John Jacobs

John Jacobs is co-founder and chief creative optimist of the Life is good® Company. The $100 million LIG lifestyle brand spreads the power of optimism and helps kids overcome violence, poverty and illness by donating 10% of its net profits to The Life is good Kids Foundation.   Life is good seamlessly integrates its 501(c3) non-profit with its for-profit enterprise. Based in Boston, M.A., Life is good’s inspiring products are sold by over 4,000 retailers. Jacobs wrote and illustrated his first book at the age of five.  He’s been writing and drawing ever since, graduating from the University of Massachusetts in 1990 with dual degrees in English and art.  He began designing and selling tee shirts with his brother Bert during his senior year, and after five years of sketching, selling and sleeping in their van all over the East Coast, the brothers officially launched a winner (Life is good) in 1994.

Today Jacobs is focused on creating inspiring content and ensuring that Life is good’s unique culture remains a source of motivation for its employees and competitive advantage for the business.  He is happily married and the proud father of two young boys and a baby girl. He enjoys any game involving a ball or Frisbee, hiking and camping with his family, movies both high and very low brow, and diving into the water to catch things. Jacobs has been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities for entrepreneurship, business innovation and philanthropy. He and Life is good have been featured on NBC’s “The Today Show,” CNNMoney, “The Boss” and in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine. @lifeisgood