Passion for Cars Shifts Gears

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When Paran Johar gets ready to drive to work, he has his pick of impressive autos: a Mercedes, Jaguar, Chevrolet Camaro convertible and custom Triumph, among others.

The founder of Mobile Media Summit caught the bug for collecting classic cars 15 years ago.

“Back then I bought cheap, fun cars I could drive for a while then sell and make money,” said Johar, 45, who enjoys sprucing up aging models and racing sports cars. “Now I tend to buy a car and keep it, as they all have a special place in my heart.”

Born in India and raised in Montreal, Johar has managed to blend this passion with his job of programming conferences about mobile advertising and marketing. In April, an event called Cars and Stars at the Beverly Hills Hotel will explore digital strategies that can be put to use within L.A.’s auto and entertainment industries.

These days, Johar said he is more confident about marketing than racing, recalling a race in Irwindale several years ago.

“I was invited to race a NASCAR (vehicle) on a very small oval with some friends,” he said. “Not sure if it was the small oval track, the car or the fact that I’m responsible now for my baby daughter, but after teasing my friends that I would win our race, I froze and came in dead last.”

Talking Up Podcast

What started as an email conversation among colleagues morphed into a monthly podcast for Jacqueline Liu, account manager at Pollack PR Marketing Group in Century City.

Liu, 34, said she and three other women in the office often sent each other funny stories or links and would talk about them during lunch.

“We’d be sitting there eating lunch and bantering back and forth and realized we had all the makings of a good podcast,” she said.

The podcast, “Reply All,” started in October and it even has two “New York correspondents” – female employees from the firm’s Big Apple office who submit recorded material.

But Liu said podcasting can be challenging as well as fun.

“Being on radio is hard because it’s not the same as normal conversation,” she said. “When we first listened to it we were laughing and talking over each other. That was one thing we had to learn. (But) we’re having a great time and everyone enjoys it.”

Staff reporters Daina Beth Solomon and Subrina Hudson contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

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