It was the start of the COVID pandemic. Paul J. Daly was brushing his teeth one day when he asked himself, “How can I help the automotive industry during this unprecedented time?” His answer was to connect car people over Zoom to make their good stories louder and to connect progressive dealers to progressive industry partners. Before he finished his dental routine he already knew what he would call this new idea: Automotive State of The Union. Thousands of people showed up to the first live-stream. ASOTU was born.
ASOTU has now grown to provide daily emails, regular webinars and podcasts, and an annual conference to thousands of subscribers. Paul and his business partner, Kyle Mountsier, recently added regional events that capture the content for an ASOTU produced TV show called, “More Than Cars,” featuring inspiring stories showing how people in real car dealerships are changing lives. Paul describes More Than Cars as a mash up between Comedians In Cars getting Coffee + Diners Drive Ins and Dives + Hip Hop soundtrack. This is all designed to change the public perception of car dealerships and provide an on-ramp to draw more people interested in careers in the auto industry.
As an artist and a musician, Paul is excited to work in an industry that values creativity. Episode 1 of More Than Cars is set to premier on May 24, 2023. Users can subscribe via YouTube to watch the first episode, with more episodes to come.