Bert Jacobs
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Optimist of The Life is Good Company
Bert and his brother John started Life is Good with $78 in their pockets, selling T-shirts on the streets of Boston and in college dorms up and down the East Coast. Today, Life is Good is a $100 million positive lifestyle brand sold by over 2,000 retailers across the U.S. and Canada.
Bert and John are the youngest of six siblings from Needham, MA. They credit their mother, Joan, as the first powerful optimist in their lives—and the ultimate inspiration for Life is Good.
In the early years of their business, Bert and John were inspired by stories of people—especially children—facing great adversity. These stories inspired an integrated business model dedicated to helping kids in need. To this day, Life is Good donates at least 10 percent of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation, a non-profit that positively impacts over 1 million kids every year.
Bert focuses on the Product side of the brand, guiding vision, art, and message across categories. He enjoys live music, travel, and surfing. His shoes do not always match.
Bert has been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities for entrepreneurship, business innovation, and philanthropy. He and Life is Good have been featured on Business Nation, Nightline, The Today Show, and in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Men’s Health Magazine, among others.
EMBRACING THE POWER OF OPTIMISM TO INNOVATE AND THRIVE IN TIMES OF CHANGE
Business leaders see significant change ahead for their companies as 71 percent of CEO’s expect the next three 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 the kind of brand-building that can 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 and uncover a deeper meaning to their work. Lessons on gratitude, openness, and compassion show how simple mindset shifts can transform company culture and customer experiences.
POSITIVE PURPOSE
More than ever, consumers expect the brands they buy from to be socially responsible. Jacobs shares the Life is Good story and inspires audiences to integrate a deeper meaning into their work—the authentic way.
LIFE IS GOOD – THE POWER OF OPTIMISM
Bert and John Jacobs’ inspiring business story and lessons on optimism and conscious capitalism will demonstrate how focusing on the good can transform your mindset and business, and take you anywhere.