Entrepreneurial teen CEO comes up with clever parking solution - even though he can't drive
A Brisbane teenage entrepreneur, who is yet to apply for his learner’s permit, has devised a genius solution to Australia’s growing parking problem.
Rylan Kindness may not have first-hand experience at the perils of trying to find a parking space in during the peak hour rush but that hasn’t stopped him from helping those that do.
The 16-year-old Brisbane high-school student is the creator of Parking Deals Australia, an online platform that collects and compares the best parking deals.
With his site now offering parking deals at airports, hospitals and CBD’s in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, the young CEO told Yahoo7 News he is attending school simply for the socialising aspect.
Ryan's website idea - which allows drivers to enter their location details and find the best deals and cheapest parking options closest to them - came to him after his mum asked him to go online and find a cheap parking place in the city.
“She would ask me to go find a promo code and I would find it but it would take me 10 or 15 minutes to find one that was relevant to us,” Rylan told Yahoo7 News.
“A lot of the information is already out there on the internet but we narrow it down and make it a lot easier for the consumer.
“Instead of using 10 different tabs, all on our website, it’s a one-stop shop.”
Despite running his own office and employing a team of five, Rylan admits his young age has made some parking businesses nervous about building a working relationship.
“I’ve had a few say ‘you’re only 16 and probably don’t know a lot’ but others see my work ethic and what I’ve already built.”
Now earning more in one day than he did in three months working his part-time café job, the young entrepreneur said going to university would be a “waste” of time.
“I work ten hours a day, school for me is a social thing more than learning, I would rather go there and work on my business,” Rylan said.
“Going to university for me, I would do a business degree but the amount I have already learned, it would seem like a waste to me.
“What you learn out of a textbook to what you learn in real life are completely different.
“I have made mistakes that I wouldn’t make again but there’s always going to be that trial and error.”
While not all of Rylan’s teachers support his attitude towards his schooling, he said his parents fully support his plans as he looks to grow his business further across Australia and into the US.
An avid BMX rider, the teen said his website has allowed him to cover the costs of travelling to tournaments around the world.
To try it out for yourself, head to Parking Deals Australia
