My Founder Story
Julie Jackson, a Boston native of humble beginnings, prides herself in her East Coast work ethic; juggling multiple jobs since age 15 while often involved in sports, volunteering or after-school programs. With an early knack for tech, she helped build her first computer at age 12 and wrote her first self-taught lines of code while customizing her MySpace before she could drive. As a high school yearbook and newspaper editor, she found an early love for visual communication that inspired her career dream to one day hold an executive title at a magazine company ‘in the big city’ — which later changed to tech executive.
Always a high achiever and jill-of-all-trades, Julie received honor roll or Dean’s List scholastic distinction throughout her education and graduated from Suffolk University in 2010 with a BFA in graphic design and cum laude honors. With an equal balance of creativity and logic, she offset long studio hours at the university’s College of Arts and Sciences program, known as the New England School of Art & Design, with analytical classes in web development, marketing, art history and sociology — her first formal introduction to computer sciences and human behavior. A lifelong student to personal and professional development, Julie continues her education through coursework, specialized programs and executive coaching. After graduation, Julie moved to San Diego, CA to launch her professional career.
Over the last decade, Julie has bridged the gap between design, tech and business to optimize systems and experiences. Her early career was built on event design for the Archaeological Institute of America’s annual gala and fundraisers, agency Think-Tank exposure to brand strategy at Alternative Strategies, and full-service consulting and fractional CMO services for small business clients through </tini> creative, her own creative agency. Poached in 2013 by Zeeto, an award-winning B2B data acquisition and ad tech startup, she spent the last 7+ years climbing the ranks from Frontend Designer/Developer to VP of Operations, developing customer-centric SaaS products, strategically building teams, and leading growth initiatives directly generating over $25MM in annual revenue in 2019 alone. She was an integral part of the company’s strategy, culture and growth including an intrepreneurial role to launch a professional services department, growing one client from $0 to $1MM in monthly revenue within the first year. To date, Julie has started two companies: </tini> creative, a creative agency and consulting business still in existence today, and BusinessKit.io, an eBook business launched in a single weekend — for fun — on her 28th birthday.
After being laid off from her VP of Operations role at Zeeto during the climax of COVID, she faced a nagging desire to take action towards social impact but didn’t know how to help or where to start. With no job descriptions quite up to snuff and countless hours spent coaching other eager entrepreneurs, Julie set out on her own social entrepreneurial journey. The mission was simple: evolve her career into a purpose much greater than herself — one that builds on her personal values and professional expertise: brand design and strategy; technical development of digital experiences; optimization of user experience and revenue; mindful leadership for growth and excellence; and socially responsible business operations. In the words of Howard Thurman, she asked herself what makes her come alive and decided to go do it; “Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
– Howard Thurman
Having spent the majority of her career operating in digital advertising, Julie vows to use her professional superpowers for good and is setting out to build a value-based B-Corporation that empowers and advocates for empathic tech solutions that align with the United Nation’s sustainability goals. Inspired by human nature, hidden influences and systems thinking, she uses data to be more creative and uncovers solutions that get to the root of problems. Her dream is to improve the lives of a billion people by healing the planet from the ground up.