John Jacobs

Motivational keynote speaker John Jacobs is co-founder and CCO (Chief Creative Optimist) of Life is Good, which spreads the power of optimism through inspiring art, a passionate community, and groundbreaking nonprofit work.

John and his brother Bert launched their business with $78 in their pockets, selling T-shirts in the streets of Boston. Under their leadership, Life is Good is a $100 million positive lifestyle brand sold by over 2,000 retailers across the US and Canada.

John wrote and illustrated his first (poorly spelled) book at the age of five. He’s been writing and drawing ever since, graduating from the University of Massachusetts with dual degrees in English and Art. John began designing and selling T-shirts with his brother Bert during his senior year. After five years traveling in their van together, the brothers officially launched Life is Good with the mission to spread the power of optimism.

Early on, John and Bert were inspired by stories of people, mainly children, facing great adversity. These stories illustrated that optimism is most powerful in the darkest of times and motivated the creation of a fully integrated business model dedicated to helping kids in need. Life is Good donates at least 10% of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation to positively impact over 120,000 kids daily facing poverty, violence, and illness.

John provides the creative vision to guide the art and messaging direction of Life is Good to inspire optimism in everyone the brand touches. John enjoys outdoor adventures with his family, awkward dancing and diving into the water to catch things.

To inspire others to choose optimism and grow the good in their lives, John and Bert wrote Life is Good: The Book/ How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy the Ride, published by National Geographic in September 2015.

John has been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities for entrepreneurship, business innovation and philanthropy. He and Life is Good have been featured on CNNMoney, CNBC’s Business Nation, ABC News’ Nightline, NBC’s The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Men’s Health Magazine, among others. A leading motivational speaker, John spreads the inspiring message of optimism paired with business  and leadership advice on fostering an environment of innovation and customer-focused enterprises. John and Bert are the youngest of six siblings from Needham, MA. They credit their mother as the first powerful optimist in their lives, and the inspiration for Life is Good.

Embracing the power of optimism to innovate and thrive in times of change.

Business leaders see significant change ahead for their companies as 71% of CEO’s expect the next 3 years to be more critical for their industry than the last 50. Jacobs dives into creating a “yes, and” culture focused on opportunities (not obstacles) and brand-building that will stand the test of time.

Cultivating a culture of optimism from the inside Out.

Jacobs shares experience from Life is Good to help audiences discover their own sense of optimism to uncover a deeper meaning to the work they do. Lessons on gratitude, openness, and compassion show how simple mindset shifts can transform company culture that can be felt by your customers and beyond.

Positive Purpose.

More than ever, consumers are demanding brands they buy from are socially responsible. Jacobs shares the LiG story and inspires audiences to integrate a deeper meaning into their work… the authentic way.

Optimist for Life.

What it means to be a rational optimist and how this mindset can change lives for the better.

Corporate Social Responsibility/ Giving Back.

Corporations have immense power as agents of social change—when they conduct ethical business and make philanthropy a priority, they can implement positive change on a huge scale.

Innovation.

Optimism can be an incredibly useful tool for innovation, especially in times of change and uncertainty. Having the ability to focus on the good can make teams and businesses more productive—more open to new ideas, more creative at problem solving, and more willing to take positive risks.

Winning Culture.

Creating a winning culture can be a huge asset for companies of every size. Using the 10 Superpowers of Optimism, you can build a value-based team of people who are engaged, motivated, and truly love what they do.