10 Questions With Natisha Chatten, Auto Social UK
At Changing Lanes, we are continuing our travel around the world (virtually) to gather the best new stories and independent voices on motoring! Today, we are taking a short journey across the Irish Sea to the UK to catch up with Natisha Chatten from Auto Social UK. In this interview Natisha tells us the story of how she got started making YouTube car review videos.
Natisha has a background in the dealership side of the motor industry and this informs her approach. This experience in the retail environment means Natisha has lots of insight into what customers actually want to know about new cars, what's important to them and how to tell it to them. She's also one of the few emerging female voices on new cars, and she mentions in our interview her desire to inspire other young women to get into cars.
Natisha uses video to show her audience the features of some of the most desirable new models on the market. This year alone she's been behind the wheel of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, BMW 1 Series, the Volvo S60, the Ford Puma and the Vauxhall/Opel Corsa. She's already building a community online through YouTube and her social channels. Here's what Natisha had to say about the inspiration behind her channel and some of her favourite cars!
1. Can you introduce yourself to our readers in a few sentences?
Hi, my name is Natisha, more often referred to as Tish and I am an aspiring ‘new car reviewer’ from the East of England. I have always had a keen interest in cars and have worked within the automotive industry in various roles for the past few years. I launched my YouTube channel and brand ‘Auto Social UK’ at the beginning of 2019.
2. How did you get started reviewing cars on YouTube?
A few years ago, I worked at an independent car dealership where I was thrown into the deep end and put in front of a camera. Despite my initial meltdown, I quickly become comfortable with presenting cars. I started to realise I really enjoyed it and the videos were very well received. However, I hated not being in charge of what I filmed and how long I was given to prepare so I decided I wanted to start my own YouTube channel on my own terms.
3. How are you building your community online?
I am building my online community slowly but steadily. Currently this is not my full-time job, so I am happy to grow my channel organically using other supporting social media like Instagram and Facebook. Despite this I already have quite a few people that engage regularly with my videos and content, giving me constant feedback and support, which has been overwhelmingly encouraging.
4. What inspires you?
I believe that being a female within the car industry is tough. I feel inspired to prove myself in what is predominantly a male workplace and encourage other young girls to get into cars.
Working within sales I found it very apparent that car dealerships become desensitised to the magnitude of the decision a customer needs to make when picking a new car. I wanted to build a platform that would help people to be able to explore cars within more detail from their own homes. I do not claim to be a car expert and try to look at car reviews from a customer’s point of view. What features for instance would be important to say my mum when buying a car?
5. What car do you drive and why?
My personal car was a sensible purchase, a little Volkswagen Street Up! At the beginning of 2019 I had to give back my company car. I needed something that was going to be reliable, as well as cheap to run and insure. This little car ticks all of the boxes. With its playful stripes and nice upgrades of full leather and panoramic sunroof I think it matches my personality and needs very well. In the not too distant future I have my heart set on the Volkswagen T-Roc convertible.
6. Favourite music to drive to?
You can thank my dad for my favourite driving playlist. We used to take road-trips down to Devon regularly when I was younger and there would always be The Red Hot Chilli Peppers or Arctic Monkeys blaring through the speakers. Still to this day that is my favourite music to drive to.
7. What do you like to do when not testing cars?
When I am not testing cars, I like to travel. I love exploring new cities that I haven’t been to and writing travel itineraries for my trips.
8. What would be in your dream 3 car garage?
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
Audi TTRS.
Lamborghini Urus.
9. Favourite place in the UK for a road trip?
I would have to choose the Norfolk coast as my favourite place for a UK road trip. It’s not far from myself in Suffolk and holds lots of happy memories, from spotting seals in Hunstanton to catching crabs in Cromer.
10. And finally, how can our readers follow your work?
If you want to follow my journey; the best way would be to subscribe to my YouTube channel ‘Auto Social UK.’ You can also find me at autosocialuk.com, on Instagram @auto_social_UK or on Facebook @AutoSocialUKReviews.
Thanks to Natisha for taking part in this interview!
By Caroline Kidd
Me And My Car: Eugene Devereux, Irish Bootstrapper
Irish Bootstrapper was founded by Eugene Devereux and promotes positive mental and physical health through travel and adventure. Eugene produces the popular podcast The Bootcast, which features inspiring interviews with people living and working in the travel and adventure space. Eugene also loves cars and he accepted our invitation to feature on Changing Lanes with his BMW 3 Series Coupe! I spoke to Eugene about the story behind Irish Bootstrapper, his favourite travel memories, and the most memorable journey he ever took in his BMW.
1. Can you introduce yourself in a few sentences?
Hi, I'm Eugene Devereux from Carlow, Ireland. My passions lie in travel, adventure and business, while my interests are in tech, media, music, motors and of course Ireland. My professional background is in media, sales and marketing, and in 2019 I started a new Adventure/Travel brand called Irish Bootstrapper.
2. What inspired Irish Bootstrapper?
I've always had a love of travel and adventure, ever since taking my first flight to Wales at 14 years old. Since then, I've been to a lot of Europe, the US and most recently South East Asia. Also, I take part in adventure races around Ireland, which are a fun, challenging way to see the country and meet new people. I had always wanted to start my own business. So, when I went travelling in 2019, I started Irish Bootstrapper effectively as a blog and it naturally progressed into what you see today: a fresh Irish brand bringing you travel and adventure products, services and content with will one day be a global powerhouse in the space.
3. As you've travelled the world, have you made any observations about cars and transport in other countries?
European cites: They love to drive cars and in general smaller cars. Take Paris or Amsterdam with their Smarts, Fiat 500s and little Renaults .
Asian Cities: They love to drive 2-wheelers!
Cambodia: Tuk-tuks and rickshaws are common public transport options.
Vietnam: The bus drivers take no prisoners! On your little scooter, get out of their way! Streets are narrower and very congested in the Vietnamese cities, like Ho Chi Minh, so it's a space thing. And, you'd be surprised what you can get onto a Honda 50! I've seen anything from a chicken pen to a ghetto blaster to literally somebody's entire home on the back of a scooter whereas in Ireland or Europe, you might think you need an SUV with a roof rack and hitch for doing the same journey. Resourcefulness with their vehicles I guess.
4. What has been your most memorable car/transport moment to date while travelling?
In South East Asia, being a passenger on my friend's scooter on my first night in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The sheer volume of traffic (99% 2-wheelers) and what appears to be absolute pandemonium is a total driving-awakening to somebody from a small Irish town.
In Europe, doing a road-trip with three friends from Nice in the South of France, along the coast and up into the French mountains, going through places like Grasse, Antibes, Castellane and another little gem of a town high in the mountains.
An absolutely amazing journey in terms of driving experience, scenery and stop off points. And all in a trusty Peugeot 307!
5. What in your opinion are three of the best road trips and which car would you choose to explore each of them?
Oh good question. From what I've done and what I'd like to do:
1) The South of France road trip mentioned above. You could start off in Monte Carlo and go through the coastal towns before heading into the mountains. I would do this again in an Ariel Atom. These are real "driver's roads" and the car would be ideal for maximising the spectacular views en route.
2) A trip to the West of Ireland and around the West, in something like a VW Camper. The West is so amazing in terms of terrain, scenery and its rugged Irish appeal, as well as a host of activities and traditional taste along the way.
3) The entire Route 66 in either an original Mustang or Dodge Charger. Clichéd maybe but it would be so "American muscle"!
6. Tell us about your car/what do you like about it?
I drive a 2010 BMW 320d M Sport Coupé. It's a lovely car to drive, it's reliable and actually quite fuel-efficient for a 184 bhp 2 litre. The boot is pretty big for packing for trips around Ireland and long journeys are comfortable, even on the low-profile 19s. It can be fun in the wet too!
7. Most memorable journey to date with that car? Where did you go?
Probably driving it back from Wales when I bought it. I was so excited to have bought it and the journey from Cardiff, through Swansea and onto Fishguard before boarding the ferry was a great intro to my future with the car. I drove about 300 km in total so was pretty used to its handling and response by the time I pulled into the driveway at home!
8. How did you prepare for the journey?
Got my insurance changed over, brought a few snacks for the way and filled the tank in Cardiff! I found it difficult to sleep on that ferry though.
9. What was on the stereo during this journey?
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf.
10. What did you learn from that journey?
If you really want to do something in life, make a bit of a plan to achieve it and then take the first step. It doesn't have to be entirely mapped out with precision. Once you have a starting point, an end goal and a rough idea of how you might get there, the rest tends to fall into place. But anyway, it's the journey that matters.
Hence, the Irish Bootstrapper tagline is "Become The Journey".
Listen to The Bootcast here.
You can follow Irish Bootstrapper across social media:
Thanks to Eugene for taking part in our interview.
Interview With Nina Weizenecker
Let me introduce Nina Weizenecker, one of the brightest new stars blogging about cars! Nina is from Germany and writes for her own website and the German magazine Der Autotester. I spoke to Nina about the inspiration for her blog and her favourite cars.
1. Can you introduce yourself in a couple of sentences?
Hi car enthusiasts, my name is Nina Weizenecker and I am an automotive blogger. I'm from southern Germany and I study educational science. I also work for the German online car magazine www.der-Autotester.de. My father gave me a passion for cars from the time I was in the Maxi-Cosi. He didn't exchange his beloved Porsche for a family car when I was born!
2. How did you start your career testing cars?
Back in 2012, my father founded our car magazine, der-Autotester.de. I am part of the team since September 2018.
3. What is the inspiration behind your blog Ninacarmaria.de?
I set up my blog to share my enjoyment of all the latest models. It gives me great pleasure to give my community the opportunity to explore the newest cars with me.
4. What was your first car?
My very first car was a Fiat 500 Convertible. It was love at first sight. It was finished in a beautiful pearl white with a wine red roof.
5. Which have been your top 3 cars to test?
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Audi R8
Suzuki Jimny
6. What has been the best moment of your career so far?
Totally hard to pin down. Of course, driving super sports cars are always indescribable moments but I enjoy testing camper vans even more, preferably by the sea!
7. Which place in Germany would you recommend for a road trip?
I'm from the Black Forest and I love the winding roads here. The magnificent landscape in combination with a beautiful sports car makes my heart beat faster. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely visit the Black Forest.
8. What advice do you have for anyone who wants a career as a motoring journalist?
Be authentic and love what you do.
You can follow Nina's adventures with cars on social media:
Thank you Nina for taking part in this interview!
Interview with Sinead McCann, CarsIreland.ie
Sinead McCann is the car reviewer and content editor at CarsIreland.ie, one of Ireland's leading car sales websites. Sinead has helped to establish CarsIreland as a destination for car video reviews of new and used cars. She has filmed over 150 video reviews for the CarsIreland YouTube channel, making it a great resource for anyone buying a car in Ireland. In this interview, Sinead gives us a behind the scenes look at her job reviewing cars and making videos!
1. Tell us about your work at CarsIreland.
I look after the new car content for our website and YouTube channel. My main role is in video production and I specialise in creating video reviews of all the latest models on the market. So I review cars, basically! I know that sounds like a dream job, and a lot of the time it is, but I promise it’s not always as glamourous as it sounds. I film, research and edit everything myself which while very rewarding, is not without its challenges. Giving people advice on such a big purchase is a huge responsibility.
I collect my test cars on a Monday and typically film at the end of the week, once I’ve spent some time with it and figured out what I think is good and not so good. The rest of my week is spent in CarsIreland headquarters editing, uploading, writing, planning and brainstorming for the next video or feature. I try to make them as entertaining as I can. The site has recently expanded, so it’s an exciting time for us we develop the new review section of our site and I work as part of an amazing team.
2. What led you to this role making videos and reviewing cars?
I always had an interest in cars. But funnily enough it’s not something I ever thought I’d end up working in. I suppose it was unusual being a girl into cars in my teens, and it was only when my petrol-headed brother-in-law arrived on the scene around that time that I had someone to go to car shows with that I got really into it. He helped me choose my first car, and got me interested in the mechanics of it all. My favourite thing to do became stalking car sales sites for anything rare or unusual (or just really fast). I was always fascinated, but I just saw it as a hobby.
Career-wise, I wanted to be a journalist. Writing was my first love, but over the years that evolved into story-telling in other formats – video being my favourite. It never really occurred to me that I could combine the two. I got my degree in Journalism, travelled a bit, then ended up working in a car showroom while I figured out what I wanted to do. Then the role in CarsIreland came along. It actually started as a temporary project - linking all the cars on the site to existing video reviews. While doing so I noticed a big gap in the market for certain very popular used models that had come out before the whole YouTube thing really happened. So being young and probably a bit too brave for my own good, I put my hand up to make them myself. I went out that day armed with some very amateur kit, borrowed a car (my Mam’s Micra - it’s still up there, please don’t watch it) and from there began working my way through all the most popular used cars that people were searching for, borrowing cars from dealers and wherever I could get them really. It was another couple of years of tremendously valuable experience, and not a bit glam I promise! I spent a good two years reviewing twenty-year-old Almeras in carparks before the new stuff came along. But there was a market for it and people engaged. Once the older stuff was done, we decided to branch into the new car market and the site took off in a big way as a resource for all car buyers. So that’s where we are now, still growing and expanding all the time, and I’m really excited to be a part of it.
3. What do you like about your job?
I love every bit of it. I am tremendously lucky to be able to do what I do for a living. I think one of my favourite things is the diversity. Every day is different. And it’s not the obvious things either, like getting to drive these amazing new cars. I mean it’s a massive perk, obviously, but that’s not what it’s all about. Likewise, the travel aspect. Some car launches are in these really amazing locations and it is great to get to visit places that you otherwise might not have got the chance to. But at the end of the day, you are there to do a job and it’s not like you spend the time sight-seeing. I’m sure anyone who travels for work will relate. What I do love is that I can be of help to people in making what can be a really tough decision. There’s a sense of accomplishment in creating something from start to finish and especially when you get good feedback and see the channel grow. I especially love when people contact me to tell me that I helped them to make their minds up, and even more so when they are really happy with that decision.
4. What's the most challenging aspect of your job?
Every job has challenges. You could be a professional chocolate taster and still not feel like work sometimes! That’s what I tell myself when I’m having an off day. I suppose one of the hardest things is going on camera and trying to be positive and upbeat when it’s the last thing you feel like doing.
I suppose there can be challenging aspects to being a female in this role, but not as much as you might expect. At first I did feel like I had to work harder to prove myself. I was terrified of making a mistake, for example. I was afraid if I did, people would jump on it and think that it was because I was a woman, and we’re not supposed to know about cars, are we? I suppose it made me a meticulous fact checker, and that’s not a bad thing. But to be honest, I needn’t have worried, and bar the odd sexist idiot commenting on YouTube, I have been treated with nothing but respect by my audience, and the the vast, vast majority of the people I work with in this industry.
On a sillier note, and I know Caroline will relate to this a fellow one-woman show, another challenge can be trying to remain camera-ready while wrestling with equipment on a wet and windy day. That can be a real struggle! Those are the days I wish I was a guy, or had a hair and make-up team with me. One can dream!
5. What's been your most memorable experience to date as a car reviewer?
My most memorable experience was probably my first international press trip. It was the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 2015. The biggest car show I’d been to before that was the Terenure Vintage & Classic! So the sheer magnitude of that was mind-blowing to me. Another memorable one was when Tesla came to Ireland a few months back. A day spent behind the wheel of the Model S and Model X was just such a surreal experience. It felt like a real glimpse into the future of motoring. They are special cars.
6. Anything strange or amusing ever happen on location?
Too many things to mention. I’ve gotten stuck in the back of many a car while trying to film a centre console – child locks can be adult-proof too sometimes! I also had a passer-by stop me one day when I was out filming a car. He asked if I wanted his sheep dogs to be in the video because they could ‘do tricks and things, sit on the bonnet, and maybe behind the wheel’. He was deadly serious too. I got a great laugh out of that, and as a dog lover, I can’t say I wasn’t sorely tempted to take him up on it. I still have his card in fact. Stay tuned.
7. What was your first car?
My first car was a 1999 Opel Corsa, dinged down the side by a shopping trolley (not me), in aqua blue. My pride and joy.
8. How would you describe your driving style?
I’m in general quite a cautious driver. I’m not a speed demon at all. I absolutely love driving, don’t get me wrong, but give me a nice twisty B-road over a long boring motorway any day.
9. What would be in your dream three car garage?
I’ll have a Tesla Model S P100D please. Then the car I dreamed of owning way before I started all this, is the SEAT Ibiza Cupra. It was one of my very first press cars and despite all the stuff I’ve driven in between I still have a huge grá for that car. I really hope they make a new one. Then I’ll finish off with a bit of vintage pocket power – a Volkswagen Lupo GTI.
10. Favourite driving song?
Shotgun Mouthwash by High Contrast. Suits every road and every mood.
Thank you to Sinead for taking part in this interview. You can follow Sinead and Cars Ireland on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
Interview with Louise O'Reilly, Style Me Curvy
Louise O'Reilly is an international model and the woman behind the award-winning fashion and beauty blog Style Me Curvy. Louise has become a powerful advocate for diversity in fashion but did you know that she's also got a big passion for cars?
It's something I've tried to pin down to be honest. My Grandad was always big into cars: he loved everything from vintage to more modern styles. My dad is more of the safety car fan. He's a religious Volvo worshipper. Coming from a family full of boys as well, I think it all just blended together somehow over time.
My first car was a second hand diesel Ford Fusion. She was a great starter car. Then I moved to a diesel Hyundai i30 and my current love is a Toyota Auris Sol hybrid.
The first time I went to Mondello I was recording a segment at the time for a TV show. I was so nervous but it was something I really wanted to do for so long and they were kind enough to allow me to drive their Porsche Boxster too, which was the icing on the cake for me.
That's a really tough question. Probably the Maserati GranCabrio MC or the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, both equally incredible and you'd never be late! The Range Rover Evoque or the Toyota C-HR, and finally a classic 1953 Chevrolet Corvette C1 (white with red interior). I'd like to have a nice balance between sports and practicality.
I follow a lot of car companies on social media. I'm also a massive Top Gear and Fast N' Loud fan, and of course as a blogger I love to indulge in other car blogs to see the most up to date reviews.
It's ever changing and particularly in 2016 I think it's so wonderful how we have such a shift in accessibility for people. There are less obstacles now to driving something that feels luxurious but that is also cost effective and low in CO2 emissions too. More and more car companies are pushing the boundaries to create more commercially friendly yet beautifully designed cars that are far more accessible than ever before.
An over thinker, I'm always double checking everything. Extra safe I suppose you could say!
Hatchback
SUV all the way!
Usually I would say diesel but I'm currently converted to a hybrid, which is combined with a petrol engine.
I love a bit of both. Automatic is great for city driving but at times it can be a bit boring. Manual makes driving that little bit more interesting.
Thank you to Louise for taking part in this interview. You can follow Louise across social media channels including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.