All posts by jon

The American Dream – Easterns Automotive Group

Easterns Automotive Group founder and CEO Mr. Robert Bassam was recently featured on Bloomberg Television for the season premiere of The American Dream. This national television show features entrepreneurs across various industries and their struggles to become successful. The American Dream premiered in 2018 and is currently in its third season. The lovely folks from the network asked Bassam to be a part of their new season because the longevity of Easterns was truly fascinating to them. Most people don’t know that Easterns has been in business for over 30 years and was created solely by Bassam who came from humble beginnings. He started with a dream and built his company over time as he grew his wealth and resources.

On the show, Bassam gets super candid about the early stages of his journey as a car dealer and goes into detail about the obstacles and challenges that have occurred along the way.  A major hurdle that Bassam touches on is the recession that happened in 2008 and how that caused him to not only close numerous Easterns locations but also restructure his business.  What makes Bassam so special is that he never let the hard times get him down or take him away from his goals.  Bassam also touches on the world-renowned Easterns jingle and how it was created. “At Eastern Motors, your job is your credit!”  Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would still live on today and be known by people that have never even been to the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area.  This is all thanks to the commercials that feature players from the Washington Football Team, Washington Wizards, and a plethora of actors, comedians, and musicians.  His son, Joel Bassam is the Director of Marketing for Easterns.  You will see him take some time to break down the brand from a marketing perspective.  

Our hope is that this episode of The American Dream will be an inspiration piece for many entrepreneurs out there to show them that success has many routes.  To be a successful entrepreneur, one must have determination, motivation, and self-confidence.  These characteristics will take you a long way especially on the days where things don’t seem to be working out.  This is the first time that Bassam has been so transparent about his automotive journey as a businessman.  There are currently 8 Easterns sales locations across the DMV metro area.  Easterns even has an online express store for customers to shop and buy a car online.  This option has become a success as customers are able to sit down in the comfort of their own homes and fill out all of the needed financial paperwork for their purchase.  After everything is complete, a sales representative personally delivers the vehicle to the customer at their home.  This is a perfect way to eliminate the nervous or jittery feeling that customers get when walking into a car dealership.  The peace of mind of knowing that every vehicle has passed a rigorous multi-point inspection, comes Carfax certified, and has a 7-day return policy is priceless.

The various awards that Easterns has gotten over the years for their customer satisfaction truly separates them from their competitors.  Easterns has been named a Dealer of the Year by Dealer Rater for the past 4 years.  The Washington Post has recognized the work culture of Easterns and named them a Top Workplace for two consecutive years.  The entire staff operates as one big family which puts customers at ease and makes them feel comfortable during their visit.  Easterns has numerous partnerships with DC television networks where they give back to people doing great things in the community as well as those in need.  Bassam has big plans to continue growing Easterns to be one of the top used car dealers in the country.  We hope that you enjoy this episode of The American Dream on Bloomberg TV and learn more about how Easterns grew to what it is today.    

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Get Up Give Back – Gearin’ Up Bicycles

 

COVID-19 has impacted every business known to man.? Most in negative ways but some in positive ways.? According to Keith Jackson of Gearin? Up Bicycles, the bicycle industry has been doing extremely well.? Gearin? Up Bicycles is Washington D.C.?s only nonprofit community bike shop but they also serve the community as well.? Their purpose is to create career development opportunities and teach essential workplace skills to teenagers from underserved communities while encouraging cycling as a practical, healthy means of transportation.? Gearin? Up provides access to quality affordable used bicycles for those in need and hosts various community outreach programs throughout the year.

For the recent Get Up Give Back segment sponsored by Easterns Automotive Group, Reese Waters of Get Up DC (WUSA 9) decided to highlight their importance to the Washington D.C. youth.? Gearin? Up Bicycles has played a major role in getting teens active while teaching them essential business skills.? They have an Earn-A-Bike program where youth ages 12-18 can volunteer and have the opportunity to build and keep their bike.? Jackson sat down with Waters to discuss just how profitable a career in bicycles can be.? Prior to COVID-19, Gearin? Up Bikes was selling 12 bicycles per month since then they?ve been selling between 55 to 60. bikes per month.? This is a true testament to the hard work that the children have been putting in.

During the conversation, Waters told Jackson just how impressed he was by their hard work.? It was then that he made Jackson aware of the $1,000 donation that he was giving to Gearin’ Up Bicycles on behalf of WUSA 9, Get Up DC, and in conjunction with Easterns Automotive Group.? This money will help them get more children involved in the program to keep things going.? Please visit http://gearinupbicycles.org to learn more about their youth programs and bike shop.

 

Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 are always here to help. If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that is worthy of being helped or recognized, please contact at?@ReeseWaters?on social media. #GetUpDC #GetUpGiveBack

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/J0EFPTNd8OM

Road to a Better Community – Britepaths

 

Summer is officially over and school is back in session.? However, the effects of COVID-19 have been endless.? Students across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia have started virtual learning but not everyone has internet access.? A Fairfax, Virginia non-profit organization called Britepaths is dedicated to stabilizing low-income working families and providing support for children.? In Fairfax County alone, there are 13,000 households without internet access.? There are many factors that contribute to this in addition to the fact that the United States is in a global pandemic.? Millions of people are without jobs and the economy as we know it before coronavirus has completely changed.? Families have also had to shift their finances to accommodate teleworking and feeding their children throughout the day when they normally are at school.? Support from the community would be a huge help to help this number go down.

There is a huge digital divide that affects students in this area greatly.? Without the internet and proper resources, students are unable to learn remotely or complete their homework assignments.? Organizations like Britepaths are needed as the understand the problem and how it drastically affects this generation.? WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group made the choice to highlight them for their Road to a Better Community segment.? They were able to chat with Lisa Whetzel, Executive Director of Britepaths to find out about their current initiatives and ways in which the community can help and get involved.

Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group joined both Ellen Bryan of WUSA 9?s Great Day Washington and Liza Whetzel of Britepaths to discuss the digital divide and the impact that it is having on students.? Bassam committed to donating $2,000 on behalf of Easterns to four local families with children to have 6 months of free internet access.? The fact that these families will not have to worry about paying for internet access for these upcoming months is truly remarkable. If you would like to donate to the Britepaths Back to School program or learn more about the services that they provide, please visit: www.britepaths.org

 

To learn more about Easterns Automotive Group?s partnership with WUSA 9 and how they come together to empower the DMV community, please visit www.wusa9.com/BetterCommunity

YouTube Link – https://youtu.be/RopceUDgswQ

 

Helping Hands – Fighting Pediatric Cancer with The Little Dig

 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the American Cancer Society spreading knowledge about pediatric cancer in a major way.? They created a virtual competition called The Little Dig where children will get down and dirty to raise money for pediatric cancer.? Parents will upload photos and videos of their children playing in the dirt to social media using the hashtag #TheLittleDig2020.? To support this initiative, Easterns Automotive Group and ABC7 WJLA-TV have made the choice to highlight this on the new edition of their Helping Hands segment. Easterns has vowed to donate $200 for every child that signs up for the The Little Dig.

ABC 7 caught up with Shaelyn Mullaney and her daughter Riley who is participating in the virtual competition.? Mullaney lost her father earlier this year from cancer so this cause means a lot to her and her family.? Riley is in second place already by raising $1,500.? The Executive Director of the American Cancer Society, Tswana Sewell let ABC7 know that it has been fun raising money thus far.? 12 kids have already signed up and raised a combined total of $6,000 which keeps growing.? Even Sewell?s niece London is participating in the challenge to honor her mother who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

While chatting with Sewell, ABC7 surprised her with a video from Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group.? Bassam announced that he is committing $200 to every of one of their fundraisers throughout the rest of this.? All of the people that have already joined and those that will join will receive a $200 head start.? The competition ends September 30th so please click here to find out the official rules and how to enter.? A total of 5 winners will be selected on October 1st ? Most Money Raised, Most Individual Donations, Most Actively Involved on Social Media, Most Creative Dig, and Most Dirty.? All winners will receive prizes and tickets to next year?s event called The Big Dig which will take place on September 21, 2021. If you have any questions, please contact Shiri Rozenberg – shiri.rozenberg@cancer.org

 

Watch the video to see how everything unfolded.

 

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7 is always looking to help out people or organizations in need that are worthy of assistance.? If you know someone that fits this description, please click here to nominate them.

 

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/XtatX0idFPo

 

Helping Hands – Surprising Prince George’s County families with new laptops for the school year

 

Back to school!? Many children across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region are either already in school or preparing to go back.? COVID-19 has caused quite the challenge with most schools beginning the year using virtual learning.? This means that students will still have the ability to be taught by their teacher but it will be in the comfort of their home via computer.? Most school districts like Prince George?s County in Maryland have taken this route to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of the virus amongst students, teachers, and faculty.? However, the announcement of this new initiative came at the wrong time for many as they are experiencing financial hardships during this global pandemic.

Easterns Automotive Group and ABC 7 WJLA-TV joined forces to do something special for their Helping Hands segment.? Kidd O’Shea of ABC 7 greeted a few selected families that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 at Magnolia Elementary School in Lanham, MD.? Joel Bassam of Easterns surprised them by having new laptops delivered to these families so their children will be able to attend school and complete their virtual learning programs.? No child should be left behind or excluded from learning due to a lack of resources.? The Prince George?s County Public Schools team is doing a wonderful job to ensure that children will be fed with knowledge even during this uncertain time.

Easterns Automotive Group continues to prove why they are the top car dealer in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.? For over 30 years, they have given back to their community, and partnerships like this with ABC 7 WJLA-TV allow them to continue making a difference in the lives of many.

Watch the video to see how everything unfolded.

 

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7 is always looking to help out people or organizations in need that are worthy of assistance.? If you know someone that fits this description, please click here to nominate them.

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/ODCZxzA7GSA

Pay It Forward – DC Teacher Creates a Nonprofit to Give Back

A Washington D.C. teacher by the name of Carmen Garner turned his childhood pain and trauma into his purpose. Garner grew up in the District where it wasn’t safe to go outside because of gun violence. His cousin’s boyfriend used to take him finishing to escape the madness. It was during that time when he got inspired to create a better life for himself.

Fast-forward to now being an adult, Garner sees his students residing in the same areas of Washington where he grew up. He even discovered a memorial for a homicide victim during the visit to one of his students. This pain of being stuck in the apartment and not being able to simply go outside was devastating and he didn’t want another child to have to suffer through it. During the pandemic, Garner received a stimulus check like many other Americans but its what he did with it that separates him from most.

Garner created the Inner City Anglers nonprofit organization that allows him to take struggling children from the city and take them on fishing trips to provide a sense of escape. Many of these children do not know what it’s like to go on a vacation. These small outings show them that there is so much more in life than what they see every day. Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC caught wind of Garner’s work and decided to feature him on their Pay It Forward segment. During the Zoom video call with Fox 5’s Holly Morris, Joel Bassam of Easterns surprised Garner with the news that he was donating $1,500 on behalf of Easterns. These funds will be used to help pay for fishing gear and lunch for future trips. Please visit www.innercityanglers.com to learn more about ICA and donate to this incredible cause.

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized, Click here to nominate them.

Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.

YouTube Link – https://youtu.be/EenfDlbbCBk

Pay It Forward – Free Headshots for Unemployed Workers

 

COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of Americans worldwide.? In the DMV region, in particular, the unemployment rate has skyrocketed leaving hundreds of thousands without jobs during this global pandemic.? In the spirit of giving back, Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group decided to do something very special for this week?s Pay It Forward.

With so many feeling the impact of job loss by coronavirus, the Pay It Forward crew decided to partner with local photographer Samira Rashid and Creative Saints Loft in Hyattsville, Maryland.? They set up an entire day where they provided free headshots to people to help them relaunch their careers. ?Ishmael Wilson of Fresh Dry Cleaners chatted with Bob Barnard of Fox 5 DC about losing about 85% of their customers because of the pandemic.? People are not getting their clothes dry cleaned as much as before because the majority of them are working from home.

Easterns Automotive Group was happy to partner with Fox 5 DC to curate this amazing event. The smiles in the room were priceless because this small gesture meant the world to those that were there.? People were able to dress up and feel good about themselves again.? It also gave them the boost of confidence that they need to go out there and find another opportunity. ?Joel Bassam of Easterns paid for the venue as well as new headshots for 15 people.? Giving back is necessary ? even if it?s not much. Everyone can their part!

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized,?Click here?to nominate them.

?Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.

 

 

 

Pay It Forward – Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center

 

As you all know, businesses all across the county have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.? Many have had to shut down completely while some chose to operate by appointment only basis with a limited staff.? Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Maryland was a business that was down but is back up and running.? Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC decided to head over to their center in Derwood and surprise them for their reopening.

They have been closed during the pandemic to the public but the work for them hasn?t stopped.? Their team has continued to rescue animals and provide emergency care when needed as the only open-admission municipal shelter in Montgomery County.

Fox 5 DC?s Mike Thomas caught up with Deputy Executive Director Lex Lepiarz and she let him in on a great deal of information.? According to Lepiarz, the community has been a great support system during the COVID-19 pandemic.? They have been able to send many animals to foster care while still being able to admit animals in their facility.? Her only hope is that the community continues to show the same support as they reopen.

Lepiarz was shocked as Thomas spoke to Joel Bassam of Easterns on a video call.? Bassam announced that they were going to Pay It Forward by encouraging people to ?Clear the Shelter? and adopt pets by paying the adoption fees of the first 50 people who choose to provide homes for dogs and cats.? This incentive will be a great help as many people may want to adopt but just don?t have the funds right now.? If you would like to learn more about Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center and their adoption process, please click here.

 

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized, Click here to nominate them.

?

Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.

 

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/_mkeP44_R1k

Link to original post ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/montgomery-county-animal-services-and-adoption-center-reopens-for-adoptions