Here's a business opportunity you've probably walked past a thousand times without noticing: parking lots. According to a former Wall Street private equity investor who shares financial insights as "Kenny Finance" on YouTube, these seemingly mundane asphalt squares can pull in more than $100,000 per month.

"Next time you park, remember you're making someone rich," he said.

The Core Business: Short-Term and Long-Term Parking

Most parking lot revenue comes from the obvious source—renting spaces. But there's more nuance here than you might expect. Kenny explains that operators tap into two distinct customer bases with different pricing models.

The first revenue stream is hourly and daily parking. Think about when you drive downtown for a concert or need airport parking for a business trip. Kenny notes that typical rates run around $10 per hour or $40 for a full day.

Then there's the steadier income source: monthly contracts. Apartment dwellers without dedicated parking spaces need somewhere to keep their cars long-term, and they're willing to pay for the convenience. These monthly spots go for around $500 each, according to Kenny.

"You get to rent like cash flow by having long-term leases with parking garages," he said. "The price for a spot goes for like $500 per month."

Monthly contracts provide predictable, stable revenue similar to residential tenants, while hourly and daily spots fluctuate throughout the week. Location matters enormously here. Kenny emphasizes that parking facilities near downtown districts, stadiums, hospitals, and airports command the best rates and highest utilization.

Revenue Stream Number Two: Infrastructure Partnerships

Here's where the business model gets interesting. Beyond collecting parking fees, savvy operators have figured out how to monetize their real estate through corporate partnerships.

Take EV charging as an example. Kenny explains that some parking lots partner with companies like ChargePoint to install electric vehicle charging stations. The parking lot owner doesn't make money from the actual charging transactions. Instead, ChargePoint pays a monthly fee for the right to operate their equipment in the garage.

"They don't earn any money from the actual charging from the ChargePoint station," Kenny said. "Instead, this parking garage charges ChargePoint a fee every single month to have their equipment installed in this garage. The right to operate in this building costs them money."

The same model works with telecom and solar companies. These businesses will sign lengthy contracts—sometimes 20 years—to install cell towers or solar panels on top of parking structures. That's two decades of predictable cash flow from vertical space that would otherwise sit empty.

Bonus Revenue: Event Hosting

Parking lots have another trick for maximizing revenue during slower periods. When demand for parking drops, the space can transform into an event venue.

Flea markets, pop-up shops, and farmers' markets all need temporary locations, and parking lots fit the bill perfectly. These events typically happen on weekends when parking demand might be lower, depending on location.

"When it comes to your local thrift pop-ups or flea markets or farmers markets, those platforms and events are actually paying parking lot space operators to actually have space for that weekend," Kenny said.

The beauty of this business model is its diversification. While most revenue still comes from people parking their cars, operators layer in multiple income streams that work together. Short-term and long-term parking contracts provide the foundation, infrastructure partnerships add stable recurring revenue, and event hosting fills in the gaps. Add it all up, and you get a six-figure monthly cash flow business hiding in plain sight.