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 Takeaways

1. A 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.
2. 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.
3. Innovation is born from necessity.
   Cole Cube, her automated on-site ticket supply room, was created to solve supply chain chaos during the pandemic.
4. Relationships built over decades matter.
   Susan credits much of CTS’s early success to the trust she developed throughout her 20 years in parking.
5. 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 Cole

About the Guest

Susan 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 service

2. Consistency in leadership builds trust and predictability

3. An agnostic technology approach provides flexibility to adopt best solutions

4. Front-line experience shapes better leadership decisions

5. 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 professionally

About 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.