What Mankin Media does

Mankin Media Systems, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems integration company headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. Founded in 2001 by Ben Mankin after a career in broadcast production, the company designs, installs, and commissions professional AVL systems for houses of worship, with adjacent projects in education (Texas Southmost College) and performance venues (Miller Theater in Augusta, GA). Project budgets documented in publicly listed case studies range from approximately $125,000 to over $3,000,000, and the company reports having completed hundreds of projects across at least 11 US states.

The company's core offering is delivered through a proprietary four-stage methodology called the 4D Process (Dream, Design, Deploy, Defend), which structures client engagements from initial visioning and budget planning through system design, on-site installation, commissioning, and long-term support. Mankin integrates third-party manufacturer equipment — most notably L-Acoustics loudspeakers, alongside Ross Video, CreateLED, Chauvet, ETC, Shure, d&b audiotechnik, and Barco — into custom, purpose-built systems. A complementary sub-brand, Guardian by Mankin, provides recurring managed services including real-time remote support from a Network Operations Center, preventive maintenance, centralized recording (Guardian GameFilm), and multi-site video transmission (Guardian SlipStream).

Mankin Media operates an enterprise field sales motion targeting mid-to-large church leadership through direct outreach and a consultative sales process. Revenue is generated primarily through project-based integration contracts (one-time) with a growing managed services annuity (Guardian) sold as annual plans. The company is recognized on the Inc. 5000 list and has won multiple Commercial Integrator and Solomon Awards in the house of worship category. The company employs 11-50 people, has no disclosed institutional funding, and operates without resellers or channel partners.

Name

Mankin Media

Legal name

Mankin Media Systems, Inc.

Website

https://mankinmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mankin Media Systems is a Franklin, Tennessee-based AVL systems integrator founded in 2001 that designs, installs, and supports audio, video, and lighting systems primarily for mid-to-large houses of worship across the United States, with a recurring Guardian managed services offering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AVL Systems Integration Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Specialized Design Services (5414)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Production Switching & Routing (Vision Mixers, Routers) (MPAHAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Remote Workstations & Virtual Desktops for Media (GPU VDI, secure access) (MPAHANAE)

Keywords

• AVL systems integration
• House of worship AVL
• Audio video lighting
• Church production systems
• Venue AVL design

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. AVL Systems Design and Installation: Custom design and installation of integrated audio, video, and lighting systems for churches and performance venues. Revenue is earned through project-based contracts with budgets ranging from $125K (West End United Methodist Church) to $3M+ (Christ Fellowship Port St. Lucie). The company acts as the systems integrator, purchasing and integrating equipment from manufacturers and bundling it with design, installation, and commissioning services.
2. Guardian Managed Services (Recurring): Ongoing managed services subscription providing remote monitoring, real-time technical support, and preventive maintenance through a Network Operations Center. Sold as annual plans (Guardian Protect, LifeLine, GameFilm, SlipStream). Provides recurring revenue post-installation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mankin Media Systems designs, installs, and supports integrated audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems for houses of worship, performance venues, and educational institutions across the United States. The company follows a proprietary 4D Process (Dream, Design, Deploy, Defend) and integrates third-party manufacturer equipment (L-Acoustics, Ross Video, CreateLED, d&b audiotechnik, Chauvet, ETC, Shure) into custom systems. Ongoing client support is delivered through the Guardian by Mankin managed services suite, which includes a Network Operations Center providing real-time remote technical support.

Product overview

Mankin Media Systems is an audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems integration company that designs, installs, and supports performance technology systems. Its primary offering is AVL Systems Integration, delivered through a structured 4D Process (Dream, Design, Deploy, Defend) that guides clients from initial consultation through long-term support. The company's Guardian by Mankin sub-brand provides managed services including remote monitoring via a network operations center (NOC), real-time technical support, preventive maintenance, and specialty tools such as Guardian GameFilm (centralized service recording and monitoring), Guardian Lifeline, Guardian Protect, and Guardian SlipStream (message transmission system).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guardian by Mankin: Managed services plan providing remote monitoring, real-time support, and technical support for production-related issues through a network operations center.

Products and services

• AVL Systems Integration
• Guardian by Mankin Managed Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Franklin Avenue Baptist Church: 3,500-seat new sanctuary with full AVL system delivered over an 18-month design/deploy process.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kirkegaard AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMankin collaborated with Kirkegaard Associates (acoustic consultants) on the Miller Theater project to finalize plans for installing a L-Acoustics Kira PA system that would serve both the Augusta Symphony and touring artists. Senior Consultant Joanne Chang praised the L-Acoustics Kara system as ideal for the hall.
• Brewster, Crocker & AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMankin partnered with Brewster, Crocker & Associates (architects) on the Free Chapel Orange County project to support the church's vision through advanced modeling, sight-line studies, and collaborative design. The collaboration was cited as enabling the transformation of an unconventional office building space into one of the most engaging worship environments in the US.
• L-AcousticscoreTechnology or IntegrationL-Acoustics is the primary loudspeaker brand specified across Mankin's project portfolio. Products include KARA, K2, Kiva, Kara(i), Kara(i), ARCS WiFo, SB18i, KS28, X12, X8, 5XT, and K1SB. L-Acoustics collaborated with Mankin on the Christ Fellowship Port St. Lucie project to marry the K2 loudspeaker design to the acoustic performance of the room. One of the first US installations of the new KS28 subwoofer was done at Cherry Hills Community Church with L-Acoustics assistance in sourcing the first boxes in the country.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CCI Solutions: CCI Solutions is an AVL systems integrator with deep concentration in the house of worship vertical, offering design, installation, and ongoing support services. It is the closest direct competitor to Mankin Media, sharing the same customer base (mid-to-large churches) and similar specialty positioning in worship AVL integration.
• Clark (ClarkPowell): Clark is a Carolinas-based AV systems integrator serving houses of worship, corporate, education, and government clients. It directly competes with Mankin Media in the worship segment, offering similar design-build-maintain services for church AVL projects across the Southeastern US.
• HB Communications: HB Communications is a Northeast US-based AV systems integrator serving corporate, education, and house of worship clients with design, integration, and managed services. It competes with Mankin Media for church and venue AVL projects with a similar mix of one-time integration and recurring support offerings.
• Inter Technologies Corporation: Inter Technologies is a national AV integrator providing design, installation, and support services for corporate, worship, government, and education clients. It directly competes with Mankin Media in the worship segment with comparable mid-to-large project capabilities and recurring managed service offerings.
• All Pro Sound: All Pro Sound is a Pensacola, FL-based AV integrator specializing in worship, performing arts, education, and commercial clients. It directly competes with Mankin Media in the house of worship vertical with similar design-build and ongoing support services across the Southeastern US.

Broad incumbents

• AVI Systems: AVI Systems is one of the largest US AV integrators with national coverage across corporate, education, healthcare, and worship verticals. As a broad incumbent, it competes for the same large church projects as Mankin Media but lacks Mankin's vertical specialization and NOC-based managed services depth.
• Ford Audio-Video Systems: Ford AV is a long-established US AV integrator serving worship, corporate, education, government, and performing arts clients. It offers similar audio, video, and lighting integration services to Mankin Media but at a larger scale and broader vertical mix, making it a broad incumbent rather than direct vertical specialist.
• Solotech: Solotech is a global entertainment technology company offering AVL integration, rental, and production services. While it serves performing arts and large venue clients comparable to Mankin Media's Miller Theater project, its scale and breadth make it a broad incumbent rather than a direct specialist competitor.
• Production Resource Group (PRG): PRG is a global leader in entertainment and event technology, offering AVL integration, equipment rental, and production services. It serves large-scale venues and live event clients comparable to Mankin Media's high-end installations but operates at significantly greater scale across multiple verticals.
• Whitlock (Kinly): Whitlock, now part of global AV integrator Kinly, is a broad-based AV systems integrator serving corporate, education, government, and house of worship clients across the US. As a broad incumbent, it offers overlapping capabilities with Mankin Media's AVL integration work but at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mankinmedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/mankinmedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/mankinmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mankin Media