Skip to main content

Tag: harder than it looks

Podcast EP 25 Rewind: Tech Leadership & The Future of Parking AI

January 9th, 2025

In segment one, Mike Simmons, the Chairman and CEO of Tez Technology, discusses his remarkable journey from a farm kid in Indiana to leading significant technology transformations in the parking industry. Mike shares insights from his early career at IBM, PepsiCo and GM, and provides a unique perspective on his successful ventures, including founding T2 Systems.

In segment two, James Paden, Parker’s new Chief Product Officer discusses the future of parking technology and how AI can enhance customer service. He highlights the evolution of the parking industry, the importance of integrating various systems, and the role of generative and agentic AI in providing proactive solutions.

Read More

Podcast EP 23 Rewind: Leading with Vulnerability – Max Yoder & Tiffany Sauder

December 10th, 2024

In segment one, Max Yoder (author, entrepreneur, and CEO) shares his repertoire of experiences, from co-founding Lessonly in 2012, to sharing personal stories from his upbringing, including his parents’ divorce and remarriage and his motivations rooted in financial security. Max also dissects the importance of company culture, core values, and vulnerability in leadership.

Brian switches gears to talk with Tiffany Sauder, CEO of Element Three and host of Scared Confident, along with five other commitments. Tiffany discusses how she balances several high commitment and high-stress roles, including motherhood, entrepreneurship, leadership, public speaking, and her podcast (which highlights lessons learned through her first 20 years in her career) through effective prioritization and outsourcing.

Read More

Podcast EP 22 Rewind: Embracing Change & Opportunity, and Anti-Poaching

November 20th, 2024

In Segment 1 of this episode of Harder Than It Looks, Brian Wolff sits down with Nicole Hankins, a Women in Parking Impact Award recipient who has lived all around the contiguous and non-contiguous United States! She shares her transformative career journey, underscoring the importance of team collaboration, people-centric leadership, and diversity initiatives.

In Segment 2, our very own Courtney Cooper, Events + Community Manager, sits down with rising entrepreneur Ava Wettrick where she offers insights into overcoming challenges and creating networks through curiosity and persistence.

Read More
New Episode Podcast Post

Podcast EP 21 Rewind: Smart Cities, Purposeful Leadership & Lifelong Advocacy

November 7th, 2024

In Segment 1 of this episode of Harder Than It Looks, Alex Argudin, the new chair of the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), shares her leadership philosophy focused on empowering her team and bridging the parking industry with urban planning. She aims to drive tech advancements and legislative changes in parking while staying dedicated to community service.

In Segment 2, Barby Valdes McDaniel discusses her lifelong commitment to adults with special needs, inspired by her early experiences. At the WOW Center, she supports individuals in gaining life skills, community education, and employment, stressing the essential role of family support.

Read More

Podcast EP 20 Rewind: Parking Pros and Marketing Must-Knows

October 21st, 2024

In Segment 1 of this episode of Harder Than It Looks, we welcome 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.

Read More
Podcast EP 19

Podcast EP 19 Rewind: Big Ten Parking & Female Fleet Leadership

September 11th, 2024

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, we welcome Ross Allanson, 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.

In segment two, we sit down with Kathy Wellik, CAFM and Senior Client Success Manager of Agile Fleet to talk about her experience in fleet management.

Read More
Kenyata Smiley + Nikki Miller

Podcast EP 18 Rewind: Equity, Engagement, and Enneagrams

August 28th, 2024

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, 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.

Read More

Parker People Series: Lynda Black, Tackling Talent Challenges

August 21st, 2024

In this special series, we’re excited to feature some of our very own Parker People, by sharing their stories from previous episodes on our podcast.

In this blog post, we dive into the world of frontline management with Lynda Black, Senior Operations Manager at our Indianapolis Call Center.

Read More