Bert and John Jacobs are brothers and the men behind the Life is Good brand. The Jacobs brothers grew up in a family of eight in working class Boston where they weathered many difficulties. Despite their hardships, their optimistic mother, Joan, would put a humorous and positive spin on everything and this unflagging optimistic outlook on life took hold for the youngest Jacobs brothers and became the basis for their future endeavor together.
In 1989, after graduating college, Bert and John knew one thing: they didn't want a real job.
Designing t-shirts seemed like the fun way for them to start a business. They starting selling their designs in the streets of Boston and out of an old van at colleges and street fairs. After many trials and errors, their optimistic look at life caught on. Today their company is a $100 million clothing company with one simple, unifying mission: to spread the power of optimism.