AKT Enterprises - Orlando, FL based merchandising, graphic design, web development and online store provider

AKT Center Stage: July 2011

jared — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:14:43 +0000

Mike Zinerco - Team Leader: Big Top #1001

Starting as a sales rep for AKT Enterprises just over a year ago, Mike has proven to be an affable, effective and reliable member of the AKT sales force. Mike turned out to be an ideal candidate to lead our flagship Big Top store when it first opened in August 2010. Over the last year, Mike has demonstrated great leadership skills and it shows with the success of his team at Big Top #1001– stop in and say hello if you’re in the neighborhood!

Favorites:

Pizza Topping: Italian sausage
Animated Movie: Bebe’s Kids
Place to Hang Out: Chuck E. Cheese with my buds
Superhero or Villain: Does Bruce Willis count?
Internet Meme: Anything from Sick Animation

Fun Facts:

1. What band/musician are you listening to right now?
The Al-Gore Rhythms (It’s political math rock, get into it.)

2. If you could hang out with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Falcore from “The Never Ending Story” for obvious reasons.

3. What do you do in your free time?
Saunas, haikus and various forms of taxidermy.

4. Why do you choose to work at AKT?
I really enjoy seeing what inspiring artists come up with when they are first starting to develop their clothing lines. I’ve seen some wacky ideas– that’s for sure!

5. What do you like best about working at AKT?
I basically get to hang out with my friends all day. Also, I know more about t-shirts than I ever wanted to… so, that’s a plus.

AKT Returns to Full Sail

jared — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:22:57 +0000

Full Sail’s Entertainment Business Program asked AKT’s Kevin Khandjian and Jared Mendelewicz to speak on artist management and merchandising. The two shared the history of AKT and how they jumped on the opportunity to tap into the Youtube demographic and became a household name to an entirely new marketplace.

Click here to read more about it on Full Sail’s “Minute 2 Minute” Campus blog!

AKT Center Stage: June 2011

jared — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:35:02 +0000

Kaitlyn Greene - Customer Support

Kaitlyn’s positive and friendly attitude made her an ideal candidate for District Lines’s customer support team. She will always go above and beyond to make sure our customers are satisfied.

When a dissatisfied customer unreasonably requested a cartoon giraffe be drawn on their package, Kaitlyn obliged. This subtle and successful act made the customer’s day and inevitably led to the company’s new philosophy on customer support:

“Always draw the giraffe.”

Favorites:

Pizza Topping: I like BBQ sauce and cheese
Animated Movie: It’s a toss-up between The Little Mermaid and Monsters, Inc.
Place to Hang Out: Downtown Disney
Superhero or Villain: The Evil Queen from Snow White
Internet Meme: Hipster Disney

Fun Facts:

1. What band/musician are you listening to right now?
I list to a bunch of different stuff, but mostly Butch Walker and New Politics.

2. If you could hang out with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I would love to hang out with Drizella and Anastasia Tremaine, they’re fun.

3. What do you do in your free time?
I like to hang out with co-workers and I go to Disney every weekend.

4. Why do you choose to work at AKT?
I love being a part of a growing company where everyone works together as a team.

5. What do you like best about working at AKT?
I enjoy working with my coworkers. Before working at AKT, I only knew two people in Florida and now I have a close group of co-workers that I also consider my friends.

YoungEntrepreneur: Where is My Money Going?

jared — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:22:22 +0000

AKT’s Chief Operating Officer Jared Mendelewicz is once again the featured guest blogger on YoungEntrepreneur.com, the largest social networking forum for entrepreneurs. This time, Jared writes on the sometimes sensitive subject of the bad hire and outlines key traits of red flag employees that might be doing your company more bad than good. Read more here: http://bit.ly/lzxzMx

AKT Goes Landscaping with Habitat for Humanity

jared — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:18:31 +0000

Earlier this month, District Lines employees participated in Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Under the leadership of Hal ‘The Sod Father’ George, the District Lines team cleared land and successfully laid over 2,000 sq ft of sod in under 3 hours. Who knew AKT employees were so eco-friendly?

With the help of financial support and volunteers, Habitat for Humanity has helped build over 400,000 affordable houses and served more than 2 million people around the world. To find a volunteer opportunity near you, visit http://www.habitat.org.

AKT Center Stage: May 2011

jared — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:58:11 +0000

Dylan Hall - PHP Developer

Dylan has been with AKT for just under a year. His ability to multi-task and adapt to new techniques make him an invaluable asset to the StudioAKT web team. He has been a key component in the ever-lasting upgrades and overhauls to AKT’s complex internal systems and client projects.

Favorites:

Pizza Topping: Pepperoni and Jalepenos
Animated Movie: Toy Story
Place to Hang Out: My apartment
Superhero or Villain: Kick-Ass
Internet Meme: The “gingers do have souls” guy is pretty good

Fun Facts:

1. What band/musician are you listening to right now?
Slaughterhouse

2. If you could hang out with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I’d like to hang out at the Fantasy Factory with Rob Dyrdek and the crew. They know how to have a good time.

3. What do you do in your free time?
I watch the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and Sixers. I’m a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan.

4. Why do you choose to work at AKT?
I like being a part of a young company that is constantly growing.

5. What do you like best about working at AKT?
I enjoy building things that immediately make other employees’ jobs easier and more efficient.

AKT Center Stage: April 2011

jared — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:55:01 +0000

John Raudebaugh - Production Director

Beginning his career at AKT packing and shipping orders for District Lines in 2006, John quickly worked his way to screen printing and now leads all screen printing production in our Winter Park, FL facility.

Favorites:

Pizza Topping: Buffalo Chicken
Animated Movie: Bee Movie
Place to Hang Out: My house and my band’s practice space/man cave
Superhero or Villain: Really only the new(er) Dark Knights
Internet Meme: “i can haz cheezburgers?” brigthen up my day every time!

Fun Facts:

1. What band/musician are you listening to right now?
Manchester Orchestra, House of Fools, Kanye, How Dare You just to name a few.

2. If you could hang out with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I’d want to have a Beer Summit with Obama.

3. What do you do in your free time?
Hang out w/my beautiful wife and daughter!

4. Why do you choose to work at AKT?
It’s exciting to be a part of a fun, forward-thinking, fast-growing company and get to really contribute to its growth every single day.

5. What do you like best about working at AKT?
I get to be around some of my closest friends all day!

AKT Nominated for an Independent Music Award

jared — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:06:04 +0000

The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists in 70 album, song, music video and design categories. This year, Studio AKT was nominated for an award for best music website for local artist Not Them! Studio AKT works hard on a daily basis to succeed in allowing customers’ ideas turn into reality.

The IMA’s receive submissions from over 70 countries on 6 continents, so to be in the top 5 total nominees is quite an honor in itself. In the past, popular artists such as Mark Hoppus, Zooey Deschanel, Keith Urban, and Ozzy Osbourne have all been judges of this program.

Not only is this nomination an honor, but it also allows for major exposure to artists, fans, and programmers. Winners will be announced in the spring, please vote for StudioAKT’s Not Them web site here.

Big Top by AKT Featured in Impressions Magazine

jared — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:25:20 +0000

Garment industry staple, Impressions Magazine, released a feature about Big Top, AKT’s first retail initiative, in its latest issue. The article breaks down the history of AKT, establishes the concept behind Big Top and discusses the company’s plans for the future.

AKT & Rob Dobi Kick off Mintees.com

jared — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:08:45 +0000

Following the announcement of the eminent demise of the design community’s beloved Emptees.com, Rob Dobi and AKT Enterprises decided to team up to create Mintees.com.

As a courtesy to existing Emptees.com user’s, Mintees.com offers a migration tool to activate any users uploaded designs, comments, articles, feedback and threads on the Mintees.com platform.

Mintees.com is scheduled to officially launch its approximately one week before Emptees.com officially shuts down on March 1, 2011.

RIP Emptees.com