Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff sits down with Susan Cole, Founder & CEO of Cole Ticket Solutions (CTS) – a woman-owned business reshaping consumables, automation, and supply chain efficiency across the parking industry.One night at 3 a.m., overwhelmed and searching for answers, Susan pressed play on an episode of this podcast featuring SBA lending expert Sue Malone. What she heard changed everything. That moment set her on a path to secure SBA funding, grow CTS, and redefine what’s possible in credentialing and consumables for airports, municipalities, universities, manufacturers, and operators nationwide.Her story is one of grit, reinvention, technical ingenuity, and unwavering resilience. From her early career in Spain to building CTS during the pandemic to pioneering Cole Cube – an automated on-site supply solution – Susan takes us inside the innovations and mindset that fuel her success.Key TakeawaysA single moment can change the trajectory of a business.Susan’s 3 a.m. discovery of Sue Malone sparked the SBA funding journey that kept CTS alive and growing.Consumables aren’t commodities – they’re a service.Susan explains how CTS reframes tickets and credentials as an ongoing service model, not a one-off product.Innovation is born from necessity.Cole Cube, her automated on-site ticket supply room, was created to solve supply chain chaos during the pandemic.Relationships built over decades matter.Susan credits much of CTS’s early success to the trust she developed throughout her 20 years in parking.Persistence and patience are powerful business tools.Her path through fear, self-doubt, and uncertainty shows what happens when you refuse to give up.Episode Highlights[00:00:21] Brian opens with the story of how Susan found the Sue Malone episode in the middle of the night.[01:31] Susan begins her story – from Spain to software to an unexpected entry into parking.[02:27] How a headhunter, a misspelled “Azusa,” and a manufacturer changed her career path.[06:11] Building 20 years of relationships across airports, municipalities, and operators.[07:42] The 2019 company sale and early pandemic layoffs.[09:21] Becoming a full-time homeschool teacher while job hunting in a frozen market.[10:01–12:16] The decision to take control and start CTS during the pandemic.[12:16–17:40] The 3 a.m. night, the Harder Than It Looks episode, and connecting with Sue Malone.[18:56] The emotional weight of the SBA approval and what it unlocked.[21:50–23:03] Supplying the Embarcadero garages and SFMTA’s 21 San Francisco locations.[25:34] Signs of life for CTS during the pandemic: airports, hospitals, and essential services.[27:19] Why CTS is different – consumables as a managed service.[29:53] Cole Cube: the automated, on-site ticket supply room.[33:10–35:13] How Cole Cube was conceived by examining empty server rooms in garages.[35:45] What’s next: an LA-based Cole Cube, robotics, and credentialing technology.[37:40] Why small business partnerships matter in the industry.[39:29] What experience has taught her about solving big problems.[42:02–49:30] Lightning round: favorite phrases, hardest moments, proudest achievements.Notable Quotes“I wasn’t sleeping. I couldn’t get funding. But I wasn’t giving up. I’ve never given up.” – Susan Cole“You can’t just deliver a product. There has to be a service behind it.” – Susan Cole“There are many roads to Rome - you just have to stick to one and keep going.” – Susan ColeAbout the GuestSusan Cole is the Founder & CEO of Cole Ticket Solutions (CTS), a woman-owned, ACDBE-certified business providing tickets, credentials, and consumables for airports, municipalities, operators, manufacturers, and transportation systems across North America.With 20+ years in the parking industry and deep experience in supply chain, credentialing, and automation, Susan is known for pushing boundaries - from launching CTS during the pandemic to creating the innovative Cole Cube supply model in San Francisco and Los Angeles. 

In this episode, host Brian Wolff sits down with Jeff Siegler, author, urbanist, and founder of Revitalize or Die, for a candid conversation about civic pride, apathy, and how an overemphasis on parking might actually be holding our communities back. Jeff brings a unique perspective - challenging the idea that “more parking” equals “more progress.” He shares lessons from two decades helping towns revitalize, the emotional roots of civic decline, and why action is the antidote to apathy. The discussion touches on leadership, walkability, car culture, and how the health of a place directly impacts the health of its people. Whether you agree or disagree, this episode will make you rethink what really makes a city thrive. Key Takeaways: Apathy, not infrastructure, is often the real cause of civic decline. Parking is a utility, not a destination. Cities thrive when they build for people first, not cars. “Raise your standards” - better places begin with higher expectations from leaders and residents alike. Action cures apathy. Real progress starts with simple, visible change - planting flowers, picking up trash, cleaning sidewalks. Good design is good health. Where we live shapes our physical and mental well-being more than we realize. Main Topics & Timestamps: [3:30] Jeff's background growing up in a struggling rust belt town [8:45] Career path from Main Street director to revitalization consultant   [12:20] Signs of community health vs. decline [16:15] Root causes: Apathy vs. technical problems [22:30] Breaking through apathy with small actions [28:45] The problem with obsessing over parking  [35:20] Why great places don't need abundant parking [42:10] How cities should think about parking as a utility [48:30] New urbanism and walkable communities [52:15] Community transformation success stories [58:40] Design principles for parking in cities [64:20] What separates progressing vs. stuck communities [68:30] Hope for the future of towns and cities  About Jeff Siegler: Jeff Siegler is an urbanist author and founder of Revitalize or Die; a consulting firm focused on helping revitalize struggling towns and cities. Jeff has been working in revitalization for the past two decades, including time serving as a Main Street as well as a statewide Main Street coordinator. He is also an elected commissioner in Pennsylvania, serving Pittsburgh proper. Jeff published his first book, “Your City is Sick” in 2023. 

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff is joined by Dave Mueller, President of Parking Concepts Inc. (PCI), and Rafael Abanilla, Senior Vice President of Operations and Innovation at PCI.  These industry veterans share insights on leadership, technology integration, and maintaining company culture in the evolving parking industry. Key Takeaways:1. Technology should enhance, not replace human service2. Consistency in leadership builds trust and predictability3. An agnostic technology approach provides flexibility to adopt best solutions4. Front-line experience shapes better leadership decisions5. Preserving company culture during growth requires intentional effort Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Introduction and guest backgrounds[00:03:06] Dave's career journey from car rental to parking[00:08:28] Rafael's parking career beginning at age 17[00:12:00] Leadership lessons from customer service industries[00:20:00] PCI's "AI plus human touch" philosophy explained[00:27:00] Overview of PCI's Breeze technology platform[00:36:00] Leadership principles and managing change[00:41:00] Next generation leadership requirements in parking[00:47:00] Lightning round of personal questions[01:00:00] What Dave and Rafael are most proud of professionallyAbout our Guests:Dave Mueller is President of Parking Concepts Inc. (PCI), bringing over 40 years of experience in the car rental and parking industries. He joined PCI in 2006 and has been instrumental in the company's growth and cultural preservation. Rafael Abanilla is Senior Vice President of Operations and Innovation at PCI, with 25 years of experience in parking and mobility. He oversees high-profile portfolios and drives PCI's innovation strategy through their proprietary Breeze technology suite.

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff is joined by Dean Ahmad, Vice President of Parking and Transportation at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW).  Dean shares his remarkable journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to leading a team of over 300 employees at one of the busiest airports in the world. Dean offers insights on building organizational culture, driving innovation, and developing employees. His people-first leadership approach has resulted in the highest engagement scores at DFW, despite overseeing some of the lowest-paid frontline workers.Key Takeaways:1. Hire for heart first, skills second2. Build strong cross-functional relationships before you need them3. Empower employees through voluntary engagement teams and peer recognition4. Implement one-on-one development conversations at all levels5. Align innovation with both customer experience and employee focus Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Introduction and Dean Ahmad's background[00:02:49] Dean's entrepreneurial beginnings in antiques and furniture[00:08:00] Career transition to airport parking industry[00:14:00] Leadership philosophy and importance of relationships[00:19:00] Organizational alignment strategies and town halls[00:25:00] Hiring philosophy and employee development approach[00:28:00] Implementation of frontline development plans[00:33:00] Employee engagement programs and Emmy Awards[00:39:00] Innovation approach and cashless implementation[00:43:00] Lightning round questions[00:47:00] Dean's vision for improving public perception of parking[00:52:00] What Dean is most proud of in his career About Dean Ahmad:Dean Ahmad is the Vice President of Parking and Transportation at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW). With over 27 years of experience in customer service and marketing, Dean leads a team of 300+ employees, overseeing strategic direction and customer service efforts within the airport. His accomplishments include implementing the first yield management system in a US airport and creating the world's largest valet parking operation.

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff sits down with Gabe Mendez, PTMP - Director of Transportation Operations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   Gabe brings over two decades of experience in the parking and transportation industries. Gabe shares insights from his time in commercial parking operations to leading transportation services at one of America's largest universities. He offers a candid look at the challenges and opportunities facing parking professionals today, from event management to embracing new technologies.  Key Takeaways: 1. Leadership in parking requires taking responsibility for team failures while celebrating collective successes 2. Customer experience should drive operations, not the other way around 3. Effective event parking management requires equal focus on ingress and egress  4. The role of parking directors is evolving to include multimodal mobility, real estate management, and broader business operations 5. Hiring practices in the industry need modernization to attract and retain talent  Episode Highlights: [00:00:00] Introduction and Gabe's background [00:03:33] Gabe's career journey starting in 2001 [00:08:00] Transition from Arizona State to UW Madison [00:15:30] Early leadership challenges and lessons learned [00:20:00] Overview of UW Madison parking operations [00:28:00] Event parking strategies and innovations [00:34:00] Balancing operational efficiency with customer experience [00:36:00] Universities' role in smart mobility technology adoption [00:39:00] Industry challenges: succession planning and hiring [00:43:00] The future of parking director roles [00:47:00] Lightning round questions  About Gabe Mendez: Gabe Mendez, PTMP, has served as the Director of Transportation Operations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since August 2020. With a career spanning over two decades in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry, Gabe brings experience from commercial, municipal, and academic sectors. He is an active member of several professional organizations including the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI) where he serves on the board of directors. 

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks Parking Uncovered, host Brian Wolff sits down with Bob Murray, CTO at CampusParc, and James Paden, Chief Product Officer at Parker Technology. These tech veterans share their experiences transitioning into the parking industry and offer insights on how outside expertise is driving innovation in parking operations. Bob and James discuss the challenges of integrating modern technology into legacy parking systems, the potential of AI in improving customer service, and why pairing tech innovators with parking industry veterans is crucial for success. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of parking technology and operations. Key Takeaways:1. Pairing outside tech talent with parking industry veterans is essential for successful innovation2. The parking industry still relies on outdated technologies, creating challenges for modernization3. AI implementation should be problem-focused, not just adopted for the sake of being trendy4. Integration between parking vendors remains a significant challenge due to incompatible systems5. Data quality and governance are critical for successful AI implementation in parking operations Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Introduction and guest backgrounds[00:03:41] The importance of pairing outside talent with parking expertise[00:04:10] Technology gaps and legacy systems in parking[00:06:22] Integration challenges between parking vendors[00:13:00] Managing gaps between parking solutions[00:18:05] AI implementation philosophy and strategies[00:20:00] Ohio State's complex parking system as an AI use case[00:24:00] James's AI experimentation and platform changes[00:27:42] Business cases for AI in parking operations[00:35:28] Optimism about parking technology's future"If you're the parking person, get the non-parking person. If you're the non-parking person, think about getting a parking person. Really that combination can help us grow." - Bob Murray For more information, visit www.parkertechnology.com 

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks Parking Uncovered, host Brian Wolff sits down with Greg Brewer, the newly appointed President and CEO of Amano McGann, Inc. Greg shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings to leading one of the parking industry's top technology providers. He offers insights on authentic leadership, company culture transformation, and balancing technological innovation with essential human interaction in parking operations.  Key Takeaways: Authentic leadership rooted in diverse industry experience builds credibility and relatability Unifying company culture requires breaking down silos between branches and corporate Empower employees to make customer-centric decisions based on empathy While technology streamlines operations, human interaction remains crucial for customer satisfaction Personal and professional growth comes from embracing mentorship and new challenges  Episode Highlights: [00:02:29] Greg's childhood and early career path [00:08:00] Entering the parking industry under mentor Henry Allen [00:14:00] Joining Amano McGann and rising through the ranks [00:18:00] Navigating company restructuring and COVID-19 challenges  [00:20:00] Vision for continuous improvement as new CEO [00:28:00] Balancing innovation and customer experience [00:39:00] Community involvement with Bridge of Unity nonprofit [00:46:00] Lightning round questions on leadership and life  Notable Quotes: "Nothing happens till somebody sells something." - Greg's signature phrase  "When the magic really happens is when folks that aren't on your payroll start selling for you." - On building customer advocacy  Resources Mentioned: - Amano McGann, Inc. (AMI) - www.amanomcgann.com - Bridge of Unity nonprofit About Greg Brewer: Greg Brewer is the President and CEO of Amano McGann, Inc., a leading provider of parking access and revenue control systems. With over 20 years of experience in the parking industry, Greg has worked his way up from service technician to sales roles to executive leadership. He is passionate about authentic leadership, continuous improvement, and giving back to his community.  Contact Information: Email: greg.brewer@amanomcgann.com LinkedIn: Greg Brewer  To learn more about Parker Technology, visit parkertechnology.com 

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff is joined by James Paden, Chief Product Officer at Parker Technology. With 25 years of software experience, James shares his insights on the rapidly evolving world of AI in the parking industry. From the challenges of implementing voice AI to the future of customer service, this conversation explores how parking is both leading and adapting to technological change. Guest: James Paden, Chief Product Officer at Parker Technology Key Takeaways: AI is transforming parking, but still faces hurdles, especially in voice/audio applications Parking is surprisingly cutting-edge in some AI applications like license plate recognition AI will augment rather than fully replace human customer service in parking Successful AI implementation requires balancing speed, accuracy, and user experience Rapid technological change in parking is creating new opportunities for innovation  Episode Highlights: [00:01:00] Introduction to James Paden and his background [00:04:08] James' journey to Parker Technology [00:07:00] The unique position of Parker in the AI landscape [00:11:24] Challenges of implementing voice AI in parking environments [00:15:40] The state of AI in the parking industry [00:21:16] How AI is changing software development and business operations [00:25:00] The future of license plate recognition and ticketing [00:30:24] Will AI replace customer service reps? [00:33:41] Lightning Round Q&A [00:54:13] James' vision for improving parking garages [00:58:46] The importance of company culture in retention Notable Quotes: "AI's not going to replace you, but somebody else using AI will." "I think people overestimate what AI can do today when they talk about sprinkling magic AI fairy dust on top of things. And then simultaneously there's a whole bunch of people who underestimate what is actually possible and where that technology is." "We're uniquely placed to be able to do that. And yes, I think AI will get to a point where AI can assist with 80% of frontline parking problems someday. You know, or, or maybe it's 60% or maybe it's 90, I don't know, right? But a high percentage. But what that means is there's still a decent chunk left over and you have to have a person to assist with that." Contact James Paden: Email: james.paden@parkertechnology.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamespaden/ Learn more about Parker Technology: Website: www.parkertechnology.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/parker-technology-llc/ 

In this special episode, recorded live on the expo hall floor at IPMI 2025, Brian Wolff, Heidi Barber, Tina Gray, and Courtney Cooper talk to 9 parking leaders about what’s working, what’s not, and what they’d change with a magic wand. From drones and data to broken gates and customer confusion - it’s a rapid-fire tour of the industry's most pressing challenges. Key Takeaways AI, LPR, and cashless tech are gaining momentum Small operators are creating big impact with service and speed Public education is key to addressing parking complaints Drones, signage strategy, and predictive analytics are shaping the future Featured Guests: 00:54 – Tiffany Wells (Bethlehem Parking Authority) 03:16 – Larry Cohen, PTMP (Lancaster Parking Authority) 11:03 – Haas Khalfan (Signs and Decal Corp)  14:50 – John Morgan (PMT Consulting) 25:40 – Corinne Zurcher (Pivot Parking) 29:14 – James McDyre, MPA, PTMP (Penn State) 30:39 – Luke Anderson (Penn State) 33:46 – Gabe Mendez, PTMP (UW-Madison, IPMI Board) 40:14 – Marlene Cramer, PTMP (Cal Poly SLO, IPMI Board) Subscribe and Stay Connected: Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered on your favorite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube  Connect with Parker Technology: Delivering exceptional customer experiences is what we do best. Learn more at www.parkertechnology.com Or email us: getstarted@parkertechnology.com 

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff sits down with Jeff Pinyot – the President of ECO Parking Technologies.  Jeff’s journey started in Pittsburgh and evolved from air conditioning sales to pioneering lighting solutions – and finally to developing the world’s first fully integrated wireless parking guidance system. With multiple patents, a knack for invention (yes, even soda packaging), and a passion for helping others grow, Jeff opens up about the risks, the pivots, and the purpose that drive his work.  This conversation is packed with practical wisdom on engineering innovation, entrepreneurial perseverance, and the power of staying focused when the world says to diversify.  Key Takeaways: How failure, tariffs, and COVID unlocked ECO’s best years The value of in-person collaboration in tech innovation What Google saw in ECO Parking Tech – and why they bet on it Leading with faith, humility, and a problem-solver’s mindset  Episode Highlights: [00:00:00] Meet Jeff Pinyot – president, engineer, and ECO Parking Tech founder [00:02:00] From Pittsburgh to Pitt to patents – Jeff’s early life and path [00:03:30] Launching Level Solutions and discovering the future in lighting [00:05:10] The pivot to parking: listening to the market, but building it better [00:06:45] How tariffs and Chinese imports forced a strategic shift [00:08:00] Going wireless: the thinking behind Falcon Vision [00:10:10] The power of being in-person: collaboration as a secret weapon [00:13:30] LED isn’t magic – it’s math and laser-like focus [00:14:30] Patents, IP strategy, and why software is the soul of the product [00:16:00] The “two-can” patent – and a (literally) sticky pitch to Pepsi [00:18:00] Leadership style: deep-end learning and leading by watching [00:20:00] Winning Fountainbleu with humility – and bringing his son [00:22:00] Writing 150+ “Marketing Minutes” – and why his first kiss article stands out [00:26:30] Jeff’s approach to faith, business values, and ethical competition [00:28:30] Working with Google and building the backbone for national parking tech [00:31:30] Pittsburgh pride, the Steelers, and what it means to stay loyal  About Jeff Pinyot: Jeff Pinyot is the president and co-founder of ECO Parking Technologies, creators of the Falcon Vision guidance system – the world’s first wireless, integrated light-based parking guidance solution. A civil engineering graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, Jeff is a serial innovator, author of over 150 articles, and a proud family man. His faith-driven leadership style and collaborative mindset have helped ECO grow through adversity into one of the most respected names in parking tech.  Learn more at www.parkertechnology.com Contact: getstarted@parkertechnology.com