Pop the Bubbly: A Recap of JK Creative’s 10th Anniversary Celebration

Photography by Tom Egan of Dude Media

Ten years. That's a pretty big milestone. And definitely one worth celebrating…

On August 19, we gathered at The Fifth Floor in Avalon Park, home to JK Creative, for an evening of champagne, good food, great music, and even better company as we celebrated 10 years.

But really, the evening wasn't about the number. It was about the people who helped us get here.

A Decade Worth Celebrating

JK Creative officially launched in 2016, when founder Julie Kostic took the leap from agency life to start her own creative business in Maryland. Three years later, Julie and her husband moved to Orlando, bringing the business along for the adventure. And when Julie arrived in Florida, she literally knew no one. She had spent years building a professional network in Maryland, and suddenly she was starting over in a new city—just as the world was about to change dramatically. Then came 2020.

Julie was one of the original recipients of the Avalon Park Group Innovator Award, which provided critical support to local businesses during the uncertainty of the pandemic. That opportunity became an important part of JKC's story, and The Fifth Floor became part of that story, too. Six years later, it felt fitting to celebrate 10 years of JK Creative in the same community that played such an important role during one of the company's most uncertain moments.

A Night in JKC Style

Of course, we couldn't throw a JKC party without putting a little creativity into the details… The space was transformed in JKC's signature brand colors, accented with plenty of celebratory silver and gold. Balloons, florals, branded signs, and even the tiniest details throughout the space were designed to feel cohesive—because when you own a creative agency, apparently you can't just have a party. You have to brand it, too.

The bubbly bar featured our aqua Creative Cooler, plenty of champagne, other sparkling beverages, and mixers for guests to create their own celebratory drinks. The food spread was equally worthy of a celebration, with a huge charcuterie spread, sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, and various chips and dips. And then there were the sweets. The themed dessert table was filled with cupcakes, brownies, Rice Krispy treats, macarons, strawberries, and more.

Guests also got to take home some special JKC swag, including branded sunglasses and custom sticker sheets.

Celebrating the People Behind JK Creative

The guest list was a pretty perfect representation of the past 10 years. Dozens of attendees included employees, current and past clients, friends, family, colleagues, and connections from throughout the Central Florida community came together under one roof. Some people popped in for a quick hello and congratulations. Others stayed for the evening, catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones.

And looking around the room, Julie couldn't help but think about how different it was from where she started. She came to Florida knowing no one. Now, there was a room full of people who had taken time out of their day to celebrate with her.

That's one of the most meaningful parts of building a business: the relationships that happen along the way. A client from one chapter becomes a friend in another. A networking connection turns into a collaborator. A colleague becomes part of the team. Someone you meet through the community eventually becomes part of your story.

A Toast to the Journey

The highlight of the evening was a toast from Julie, reflecting on the past decade and thanking the people who have supported JKC along the way. She gave special thanks to her husband, Andrew, who has been beside her through the leap into entrepreneurship, the move from Maryland to Florida, the challenges of 2020, and all of the adventures in between.

She also recognized lead designer Michaela, who has been part of the JKC journey almost from the very beginning. Fun fact: Michaela originally joined the company as Julie’s first intern in Maryland and has grown alongside JKC through its move to Florida and into the team it is today.

But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the toast was simply how important it is to stop and celebrate. Entrepreneurship has a funny way of keeping you focused on what's next. There's always another project, another client, another goal, another thing that needs to be done.

It's easy to check something off the list and immediately move on to the next thing without pausing to appreciate what just happened. But not this year. This year, we celebrated.

Thank You for Celebrating With JKC

A celebration like this doesn't happen without a lot of people behind the scenes. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the evening special:

• The Fifth Floor — for providing a beautiful space for us to celebrate and for being part of the JKC story over the years

• DJ Matt — for providing the perfect mix of energizing and chill beats throughout the evening

• Tom from Dude Media — for capturing the celebration through photos and giving us memories we'll have for years to come

• The Naked Cupcake — for creating the themed dessert table

• Sweet Lady Dayne — for custom JKC-branded cookies

And, of course, thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us. And all the well wishes from everyone who couldn’t be there day of.

Whether you've worked with JKC for a decade, joined us somewhere along the way, referred a client, collaborated on a project, cheered us on from the sidelines, or simply showed up that night—we're grateful.

Ten years of JK Creative wouldn't have been possible without the people who have been part of the journey. So here's to the first 10 years. And to whatever comes next. Cheers!

Want to relive the night? See the full photo gallery from Dude Media.