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In this episode of 'Harder Than it Looks: Parking Uncovered', our host, Brian Wolff, CEO of Parker Technology, dives into the transformative journeys of two servant leaders.
Alejandra 'Alex' Argudin, MBA, CAPP, discusses her rise from a young city worker to leading Miami Parking Authority as the CEO, as well as becoming Chair of IPMI, tackling challenges like the pandemic, advancing parking technology, and being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
We then speak with Barby Valdes McDaniel, Associate Director of the WOW Center, who brings her 30-year career to light, advocating for adults with special needs.
In segment one, Alex Argudin emphasized her leadership philosophy of empowering her team and promoting collaboration between the parking industry and urban planning sectors. As the new chair of the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), Alex aims to drive legislative changes and technology advancements in parking, all while remaining committed to community service.
In segment two, we sit down with Barby Valdes McDaniel, who shares her lifelong dedication to serving adults with special needs, inspired by her early experiences. She detailed her impactful work at the WOW Center, providing life skills, community education, and employment opportunities for individuals with special needs, as well as the importance of family support.
To learn more about and/or contribute to Barby and Alex’s work with the WOW center, visit their website https://wowcentermiami.org/
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Alex Argudin:
00:21 Meet Alejandra “Alex” Argudin
02:02 Alex's Early Career Journey
04:28 Transition to the Parking Industry
07:31 Challenges and Growth in the MPA
11:43 Leadership and Modern Management
12:43 Innovations and Future Plans
20:11 Expanding Services and Partnerships
32:00 Smart Cities and Technological Advancements
34:43 The Curb and EV Challenges
35:40 Micro Freight Solutions
39:10 Legislation and Policy Hurdles
40:41 Smart City Initiatives
44:30 WOW Center: Supporting Adults with Disabilities
49:54 Balancing Work and Family
52:10 Lightning Round: Personal Insights
Segment 2 with Barby Valdes McDaniel:
01:05:06 The Beginning of a Powerful Partnership
01:09:19 A Life-Changing Experience
01:13:45 Daily Operations at the WOW Center
01:19:49 The Impact of Special Needs Individuals
01:21:51 Personal Stories and Inspirations
01:25:30 The Hospice Detour
01:29:32 Supporting Special Needs Families
01:33:50 How to Get Involved with the WOW Center
01:37:24 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
To kick off the episode Brian invites Dani Crain and John D. Conway, industry legends and podcast hosts of ‘All Things Parking with Dani and John,” to share their experiences, hot industry takes, and diversity and supporting women in parking.
In Segment 2, Heidi Barber, our VP of Marketing, sits down with Kyle Lacy, CMO of Jellyfish, who shares his journey in marketing growing and scaling leading tech companies. In his segment, we discuss balancing creativity with revenue, the alignment between marketing and sales, personal branding, and strategies to avoid burnout.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Segment One: Dani & John
Segment Two: Kyle Lacy
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
In segment one of this episode, Brian sits down with Ross Allanson, CAPP, CPP, who is the Director of Parking at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus.
Ross is an industry veteran, having been in parking since 1989. He shares his wisdom on alternative transportation, micro-mobility, and efficient event parking.
Then in Segment two we invite Kathy Wellik, CAFM and Senior Client Success Manager of Agile Fleet to talk about her experience in fleet management.
Kathy and Brian discuss her career transition from banking to fleet management, emphasizing continuous learning and participation in professional organizations. We will also dive into her personal journey navigating male-dominated industries, overcoming gender biases, and restoring a classic 1969 Camaro.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Segment One: Ross Allanson
Segment Two: Kathy Wellik
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
This episode is a deep dive into the world of transportation and personal development.
In segment one, we welcome Kenyata Smiley, Transportation Planning Department Manager at HNTB, who shares her inspirational journey from Chattanooga to leading multimodal transportation projects, emphasizing strategic planning, equity, and community engagement. She also discusses her work with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials and Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
In segment two, Nikki Miller, Executive Coach at Kairos Consulting, explores Enneagram types, recounts her decade-long experience homeschooling, her transition to public schooling, and her insights on executive coaching, personal growth, and maintaining a growth mindset.
This episode is filled with relatable anecdotes and crucial takeaways on public participation and continuous self-improvement.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Segment One: Kenyata Smiley
Segment Two: Nikki Miller
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
We had seasoned parking professional Brandy Stanley, CAPP on the show to share her incredible ascension within the parking industry.
Brandy, with over 30 years in the parking industry, shares her journey from a valet to a VP role at FLASH, discussing industry challenges, technological advancements, and community importance.
In segment two, Toph Day highlights Rally (use code: rallytoph to get a discounted ticket) and all the things that make this conference one-of-a-kind. He also shares insights into cross-sector collaborations, education shifts, and Indiana's new growth-stage fund supporting scaling companies.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Segment One: Brandy Stanley
FUSION25 User Conference Announcement (43:08)
Segment Two: Toph Day
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
Today we welcomed Joseph R Madison II, Associate Director of Parking Operations at Kennesaw State University.
In the episode, Joseph shares his urban planning expertise, managing parking for over 43,000 students and staff, as well as his experience connecting students with new opportunities.
The conversation also delves into Joseph's involvement in IPMI's Allyship and Equity Advisory Group, as well as the anticipated impact of the World Cup on KSU.
In the second segment, we explore crucial golf fundamentals with Todd Firestone, Head Golf Professional at Meridian Hills Country Club. Todd talks about his experience embodying servant leadership, and provides key tips about the importance of the starting position and large muscle engagement in golf swings.
He also shares personal anecdotes, including his experiences with singing and the balance of work-life dynamics.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Segment 2 with Todd Firestone:
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
In this episode of 'Harder Than It Looks,' we delve into the intricacies of the parking industry and the entrepreneurial world. We first sit down with Joaquin Rojas, Director of Parking for Bal Harbour Shops and owner of Parking Guy consultancy.
With two decades of experience, Joaquin shares his journey from parking cashier to managing significant parking operations, highlighting technological innovations and the importance of customer service in reshaping the industry.
Next, we explore the entrepreneurial landscape with Steve Morrell, Managing Director of ContactBabel, a leading research and analysis firm for the contact center industry. For more information about ContactBabel, visit: https://www.contactbabel.com/
Steve has written hundreds of research reports and his opinion on contact centres has been featured on the BBC, ITV, Sky, the Guardian, Forbes.com and the Financial Times. He has also advised the UK government on the effect of offshoring on the UK economy.
In his segment, we discuss the value of focusing on established successes and features insights on the contact center and customer experience industry.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Joaquin Rojas:
02:12 Joaquin's Early Career and Growth
05:15 Challenges and Innovations at Bal Harbour Shops
11:06 Event Parking and the Miami Marlins
19:02 Hiring and Managing Parking Staff
25:42 Technology in Parking Operations
31:29 Lightning Round: Personal Insights
34:42 Building Relationships in the Parking Industry
35:22 Magic Wand: Fixing Tailgating in Parking
36:21 Balancing Work and Family Life
37:57 Pride in Helping Others Succeed
Segment 2 with Steve Morrell:
41:14 Steve Morrell's Journey into Contact Center Research
44:09 The Importance of Customer Experience
50:03 Challenges in Contact Centers and Offshoring
52:59 The Role of AI in Contact Centers
59:29 Funny and Challenging Parking Stories
01:03:21 Lessons from Starting Multiple Businesses
We sat down with parking veteran Roamy Valera, the President of Automotus, to chat about trends and innovations popping up in parking, and what it really takes for industry outsiders to get a foothold in parking.
For segment two we sat down with Amy Brown, the CEO of the fastest-growing privately-held company in Indiana, Authenticx. Amy shared insight into the challenging feat of building a venture scale high growth healthtech company while also raising 4 children.
In this episode, Roamy shares insights on curb management, the gig economy, and the need for equity in parking policies. We also dive into his immigration from Cuba and how he balances work and family life.
Then we talk tech with Amy Brown, who has been working in the AI space since 2017 and is an expert when it comes to this innovative technology.
Her company Authenticx uses conversational artificial intelligence to help healthcare executives make valuable business decisions.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Roamy's Parking Journey (02:07)
Evolution of Parking Technology (05:52)
Challenges in Policy Changes (15:22)
Automotus Curb Management Solution (18:05)
The Equity of Parking Tickets (20:39)
The Challenge of Physical Parking Fines (21:39)
Innovative Parking Solutions in Smaller Towns (23:27)
Transition to a Scale-Up Company (32:36)
Privacy Concerns and Camera-Based Solutions (28:46)
Personal Hardship and Family Separation (39:10)
Challenges in Policy Changes (40:16)
The Need for Faster Go-to-Market Time Frame (41:17)
The Adoption Curve (41:42)
Procurement Process in the Govtech Space (42:54)
Coaching Tree and Leadership Style (46:42)
Segment 2 with Amy Brown:
Authenticx Growth and Customer Impact (53:29)
Bringing Customer Voices to the Boardroom (55:20)
Challenges in Marketing AI Technology in Healthcare (58:58)
The Hardest Part of Building and Scaling a Company (01:01:51)
The CEO's Journey (01:03:55)
Building a Mission-Based Culture (01:05:23)
Navigating Business Challenges (01:07:12)
Summiting Mount Shasta (01:10:44)
Parenting and Balancing Work (01:19:45)
Reflections on Overcoming Hardships (01:25:22)
Adversity and Success (01:26:47)
Gratitude and Recognition (01:28:20)
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, Sarah Blouch dives into the journey of managing parking solutions at CampusParc and The Ohio State University.
We’ll discuss challenges from stakeholder management, the integration of environmental initiatives, and get into what concession agreements look like from negotiation to execution.
Then we explore the significance of customer centricity beyond typical service teams, detailing a universal five-step model.
In Segment 2, guest host Claudia Lopez, Client Success Manager at Parker Technology, interviews Jyo Shukla, author of “Customer Success Mindset: Building Customer-Centricity into the DNA of your Growth Strategy,” advocates for empathetic engagement and the creation of raving fans through exceptional service and strategic communication.
This convo does a really good job of breaking down complex parts of parking like concession agreements and customer experience into easy-to-understand ideas and tactics
Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Sarah's Career Journey (00:03:02)
Transition to Ohio State University (00:05:00)
Transition to a Concession Agreement (00:07:13)
Managing the Transition (00:10:56)
Understanding Concession Agreements (00:15:20)
The University's Financial Gain (00:20:18)
Challenges Faced During COVID-19 (00:21:05)
Navigating the Arm's Length Relationship with the University (00:23:12)
Adapting to Technology Changes (00:26:20)
Managing Parking Rules and Regulations (00:27:44)
Addressing Customer Frustrations (00:29:15)
Navigating Campus Politics and Decision-Making (00:30:04)
Challenges of Operating within a Concession Agreement (00:35:06)
Perspective on Diversity and Inclusion in the Industry (00:39:55)
Segment 2: Jyo Shukla
Fostering Customer Sucess and Advocacy (00:57:16)
Takeaways from “Customer Success Mindset” (01:06:30)
Embracing Change and Overcoming Adversity (01:19:25)
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
This episode is a masterclass in parking marketing or “Parketing.”
We sat down with 3 incredible marketing leaders in parking, RJ Juliano, Sarah Becherer, and our own Heidi Barber.
You are going to learn actionable tips that you can use to improve the marketing function at your company immediately.
In segment two, we sit down with Casey Crouse to dive into some of the intricacies that make running Ultra Marathons even harder than they look.
We compiled an all-star panel of “parketers” to dive deep into a topic typically overlooked in our industry.
RJ Juliano, is the CIO, CMO, and Senior Vice President at Parkway Corporation, a Philadelphia-based leader in real estate and parking development that operate nearly 21,000 parking spaces.
Sarah Becherer is the VP of Marketing at Ocra, you might remember our episode with their CEO, Ethan Glass. Sarah has over 15 years of experience in demand generation, brand awareness, and customer acquisition. In 2018 she was selected to the NPA’s 40 Under 40 list.
Heidi Barber is the VP of Marketing at Parker Technology and also a member of the NPA 40 Under 40 list. She has over a decade of B2B Marketing experience and sits on the steering committee for Women in Parking.
Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:
The Parketing Collective (00:04:44)
Transition from CIO to CMO (00:08:24)
The importance of a distinct brand for parking operators (00:10:55)
Challenges in marketing (00:16:17)
Discipline and benchmarks in marketing (00:21:37)
Science of Marketing (00:22:32)
Consistency in Marketing (00:23:02)
Effective Marketing Tactics (00:24:56)
Brand Establishment and Thought Leadership (00:27:29)
Humanizing the Brand (00:30:52)
Digital PR and Blogging (00:33:53)
Data and Analytics Investment (00:38:00)
Building a Marketing Team (00:41:28)
Product Marketing and Differentiation (00:42:44)
Brand Ambassadors and Leadership (00:43:50)
Outsourcing and Resource Allocation (00:44:18)
Joining the Parking Collective (00:45:03)
Challenges in Parking Jobs (00:49:16)
Wishful Changes in Parking (00:51:56)
Professional Achievements and Parketing Collective Call (00:55:59)
Segment 2: Casey Crouse
Ultra Distance Running (01:05:20)
Running a 100-Mile Race (01:08:01)
Adversity in Ultra Distance Running (01:11:15)
Nutrition and Preparation (01:14:48)
Lessons Learned and Finish Rates (01:16:08)
New Shoe Day (01:19:14)
Measuring Success (01:24:47)
The Mission of Providing New Shoes (01:24:50)
Fundraising and Challenges (01:26:05)
Cost of Providing Shoes (01:26:53)
Becoming a Board Member (01:28:29)
Leadership and Fundraising (01:31:31)
Meaning in the Struggle (01:34:10)
Empathy in Customer Service (01:36:55)
Balancing Work and Family (01:39:06)
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to [email protected]
From the publisher's feed
We as parking professionals know that parking is hard. However, we make it look easy to those from the outside looking in. The myriad technologies, processes and people that a parking operator has…
We created this podcast to facilitate connections and illuminate solutions to common problems within the parking and mobility industry. We aim to do so by highlighting the voices of experts in the space, discussing trends and forward-looking technological innovations, and providing professional food for thought. All in an effort to help one another get better at what we know is harder than it looks…parking a car.