Shab Azma's Arc Angels

Shab Azma was fed up with how hard it still is to get certain clients the credit they deserve, so in 2021 she launched Arc Collective with a specific vision.

"It's about supporting people that get told no," Azma says. "A lot of people who have important things to say don't fit the mold, whether it's because of their gender, ethnicity or whatever. We represent experts, but what these folks do is deeper than their craft. We help pave the way for them to educate and inspire people."

As a Middle Eastern kid growing up in New Jersey, Azma had big Hollywood dreams. After moving west for college, she found her place in IP and branding at Universal Pictures, The Firm and Fireball Group. Then she spent ten years as partner at Flutie Entertainment — where she first began executive-producing shows for clients including Ayesha Curry (Ayesha's Home Kitchen, Family Food Fight).

Today, Azma leads an all-female team and sees herself as a hybrid talent/brand manager. Turning experts into recognizable personalities means forging partnerships in social media, publishing, merchandising and philanthropy. But Arc's approach starts with TV.

"A big part of what we do is create that platform, which is television, to tell their stories," Azma explains. "We've been doing co-pros with Endemol, 51 Minds and Maverick, because we know our talent intimately and they know production intimately."

Real estate mogul Egypt Sherrod, for example, went from a twenty-year radio career to hosting shows like HGTV's Property Virgins.

After teaming with her husband Mike Jackson, a general contractor, to win HGTV's Rock the Block season three, she now executive-produces their own series, Married to Real Estate, which they cohost. HGTV has renewed it for a third season.

"No one had ever thought about putting them together until we stepped in," Azma says, referring to the spouses. "We created this concept, alongside 51 Minds, to help them tell their story, but also to help other families build generational wealth. These two are literally building an empire together, and there's so much learning in what you see."

Another client is chef and Food Network judge Fariyal Abdullahi (Alex vs America, Chopped). Since signing with Arc, she's served as a Met Gala guest chef and talked about Ramadan on Tamron Hall. Arc client Eric Adjepong went from competing on Top Chef to judging shows to hosting Alex vs America on Discovery+. With a children's book, Sankofa, out in October and a cookbook in the works, he's also eyeing scripted TV — a crossover Azma is seeing more often.

With the sky seemingly the limit, is it any surprise Azma's clients refer to her small team as their Arc Angels?

This article originally appeared in emmy magazine issue #9, 2023, under the title, "Arc Angels."