Zach Martin chasing his lifelong dream through a viral TikTok shop
By Emma Hamilton
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RICHMOND HILL, Georgia (WJCL) — For five years, the familiar scent of French fries had been the backdrop to Zach Martin’s life. Every shift, he put on his uniform and greeted customers at the Richmond Hill McDonald’s, a steady, reliable presence. His manager, McDonald’s Second Generation Director, Justin Stanberry, attested to his dedication. “Zach was a great employee,” he said. “He was great on the customer service side. Everybody loved to see him. He just made everybody feel good on a daily basis.”
But last Friday, with a box of celebratory donuts in hand, Martin walked through the restaurant’s doors as an employee for the final time. He’s taking a leap of faith, trading his steady job for a brand-new adventure—one that has already taken the internet by storm.
Martin is 26-years-old and on the autism spectrum. He has always had a dream of doing art for a living. He’s making that dream a reality. “I wanted a dream job,” he simply stated when asked why he opened the shop. He’s creating woodland-themed ornaments and cards and selling them through his own TikTok shop.
With the help of his mom, Erika, Zach launched his online store. The small, handmade items—like a beautiful Christmas tree card featuring a design Zach had personally drawn—has quickly captured the hearts of the internet. The response was immediate and overwhelming. In just six weeks, Zach’s shop generated $23,000 in sales.
The sudden boom shocked both Zach and Erika. “Completely overwhelmed. It took us by surprise. We weren’t prepared,” Erika admitted. She had been hesitant at first, unsure if people would trust a new shop on TikTok. But the community support was massive, and now, their home has become a bustling workshop as they work hard to fulfill hundreds of orders. Every single ornament and card is carefully handmade by the mother-son duo.
For Erika, there is no greater joy than seeing her son’s art appreciated by so many. She hopes their story sends a powerful message about ability and opportunity to others. “A lot of people don’t think that people on the spectrum have these capabilities or these possibilities, and they really do,” she said. “We just have to learn to make the world accessible to them and help them do it.”
Now, Zach is fully focused on his booming TikTok shop. When asked if he was ready to take on the shop full-time, his answer was a resounding “Yeah.” He’s already thinking of new creations, like turning some of his other paintings into new card designs.
Zach is having his own art show on Friday, November 7, from 6-8 p.m. at the Richmond Hill City Center in JF Gregory Park. Not on TikTok? You can also purchase Zach’s work on his website.
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