Meet Vansh Parikh

We were lucky to catch up with Vansh Parikh recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vansh, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?

My self-discipline comes from my parents. Since I was a child, my mom has been instilling in me the belief that I needed to keep working on something no matter what. Cars for Kids USA is by far my most ambitious project. I wanted to create something that combined my passion for cars with my strong desire to help others, even knowing I was stepping into a crowded market. However, that challenge has never deter me. If anything, it’s pushed me to keep going time and time again. I founded Cars for Kids with my two co-founders, Sooriya and Danny, who both played instrumental roles in our rise within the community. When we first launched, our early meets had only a few car entries, making our shows minimal at best. I stayed disciplined and dedicated to the meets, holding onto faith that we would succeed. So far, we’ve raised over $1,000, and we’ve been continuing to grow, working to host more car meets and add more cars to our lineup with every event.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I currently serve as the Director of Cars for Kids USA, a student-run nonprofit car show dedicated to raising money for children across the United States. Me and my co-founders Sooriya, a fellow photographer who has been in the car scene for multiple years, and Danny, one my closest friends who has supported the CFK dream from the beginning, started this to make a difference in the world. I wanted to bring people together to support and raise money for the children. We created a platform where enthusiasts, owners, and local businesses can unite to make this a reality. But, what I’m personally most proud of is our new expansion into Orange County, which was a huge moment for me and my team, not only because it marked our first step into another state, but also because it’s unprecedented for a student-run car show to grow to this scale. I wanted to prove that even at a young age, someone can take initiative and make a real difference in the world. Looking forward, my goal is to expand Cars for Kids USA even farther and become a true national organization. Not to just increase our outreach, but to engage in new communities, raising even greater awareness and support for local hospitals.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I realize I made a lot of mistakes when we first started out. There were many setbacks and errors that could have been easily avoided, but now that they’ve happened, I don’t regret them. They provide a foundation for my experience as a car show host. As I’ve continued on in my journey, a number of skills I gained have been particularly helpful. The first skill that was truly impactful for me as a director was just talking. Being sociable and confident as a speaker was essential for building this organization. Without strong speaking skills, this organization wouldn’t be what it is today. The second major skill I learned was cold emailing: we needed funding, so I reached out to about 60 local organizations to ask for financial support, which eventually led to our current sponsors. My third most important skill was developed when we developed the practice of doing post-meet breakdowns, analyzing our statistics to identify what’s working, what needs improvement, and how we can advance.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Our constant battle is always for drivers. Car meets come far and wide, and sometimes these meets fall on the same dates. When they do, it’s hard to keep people and drivers engaged and at your meet. When you lose these drivers, in turn you lose attendees, as you lose the whole reason why people are there. The real challenge isn’t just attracting drivers; it’s finding ways to make Cars for Kids unique and memorable for everyone who comes. People want a reason to choose your meets over everyone else’s, whether it’s activities, community, or atmosphere. The goal is to make drivers feel like they are more than just cars on display and, inspire them to donate to the cause of children’s charities like our own.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Ishaan Kumar
Matthew Nguyen
Billy Duncan

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