Smarter parking

Parkable

_A cocktail waitress from Houston who wound up working in Customer Success for a really cool New Zealand tech company. Recently we caught up with Ashley Mai, Customer Success Manager at Parkable, to learn more about her journey into working in tech. Ashley shares some deeper insight into her career path into Customer Success, some of the common misconceptions as well as why she loves working at Parkable. Thanks for sharing your story, Ashley._

> “It’s my job to get them excited, help them through their challenges and guide them to success, kind of like a coach!” 

**Firstly, how would you explain to a five year old what it is you do?**

I have a big group of friends. It’s my job to get them excited, help them through their challenges and guide them to success, kind of like a coach!

**And for the adults, what does that translate to in regards to your day-to-day?**

Everyday looks different in a tech start-up world. A lot of communication and liaising happens for me throughout the day as I represent both our company and all of our enterprise customers.  

Depending on the day, my tasks include project management, implementing success programs for new customers, creating reports to present to executives, troubleshooting, software training, relationship sales and feeding our development team information on how customers are using the software so they can strategize ways on how to enhance the product.

Sometimes I’m outside in the parking lot with our field team installing hardware. A lot of ‘uh oh’ and ‘how do we fix that?!’ is also said a lot in my day to day.

**What are some of the common misconceptions about working in Customer Success?**

Some people think customer success and customer support are the same thing.

Although customer success managers and customer support managers compliment each other, customer success is a wider discipline as it strongly leans towards proactive, rather than reactive.  

CSM’s deal with things including change-management onboarding, tracking engagement to accelerate product adoption, delivering metrics that are important to our customers, and ensuring their goals stay aligned with the product ongoing. 

It requires clear product knowledge for the purpose of driving customers to achieve the best ROI results throughout the partnership and unlock more opportunities for the business to scale. 

> “I know...you’re probably thinking this girl is so fickle!” 

**Tell us a little bit more about your career journey and ultimately about how you ended up working at Parkable?**

I got my degree at University of Houston, where I was born and raised. During my internships and going to college, I was also juggling two other jobs as a cocktail waitress and a bartender all around Houston.

Before that, I was a manager at a fast-food restaurant chain, and before that, I helped my parents at both of their restaurants during my teenage years. My extensive background in hospitality helped me land a job with Uber Eats.

I visited Seattle after graduating, where we met a friend named Remo. He took us around his office at Amazon, and it validated my curiosity to work in tech.

Not because of the ridiculous amenities, but because I felt overwhelmingly inspired to be present and in the same space where people worked hard to change the world. Everything about the office was futuristic.

I wanted to be part of something like that. I wanted to work closely with pioneers and the game changers and learn from them. 

I saw Uber Eats was advertising a sales role in Houston afterwards and I submitted my CV. I got a call from a San Francisco area code during my shift that night and sprinted to the bathroom to take the interview.

Toilets were flushing and the loud hand dryers were going off during the call. It was a strange experience, but I nailed the initial interview and we had a good laugh about it afterwards.

> “We landed a meeting with the NZ team and pitched them. Soon after, I purchased a one-way ticket and I was gone.” 

About two months later, I landed third on the global sales leaderboard at Uber. I think at this stage, we were in about fifty cities by then, so business was scaling super fast. 

I met a cool chick from the Chicago team on a Zoom meeting, where she asked if I wanted to spontaneously move to New Zealand with her as she heard Eats was launching soon. 

We landed a meeting with the NZ team and pitched them. Soon after, I purchased a one-way ticket and I was gone. 

After launching thirteen areas in two different countries, my time with Uber came to an end, as the New Zealand office was absorbed by the Sydney office. 

I found another opportunity right after at Sharedspace, a Kiwi platform that connects people to spaces and worked there for several months with a small team. Things didn’t work out as they didn’t have the capacity to keep me and support my visa. 

It had been four months since I’d been out of a job as I wasn’t allowed to work unless a company sponsored me. 

It’s risky for a company to hire an expat, and it’s heaps of admin as they have to prove that no other citizen is qualified to fill the role. 

After about sixty interviews, and hearing a million no’s, I thought my time in NZ was over and my (already extended) visa was running out of time. 

> “On the very brink of my decision of packing my bags, Parkable found my LinkedIn and called me.” 

On the very brink of my decision of packing my bags, Parkable found my LinkedIn and called me. I had a chat with their recruiter and she got me a meeting with the CEO later that week. 

After meeting with the executive team, they offered me an opportunity I was hoping for as it was everything I wanted to be a part of - tech, the sharing economy, working with a small team/start-up! 

I think I gave a good squeal on the phone when they called me with their answer. No shame. 

I’ve been with Parkable for over a year now and absolutely loving it! We have an awesome team and I feel very lucky to be surrounded by a group of amazing people. 

**Can you share some more insight into what that transition was like?**

When I was in Houston working for Uber, it was such early days that our office didn’t even have monitors or stationary. You were given a laptop and that was it. I was trained by one of the very first sales reps on the original San Francisco team and learned a lot from him. 

We had three days of real training and then you were thrown in the deep end, so it was up to you to close, close, close. Those who didn’t make it got cut, sad to say, so the role was super competitive, but the incentives were worth it. 

I loved working with the Houston team, we all were so passionate about food - there was a heated debate about the new trending food item, restaurant, or bar almost everyday. 

> “Kiwis are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. The vibe here is a lot more chill, and a ‘no worries’ type of mentality.” 

When I moved to NZ, I didn’t know what to expect. I only (barely) knew one person. I didn’t understand people’s accents. 

I knew I wasn’t crazy for hearing the word ‘jandals’ instead of wearing ‘sandals’. Kiwis are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. The vibe here is a lot more chill, and a ‘no worries’ type of mentality. 

The people on the Uber team in Australia and New Zealand were so friendly, it felt like I knew them for years. 

We all meshed so well, and they became my best friends. We had catered lunches everyday and you can tell that Uber Eats was growing out of it’s start-up infancy stages.

 We had more processes put in place, we found better ways of doing things, but still had all the freedom to try, learn, succeed and fail as the sky was the limit. That’s one thing I loved about working there. 

You had all the resources, and if you found a process that you can prove works, you can playbook it and share it amongst other Uber employees around the globe. 

**What is it specifically that you like about working Parkable relative to your past jobs?** 

100% the culture. It’s so important to find a group of people who share the same values, goals, interests, who are like-minded. 

It’s hard finding a good team, let alone finding a great boss to drive the boat, whilst the rest of the team are helping to make the boat go faster. 

I think culture is vital to any company, especially in a start-up world because things move fast and if you don’t set those missions and values at the early start, you lose perception of the end goal and the ultimate WHY. 

**CV’s can be quite lifeless. Have you done anything unique in the past to get the attention of an employer or seen others that have been creative in this regard?**

I saw that one of the most popular advertising agencies in Houston was looking for an intern. I knew it was going to be competitive, so I started doing more research on the company. 

I sent them an email, which was basically my entire cover letter, convincing them on why they should hire me through GIFs. There were about ten GIFs in the email I think. Attached to that email was my CV.

About ten minutes later, the CEO replied back and asked his EA to try and get me into the office the next week.

**Parkable continues to evolve. What kind of candidates do you think Parkable is looking for in terms of experience, attitude and character?**

Someone who can think on their feet, and someone who isn’t scared to try new things outside of their role. A great leader who is coachable, someone who is always down to help others, and most importantly, knows how to have fun!

Ashley Mai, Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Parkable

_From aspiring professional footballer to catching the startup bug, Jervis shoots down some common misconceptions about marketing as well as shares insight into the energy he has harvested from working with a diverse team and as well as the importance of being able to roll up your sleeves. Enjoy._

**Firstly, how would you explain to a five year old what it is you do?**

I get as many people as possible to drink lemonade at lemonade stalls.

**And for the adults, what does that translate to in regards to your day-to-day?**

I take people on a journey by the way of storytelling across multi digital mediums over a period of time.

**What are some of the common misconceptions about working in marketing?**

* Good marketing equals fast results. Marketing requires some patience. The results will begin to trickle in over time, and once you get the ball rolling, the dividends are endless!
* Great products or services do not need to be marketed. What good is the highest-quality product in the world if nobody knows about it?
* Bad publicity is good publicity. Bad publicity is BAD publicity and it can easily turn into the kiss of death if it is not dealt with swiftly and properly.

> “Bad publicity is BAD publicity and it can easily turn into the kiss of death if it is not dealt with swiftly and properly. ” 

**Was working in tech something you dreamed about doing as a kid, if not what was?**

For as long as I could remember, all I ever wanted was to be a professional football player. I’ve been playing since I was seven, played for a few academies and was fortunate enough to have a number of trials in the UK and Europe but ultimately things didn’t pan out. I guess I wasn't as good as I thought I was...

I then went to study Psychology at Auckland University but dropped out after a year to pursue music. I did a degree in Recording Arts, tried my hand in producing for a couple of years but eventually went back to uni to complete my Masters in International Business.

As part of my Masters, I got an internship at Parkable when it was just starting off. 5 years on and I'm still smashing goals for Parkable!

**Tell us a little bit more about your career journey and ultimately about how you ended up working at Parkable?**

Parkable was my first job out of uni! In classic start up fashion, a small team of us was operating out of one of our co-founder’s kitchen bench for a good part of 6months. We eventually moved to a shared office down at Britomart with some amazing businesses such as The Spin Off and New Zealand Geographic.

The early years were about getting stuck in and doing everything and anything to move the needle, as the team grew, I gradually moved into a more conventional marketing role over 5 years, tackling challenges as the marketing manager and eventually, digital marketing manager.

I’ve also had amazing opportunities to develop professionally over the years by collaborating on projects with New Zealand Geographic and agencies and those opportunities have led to me being their Digital Editor and more recently, have landed a dream position at a Silicon Valley startup! 

**Can you share some more insight into what that transition was like?**

Parkable was my first “real” job so I didn’t have any real expectations - it was quite easy to adjust. I’m also driven by nature so I felt comfortable being thrown into the deep end and enjoy having the freedom to find creative ways to solve complex problems.

**What is it specifically that you like about working Parkable relative to your past jobs?** 

The people. Working with amazing people from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different nationalities adds so much to the workplace culture.

 > “There is always room to grow. Read, talk to people. You’d be surprised by how many doors open just by having friendly conversations with people.” 

**Do you have any advice for people considering tech as a career path and how they might get there quicker?** 

* Be comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone.
* There is always room to grow. Read, talk to people. You’d be surprised by how many doors open just by having friendly conversations with people.
* Don’t worry too much about not having the right experience. If you have the right attitude, some perseverance and hard work will get you there!

**Lastly, Parkable continues to evolve. What kind of candidates do you think Parkable is looking for in terms of experience, attitude and character?**

* Someone who is comfortable with rolling up their sleeves and enjoys solving problems.
* Someone who isn’t afraid to dream big and is not afraid to make mistakes.

Jervis Koo, Digital Marketing Manager at Parkable

_Shamima shares some really interesting insight into how working in tech gives her an outlet for her creativity and enables her engage in creative problem solving. Shamima also highlights the growing importance of finding a company culture that aligns, which she certainly seems to have found at Parkable. Thanks for sharing._

**Firstly, how would you explain to a five year old what you do?**

I ask people if they want to share their toys (actually carparks) when they aren’t playing with them, in exchange for treats (money).

> “I ask people if they want to share their toys (actually carparks) when they aren’t playing with them, in exchange for treats (money).” 

**Was working in tech something you dreamed about doing as a kid, if not what was?** 

Growing up I would have defined technology as something entirely different to what it is today, and I thought it had nothing to do with me and my ‘right-brain’ kind of personality. I only got my first computer when I was in second year of university - that late!

I did my degree in English and Psychology and always thought I’d end up doing something creative, but I never thought it would take the form of innovation through technology. I love efficiency so it makes sense that I work in technology - the only way to truly great efficiency. 

**Tell us a little bit more about your career journey and ultimately about how you ended up working at Parkable?**

I’ve taken a bit of a circuitous route to get to where I am now. I started off in advertising and PR, tried operations management, worked at a photography studio doing it all - I was a photographer, a business development manager and a photo editor.

The first tech startup I worked at was Fergus in 2014 when it had just launched. I was the only BDM for a couple of years and I really enjoyed templating how to present the product to different types of people.

I was good at creating scalable repeatable processes that I later trained others in, I enjoyed using my skills in lots of areas of the business (like writing, voicing training videos, demonstrating product, technical support, etc ). And I got so much satisfaction from being part of launching the company off the ground and the huge growth we made happen.

I knew I wanted to keep working in tech startups but ultimately wanted to join a company whose culture aligned with my values - so that’s the first thing I wanted to know about when I was introduced to Brody Nelson and his team at Parkable. I’m now in my third year here and it’s going great.

**Can you share some more insight into what that transition was like?** 

I was originally hired as the Affiliate Manager for Campable which was under the same umbrella as Parkable. But because Campable was a little seasonal, I found myself with more time than work so I took the initiative to do business development for Parkable in my downtime.

I missed being able to introduce and discuss exciting new tech solutions with people. That’s one of the cool things about startups - if you show enthusiasm and results, your role can be as varied as you want, and you get to try out different types of jobs. After a year, I transitioned over to Parkable full time.

**What is it specifically that you like about working in tech relative to your past jobs?**

I like that by its very nature, we don’t get left behind or outdated. I like that we can think of a better way to do a thing, and do something about it. It’s powerful to know that I can lodge a new feature request with the developers, and see it happen. At my last job they built an entire CRM to my exact specifications.

**Have you done anything unique in the past to get the attention of an employer or seen others that have been creative in this regard?**

It is powerful to be introduced to a potential employer and come with a verified recommendation from someone they trust. I think it’s also important to know what kind of a workplace culture you want to be part of, because then you can find the right fit for yourself and the employer.

> “There are so many different types of jobs in tech, I think you just have to show you want it, will work hard for it, and be open to trying new things.” 

**Do you have any advice for people considering tech as a career path and how they might get there quicker?** 

There are so many different types of jobs in tech, I think you just have to show you want it, will work hard for it, and be open to trying new things.

One of my dev colleagues loves to tell the story of how he got his job - fresh out of university he showed up at the office one day to report a bug he’d found on the app, and asked for an internship which eventually turned into a job.

**What gets you excited about working at Parkable?**

The people, the product and the culture. We have a big focus on wellbeing in our office. Before Covid we had established rhythms for cooked shared lunches twice a week, yoga, bootcamp, subsidised massages, and we’re always reminded to celebrate our wins together.

It really helps when there’s mutual trust, friendship and respect for the people you work for and alongside.

**Lastly, Parkable continues to evolve. What kind of candidates do you think Parkable is looking for in terms of experience, attitude and character?**

We hire people of diverse backgrounds and experience levels - we like to surround ourselves with people who are willing to learn and people who we can learn from. Our official team values are “commited game changers who have fun” so that kinda sums it up.

Shamima Lone, Senior Business Development Manager at Parkable

At Parkable we work toward creating a world where parking is effortless and enjoyable.

**The market opportunity ahead for Parkable**

Parkable is purpose driven, and this defines our success. 

We see our purpose solving three challenges; Helping to make parking a better human experience, better for businesses, and better for the environment. 

This is measured against our aspirational goals of helping 1 million people a day, having a happier commute and making more sustainable commute choices. 

For businesses, we aspire to help 10,000 workplaces reduce their parking real estate requirements and improve commuter options especially EV infrastructure. 

**Why Parkable is a great place to work**

We are committed, game changers who have fun, and are decent humans.  

To enable this, the People + Culture function works to create a diverse, inclusive and highly engaged workforce that supports personal and professional growth, values collaboration and cultivates a positive culture to support high performing teams.

Be creative in your thinking and innovative in your actions to find the best outcome for our customers, the business, and each other.

Change the game

Love what you do and show off that passion in all you do.

Have fun

Respect others, their views, their diversity, and their identity.

Be a decent human

Give each task your all until the customer or team is delighted with the results.

Parkable

About

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Culture

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The Matchstiq Top 2023

Snapshot of Parkable

Working with us

Values

Change the game

Have fun

Be a decent human

Be committed

From the archives

Company stories

Ashley Mai, Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Parkable

Jervis Koo, Digital Marketing Manager at Parkable

Shamima Lone, Senior Business Development Manager at Parkable

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