U-M grad, animator strikes out solo with Media Academica

Shannon Kohlitz didn't want to move to the coasts to get an job in animation after graduating from the University of Michigan, so she created her own: Media Academica. The Jackson native saw the need for web animation work in Ann Arbor when she was getting ready to graduate a few years ago. Two years ago, shortly after graduation, she and two friends founded Media Academica. Kohlitz recently bought out her two co-founders and is now focused on growing the Ann Arbor-based company. "Before I was just into the animation," Kohlitz says. "Now I have to handle all of the sales and legal stuff. I have been learning about all of that." Her company's first job was creating a logo animation for a hospitality firm. Now it handles animation and video-production work for a number of both smaller and larger clients, including PICpatch and the University of Michigan. "I like to say we make smart videos for smart people," Kohlitz says. Media Academica currently employs just Kohlitz but she would like to expand the staff as her company continues to grow. She hopes to do that by taking on more work in the Toledo and Detroit markets. Source: Shannon Kohlitz, owner of Media Academica Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.