Zola Mashariki

Only with BET since April of this year, Mashariki has already delivered for the network by creating “P.S. The Post Show,” and guiding the format of “Punk’d” and “Zoe Ever After,” which stars actor/musician Brandy Norwood. “Creative is the riskiest side of the business and someone once told me that every piece of content I produce could make or break my career,” the mother of twins and Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do says. “So I make sure that everything I do is something that I’m passionate about.”

What’s your biggest professional accomplishment in the past 12 months?

Rebooting Punk’d on BET with Chris Brown, A$ap Rocky, Rita Ora, Russell Simmons, to name a few and bringing social media stars King Bach and DeStorm Power to linear television as the hosts of the show. It is a brand I have loved but also needed to find fresh marks and a new way of telling the story. Also, earlier this year, I was able to release the movies “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (sequel to “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) and “Far from Madding Crowd.”

Best business advice you’ve received?

Creative is the riskiest side of the business and someone once told me that every piece of content I produce could make or break my career,  so I make sure that everything I do is something that I’m passionate about.  If my career ends, it’s going to be doing something I love and believe will work. That’s the bar.

How do you define success?

Reaching our audience with our programming and making the audience feel connected, entertained and empowered.   I want to make shows that feel fresh, exciting and creatively ambitious.