Jake was born in California, but mostly grew up in Pittsburgh from a young age. After attending Duquesne University and graduating in 2013, he moved to Tampa looking for a fresh start and to try something new. Tampa wasn’t a strategic decision. It was all because he had a friend from college who was generous enough to invite him down to be a roommate. What he didn’t realize then was that the move would set the stage for the career and company he was ultimately meant to build.

Over the next several years, Jake worked in a handful of marketing roles — both agency and in-house.

Each job taught him something valuable, but a pattern emerged: after a year or so in each role, he felt a pull toward something different. Not out of frustration, but out of a growing sense that he was wired to build, create, and serve people in a more entrepreneurial way.

That quiet nudge eventually turned into action.

Jake began taking on small freelance projects during nights and weekends:

• Building websites

• Writing content

• Running ads

• Helping businesses with social media

• Saying yes to any opportunity that could lead to growth

He used LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to network… long before Brick Media existed. This helped him get his name out there, build trust, and create relationships. Little by little, those late-night projects turned into steady side income… then into referrals… then into the realization that he could build something bigger. 

This was also around the same time Jake found his faith again, and his relationship with God was getting to a new level. 

Finally, in mid-2018, after about two years of experimenting with side hustles and trusting the process, Jake took the leap, quit his 9-5 corporate job, and founded Brick Media officially. It didn’t start with investors or a perfectly polished plan. At the time it was called “Kurtz Digital” and it started at Jake’s kitchen table with a laptop and a willingness to work.

Brick Media is the result of that journey. The company reflects Jake’s worldview: lead with integrity, keep things simple, use common sense, communicate clearly, treat people well, and show up consistently. Those early experiences — from Pittsburgh roots to Tampa beginnings to discovering an entrepreneurial calling — are the reason Brick Media operates with humility, clarity, and long-term thinking.

Today, Jake leads Brick Media with the same priorities and values that helped shape him all along. His values anchor him, shape his leadership, and serve as the foundation behind the agency’s steady growth and reputation.

This is Jake’s story — the real story — of how Brick Media came to life and why it continues to grow the way it does.