1. Where did the idea emerge to create Arkaik and take on the large task of starting your own clothing line?
When I was about 16 years old, I owned HUNDREDS of band shirts – I would go to shows literally JUST to get shirts – it was out of control! I was running an eBay store with my dad at the time, and I thought it would be fun to create my own clothing line, and print on a higher quality blank t-shirt, American Apparel, with designs that I wanted and liked. Thus, Arkaik was born!
2. When it came to designing a logo, what were some of the key factors in establishing the brand's identity?
We did a hoodie when I was 17 or so, that had a sweet mammoth on the front, and I suggested to the designer a Mammoth Skull / Cross Tusks to put on the hood of it, when I saw the design, I KNEW that would be the perfect logo to represent the Arkaik brand – and it has stuck with us for almost 4 years!
3. As far the legal aspects of the business, how did you go about learning about being "incorporated" and trademarking Arkaik?
My dad was a business owner, and he helped me walk through all the legal steps, trademarking, copyrighting, creating an LLC, etc! LegalZoom.com helped a TON with stuff like that!
4. Were t-shirt printing companies easier to access because of your affiliation with rock bands & labels or did you contact them? Who are you working with?
I contacted a printer I was friends with at first, Threadbird.com who printed for us for our first three years. Earlier this year, we decided to start using MerchNow because they could both PRINT our shirts and ship them for us! We grew from a brand that shipped about 100 shirts a month a year ago, to shipping over 7,000 shirts a month now – and we had to get a company like MerchNow to help us out, because it became nearly impossible for us to ship SO many shirts!
5. Was it a large investment from the beginning with paying for print designs and sending products to customers?
I honestly started Arkaik with a $1,000 investment from the sub shop I used to work at! It’s funny though, my old boss at my sub shop – his brother, Ryan, works with me now!
6. This year, you had tents at Bamboozle and Warped Tour, do you have any plans to expand to other festivals and/or expand overseas to Europe & Asia? Perhaps, working toward a collaboration with a distributor/printing company over there.
We DEFINITELY are looking at International festivals! UK and Australia are where we want to start doing International Festivals soon!
7. Estimating, what's your average yearly income?
I don’t pay myself, but Arkaik sells 5,000 shirts – 7,000 shirts per month, so you do the math :-)
8. How do you balance being a CEO at 20 years old? What's a day in the life of Jordan Abidor?
I’m also a FULL TIME business student at the W.P. Carey Honors Business School at Arizona State, so my daily life is pretty hectic!
9 AM – Wakeup, check my email, get breakfast, do a run to the office to get a workout for the day
10 AM – Get back to all my emails, come up with a plan for the day
11 AM – Work with Ryan on new lines, marketing plans, and working with bands
Noon – 4 PM – Get all my stuff done for the day, Post Office to ship packages, Facebook / Twitter posts, etc!
5 PM – 8 PM – I have class nearly every night, so I’m in class all evening!
8 PM – 10 PM – More Facebook / Twitter interaction, I try to respond to EVERYONE who wants to talk to me, so it is a full time job!
9. What's the next goal for Arkaik and/or Jordan Abidor as entrepreneur? Maybe another business venture.
I’m currently working on a second company, a record label, we are building a store in our offices to sell Arkaik locally, we are going to start sponsoring more tours, and there is even more that I can’t say ;)
10. Do you have any advice for the next generation of young entrepreneurs aspiring to start their own company?
My biggest piece of advice to any / all young entrepreneurs would be this: there are going to be TONS of people who tell you that you can’t do something, that you’re too young, that you don’t have what it takes – the only person that you have to prove something to is yourself, so just do what YOU love, do what YOU want to do, and follow your passions – it’s the only way to be happy!
When I was about 16 years old, I owned HUNDREDS of band shirts – I would go to shows literally JUST to get shirts – it was out of control! I was running an eBay store with my dad at the time, and I thought it would be fun to create my own clothing line, and print on a higher quality blank t-shirt, American Apparel, with designs that I wanted and liked. Thus, Arkaik was born!
2. When it came to designing a logo, what were some of the key factors in establishing the brand's identity?
We did a hoodie when I was 17 or so, that had a sweet mammoth on the front, and I suggested to the designer a Mammoth Skull / Cross Tusks to put on the hood of it, when I saw the design, I KNEW that would be the perfect logo to represent the Arkaik brand – and it has stuck with us for almost 4 years!
3. As far the legal aspects of the business, how did you go about learning about being "incorporated" and trademarking Arkaik?
My dad was a business owner, and he helped me walk through all the legal steps, trademarking, copyrighting, creating an LLC, etc! LegalZoom.com helped a TON with stuff like that!
4. Were t-shirt printing companies easier to access because of your affiliation with rock bands & labels or did you contact them? Who are you working with?
I contacted a printer I was friends with at first, Threadbird.com who printed for us for our first three years. Earlier this year, we decided to start using MerchNow because they could both PRINT our shirts and ship them for us! We grew from a brand that shipped about 100 shirts a month a year ago, to shipping over 7,000 shirts a month now – and we had to get a company like MerchNow to help us out, because it became nearly impossible for us to ship SO many shirts!
5. Was it a large investment from the beginning with paying for print designs and sending products to customers?
I honestly started Arkaik with a $1,000 investment from the sub shop I used to work at! It’s funny though, my old boss at my sub shop – his brother, Ryan, works with me now!
6. This year, you had tents at Bamboozle and Warped Tour, do you have any plans to expand to other festivals and/or expand overseas to Europe & Asia? Perhaps, working toward a collaboration with a distributor/printing company over there.
We DEFINITELY are looking at International festivals! UK and Australia are where we want to start doing International Festivals soon!
7. Estimating, what's your average yearly income?
I don’t pay myself, but Arkaik sells 5,000 shirts – 7,000 shirts per month, so you do the math :-)
8. How do you balance being a CEO at 20 years old? What's a day in the life of Jordan Abidor?
I’m also a FULL TIME business student at the W.P. Carey Honors Business School at Arizona State, so my daily life is pretty hectic!
9 AM – Wakeup, check my email, get breakfast, do a run to the office to get a workout for the day
10 AM – Get back to all my emails, come up with a plan for the day
11 AM – Work with Ryan on new lines, marketing plans, and working with bands
Noon – 4 PM – Get all my stuff done for the day, Post Office to ship packages, Facebook / Twitter posts, etc!
5 PM – 8 PM – I have class nearly every night, so I’m in class all evening!
8 PM – 10 PM – More Facebook / Twitter interaction, I try to respond to EVERYONE who wants to talk to me, so it is a full time job!
9. What's the next goal for Arkaik and/or Jordan Abidor as entrepreneur? Maybe another business venture.
I’m currently working on a second company, a record label, we are building a store in our offices to sell Arkaik locally, we are going to start sponsoring more tours, and there is even more that I can’t say ;)
10. Do you have any advice for the next generation of young entrepreneurs aspiring to start their own company?
My biggest piece of advice to any / all young entrepreneurs would be this: there are going to be TONS of people who tell you that you can’t do something, that you’re too young, that you don’t have what it takes – the only person that you have to prove something to is yourself, so just do what YOU love, do what YOU want to do, and follow your passions – it’s the only way to be happy!
I feel like you could probably teach a class on how to make a great blog. This is fantastic! I have to say, what really got me was your design. You certainly know how to make your blog more than just a rant about an issue. Youve made it possible for people to connect. Good for you, because not that many people know what theyre doing.
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