As we continue our TJR 100 Creators campaign, we celebrate the digital storytellers redefining their industries through originality, expertise and impact.
Phoebe Nyashanu, an automotive content creator, attorney, and one of South Africa’s credible voices in motoring media – has earned recognition for her informative vehicle reviews and her ability to make even the most technical automotive concepts easy to understand.
For this edition of TJR 100 Creators, we spoke to Phoebe about teaching herself the language of cars, handling rejection from manufacturers, balancing authenticity with brand relationships, and the advice she’d give anyone looking to build a career in automotive content creation.
Cars can be incredibly technical. How did you learn about them, and was there a specific person in your family or friendship circle who first sparked your interest and helped you understand the industry?
Phoebe: I read any material I could find online about specific things that piqued my interest, for example, “What is engine displacement?” From there, I built up my knowledge base by learning about different types of engines, how engine performance is measured and much more. I have always believed that truly understanding something means being able to explain it to someone in the simplest terms possible. With cars, that also means being able to explain them to someone who doesn’t really care about specs or mechanics the way I do.
I think my father sparked my interest through the cars he owned when I was growing up. By now, anyone who knows me has probably heard about his red BMW E34 525i with the sunroof and wooden interior trims. It was an absolute beauty and is still one of the cars I hope to own one day.
My father being a journalist definitely helped because I inherited and learnt a lot from both him and my mother, who met in journalism school. They taught me how to communicate clearly and confidently in front of people, which has been incredibly valuable in my line of work.
One of your strengths is making complex automotive topics easy to understand. Take us through the process of educating yourself about cars to a point where it’s easy for you to break them down.
Phoebe: I will usually hear something that is new to me, like “torque vectoring,” and start by simply Googling it so I have a basic understanding of what it is. From there, I look for more in-depth content explaining how it works, how it affects driving dynamics and what kinds of cars use it.
When you first approached dealerships or manufacturers for vehicle reviews, what did you actually say, and how can someone do it professionally without sounding like a scammer? If possible, could you attach that one email or message where you were shooting your shot?
Phoebe: I started by approaching manufacturers directly and sent emails asking to join their press lists for test drives, events and campaigns. I always linked my platforms so they could see my work, my style and who I had worked with before.
It was definitely harder in the beginning because I didn’t have much of a track record, so I treated every email as my one opportunity to sell myself in case they never clicked on the links. I introduced myself, explained where I was based—which is important for the fleet manager—the kind of content I create, shared my audience insights and analytics, and clearly stated what I was requesting from them.
I would definitely recommend creating a media kit that gives brands a quick overview of who you are and your audience. Add some great photos of yourself with cars too.
Have you ever been rejected by a dealership, brand or manufacturer when requesting access to a vehicle or partnership?
Phoebe: Definitely. Out of every 20 emails I sent, 18 received no response, one was an outright no, and the other would usually be, “Our press list is full.”
It doesn’t happen as often now, but that’s exactly how it started. It was demotivating at times, but you don’t need a press car to talk about cars. Use whatever you have access to, refine your style and keep creating while you wait for that one yes.
Who is your all-time favourite creator, and why? It doesn’t have to be an automotive reviewer.
Phoebe: I have quite a few, but Liza Koshy immediately comes to mind. Her Vine and YouTube videos were absolutely hilarious, and I used to binge-watch them all the time. Mat Watson is another favourite because I love his reviews, even though he’s more of a journalist than a content creator.
How do you balance honesty and authenticity when reviewing vehicles while also building relationships with brands in the industry?
Phoebe: I take this work seriously. It’s not just an opportunity to drive a different car every week. I genuinely want my work to make an impact in an area that affects most of us every single day.
That responsibility pushes me to educate people honestly, which means talking about both the good and the bad. It also means giving constructive feedback to manufacturers about things that matter to their customers.
I’m also not someone who dismisses a car just because there are things I don’t like. Every car has a place on the market, but more importantly, it fits somewhere in someone’s lifestyle. The car one person sees as terrible could be someone else’s dream car and completely change their life. I always keep that perspective in mind when reviewing vehicles.
What are some of the biggest mistakes South Africans make when buying a car, and what advice, as someone with a legal background, would you give them before signing on the dotted line?
Phoebe: The biggest mistake is not understanding exactly what you’re signing up for and what the real cost of owning that car will be.
Read every single word of the contract and make sure you understand it before signing. Never be embarrassed to ask as many questions as you need, even if they seem silly. You don’t want to discover hidden costs later because you were too shy to ask.
Treat it like the serious business transaction that it is, no matter how friendly the salesperson is, and never let yourself be pressured into making a decision. Pressure is always a red flag.
What are your top three favourite cars?
Phoebe: Land Rover Defender 110 OCTA Edition 1, Audi RS Q8 and Mercedes G63.
If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice before posting that very first automotive video, what would it be?
Phoebe: I would say, “Research and make sure you understand what you’re talking about first,” but don’t overthink it.
That second part is difficult because lawyers are trained to overthink everything. I honestly can’t tell you exactly how I came up with my intro or what my thought process was behind that very first piece of content. I just went ahead and posted it, and it changed my life.
Take the dive. You’ll either succeed or you’ll learn, and both are wins.
Phoebe Nyashanu’s journey is proof that credibility isn’t built overnight—it’s earned through curiosity, consistency and a genuine commitment to educating others.
The Joburg Reporter 
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