Rooted in Creativity,
Fueled by Integrity: The Story of Jakovich Marketing
Elizabeth Jakovich doesn’t just design beautiful ads—she designs visual experiences. Her work tells her clients’ unique story through intentional and customized ads. For Jakovich, nothing about design is routine. “I always try to ensure that when I work with people, I get to know them and understand them. It helps me tailor the design to the client’s personality and goals. Most of my customers have been with me for a long time and have gotten to know me. They give me the creative freedom to explore ideas. That’s what makes the work rewarding,” says Jakovich.
Her clients consider her an integral part of their team. It should come as no surprise that she’s the name behind some
of the most recognizable ads in the industry—yet she’s never had a website, never launched a formal campaign, and never stopped moving.
Literally.
Married to a Navy fighter pilot, Jakovich is no stranger to motion. She’s lived across the country, raised two boys through multiple deployments, managed the unpredictable pace of military life, and built Jakovich Marketing into one of the most trusted and wellknown names in equestrian marketing.
“People are always asking me, ‘So where do you live now?’” she
laughs. “It’s a fair question.”
But no matter where she and her family call home, Jakovich brings the same sense of originality and excellence to every project she touches. With a background in corporate marketing and a lifelong connection to the horse world, she has grown a business built on authenticity, creativity, and strong client relationships. “Customer service is the most crucial piece of my business—it’s something I took from my corporate experience and that I take pride in. I always appreciate it when someone wants me to do an ad for them. I also want customers to feel that they are getting value from what I do,” shares Jakovich.
And in an industry built on first impressions, Jakovich Marketing ensures that the first impression on your page or screen is unforgettable. She says, “Every one of my ads has a style—you can tell they are mine. But they are still all different and tailored to each client’s personality. People will send me ads and say, ‘Hey, can you do something like this?’ I explain that I never copy work. However, I will follow a vibe. The fun part of my job is to figure out how to tell someone’s story visually.”
From Corporate Hustle to Creative Freedom
Jakovich’s professional journey began where many do, in high school. Her interest and talent in graphic design grew quickly, and she soon realized that her dreams were bigger than her screen could accommodate. That curiosity led her to study graphic design in college and eventually to a position at a major marketing firm—where she worked on national brands, photo shoots, catalog campaigns, and strategic planning for major clients.
“I learned everything about attention to detail and customer service from that role,” she says. “Deadlines were non-negotiable. Professionalism mattered. It shaped how I work today.”
While Jakovich may have envisioned a long career in corporate marketing and design, life had other plans. After meeting her now-husband, Brett—a Navy F-18 fighter pilot—the possibility of settling into one job in one city changed. When the couple married in 2010, Jakovich left the corporate world and began carving a new path in the horse industry.
“I realized I wasn’t going to be able to return to that lifestyle, not with how often we’d be moving,” she recalls. “But I loved marketing and design.
It became clear that I needed to build something flexible that would allow me to contribute financially to our family.”
Jakovich’s leap into stock horse industry marketing didn’t begin with a business plan. Its roots go way back to her early years in the horse world.
Introduced to horses early in life by her mother, who showed Paints, Jakovich had a self-described rebellious side from an early age and spent most of her youth showing hunter jumpers in Michigan. Eventually, she made the switch to stock horses. When she and Brett married and the constant motion of military life began, she had horses in training with John Yarnelle, who soon handed the reins to handle marketing for their stallion and breeding operation of Yarnelle Farms.
From there, it snowballed—most notably with Simons Show Horses, who’ve worked with Jakovich since 2015.
“Andrea and Sara have been incredibly supportive,” she says. “They let me run with ideas and explore creatively. That kind of trust helped me grow, and every year just got better.”
Since then, Jakovich Marketing has grown almost entirely
Elizabeth, Brett, Kellen & Cole
through word of mouth and referrals. She has never created a website or actively marketed her business because, quite simply, she hasn’t needed to. Jakovich has become the go-to designer for some of the most respected names in the business. Her client roster is long, but her clients include:
• Boo Yah Custom Clothing
• Brinks Ha ttery
• Head-to-Tail Boutique
• Premier Sires
• Aaron Moses Sho w Horses
• Zeitler Sho w Horses
• Trophy Case Show Horses
• Maestas Sho w Horses
• Simons Sho w Horses
• Terry Bradshaw Quarter Horses
• Anthon y Leier Show Horses
• Ry an Painter Show Stables
• RJ King Sho w Horses
• Rusty Green Quarter Horses
• Keith Miller Quarter Horses
• Alyse Roberts Performance Horses
• Cole Baker Sho w Horses
• Jeffer y & Calli Gibbs Show Horses
What do they all have in common? A deep belief in Elizabeth’s ability to elevate their brands through her unique approach to design and the care she has for customers.
The Jakovich Marketing Experience
“I don’t just drop an ad on your lap,” Jakovich says. “When someone hires me,
they’re getting the whole package.”
That package includes concierge-level services, including image organization, logo development, magazine coordination, ad scheduling, and even reminders about deadlines. “Trainers are incredibly busy. A lot of what I do is behind the scenes—checking specs for magazines, making sure ads are the right size, and working with editors. I never want an ad to come back resized because I made a mistake. That’s my job.”
Her process is meticulous and driven by an unwavering commitment to customer service. She believes, “Some people might think I’m a little extreme in my attention to detail and commitment to getting things done. That’s something I took from the corporate world— it doesn’t really matter what obstacles you’re up against; the job needs to get done.” Jakovich is also fiercely committed to originality in her work. It’s why she never designs without seeing images first. “I need to get a feel for the client—their horse, their vibe, their goals. Every design is tailored. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all design, I just don’t work that way.”
Her goal? That every ad she creates reflects integrity, authenticity, and originality. “When someone says, ‘Elizabeth Jakovich did that ad,’ I hope those are the three words that come to mind.
Extra Effort, Always. Mediocrity, Never.
Though her design aesthetic has evolved since 2010, one thing has remained unchanged: her commitment to excellence. She jokes that her personal tagline is: “I don’t do mediocrity.”
That philosophy extends to everything—from ensuring her designs hit print specs to hand-delivering charcuterie boards and Crumbl Cookies to her clients at shows. Jakovich is always looking for ways to elevate her customer service to the next level. “I want every one of my clients to feel seen and valued,” she says. “It’s not just business—it’s a relationship.”
Despite her growing roster, Jakovich remains selective about who she works with. “If I take someone on, I’m invested. I cheer for them. I get excited about their success. I always try to remember that this is a hobby-driven industry. People don’t have to spend money with
you; it’s why I’m so appreciative of every client who wants me to design an ad for them,” she shares.
Mares, Moves and Military Life.
While her professional life hums with purpose, Jakovich’s personal journey is no less powerful. Married to Brett, who has served in the Navy for nearly two decades and is now a Commander, she has built a life shaped by resilience, a commitment to service, and a can-do spirit. “I truly believe God made me for this role,” she says. “You need a certain combination of independence, grit, and drive to make it through deployments, relocations, and the emotional toll.”
The past few years have tested that strength. In October, on the same day that her husband left for a deployment, Jakovich lost her mother. Just months later, she lost her beloved mare, Helloo Gorgeous, to kidney failure shortly after foaling. That mare held a special place in Jakovich’s heart. Having just sold two of her yearlings before her passing, she had big plans for her future foals. Now, Jakovich looks forward to watching one of the two-year-olds she bred, Helloo Ladies, who Morgan Miller owns, show at the Congress in the maiden hunter under saddle with Beth Case in the irons.
Jakovich jokes that one of the ways she copes with deployments is by making big purchases, usually in the form of animals. “I usually end up buying a horse or a puppy when Brett is away,” she laughs. Helloo Gorgeous was a deployment purchase years earlier and was named after the phrase Brett often sends in messages from the ship: “Hello, gorgeous.”
“It was all really hard,” she says. “But the new owner of the two-year-old is so
Helloo Ladies - 2023 Gelding
Proudly Owned By Morgan Miller
Hey Bro - 2024 Gelding
Proudly Owned By Morgan Miller
sweet. I just designed their first ad, and I had all the feelings. It was a fullcircle moment. I’ll be their biggest cheerleader.”
Jakovich and Brett have two sons, Cole and Kellen, who are now 8 and 12 years old. They’re old enough now that deployments hit harder. “They miss their dad more now at this age. It’s hard, but we make it through.”
She credits her aunt—a fellow Navy wife—for teaching her to make each house a home, no matter where the Navy sends them. “I always decorate. Our house always smells the same. I know that Brett and the boys appreciate that. It’s become my way to keep things constant no matter where we are.”
Horses Will Always Be Home
Despite the chaos, Jakovich still carves out space for horses. Her trainer, Alyse Roberts, has been a guiding force as Jakovich transitioned from Paints to Quarter Horses. Though she doesn’t currently have a show horse, Jakovich remains deeply involved in the industry, always watching, always creating, and always elevating the way horses and horse people are portrayed.
“The boys got to help with the birth of a foal last year and had about a thousand questions I wasn’t ready for,” she laughs. “But it was a beautiful moment.”
As the equine world continues to evolve, so too does Jakovich Marketing. Jakovich stays on top of trends—from social media to digital graphics— while still valuing the tactile joy that print magazines bring. “There’s something about flipping through actual pages in an airport or while sitting around your stalls at a show,” she says. “People will always want that. It’s why I don’t believe that print is ever going away.”
Those convictions drive her work and her ethos. It’s why Jakovich has quietly become one of the most trusted creative voices in the horse world. She’s equal parts artist and strategist, professional and empathetic, polished and deeply personal.
“I’m just really grateful,” she says. “Grateful for the clients who trust me. Grateful for the life we’ve built. Grateful that even in the hardest seasons, I’m grounded by the work I do and driven to bring my creativity to every project.”
Article Written by: Elizabeth Arnold
Photography by: Cody Parmenter & Melissa Baus
PORTRAITS • VIDEO • SHOWS • FINE ART
