John Jacobs

John Jacobs is the co-founder and Chief Creative Optimist of Life is Good, a $100 million positive lifestyle brand sold by more than 2,000 retailers across the United States and Canada. Along with his brother Bert, John launched the company with just $78 in their pockets, selling t-shirts on the streets of Boston and at college dorms along the East Coast before building one of the most recognized optimism-driven brands in the country.

From the Streets to a Movement
John and Bert are the youngest of six siblings from Needham, Massachusetts, who credit their mother as the first powerful optimist in their lives. After five years traveling together in a van, the brothers officially launched Life is Good with the mission to spread the power of optimism. John provides the creative vision to guide the art and messaging direction of the brand. The company has been featured on CNNMoney, CNBC, ABC Nightline, NBC Today Show, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Inc. Magazine.

Giving Back
Life is Good donates at least 10 percent of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation, positively impacting over 120,000 children daily who face poverty, violence, and illness. John co-authored Life is Good: The Book, published by National Geographic.

Keynote Topics
John speaks on the power of optimism, building purpose-driven brands, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and creating resilient cultures that thrive through change.

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.