Latest news with #RJs
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
The IT Monk Who Drove a Taxi
Recently, a Bengaluru IT professional booked a cab and was shocked to realise that the driver was a team leader from work. Apparently, he was doing it out of boredom. Assuming that it's a true story and not a fever dream that the author saw during long hours of traffic, I wasn't overly shocked that a team leader would moonlight as a cab driver. Indian bosses always had trouble understanding the concept of work-life balance. At first glance, the premise might sound fishy. To want to drive through Bengaluru traffic is sadomasochistic – but we don't judge people's kinks. My thoughts also went out to the employee. Ancient scriptures have repeatedly said that the most relaxing activity after work – is to crib about your colleagues on the drive back home. Imagine if she was lambasting her seniors, only to get a 2-star rating on her Uber profile and a two per cent hike at the office! A cab driver's job is both hectic and relaxed – depending on whether you're an optimist or a pessimist. On the one hand, you get to hang out on the streets, without needing any company. Driving around, tolerating bikers coming from the wrong side, listening to RJs pretend to be interested in their jobs – it must all be a meditative experience. Cab drivers also spend most of their time speaking to someone on the phone, giving them live updates like Tom Cruise in Mission Possible. I often wonder if there's a call centre for cabbies. For a monthly fee, they will have people hold conversations with you to stay awake behind the wheel. You get to meet people from all walks of life, and get paid for doing it. In fact, many of the terms used by IT upper management are also used by cab drivers – 'You should have focused on the other language. There might be some delays. Let's take it offline'. But if you're the kind whose whiskey glass is half-empty, driving around the streets of Bengaluru due to boredom is like swimming in Bellandur Lake for health benefits. There are the people who begin speaking to the drivers, asking Shark Tank-level questions about their earnings, profit margins, and 6-month financial goals. During the rains, the flooded roads resemble the sets of Pirates of the Taxpaying Civilian. Or perhaps, he was just the greatest boss in the world. Going around in disguise like ancient kings, to find out what people really think of his company. Maybe he is scouting for new employees, poaching them at vulnerable traffic spots. Perhaps he wants a second career before AI eats everyone's jobs. Perhaps he's coming up with a competitor app and is looking to do market research at the grassroots level every night. The one good thing about this whole incident is that people might start treating drivers with more respect. I thought about the man a lot. Maybe he loves driving. Maybe he grew up as a fan of Michael Schumacher and had to give up his F1 dreams for H1 compulsions. Or maybe driving around in Bengaluru is our version of a rage room. After an entire day of emails and Teams, you get to cancel rides on a whim, overtake, swerve, and splash water on unsuspecting bikers. Maybe he's a dude who wants to save money to pursue his passion but has to pursue Passion Pros and Splendors on the road. Either way, there's a lesson for all of us. Next time you board a cab – don't just give your OTP. Slide in an updated resume too. For you never know when you might meet the Monk who Drove a Taxi. (The writer's views are personal)
Perth Now
20-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
‘With sadness': Big change coming to cherished burger joint
A cherished Heathridge eatery famous for its burgers and toasties has been sold to new owners. Ryan John Kitchen and Coffee, or better known as RJs, will be changing hands in the coming weeks after serving locals since 2017. Owner and chef Ryan John posted a detailed and heartfelt post on Facebook to share the update with his patrons. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'It is with a lot of sadness and a little trepidation, but also tremendous pride, excitement, and gratitude — that I announce we have sold Ryan John Coffee and Kitchen,' he wrote. 'We can't wait to introduce you to our new owners in the weeks ahead as we undertake an extensive handover of our phenomenal team and village!' Mr John cited a change in scenery as part of the reason behind the difficult decision to sell the restaurant. 'I am also pretty excited to go and work for the man! Small business requires extraordinary effort and resilience, and there are tricky periods that can exert a huge toll on families and relationships,' he added. 'Prior to this year my daughters didn't see me at all on any given Friday. I did 16-hour days and during the early years I did 90-hour weeks as I was unable to afford the wages. There were periods where my mental health became so battered by stress that my staff had to break into my house and drag me out of bed.' He continued the post by individually thanking his customers, staff, suppliers, his wife and daughters before assuring the business will be left in safe hands. 'To the die hards, the rusted-on lovers of RJ's, the people whose coffee orders are so deeply ingrained in my brain that I will probably remember them for another fifteen years, we love you endlessly. Thank you! It has been a wild and delicious adventure with my best mates, my family, and my village,' the joint's founder said. 'Do you wanna know the best thing of all Heathridge? Our new owners love this joint, and they don't wanna change a thing! 'Same food, same faces, same good vibes. See you all at RJ's...' The change has been met with an outpouring of love from regular customers and the wider Perth community. 'What a fantastic and heartfelt post of true appreciation. I'm sure with your amazing team and the new owners RJs will continue to succeed. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavours,' one person wrote. 'I cannot get my head round this. Big love and big hugs to Ryan and the team at RJs. Very sad. Miss you already,' a fan of the eatery said. 'All the with your next journey and thanks for creating something unique. Will continue to enjoy a toastie and coffee from the new owners,' another replied. 'Wishing you and the family all the best, Thankyou for all your hard work and big Thankyou for how you have brought the Heathridge community together,' a fourth commented. The venue was crowned Perth's best burger place by Triple M's 'Best of Perth' competition last year.
Mint
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Tuning out: RJs abandon radio to become influencers as their social media popularity soars
Radio jockeys were the original influencers in the time before social media. So, it's no surprise that RJs are now making the most of their soaring popularity on social media to become content creators and regain their status as influencers. After all, content creators and influencers have lucrative careers that can bring them brand deals and entertainment opportunities. It can be so enticing that some RJs are even ditching radio, exacerbating the struggles of the audio broadcasting sector. Karishma Gangwal quit her job as an RJ at Red FM in 2023 to pursue content creation full time, making videos. She has close to 7 million people following her Instagram handle @rjkarishma and currently hosts a spot-the-imposter format game show called 'Find the Farzi' on JioHotstar. "As RJs, we do have an advantage. We're used to being creative, spontaneous and adding our own flavour to everything we do. These skills naturally help us in content creation too," Gangwal said. Also Read | India's influencers confront a harsh reality: more views don't mean more subscribers Content creation also becomes more lucrative for RJs due to its higher earning potential than their radio jobs. "It really depends on the size of your following. But generally, as a content creator with a strong audience, you can easily earn two to three times more than a radio jockey," said Princy Parikh, a RJ turned creator who quit her job at Radio Mirchi in 2023. She now has her own YouTube channel with 3.4 million followers. Her Instagram handle @princymirchilove has over 1.6 million followers. Analysts said the transition of radio content to social media to catch up with the changing preferences of consumers has fuelled the online popularity of RJs. 'Radio jockeys were the original macro influencers, long before social media. They commanded regional fame through FM radio, building deep audience engagement," said Amiya Swarup, partner, marketing advisory, at consulting firm EY. Over time, radio companies have started tapping the rising influencer status of their RJs. Today, brands benefit not just from on-air credibility, but also from the powerful social media reach of RJs, Swarup said. However, as radio stations build income from advertisements on social media, RJs, who are also promoting their personal brands on social media, are sometimes put in a spot when they have to work with brands they don't associate with. Freedom, flexibility "You have the option to say no to brands and campaigns you may not relate to," said Supriya Kapoor, a former RJ with Fever FM with over 50,000 followers on Instagram, who now calls herself a creator, voiceover artist and podcast host. "Becoming influencers gives you complete freedom with the kind of content you create as you aren't bound by a brand's presence. It also gives the flexibility to collaborate with brands you identify with, having complete ownership and say on the commercials." Experts said they have observed a growth in RJs taking over social media, gaining traction on the back of creativity and their masterful storytelling skills that give them an edge over other creators. Also Read | Fake followers and murky return on investment push brands to rejig influencer strategy "While there's no official data tracking this group specifically, from what we've seen in the ecosystem, ex- or current RJs likely make up around 2-4% of India's digital creator base. It's still a niche, but definitely a growing one, especially with the rise of podcasting and audio-first formats that play to their strengths," said Shravika Behl, head of growth at influencer marketing agency Pocket Aces. As per a Boston Consulting Group report in May, there are currently 2-2.5 million creators in India influencing over 30% of consumers and $350-400 billion in consumer spending. In their radio roles, RJs are heard only locally. Seeking national recognition becomes another reason for them to push for social media growth. Wider reach "I always aspired to be known. Earlier, people recognised me as a Red FM RJ—but only within Siliguri, which is a relatively small town. Social media changed that. It gave me a platform to build a name and gain recognition far beyond my city. It's not just local fame anymore, it is reach and impact on a much larger scale," said Priyanka Sarkar, who quit her job after a decade-long stint in May to pursue fulltime content creation. Her Instagram handle @rjpriyanka has over 1.3 million followers. Also Read | Influencers and brands turn to social media to raise cyber awareness Disclaimer: Fever FM is operated by HT Media Ltd, the publisher of Mint.
