Growing Together: My Journey from Account Executive to Partner at MOJO Creative Digital
By Kalie Jakovics • August 6, 2026 •
By Kalie Jakovics • August 6, 2026 •
By Kalie Jakovics • August 6, 2026 • News,
When I moved to Maryland nearly ten years ago, I wasn't just looking for a new place to live. I was looking for a place where I could build a career with purpose.
That distinction matters. Plenty of people relocate for a job. Far fewer relocate in search of a professional home — a company whose values align with their own, whose leadership invests in people, and whose work genuinely makes a difference for the clients it serves. I was searching for all three, and I found them at MOJO Creative Digital.
Today, after more than seven incredible years with this company, I'm humbled and excited to share that I've begun my next chapter as Partner at MOJO. Before I look ahead, I want to look back — at the people, opportunities, and lessons that shaped this journey, and at what this milestone means for the future of our agency, our team, and the clients and communities we serve.
After working at two marketing agencies earlier in my career, I had gained valuable experience — managing accounts, learning the rhythms of agency life, and understanding what clients truly need from a creative partner. But even with that experience under my belt, something was missing. I still felt like I hadn't found my professional home.
I knew what I was looking for, even if I couldn't always articulate it perfectly at the time. I wanted to be somewhere that valued people, relationships, creativity, and long-term partnerships just as much as results. I wanted to work for leaders who saw their team members as more than job titles, and who saw their clients as more than line items on a revenue report.
When I first heard about MOJO Creative Digital, something immediately stood out. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Pasadena, Maryland, MOJO had built a reputation as a creative digital agency that did things differently. The company's commitment to its clients, the culture that CEO and founder Alexander Fakeri had built, and the team's genuine passion for helping organizations succeed made me realize this was exactly the type of company I'd been searching for.
In 2019, I joined MOJO as an Account Executive. I had no idea at the time just how much that decision would change my life.
One of the first things I noticed after joining MOJO was how naturally Alex and I connected. From the very beginning, he believed in me — sometimes even before I fully believed in myself.
Alex wasn't simply my CEO; he became one of the most influential mentors in my career. He challenged me to think bigger. He encouraged me to take chances. He trusted me with opportunities that stretched my abilities, and he constantly reminded me that growth happens outside of your comfort zone.
His leadership fueled a spark that has driven me every single day since. He empowered me to chase ambitious goals, embrace new challenges, and develop into the leader I am today. Looking back, I realize how much of my professional confidence was built because someone saw potential in me and gave me the opportunity to prove it.
That belief changed everything.
I share this not just to express gratitude — although I have plenty — but because I think it holds a lesson for every business leader reading this. The single most powerful thing you can do for the people on your team is to believe in them out loud. Give them stretch opportunities. Trust them before they've "earned" it by conventional standards. Tell them what you see in them. That kind of leadership doesn't just build careers; it builds companies.
During my first few years at MOJO, I had the opportunity to work alongside incredibly talented designers, developers, strategists, and marketers while helping organizations solve complex business challenges through branding, website design, mobile applications, CRM integrations, and digital strategy.
Those years were foundational. As an Account Executive, I learned the full breadth of what a creative digital agency can do for its clients — and, more importantly, I learned how to listen. Every engagement begins with understanding: What is this organization's mission? What challenges keep their leadership up at night? What does success actually look like for them, beyond the metrics on a dashboard?
Over the years, I've been fortunate to partner with an incredible range of organizations, including the National Security Agency (NSA), Johns Hopkins University, Ancestry Corporate, BWI Business Partnership, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, North Texas Tollway Authority, E-ZPass, Maryland Society of Professional Engineers, The Baltimore Station, The Bank of Glen Burnie, and so many more.
Every client has been unique. A federal agency has entirely different needs, constraints, and stakeholders than a community bank or a nonprofit serving veterans. A university communicates differently than a tollway authority. But across every industry and every engagement, the goal has always remained the same: understand their mission, build meaningful relationships, and create solutions that produce lasting impact.
That client roster also taught me something about MOJO itself. An agency doesn't earn the trust of organizations like the NSA and Johns Hopkins by cutting corners or chasing quick wins. It earns that trust through consistency, quality, and a culture of accountability — the same qualities that drew me to the company in the first place.
One area of our work has become especially meaningful to me: supporting organizations that serve our nation's veterans.
MOJO is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), founded by a service-disabled veteran, and that identity runs deeper than a certification on a capabilities statement. It shapes how we think about service, discipline, and commitment. As a company, we have a profound appreciation for those who have served our country, and that appreciation shows up in the partnerships we pursue and the causes we champion.
Being part of a company that shares those values — and having the opportunity to support veteran-focused organizations through our work — has made my career even more rewarding. When your professional efforts contribute to missions that matter, work stops feeling like work. It starts feeling like purpose.
For government agencies and prime contractors seeking creative and digital services, MOJO's SDVOSB status also opens practical doors: it allows us to support state and federal contracting goals while delivering the same award-winning design, development, and marketing work we provide to our commercial clients. It's a genuine win-win, and it's one of the things that makes MOJO distinct in the Maryland business landscape.
As I continued to grow, so did the opportunities placed before me. In 2022, I was promoted to Business Development Manager, and my role shifted in an exciting way — from managing client relationships day to day, to helping shape MOJO's long-term growth strategy.
I found myself doing what I love most: connecting people, identifying opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and helping organizations discover how marketing and technology could accelerate their business goals.
Business development, done well, is not about selling. It's about listening for the moment when an organization's challenge intersects with your team's capabilities — and then building the trust required for them to let you help. The relationships I had cultivated during my Account Executive years became the foundation for this new chapter. People remembered how we treated them, how we communicated, and how we delivered. In business development, your reputation arrives in the room long before you do.
This role also gave me my first real taste of building systems rather than just closing deals. How do we identify the right opportunities? How do we qualify them? How do we ensure every proposal reflects MOJO's standards? Answering those questions prepared me for what came next.
In July 2024, I was honored to be promoted to Director of Business Development. In this role, my focus expanded beyond business development alone. I now had the privilege of leading and mentoring our business development team — helping each member grow professionally while building the systems, processes, and strategies that position both our team and MOJO for long-term success.
This transition taught me one of the most important lessons of my career: success isn't just about winning new business anymore. It's about building people.
Watching others develop their confidence and their careers has become one of the most rewarding parts of leadership. There is nothing quite like seeing a team member land their first major account, or navigate a difficult client conversation with poise they didn't have six months earlier, or bring forward a strategic idea that makes the whole company better.
When our team succeeds, our clients succeed — and MOJO continues to grow stronger. That's not a slogan; it's how healthy organizations actually work. Leaders who pour into their people create a compounding return that no sales tactic can match.
I also came to understand, in this role, exactly what Alex had been doing for me all those years. Mentorship had come full circle. The belief someone once invested in me was now mine to invest in others.
Around the same time I stepped into the Director role, I was inspired to explore another way MOJO could share knowledge, strengthen relationships, and create conversations that matter.
I approached Alex with the idea of launching a podcast — not as a marketing tactic, but as a way for us to learn from industry leaders, collaborate with business owners, and give back to the communities we serve. As always, Alex believed in the vision from day one.
Together, we launched the Toll Talk Podcast, dedicated to the tolling and transportation industry, and later The Diligent Leader Podcast, focused on leadership lessons from executives and entrepreneurs across industries. I've had the privilege of leading both initiatives for the past two years.
What began as an internal learning opportunity quickly evolved into something much bigger.
Through Toll Talk, we've interviewed some of the tolling industry's most respected leaders and innovators — exploring everything from cashless tolling and AI-driven traffic management to infrastructure policy, sustainability, and workforce development. Through The Diligent Leader, we've sat down with CEOs, community builders, bankers, economic development leaders, and entrepreneurs to unpack the lessons they learned the hard way, so our listeners don't have to.
The podcasts have connected us with incredible leaders, expanded our network, strengthened client relationships, and positioned MOJO as a trusted voice across multiple industries.
And here's the part I'm proudest of from a business standpoint: that success opened an entirely new line of business for our agency. Today, MOJO offers full-service podcast production for clients — producing branded podcasts, offering sponsorship opportunities, hosting guest features, and helping organizations use podcasting as a powerful storytelling and marketing platform.
It's been incredibly rewarding to watch an idea born from curiosity and collaboration grow into a service that creates real value for both MOJO and our clients. If there's a takeaway for other business leaders, it's this: give your team permission to experiment. Some of your best service offerings are hiding inside your people's curiosity, waiting for a leader to say "yes."
Now, after more than seven incredible years with MOJO, I am humbled and excited to begin my next chapter as Partner.
Becoming a Partner isn't simply about earning a new title. It's about becoming a steward of the culture and values that first inspired me to join the company. It's about investing in our people, serving our clients with excellence, helping shape the future of a company that has given me every opportunity to grow — and ensuring that others have the same opportunities that were given to me.
If you had asked me years ago where I wanted my career to go, I would have told you that one day I wanted to own my own business. I've always believed that mindset is everything: if you're willing to work hard, continue learning, stay resilient, and believe in yourself, there's very little that's out of reach.
But here's what surprised me. In many ways, becoming a Partner at MOJO feels even more meaningful than starting my own company — because I get to help lead an organization I truly believe in, alongside an incredible team that shares the same passion, values, and commitment to our clients.
I don't have to build something alone. I get to build something together.
My passion for relationships extends far beyond the walls of MOJO. I've always believed that business is ultimately about people, which is why becoming involved throughout Maryland's business community has been such an important part of my journey.
Since 2020, I've been actively involved with the BWI Business Partnership, where I currently serve as Co-Chair of the Young Professionals Group — helping create opportunities for emerging professionals to connect, develop, and lead.
Since 2021, I've been involved with the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), serving on multiple committees, including as Chair of the YPC Outreach & Communications Subcommittee, while also contributing to the Women in Tolling Communications Committee.
Since 2022, I've been involved with the Fort Meade Alliance, where I currently serve as Lead of the FMA NextGen Leaders Events Subcommittee.
I've also been a member of the Northern Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce since 2019, and in 2025 I was honored to join its Board of Directors. Along the way, I've stayed engaged with organizations including the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, the Crofton Chamber of Commerce, and more.
Community involvement has never been about adding another line to my résumé. It's about giving back, building meaningful connections, supporting local businesses, mentoring young professionals, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. The Maryland business community welcomed me when I arrived here a decade ago; showing up for that community is simply how I return the favor.
There's a professional truth buried in this, too. The strongest business development strategy in the world is genuine community involvement. When you show up consistently, contribute without keeping score, and invest in other people's success, opportunity finds you. Every meaningful partnership in my career can be traced back to a relationship that started with service, not a sales pitch.
While this story highlights my professional journey, the truth is that no one reaches milestones like this alone. Looking back over the past seven years at MOJO, I can confidently say that I stand where I am today because of the incredible mentors who believed in me, challenged me, and invested in my growth.
I'm deeply grateful to Alexander Fakeri, CEO of MOJO, for believing in my potential and providing opportunities to continuously grow as both a leader and a professional.
I'm equally thankful to Ronny Jones, Vice President of Operations at BWI Business Partnership, whose guidance and encouragement have had a tremendous impact on my leadership journey and community involvement.
I'd also like to recognize Deon Viergutz, Vice President of Electronic, Cyber & Information Warfare at Lockheed Martin, and Joe Pacileo, President and CEO of MasterPeace Solutions, whose mentorship, perspective, and advice have helped shape how I approach leadership, relationships, and business development.
These individuals — and many others — have become what I affectionately call my "Personal Board of Directors."
Everyone needs people they can call for honest advice, encouragement, accountability, and perspective. My Personal Board of Directors has been an invaluable support system throughout my career, helping me navigate opportunities, challenges, and moments of growth. If you're a young professional reading this, consider it your homework: identify the people whose judgment you trust, invest in those relationships, and don't be afraid to ask for their counsel. The most successful people I know are also the best-advised.
That board doesn't just include professional mentors. It also includes the people who have believed in me from the very beginning — my husband, along with close friends and family who have continuously encouraged me to dream bigger, work harder, and never stop learning.
Their belief in me has made all the difference.
Long before I moved to Maryland, another group of people helped shape who I would become.
As a student at Manchester University, where I earned degrees in Marketing, Business Management, and Entrepreneurship, I was fortunate to have professors and university staff who recognized my potential early on. They encouraged me to dream bigger, challenged me academically, pushed me outside my comfort zone, and instilled the confidence that I could build a meaningful career doing what I loved.
Looking back, I realize those mentors laid the foundation that prepared me for every opportunity that followed. Education gave me the tools; the people delivered the belief. Both mattered.
Outside of work, I enjoy traveling with my husband and exploring new destinations — whether that's discovering a new city or diving beneath the surface on our next scuba adventure. You'll often find me spending weekends on the Chesapeake Bay with friends, boating around Annapolis, fishing, or in the kitchen trying out a new recipe and sharing a great meal with the people I love.
I love making memories with family and friends, whether that's trying a new restaurant, attending community events, or simply enjoying time together. And of course, life wouldn't be complete without adventures with our Dalmatian, Cardi, who always manages to keep us laughing.
I mention all of this because balance isn't a footnote to a successful career — it's part of the engine. The energy, creativity, and perspective I bring to MOJO and our clients are replenished on the water, at the dinner table, and everywhere in between.
As I reflect on this journey — from a young professional searching for her career home to becoming a Partner at the company that gave me exactly that — I'm overwhelmed with gratitude.
To my family, my mentors, my friends, the incredible clients who trust us, and every teammate at MOJO who has been part of this journey: thank you.
The title may have changed over the years — from Account Executive, to Business Development Manager, to Director of Business Development, and now Partner — but my purpose hasn't. It's to help people grow, build meaningful relationships, create opportunities for others, and make a lasting impact.
Success isn't measured by the titles we earn; it's measured by the lives we touch along the way.
I'm excited for this next chapter, and I truly believe the best is yet to come — for me, for our team, and for every organization we have the privilege of serving.
Kalie Jakovics is a Partner at MOJO Creative Digital, a creative digital agency headquartered in Pasadena, Maryland. She joined MOJO in 2019 as an Account Executive, was promoted to Business Development Manager in 2022 and Director of Business Development in July 2024, and now serves as Partner. She also co-hosts the Toll Talk Podcast and The Diligent Leader Podcast, and holds leadership roles with the BWI Business Partnership, IBTTA, the Fort Meade Alliance, and the Northern Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.
MOJO Creative Digital is an award-winning creative digital agency founded in Maryland in 2004 by CEO Alexander Fakeri. MOJO helps organizations grow through branding, website design, web and mobile application development, CRM integrations, digital marketing, videography, and podcast production. The agency serves clients across government, higher education, transportation, financial services, nonprofit, and commercial industries.
MOJO is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). This designation means the company is majority-owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran. For government agencies and prime contractors, partnering with MOJO helps satisfy state and federal SDVOSB contracting goals while receiving the same award-winning creative and digital services MOJO delivers to its commercial clients.
MOJO has partnered with a wide range of organizations, including the National Security Agency (NSA), Johns Hopkins University, Ancestry Corporate, BWI Business Partnership, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, North Texas Tollway Authority, E-ZPass, Maryland Society of Professional Engineers, The Baltimore Station, and The Bank of Glen Burnie, among many others.
The Toll Talk Podcast is dedicated to the tolling and transportation industry, featuring conversations with leaders and innovators on topics like cashless tolling, smart infrastructure, and mobility policy. The Diligent Leader Podcast shares practical leadership lessons from executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders across industries. Both podcasts are produced by MOJO Creative Digital and co-hosted by Kalie Jakovics.
Yes. What began as MOJO's own podcasting initiative has grown into a full podcast production service. MOJO helps organizations launch and produce branded podcasts, secure sponsorship opportunities, arrange guest features, and use podcasting as a storytelling and marketing platform.
Getting started is easy. You can request a quote online, call the team at (410) 439-1994, or visit MOJO's office at 4157 Mountain Rd. #240, Pasadena, MD 21122. The team will schedule a conversation to learn about your organization's goals and recommend the right mix of services.
At MOJO Creative Digital, growth stories like mine aren't the exception — they're the culture. And it's the same culture we bring to every client partnership: we invest in your mission, build a real relationship, and create branding, website design, digital marketing, and podcast solutions that produce lasting impact.
Ready to write your organization's next chapter? Let's talk.
👉🏼 Request a Quote or give us a call at (410) 439-1994.
MOJO Creative Digital 4157 Mountain Rd. #240, Pasadena, MD 21122
