What happens when you combine big-box retail training, public transit comms, and a deep belief in equity and access? You get Meraki Communications Group—an agency built entirely around mission, community, and leaving “a little bit of yourself” in every project. In this episode, Patrick and Craig sit down with Morgan Dye, Co-Founder of Meraki Communications Group, to talk about naming an agency with intention, building a team that actually owns the work, and why curiosity is non-negotiable in modern communications. Morgan walks through her journey from writing 12-word product descriptions at Circuit City to leading social-impact campaigns across transportation, financial services, healthcare, and cultural preservation—all anchored in a single throughline: using communications to connect awareness, access, and opportunity for communities. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your agency name matters more than you think – and how Meraki’s Greek roots (doing work with so much passion you leave a piece of yourself in it) shape every client decision. How B2C retail copywriting sharpened the skills Morgan still relies on today—and why “every word counts” is a powerful leadership philosophy. What it really takes to build a mission-driven agency, beyond a “social impact vertical,” including the realities of tight budgets and big impact goals. How to hire for passion and ethos first—and why Morgan will pass on a candidate over a single typo. The difference between ‘I have to do this’ and ‘I get to do this’—and how that mindset shift changes careers, culture, and client work. Why curiosity and ownership beat rigid job descriptions, especially in a world where listening for “what isn’t being said” is the communicator’s real superpower. Morgan’s favorite way to recharge (weekday solo movie matinees!) and how great storytelling on screen fuels better storytelling at work. About Morgan Morgan Dye is Co-Founder of Meraki Communications Group, a Northern Virginia–based agency focused exclusively on mission-driven communications. With a background spanning Circuit City’s early e-commerce days, national airport advocacy, and DC transit communications, Morgan specializes in using storytelling to connect people with the resources that can change their lives. Perfect for you if… You lead or work inside an agency, comms shop, or in-house team and you care about: social impact, building a values-aligned team, developing young talent, and doing work that actually moves communities forward—not just metrics on a slide. Episode chapters (thematic) Tailgates, snow shovels, and a smooth segue to DC Naming Meraki and building an agency around passion From Circuit City copywriter to public sector storyteller Mission-first work: airports, transit, finance, and equity Hiring for ethos, writing chops, and real ownership Curiosity, “not my job,” and listening for what’s not said Decompressing at the movies and staying obsessed with story If this episode helped you rethink how you hire, lead, or grow your agency, follow OnAgency, leave a review, and share it with a fellow agency leader who needs a reminder that they don’t have to do this work—they get to. Connect with Morgan and learn more about Meraki at merakicommsgroup.com and on LinkedIn. For additional content, follow OnAgency on Social: @OnAgencyPodcast Contact us at podcast@mahalohub.com This episode is brought to you by TalentNet and MahaloHub. TalentNet Media empowers businesses with innovative strategies in talent acquisition operations, recruitment marketing, and employer branding. Join us to stay ahead in the evolving hiring and HR technology landscape at www.TalentNetMedia.com. For marketers looking to amplify their marketing campaigns with high-impact video content, MahaloHub simplifies your workflow with its powerful, flexible, and scalable platform. Savvy marketers know that MahaloHub makes their lives easier and budgets go further by letting them invite, capture, edit, and distribute authentic video content seamlessly across all digital channels, all from one intuitive dashboard. Check Mahalohub out at www.mahalohub.com.
