Abhaya Uprety, an international student and co-founder of ParkStash, a parking reservation startup, recounts challenges post-graduation in 2020. Initially modeled on an Airbnb concept for parking, revenues struggled amidst pandemic-induced commuting changes. Uprety, facing personal hardships in low-income New Mexico, dedicated himself to developing ParkStash’s software. By late 2022, the company shifted its focus from direct consumer service to a business-oriented approach, enabling it to adapt to market demands and stabilize its operations.
"We started off with the idea of being a sort of Airbnb for parking, focusing on everyday drivers," Uprety said. "But as an international student fresh out of college, I didn't have much room for trial and error. The stakes were always high."
"He saw a problem and thought, 'What if we connect people who have spare parking spaces with those who desperately need them?'" recalled Uprety.
"I moved to New Mexico in early 2022," said Uprety, "and lived in low-income housing, with no car, just enough to pay the rent and buy food. Still, I believed wholeheartedly in what we were doing."
By late 2022, ParkStash decided on a major pivot: from catering to individual consumers to serving businesses, which significantly changed their operational model.
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