Why I Strive to Create Rather than Disrupt

Being deemed disruptive has become a highly sought-after title in the recent years. In every sector from the auto industry to home appliances, disruptive innovations are pushing against industry standards, breaking down barriers, and creating thriving businesses that lead growth in their categories.  However, disruption can also be a restrictive concept. While disruptive technologies may break down barriers, they are also still operating within and catering to the product category’s existing market.  That’s why I focus on creating categories rather than disrupting existing ones; by unlocking a new category rather than fighting against the norms of a current one, we are opening a new group of stakeholders.  As the smart city reality starts to emerge, FlashParking is stepping into a larger-scale role that involves connecting assets rather than just managing access to them. Access is still a critical user-facing piece of the puzzle, but the connectivity factor is ever more relevant as the pool of mobility services and Smart City initiatives expands and diversifies. Parking assets are perfectly positioned with predictable capacity cycles, which presents an opportunity for them to go beyond parking and become capacitors for managing congestion; but in order to do so, they need a single platform that will allow to reach service partners and the market in real time.  That’s why I focus on creating categories rather than disrupting existing ones; by unlocking a new category rather than fighting against the norms of a current one, we are opening a new group of stakeholders.  As the only unified, cloud-based mobility platform, FlashParking is leading this industry-wide transformation as the subject-matter expert. Rather than simply informing more intelligent purchase choices, however, we strive to actually shape a new perception of the marketplace and subsequently influence the way our customers and their users behave. For FlashParking customers, this means gaining a different the insight to properly value and optimize asset. For the end user, this means a more modern and intuitive end-to-end experience.  I don’t consider us a competitor of traditional parking technology providers because they offer only a single component of what we do. Rather than competing, we expand opportunities by broadening the use cases for leading technologies like Bluetooth, open-API software, secure mobile payment structure, and business intelligence.   By stepping out of the current bounds of the parking access and revenue control category, FlashParking is driving a much more authentic breed of innovation that creates major perceptual shifts in the market.  While disruption raises and dictates a new standard of expectations, category creation entirely alters perceptions of what’s possible.  That’s why I don’t consider us parking disruptors; rather, I consider FlashParking a player in an entirely new category. While disruption raises and dictates a new standard of expectations, category creation entirely alters perceptions of what’s possible. Beyond simply perfecting the parking experience, we are reframing the way that urban communities perceive garages and are ultimately transforming the mobility grid.

Neil Golson’s New Hire Announcement Press Release Read now

Neil Golson is FlashParking’s new EVP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. Neil leads FlashParking’sefforts to help isolated parking assets transition into connected mobility hubs that will be at the core of the smart city. Prior to joining the FlashParking team, Neil served as Head of Marketing & Sales Operations for Residential Energy at Tesla and Sr. Director of Business Development for SolarCity. Before that, Neil spent seven years at The Coca-Cola Company leading the McDonald’s Division for Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and as the Senior Brand Manager for the Coca-Cola brand in North America. Neil earned a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his M.B.A. from Auburn University. He currently lives in Austin and enjoys spending time with his two girls.