Bert Jacobs

In this heartwarming, funny, and refreshingly human keynote, Bert tells the story of how the $160 million lifestyle brand Life is Good came to be—mistakes, missteps, and all, including an unlikely and humble beginning. Bert’s story will leave audiences with the tools they need to develop an optimistic mindset that leads to success, along with tips on building a vibrant community and brand that will stand the test of time. Get ready to laugh, and maybe cry (have tissues on standby), but most of all, be ready to uncover a deeper purpose in both business and in life. Your audience will leave united, connected, and ready to spread the power of optimism.

Bert Jacobs and his brother John launched the Life is Good Company with $78 in their pockets selling t-shirts on the streets of Boston. Today, Life is Good is a $100-million, positive lifestyle brand sold by more than 2,000 retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Their inspiring business story and lessons of optimism and corporate social responsibility will demonstrate how focusing on the good can transform your life, your business, and take you anywhere– and you’ll enjoy the ride!

Keynote presentations can be tailored

The smartest capitalists of today and in the future will integrate social work into their businesses–their customers demand it. Doing so draws out a deeper purpose in corporate work and strengthens organizations. Bert explains the benefits of philanthropizing for-profit organizations and guides audiences through the process: from integrating charity into the sales process, to marketing the message, to cultivating a genuine culture of social good in the workplace. Bert has lived and breathed “giving” at every stage of Life is Good’s growth, making his ideas and experiences relevant to audiences of any size.

Now more than ever, business leaders foresee significant change ahead for their companies. 71% of CEO’s expect the next 3 years to be more critical for their industry than the last 50 years combined. Jacobs’s presentation helps companies harness the power of optimism by creating a  “yes, and” culture focused on seeing opportunities and building a brand that will stand the test of time.

Life is Good’s core message of optimism and resilience was inspired largely by its customers who, over the years, have shared hundreds of personal stories about how optimism has helped them in times of great adversity. As a result, the positive lifestyle brand has gathered a passionately loyal customer base–after all, they helped build it. From the company’s inception–starting with Jake, the smiley-faced Life is Good mascot–the Jacobs brothers have incorporated community feedback into the creation of their brand, and still continue to do so today. In this presentation, Jacobs shares lessons on co-creating with your community to build loyalty, relevance, and a deeply personal connection with your audience.

Creating a positive customer experience begins first with creating a positive employee experience. Simply stated, happy employees make happy customers. Rallying customers behind your brand’s mission (and product) begins within the walls of your organization. In this presentation, Jacobs shares his experiences developing Life is Good from its humble beginnings–operating out of a van and selling on the streets of Boston–to the iconic lifestyle brand that now employees over 200 brand champions who truly believe in the power of optimism. Drawing on lessons of gratitude, openness, and compassion–which are vital to Life is Good’s company culture–this presentation will help employees discover their own sense of optimism by uncovering a deeper meaning to the work they do. Through simple mindset shifts, Jacobs will teach you how to grow a company culture that creates a positive experience for your employees, your customers, and beyond.