October 8, 2025 • 7 mins
Paul Corvino sits down with Nasser Watar, CEO of Trophy Automotive. The company offers a vast selection of new and used vehicles, exceptional car care, a service center, and a wide range of amenities.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is CEOs you should know with division president of iHeartMedia,
Paul Corvino.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Today I'm here with Nasa Watar, Chairman and CEO of
Trophy Automotive dealer Group. It's a Mercedes, Benz and keya
dealership across the Greater Los Angeles area.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Were welcome, Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Before we get going, what I like to do is
a quick Q and a rapid fire.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You got to answer really quick. It gets the mouth
moving in the brain working. Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Okay, Skier Beach, vacation Beats, vacation beatles or Stones Beetles,
Tom Brady or Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan, Sean Connery or
Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, Star Wars or Godfather, Godfather.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Celebrity people say you remind them of.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I think the Godfather, you know, Alberto.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Ala, the Don, the Don family.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
That has nothing to do with.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Okay, you're with an Italian American over here too, so
it's a good combination.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Well, you know, I'm one of nine siblings and I'm
like the person who overlooked the family.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Nine siblings.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah, so they called me the dawn what we like.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
To do today is get through the entrepreneurial journey. How
you eventually got to the point where you've become the
CEO of this huge automotive dealership group.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
What was the first dealership?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It was Mercedes Benzo Fencino.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Mercedes Benz Mencino.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, that was a big purchase.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We were you know, it didn't start as small. You
went to a major, major area in the valley to
top top end the automn top end car company.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
But you know, I had a reputation with with the
oms where in the Middle East because the company that
I was running is a TIP a third party administrator.
We being the CEO of that group, all our relationships
were with the oils like Mercedes, BMW was Porsche, Toyota
(02:18):
and so on, and we did programs for them on
a white level. So we were very successful for them.
So I really had an opportunity to meet many of
them that were very pleased with our performance on their behalf.
So when I when I decided to buy Mercedes Dealership,
(02:39):
actually it was brought to my attention Mercedes was as
a fantastic brand and it was a very good collaboration between.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
An existing dealership when you bought it.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yes, the dealership does very well. It's from the top
dealerships in the region and in California. And I have
a great team and they are totally empowered. I meet
it with the team once a week and the via
zoom or in person and they we we share ideas
(03:18):
and it's very successful.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And what was your next dealership?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
The next dealership, I purchased Mercedes Benz of Valencia and
cat down to Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
What an incredible building.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I was just there recently, as you know, and it
just I walked in. First of all, the size of
it is immense. But what struck me was I was
just looking at the floors in the service area where
you drive in, and it looked like you could eat.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Off that driveway. The the it.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Was meticulously and just just just done so well. The
way cars were moving in and out is usually when
you pulling to get your car service that you're usually
waiting and then moving stuff around.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
They don't have the space the people. But this is
run like a machine. This was just it was.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I was.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Awed by how well it was run, how clean it was,
how ticulous it was.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Detail focused.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Well, thank you for that. You know, when I purchased
Kea downtown Los Angeles, it was in a different property,
you know. I purchased it in twenty seventeen. By twenty eighteen,
that dealership became the number one dealership in the nation
or number two. Wow, So it was competing with another
dealership I had. I purchased Letter, which is Keoff Carson,
(04:47):
and they were number one, number two, you know, always
competing with each other. But still I wasn't satisfied with
the way the property is. So we negotiated a deal
across the street, and I was able to put exactly
my uh my aspirations and that dealership, of course, together
(05:11):
with the designers that we put and also with Kia,
and we were able to put a dealership that is
I think the only dealership of its kind in the world.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
You have areas where people could go in there and work.
It's it's you don't feel like you're in a dealership.
It's almost like an area for executives to take a
break while they're waiting for their car. And you've you've
got these these great areas almost like the Delta Lounge
or the Delto not even Delta, the Delta one lounge
(05:44):
at the airport where people get in and they and
they've got that sort of treatment.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The reason why I called my group Trophy Automotive is
because our objective is anything we we work with, ir
respective of the brand, becomes a trophy dealership. And trophy dealership.
You know, you can always make a quick buck in
a business, but can you have that business everlasting for
(06:14):
you and for those that work with you. This requires
a significant sacrifice from the beginning. So I want every
customer that comes into our dealerships not only enjoy the
time when they purchase the car, but also when they
continue owning that car. And as long as the customer
(06:37):
knows that when they come to the dealership they're going
to get our best attention. We give them the most
comfortable space to sit and do wait. If they like
to wait, or if they want to take a loaner,
of course we will make that available for them. And
during that period while they're waiting, because we are working
on their car, we want to make sure that they
are very comfortable. They're enjoying the space, much more comfortable,
(07:01):
no pressure space. And I'd really like to invite your
listeners to visit the dealership to understand what we're talking about.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Once again, we're here talking with Naser Watar, the chairman
and CEO of Trophy Ortmotor Group. They've got Mercedes Benz
and Kia dealerships. They've got Mercedes Benz in Encino and in.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Valencia Valencia, Kia Downtown.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And Kia Downtown and Kiov Critos and Kia of Crito,
Kia of Carson.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And Kia of Carson. Thank you so much for being
on with us today.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And once again, this is Paul Corrino, Division President of
iHeartMedia saying thank you for.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Listening to another episode of CEOs you Should Know.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Listen to CEOs you Should Know on the iHeartRadio app
This is CEOs you should know with division president of iHeartMedia,
Paul Corvino.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Today I'm here with Nasa Watar, Chairman and CEO of
Trophy Automotive dealer Group. It's a Mercedes, Benz and keya
dealership across the Greater Los Angeles area.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Were welcome, Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
It's a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Before we get going, what I like to do is
a quick Q and a rapid fire.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You got to answer really quick. It gets the mouth
moving in the brain working. Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Okay, Skier Beach, vacation Beats, vacation beatles or Stones Beetles,
Tom Brady or Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan, Sean Connery or
Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, Star Wars or Godfather, Godfather.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Celebrity people say you remind them of.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I think the Godfather, you know, Alberto.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Ala, the Don, the Don family.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
That has nothing to do with.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Okay, you're with an Italian American over here too, so
it's a good combination.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Well, you know, I'm one of nine siblings and I'm
like the person who overlooked the family.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Nine siblings.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah, so they called me the dawn what we like.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
To do today is get through the entrepreneurial journey. How
you eventually got to the point where you've become the
CEO of this huge automotive dealership group.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
What was the first dealership?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It was Mercedes Benzo Fencino.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Mercedes Benz Mencino.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, that was a big purchase.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We were you know, it didn't start as small. You
went to a major, major area in the valley to
top top end the automn top end car company.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
But you know, I had a reputation with with the
oms where in the Middle East because the company that
I was running is a TIP a third party administrator.
We being the CEO of that group, all our relationships
were with the oils like Mercedes, BMW was Porsche, Toyota
(02:18):
and so on, and we did programs for them on
a white level. So we were very successful for them.
So I really had an opportunity to meet many of
them that were very pleased with our performance on their behalf.
So when I when I decided to buy Mercedes Dealership,
(02:39):
actually it was brought to my attention Mercedes was as
a fantastic brand and it was a very good collaboration between.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
An existing dealership when you bought it.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yes, the dealership does very well. It's from the top
dealerships in the region and in California. And I have
a great team and they are totally empowered. I meet
it with the team once a week and the via
zoom or in person and they we we share ideas
(03:18):
and it's very successful.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And what was your next dealership?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
The next dealership, I purchased Mercedes Benz of Valencia and
cat down to Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
What an incredible building.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I was just there recently, as you know, and it
just I walked in. First of all, the size of
it is immense. But what struck me was I was
just looking at the floors in the service area where
you drive in, and it looked like you could eat.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Off that driveway. The the it.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Was meticulously and just just just done so well. The
way cars were moving in and out is usually when
you pulling to get your car service that you're usually
waiting and then moving stuff around.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
They don't have the space the people. But this is
run like a machine. This was just it was.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I was.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Awed by how well it was run, how clean it was,
how ticulous it was.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Detail focused.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Well, thank you for that. You know, when I purchased
Kea downtown Los Angeles, it was in a different property,
you know. I purchased it in twenty seventeen. By twenty eighteen,
that dealership became the number one dealership in the nation
or number two. Wow, So it was competing with another
dealership I had. I purchased Letter, which is Keoff Carson,
(04:47):
and they were number one, number two, you know, always
competing with each other. But still I wasn't satisfied with
the way the property is. So we negotiated a deal
across the street, and I was able to put exactly
my uh my aspirations and that dealership, of course, together
(05:11):
with the designers that we put and also with Kia,
and we were able to put a dealership that is
I think the only dealership of its kind in the world.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
You have areas where people could go in there and work.
It's it's you don't feel like you're in a dealership.
It's almost like an area for executives to take a
break while they're waiting for their car. And you've you've
got these these great areas almost like the Delta Lounge
or the Delto not even Delta, the Delta one lounge
(05:44):
at the airport where people get in and they and
they've got that sort of treatment.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The reason why I called my group Trophy Automotive is
because our objective is anything we we work with, ir
respective of the brand, becomes a trophy dealership. And trophy dealership.
You know, you can always make a quick buck in
a business, but can you have that business everlasting for
(06:14):
you and for those that work with you. This requires
a significant sacrifice from the beginning. So I want every
customer that comes into our dealerships not only enjoy the
time when they purchase the car, but also when they
continue owning that car. And as long as the customer
(06:37):
knows that when they come to the dealership they're going
to get our best attention. We give them the most
comfortable space to sit and do wait. If they like
to wait, or if they want to take a loaner,
of course we will make that available for them. And
during that period while they're waiting, because we are working
on their car, we want to make sure that they
are very comfortable. They're enjoying the space, much more comfortable,
(07:01):
no pressure space. And I'd really like to invite your
listeners to visit the dealership to understand what we're talking about.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Once again, we're here talking with Naser Watar, the chairman
and CEO of Trophy Ortmotor Group. They've got Mercedes Benz
and Kia dealerships. They've got Mercedes Benz in Encino and in.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Valencia Valencia, Kia Downtown.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
And Kia Downtown and Kiov Critos and Kia of Crito,
Kia of Carson.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And Kia of Carson. Thank you so much for being
on with us today.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And once again, this is Paul Corrino, Division President of
iHeartMedia saying thank you for.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Listening to another episode of CEOs you Should Know.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Listen to CEOs you Should Know on the iHeartRadio app
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