In this episode, Lorenzo Mercado sits down with Clay and Jonathan Velarde—brother entrepreneurs who turned a $15K investment into Parking Pros, a thriving valet and parking shuttle company.
They share how they went from working in their father’s valet business to launching their own operation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation dives deep into their growth journey, the challenges of standing out in a competitive industry, and the strategies that helped them scale.
Clay and Jonathan open up about the power of teamwork, customer service, and adapting to market shifts. They also talk about documenting their startup journey on social media, making smart investments, and the importance of marketing in business success. Plus, they share wild stories from the valet world—and a few game-changing books that shaped their entrepreneurial mindset.
If you're building a business, thinking about starting one, or just love real stories about grit and growth—this one’s for you.
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Connect with Jonathan Velarde:
Website: https://valetparkingpros.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkingmogul
Connect with Clay Velarde:
Website: https://valetparkingpros.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clayvelarde
Listen to the Get After It Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2H4HRXUN8IEhs79vtgmcaU?si=7bdb6d0500574763
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🚀 Let’s Connect:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_/
Website: https://www.mercasaventures.com
Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lo-down/id1764777761
Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983?si=d2501028127246f3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lorenzo.Mercado