Be Someone People Can Believe In | with Ryan Chun
In every industry, there’s always someone who has more.
More capital. More resources. More connections.
But as Ryan Chun learned early on, the difference isn’t about what you have, it’s about who you are.
Ryan is the founder and president of Elite Parking, Hawai‘i’s largest independent parking services provider. A company that began in 1992 as a small detailing and valet business with just six employees at Pier 7 near Aloha Tower.
Over the next twenty-five years, that small operation grew into a statewide team of more than 1,000 employees, serving premier restaurants, Waikīkī hotels, healthcare facilities, and major venues like the Blaisdell Center.
If you want opportunity, you have to become the kind of person that people with power, money, and influence want to bet on.
Ryan built his own luck that way. Not by waiting for a break, but by working so hard that others couldn’t ignore him.
The hustle starts early
Born and raised in Hawai‘i Kai and a proud Kaiser High School graduate, Ryan was never one to sit still. He took on three newspaper routes as a kid and by sixteen was managing a 76 gas station on the weekends.
It wasn’t an easy job. He was a teenager leading people twice his age, some in their twenties, even thirties. Earning respect didn’t come from authority; it came from example.
“If you’re gonna ask somebody to polish the pumps with you and you’re doing it with them, it’s hard to argue...I’m not gonna ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself. In fact, more than likely, I’m gonna lead it.”
That’s how he learned leadership. Not by title, but through consistency and grit.
The people around him began to notice. He wasn’t just “the boss’s nephew” or a high schooler helping out, he was dependable. He was someone you could trust.
creating value opens doors
After school, Ryan picked up another job as a valet at a restaurant. Even then, he was thinking ahead. When guests came in, he’d hand them his own card, offering car detailing services on the side.
One of those guests, a woman named Paula Harris, saw something in him: his initiative, his attitude, his genuine way of treating people. She introduced him to the management at Oʻahu Country Club.
Ryan could have walked in asking for permission to detail cars while members golfed, a simple favor that would benefit him alone. But he didn’t. He reframed it around value.
“I tried to frame it [as]...let me add value to your membership.”
He pitched it as a win-win: golfers could get their vehicles cleaned while they played, and the club could offer another benefit that made membership even more worthwhile.
That small shift in mindset from help me out to let me help you made all the difference. It showed that Ryan wasn’t just trying to make a sale; he was trying to make things better for everyone involved.
That perspective earned him more than clients, it earned trust.
The club gave him an entire workspace, complete with water and electricity, rent-free. All because people could see what he stood for: reliability, hard work, and mutual benefit.
Earning opportunity
Opportunities didn’t just land in Ryan’s lap. He earned them through the way he carried himself.
During his evening valet shifts, Ryan caught the eye of Rick Jordan, a local business owner who noticed how effortlessly he managed the line: fast, respectful, and composed.
When Rick decided to open another restaurant, he knew exactly who he wanted greeting his guests. “You’re the first and last impression of our customers,” he told Ryan, and he offered him something bold: Start your own valet company, and run the service for my restaurant.
The offer was exciting but daunting. Ryan’s research showed that insurance costs alone would wipe out his earnings. Instead of walking away, Rick made a decision that would change Ryan’s life, he offered to cover the insurance himself.
Why? Because he believed in him.
He saw someone who showed up on time, led by example, and treated customers with genuine care. This was someone who could be trusted with opportunity.
Ryan didn’t take that belief lightly. He poured everything into making it work, working every lunch and dinner shift, seven days a week, until the company could stand on its own. He knew that when people put faith in you, you don’t let them down.
Just like with Paula Harris and the O‘ahu Country Club, Ryan kept creating value wherever he went.
Paula had opened the first door introducing him to a network that gave him credibility and access. Rick opened the next one giving him a chance to build something of his own.
Both of them were people with influence, resources, and options. And both chose to invest in Ryan because of who he was.
That’s how Ryan leveled up. Not through luck, but through trust.
Because when you show up with integrity, hustle, and heart, the people who have more — more capital, more resources, more reach — start to believe in you.
And that’s how opportunity begins.
someone worth believing in
Today, Ryan’s company, Elite Parking, has grown from one pier-side valet stand into Hawai‘i’s largest independent parking services provider. From restaurants to resorts to healthcare centers, Elite Parking has become a hallmark of hospitality and excellence, powered by the same values that built it.
It’s the kind of belief you can’t buy. The kind that comes when people see who you are, not just what you have.
In a world where others may start with more—more money, more access, more connections—your greatest advantage is the person you choose to become.
Ryan’s story reminds us that opportunities don’t always find you. But when you put in the work, carry integrity, and lead with value, you become the kind of person that others want to believe in.
That’s how you create your own luck.
What we can steal
Create your own opportunities. Don’t wait for permission, make things happen. Ryan didn’t sit back hoping for luck; he built it through action. By staying proactive instead of reactive, he turned weekend jobs and small chances into the foundation of a statewide company.
Add value first. When you focus on creating value for others, doors open naturally. It’s how Ryan turned a single connection into a lasting partnership.
Lead by example. Respect isn’t given, it’s earned. Whether polishing gas pumps or running a company, Ryan showed that leadership starts with doing the work yourself.
Be someone people believe in. Hard work, consistency, and a strong sense of agency act like a beacon attracting mentors, investors, and supporters who feel compelled to help you rise. When you carry integrity and heart, your actions speak louder than anything else.