because they all try to run me over a little bit. But I've never allowed that to happen,” she shared.

As the show returns with more intense bidding and hidden finds, Brandi reflected on how the auction environment has evolved over the years and why staying sharp is essential.

She also spoke about her current selling process and why she encourages caution for newcomers thinking about joining the business.

Storage Wars star Brandi shares how experience and strategy help her navigate tough auctions

 

 

 

 

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Throughout her 16 seasons on Storage Wars, Brandi Passante has developed her own way of handling high-pressure auctions.

In her interview with AETV, she mentioned that success in this business requires more than just showing up with money. It’s about reading the room and staying one step ahead.

“You have to have a lot of gumption, a thick skin and you have to be business savvy,” she said.

Brandi noted that having a strong sense of value, especially in areas others might overlook, helps her stand out.

She explained that she could spot designer handbags or furniture — items that others might not always recognise as valuable. But she also made it clear that expertise across many categories is more useful than deep knowledge in only a few.

“I think the real gift is not to know everything about a few items, but to know a little bit about a lot of items,” she added.

While some might assume auctions are about quick wins, Brandi cautioned that there’s no shortcut to success. She often sees newcomers overestimate the potential.

“People think that it's like a treasure hunt and they're going to win immediately and be rich. That's not how it goes,” she said.

Brandi’s years of experience have taught her when to take a chance and when to step back — a skill she believes comes only with time and practice.

Storage Wars star Brandi looks back on the show’s beginning and shares thoughts on the new season

Brandi Passante spoke about how her journey on Storage Wars began when she and her then-partner were approached during a storage auction in 2009.

At the time, she didn’t expect much to come from it, but the show quickly grew in popularity.

She described the early days as chaotic, especially once the episodes began airing and more people started attending the auctions.

She mentioned that it went from a quiet, almost hidden business to something far more public. Reflecting on that shift, she said,

“People just filed in like crazy.”

As Storage Wars returns for its 16th season with a longer format, Brandi admitted she was unsure how the change would work but now believes it was the right move.

After months of filming, she feels positive about the direction of the series and is ready for viewers to see what they’ve been working on.

Stay tuned for more updates.