Meet Zachary Ashman | Screenwriter & Marketing Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zachary Ashman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zachary, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My process was to show up and serve. My business model is creating on three factors . Have space to educate which sharing knowledge in person or online with our blog, have space to learn . By inviting my tribe in and allowing them to share who they are and how they thrive. And lastly how can we come together to elevate the experience by helping them achieve their goals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Specificity is the name of the game. I try to center my stories around my community, specifically the Jewish community. At first, I was worried that might make them too niche and inaccessible. But the themes that underscore the stories are universal. Everyone deals with family drama, pushy siblings, and resentments. It doesn’t matter what they look like.

I’ve accomplished a lot that I’m proud of. Not the least of which is having my scripts place in competitions. There’s nothing quite like opening an email announcement and seeing “Congratulations!”

You don’t get there by accident, and writing certainly isn’t easy. But if you want it, you go out and you make it happen. Well, rather, you sit down and make it happen. There’s no one way to become a writer, so it’s about finding the way that works for you. For me, that means making films on my own. My writing partner Aron and I were lucky enough to raise some money so we can do it on our own. We’re putting together a low budget feature as a calling card of sorts. “Look what we did with pennies. Imagine what we could do with a real budget.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My ideal itinerary starts with early morning golf. Mainly because it’s hard to disappear for four hours in the middle of the day. I keep Kosher, so finding food is just a matter of walking up and down Pico between Beverly Dr. and LaCienega. But if we’re feeling fancy, we’re definitely heading over to La Gondola.

At night, it’s all about the Largo. Though the seats in the theater may not be the most comfortable things in the world—far from it, actually—but the entertainment there is unmatched. Their repertoire of shows is filled with heavy hitters.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I mean, where to start? First and foremost, my wife and two rambunctious little boys. Without them giving me the space and time I need to sit down and write (and procrastinate), none of this is possible.

Second, my parents. But isn’t that obvious? I owe my storytelling sensibilities and sense of humor to them. They’re the type of folks always looking to smile and laugh, even when we probably shouldn’t be. And that’s a trait I try to weave into every story I write.

Lastly, my writing partner Aron Cagan, for constantly keeping me on my toes. Whether he realizes it or not, he pushes me to be better. And Brad Riddell, my professor from DePaul University who helped me realize that I may just actually be able to do this.

Website: https://zachashman6.wixsite.com/zashman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-ashman-86a4b9b5/