You can always buy a Towne Park System’s franchise, join our company, or… just watch these videos for a short glimpse of the finer side of what we do… Personally, I think there are plenty of perks in owning a Towne Park franchise, but for those of you who fancy yourselves as car enthusiasts… here’s a little snapshot of some of our luxurious clients.

Audi R8

McLaren MP4-12C

Bugatti Veyron

Enzo Ferrari

Aston Martin DB9

Maybach

Roles Royce Phantom

Bentley GT Continental

Fisker Karma

Mercedes-Benz CL-CLass

Jaguar XK

BMW 5-Series

Audi A6

Cadillac CTS

Infiniti M37

Chevy Malibu

Honda Civic

Ford Mustang GT

Toyota Prius

A Special Thanks

I’m really fortunate to work with so many talented, service-oriented leaders. When I concocted the idea for this post, I turned to the strong leadership of Southern California. Here’s a special thanks to Bobby Kuhns, Ryan Corona and the rest of our all-star team out there.

I thought it might be interesting to share an unofficial poll of some of our favorite cars: the luxury vehicles we valet periodically and the vehicles we drive most often. In this series we’ll showcase our favorites and regulars (in Part 1) and then I’ll put you in the driver’s seat, figuratively speaking, to watch some great commercials for each of these cars (Part 2).

Once In A Blue Moon (Top 1-5)

Alright, here are a few cars our associates dream of parking and our Risk Management team has nightmares about. In some of our larger markets, we’ll park one or more of these every few months. You can bet it’s the highlight of our team’s day!

• McLaren MP4-12: You’ll pay $231,400 for this 592-hp British supercar. Interesting fact: You can rent one from Hertz UK for only $1,800/day
• Enzo Ferrari: This 650-hp Italian dream will set you back $650,000. It only comes in red and yellow!
• Aston Martin DB9: $190,000 will get you 470 ponies from this British car maker. The DB stands for David Brown; the owner who purchased Aston Martin in 1947 for £20,500
• Maybach: This ultra-luxury German beauty starts at $372,000 with 620-hp under the hood. Daimler will cease building in 2013
• Fisker Karma: It’s a $95,000 subcompact hybrid luxury sports car with 260-hp. It will take you 6 hours to fully charge the 981 pound-feet of torque engine

More Than You’d Think (Top 6-10)

While these cars are priced out of the reach of most people, we seem to park these more than you’d think. You may see these on the street in your town. We get the opportunity to see them upclose:

• Roles Royce Phantom: This beastly 6,000 pound car jumps with 453-hp to $450,000. Be prepared to pay a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax for it’s 11 mpg city stats
• Bentley GT Continental: For only $189,000, you’ll get a W-12 engine producing 552-hp from this British manufacturer
• Audi R8: $115,000 buys you a sleek 430-horsepower rocket ship that goes 0-60 in 4.4 seconds
• Mercedes-Benz CL-CLass: German engineering and $125,000 buys you a stylish ride with 382-hp. Oh, you’ll also pay $1,300 in gas-guzzler tax
• Jaguar XK: Just under $90,000, you can unleash the 385-hp beast for 0-60mpg in just 4.6 seconds. Or, just upgrade to the 550-hp XKR-S

The Main Stay

Here’s a list of several cars we drive frequently. Dont’ worry, this isn’t Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We have policies against that!

• BMW 5-Series: Starting at $45,000, this 240-hp German machine is no stranger to our lives<. In case you were interested, BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works/li>
• Audi A6: $45,000 also buys you this 265-hp road-hugging work horse. For a $5,000 more you can add a heads up display that projects data onto the windshield
• Cadillac CTS: With 304 ponies, this American-made powerhouse costs over $40,000. Its sister, the CTS-V is the “Least Fuel Efficient Station Wagon” in North America!
• Infiniti M Series: For $50,000, you can cruise the town pushing 330 horses. This Japanese car was rebadged from its original name “Nissan Gloria”

Too Often to Count

While valet parking may be considered a luxury service (and we work to maintain that standard), it is a luxury many people can afford. Whether it’s dinner out with your spouse, a business luncheon or another special event, here are a few of the cars we park most often:

• Chevy Malibu: For $22,000, you can sport this 169-hp American made machine. This is the 6th generation of the 1964 Chevrolet Malibu muscle car
• Honda Civic: This Japanese-styled car will set you back $15,000 for 140 ponies.
• Ford Mustang GT: An American muscle car with 412-hp for $35,000. In ’64, Lee Iacocca introduced the first Mustang as the original “pony car”; an intermediate sizedmuscle car
• Toyota Prius: For the environmentally friendly, you can shell out $24,000 for 51mpg at 134-hp. Did you know there are no belts in this engine?

What A Sight To See

Check out Top 10 Exotic Cars We Park Every Day (Part 2) for a closer look at these cars through commercials!

Visit our YouTube channel for our complete video library featuring all of the benefits of becoming a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with Towne Park Systems.

Visit our YouTube channel for our complete video library featuring all of the benefits of becoming a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with Towne Park Systems.

Visit our YouTube channel for our complete video library featuring all of the benefits of becoming a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with Towne Park Systems.

Visit our YouTube channel for our complete video library featuring all of the benefits of becoming a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with Towne Park Systems.

Honestly, I’m most excited by Towne Park System’s franchise concept for this simple reason: we’re providing the tools to educate the right leader in a system that has proven success. Like every other entrepreneurial opportunity, our concept isn’t without risk. But, for those looking to create something, lead and develop the next generation of entrepreneurs and serve others… this just might be that great concept.

A big thanks to the Kauffman Foundation for producing this video.

No matter what business you launch, capital is the life blood. Here’s a short list of the more popular financing methods for starting a business:

Bootstrapping

Bob Hope once said, “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” Often, entrepreneurs are faced with the reality that self-funding the business is the surest (and sometimes only) way to launch. That said, it’s important to start a business with a small up-front capital requirement, short sales cycles, short payment terms, and recurring revenue. Cash is king to a bootstrapper. For those with savings, home equity, a healthy 401K, the ability to scale back your lifestyle and a tolerance for risk… Starting your own business might be for you! We believe our franchises meet those criteria with an added bonus: 24 years of proven history, a raving portfolio and an understanding of launching new markets!

“Forget the lottery. Bet on yourself instead.” ~ Brian Koslow

Friends and Family

The advantage of raising money from friends and family is that you know where they live. There are a few disadvantages though: they know where you live, you’ll mix business and pleasure, and they may not have the desire or financial staying power your business needs! If you do go down this path, here are a few tips to consider:

• Determine the investment structure: Are they loaning you money, taking a equity position in the company, or something else?
• Treat everyone just like an investor: Even if it feels a little odd, consider formalizing the arrangement and keep communication high. There isn’t much worse than creating a riff in your personal life. Formalizing the investment will ensure that everyone is clear on their roles, expectations and timeframes. It might feel a bit odd, but it make sure all parties understand the strings… (and there are always strings)!
• Manage expectations: Plan, prepare and communicate. These are loved ones you’re dealing with and, as such, you’ll probably have a little more leeway than with bankers. To keep that trust, communicate often and be honest about what’s going on. If things are going well, they’ll want to celebrate with you. If things are going poorly, friends and families are typically more willing to jump in and help with contacts, advice, referrals and money.

Before borrowing money from a friend decide which you need most. ~American Proverb

IRA & 401(k)

Everyone with a 401(k) knows cashing out an IRA and 401K comes with stiff penalties. However, there is a new trend in the investing community that helps individuals invest their 401(k)/IRAs into their own business. Think of it like this: you form a corporation, the new corporation sponsors a 401(k) plan, you roll your old 401(k) to the new one, and then the plan invests in your corporation. Now, this isn’t a simple process and it certainly requires professionals much smarter than this writer. You might look at companies like BeneTrends Inc. and Guidant Financial Group.

Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, ‘Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. ~ Warren Buffet

Commercial Lending

If you have solid credit history, experience in your prospective industry and collateral (i.e., your home), you may qualify for a commercial loan. Small business loans come in all sizes and shapes including Small Business Loans or SBA Loans, secured and unsecured loans, working capital loans, lines of credit, home equity lines of credit, and even personal loans. Don’t forget, according to the National Small Business Association, credit cards are the most common source of financing for America’s small-business owners.

Towne Park Systems is now an approved SBA franchisee. When talking to your bank, make sure to tell them to search the SBA’s Franchise Registry for our certificate. While the SBA doesn’t actually loan money, they will (for qualified applicants) guarantee a certain portion of loans from your local bank or credit union. This removes some risk from the banks themselves. However, don’t expect to get an SBA loan without experience, a solid business plan, and your personal collateral.

We can loan you enough money to get you completely out of debt. ~ from a sign on a bank

Kauffman Foundation’s “Money Game”

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has a great library of resources for entrepreneurs. Here’s my favorite motivational one! I hope you enjoy.

Work For Yourself, Not By Yourself

Become a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. To learn more about franchising, check out The Opportunity.

Work For Yourself, Not By Yourself

Become a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. To learn more about franchising, check out The Opportunity.

Jerry South Mini-Series

This video is part of a mini-series introducing Jerry South to you. For those who don’t know Jerry, he’s an authentic, self-made entrepreneur who’s led Towne Park from one location to become the industry leader in hospitality-outsourced labor. Here’s a little glimpse into Jerry:

• Welcome to Towne Park Systems
• Clients Buy Because Towne Park Systems Solves Problems
• Why Do People Buy from Towne Park Systems
• Who Towne Park Serves & Why
• The Making of Towne Park – Driven to Serve
• Towne Park Systems Franchisees Benefit from Proven Systems
• Towne Park Systems Core Competencies: “Recruit, Hire, Train, & Deploy”
• Towne Park Founder, Jerry South, Jokes about Car Parking Meetings

Work For Yourself, Not By Yourself

Become a franchise owner with Towne Park, America’s valet parking, parking management and hospitality staffing experts. To learn more about franchising, check out The Opportunity.

Jerry South Mini-Series

This video is part of a mini-series introducing Jerry South to you. For those who don’t know Jerry, he’s an authentic, self-made entrepreneur who’s led Towne Park from one location to become the industry leader in hospitality-outsourced labor. Here’s a little glimpse into Jerry:

• Welcome to Towne Park Systems
• Clients Buy Because Towne Park Systems Solves Problems
• Why Do People Buy from Towne Park Systems
• Who Towne Park Serves & Why
• The Making of Towne Park – Driven to Serve
• Towne Park Systems Franchisees Benefit from Proven Systems
• Towne Park Systems Core Competencies: “Recruit, Hire, Train, & Deploy”
• Towne Park Founder, Jerry South, Jokes about Car Parking Meetings