By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
I had the opportunity in April to speak with the founder of one of the most interesting and inspiring entertainment licensing companies I’ve encountered yet.
ARC Collective is a talent management company that also creates content, and focuses on the representation of ‘cultural changemakers’ who might not otherwise find top quality management.
But ARC has turned that focus on the underdog into a thriving business that has helped the company grow quickly, but more importantly, has created success stories for its many clients. It is a heady record for a company that was founded in 2021, less than four years ago, by New Jersey-born Shab Azma.
Azma had big Hollywood dreams, and after moving west for college, she cut her teeth in the licensing and branding sector with Universal Pictures, The Firm and her own consulting company Fireball Group. She then spent ten years as a partner at Flutie Entertainment, where she first began executive-producing shows for clients including Ayesha Curry (Food Network’s Ayesha’s Home Kitchen, and ABC’s Family Food Fight).
Coming from a Middle Eastern family, Azma knew what it was like to be viewed as an outsider, and she is a fierce proponent and defender of her clients. “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.”
With an all-female and ethnically diverse team, ARC has grown at a blistering pace, representing a broad range of celebrity chefs, authors, designers, lifestyle and wellness experts, and actors. Some of their many clients include celebrity chefs like Eric Adjepong, Amanda Freitag, Cat Cora from Iron Chef; home 40 Years a Prisoner. The roster stretches into fitness/wellness experts like awakening guru Danny Morel, and fitness experts Erica Lugo and Dr. Jordan Shallow, aka the Muscle Coach.
The company focuses on storytelling as its central strategy.
“We represent a cross-section of cultural change makers, from celebrated chefs to design personalities to spiritual thought leaders,” Azma says. “Our ideal client is values-driven, multi-dimensional, and looking to connect with their audience in more immersive ways. We work equally with talent and brand partners who understand that storytelling is the heartbeat of great products.”
A good example would be the Indigo Road home collection, under license from ARC client Egypt Sherrod, a widely respected expert on real estate and design. Sherrod got her start in radio, where she interviewed top stars like Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio and was syndicated in more than 60 cities across the U.S. At the same time, Sherrod worked in real estate, flipping her first property at the age of 22. Today, Sherrod is a top real estate broker, designer, and wealth educator who is the host and co-executive producer of the HGTV hit show Married to Real Estate currently airing its fourth season.
Sherrod is also the CEO of Indigo Road home furnishings, and the Atlanta-based Egypt Sherrod Real Estate & Design Group. Azma says one of her favorite licensing programs to date is the Indigo Road Home Collection, which includes wall coverings, home decor, home furnishings and now draperies and bedding which can be seen in more than 300 JCPenney stores starting this month.
“It’s a true extension of her design ethos,” Azma says. “Warm, intentional, luxe, yet accessible.”
Adjepong’s parents came to America from Ghana, and he was born and raised in New York City. After earning his degree in Culinary Arts & Nutrition and a Masters in Public Health, Adjepong’s innate skill in the kitchen saw him cooking at several Michelin-starred restaurants, before competing in Top Chef. He was a finalist in Season 16 and also competed on Top Chef All-Stars, but it was his personality and his dedication to introducing authentic but elevated West Indian foods that turned Adjepong into a star.
“Each project is deeply reflective of the person behind it, and his partnership with Crate & Barrel last summer was the embodiment of the type of collaborators we aim for,” Azma says. “They were such incredible partners and really took Eric’s West African heritage and infused it into a beautifully bespoke collection that stood out from anything else they had ever done.”
Another standout from ARC’s growing licensing portfolio is HGTV’s golden girl and Windy City Rehab star, Alison Victoria, whose deep roots in design and renovation have made her a household name. ARC is strategically rounding out Alison’s consumer product business in creative categories that go beyond traditional home goods, offering consumers an unexpected and engaging way to connect with her brand.
Alison’s recent collaboration with Hoodsly—a premium, customizable kitchen range hood company—marks her entry into licensing with an elevated edge. This partnership brings her signature aesthetic into a category that’s often overlooked, turning kitchen hoods into statement pieces.
This new initiative complements her existing licensing portfolio, which includes high-visibility collaborations with The Tile Shop, Cabinets To Go, and Bluestar. Taken together, these partnerships reflect ARC’s broader vision for Alison: a bold, design-forward product program that feels personal, inventive, and true to her.
“These aren’t just branded extensions—they’re creative expressions that reframe how fans can interact with Alison,” Azma explains. “We’ve intentionally avoided the predictable categories like bedding or basic home decor. Each line reflects her influence as a designer and her understanding of what makes a home truly feel like yours.”
For Azma, that type of authenticity is key to everything ARC works on.
“At ARC Collective, we serve as a ‘super connector’,” she says. “We bring together culturally resonant talent and visionary partners to create bespoke product lines that aren’t just marketable, but meaningful. Our collaborations are rooted in authentic storytelling and shared values, resulting in licensing opportunities that break the mold and leave lasting impact.”
Asked how ARC creates licensing programs that are both successful and authentic, Azma said the key is in getting to know their clients, their history, their passion, and their philosophy. “Every campaign begins with a story,” she says. “We take the time to understand our talent’s purpose and perspective, then build around that; curating the right partners, creative collaborators, and go-to-market strategies. Whether it’s a limited-edition home line, a wellness experience, or a cookbook, each activation is designed to feel personal, not transactional.”
That is, in fact, why Azma founded ARC Collective in the first place; to tell authentic stories rooted in personalities and the histories of the people they work with. Too often Azma felt campaigns were created based on a formula that didn’t necessarily suit the person or brand at the heart of it.
“ARC was born from a desire to do things differently,” she notes. “I spent years on the management and production side, and I kept seeing how creativity was being siloed or where it was cut and paste. I wanted to create a company where talent could dream big across platforms, and where the finished product—whether it was content, campaigns or products—could still be deeply personal. I founded ARC to bridge those worlds.”
Bridging those worlds for ARC also means the company works very closely not just with its clients, but also with all of the partners involved, whether that’s a licensee, retailer, or studio. Azma doesn’t like to apply the phrase ‘marketing’ to the company, because what it does goes far deeper.
“We’re hands-on from concept to shelf,” she says. “We help shape the creative vision, identify manufacturing or licensing partners, and collaborate closely on design, packaging, and storytelling. We’re not just marketing a product; we’re helping to create it, ensuring it reflects the identity and message of our talent.”
Too often, Azma says studios or large licensing companies try to shape the talent to the campaign, resulting in a product that doesn’t really resonate with the fan base. ARC takes the opposite view.
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“ARC exists to empower talent and amplify their voices through deeply aligned, purpose-driven partnerships,” Azma says. “We don’t just manage; we build. Our mission is to create platforms where creativity, commerce, and culture intersect, producing work that has both emotional and commercial resonance.”
That is also what Azma and her team members like best about working at ARC; going beyond the obvious to create something new, different, and authentic.
“Watching an idea turn into a physical product, or a moment of transformation on screen, and knowing it was born out of real alignment—that’s the magic,” Azma explains. “I love connecting dots that others don’t see and making it feel inevitable once it’s done.”
Given the team’s talent at storytelling, it was also perhaps inevitable that ARC would expand into content creation, and that’s exactly what’s happening this year. The company launched a new content studio called Arc and Arrow Productions. They have executive produced the new talk format The Sabrina Soto Show, now streaming on The Design Network, Samsung+, Hulu, Disney +, Roku and all major VOD platforms, as well as Cultural Eats starring Eric Adjepong, airing on ReachTV. It appears ARC will continue to produce content centered around their clients.
“We’re really only just getting started,” Azma confirms. “We’re expanding into live experiences, virtual content, podcast networks and more, so if you want to be part of the next wave of culturally powered storytelling, come find us!”
The best place to find the ARC team in the near future will be at the upcoming Licensing Expo, and Azma says they are actively looking for new partners.
“Anyone who’s looking to bring a new level of meaning and cultural relevance to their licensing strategy, or if you’re seeking talent that truly moves the needle, and a team that can deliver both vision and execution, you’ll want to talk to ARC,” she says. “We’re here to meet partners who are excited about storytelling through product, particularly manufacturers, brands, and platforms that want to co-create with some of the most dynamic talent working today.
“We’re looking for collaborations that are long-term, scalable, and creatively rich.”
Anyone wanting to explore a potential collaboration with ARC Collective can reach the company through its contact page: http://www.arccltv.com/