The Life is good® Story
Bert & John Jacobs
Positively Jake carries the famous Life is good brand clothes and t shirts that display the ever-optimistic Life is good designs. But do you know how this great clothing and accessory brand started?
Well, here you will find the truly amazing story of how two brothers kept their dreams alive and turned the phrase, “Life is good” and a quirky character named Jake into a successful business and charitable organization.
In 1989, Bert and John Jacobs designed their first tee shirt. They knew nothing about the business. For five years, the brothers hawked their tees in the streets of Boston and traveled the East Coast, selling door-to-door in college dormitories.
They collected some good stories, but were not very prosperous. They lived on peanut butter and jelly, slept in their van, and showered when they could.
Chicks were not impressed.
By the Fall of 1994, heading home from a long, less-than-fruitful road trip, Bert and John were desperately searching for answers to keep the dream alive. Little did they know, the only answer they needed was back in Boston, hanging up on their apartment wall.
Jake's contagious grin, simple as it was, seemed to express everything the Jacobs brothers believed in.
One fateful September day, they printed up 48 Jake shirts for a local street fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They laid the shirts out on their rickety card table.
By noontime, all 48 tees were gone. A star was born. Soon Jake was introduced to local retailers, and his simple message of optimism was embraced like nothing the brothers had ever seen.
As demand for product soared, Jake's team grew, and the Little Brand That Could began to spread across America. Today, the New England-based brand stays close to its roots, operating with both humor and humility.
Through Life is good Festivals, positive products, and a steady dose of ping-pong, Jake's crew does its best to keep the good vibes flowing.
Now, over two decades later, Life is good is a multi-million dollar business with distributors in over a dozen countries. The Life is good product line caters to everyone in the family, from babies and toddlers, including tweens, teens, adults, and yes, even the family dog!
Even more important than its great financial success, fans of the Life is good brand find great inspiration in the messages the clothing and products carry. The company, as well as many retailers, has received thousands of letters from people whose lives have been touched by the many positive mantras of the company.
Positively Jake began with a passion for the Life is good mission of optimism and philanthropy by which the Jacobs brothers live. We’re thrilled to offer the fun, optimistic, quality products by Life is good. And as is Life is good, Positively Jake is committed to spreading this powerful message of encouragement and building a loyal following of friends and community.
Help us spread Good Vibes® by shopping Positively Jake's retail and online stores, joining our Community, sending us your Life is good stories and photos for our PJ Blog, or just stopping by to say hello. You inspire us as well, and we appreciate you!
