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Summer 2003

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In only 10 years he has created a multi-million dollar company, designed a clothing line worn by Hollywood celebrities Drew Carey, Michael J. Fox and Michael Jordan and will sell over 1 million T-shirts in 2004.

Bert Jacobs, Villanova class of ’87, is no average Villanova alumnus. But he is motivated by far more than selling T-shirts for profit. In fact, it is the attitude of optimism that spawns the energy and success of a company that has created a new meaning for corporate social responsibility.

Life is good®

Bert Jacobs and his brother John co-founded Life is good® 10 years ago. The company offers a number of various products, including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, hats, backpacks, Frisbees and beach towels, but is best known for its colorful, signature T-shirts. All of the many Life is good® products, however, are united by the trademark character, Jake. Whether actively enjoying the outdoors or just stopping to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, Jake sports the same smile and attitude in every one of his poses. “Do what you like, like what you do” has become the company’s motto, modeled after the Jacobs’ own outlook. “The tagline of Life is good® is the tagline of our life,” Bert explained. With no specific age, race or religion, Jake has become a universal symbol of optimism, speaking the universal language of enjoyment. His name was actually inspired by the brothers’ last name, as they both developed the nickname “Jake” in their younger years.

Budding entrepreneurship

While Life is good® celebrates their 10th anniversary this spring, the foundation of the company dates back to Bert’s entrepreneurial years at Villanova. Deciding to transfer from a school in his home state of Massachusetts for his junior year, Bert recalls the overwhelming impression that Villanova left him after only one visit. “I just fell in love with the place when I went down there,” he remembered. “I had never met people that were just so genuine and nice.” In fact, the intended 4-day visit transformed into a 3-week long stay, causing Bert to miss his final exams in Massachusetts. “I just couldn’t leave,” he laughed. “I loved it.”

Not only did Villanova leave a lasting impression of warmth and sincerity, but it also provided Bert ample opportunity to begin designing and selling T-shirts. Creating caricatures for sororities and intramural sports teams, Bert designed and sold his first T-shirts to Villanova peers. Even then, however, making money was not their sole motivation. He sold the shirts at the mere cost of production, but recalls the satisfaction of seeing people wear his shirt as the true reward. “It was a thrill to see people who were wearing something that you made.”

This thrill quickly became a Jacob’s trademark. In the spring of 1987, Bert graduated from Villanova with a degree in advertising. Before setting off off Colorado as a ski instructor, he wrote a letter to younger brother John, recommending he pursue this rewarding hobby at his university. For two years, John dabbled in T-shirt design at the University of Massachusetts, discovering the same excitement as Bert. The brothers then made a plan to reunite in Boston after John’s graduation in order to combine their passion and efforts. According to Bert, they were not quite sure where they were headed, except that they wanted to get out into the streets and sell T-shirts. In other words, the brothers had no idea what they were doing. “We were pathetic, we were absolutely pathetic,” Bert chuckled. But clearly, they were on to something big. And the sales became proof that the Jacobs brothers were quickly developing an understanding of the business.

Eventually, selling in the streets led to hawking on college campuses, especially dormitories. There seemed to be a huge demand for the Jacobs’ shirts and the dorms became a great avenue for sales. But the brothers did not restrict their sales and promotion to colleges and universities in Boston. Instead, Bert and John visited schools up and down the East Coast, sometimes leaving for as long as six weeks at a time. Their method? Taking all the seats out of their van, loading up with as many T-shirts as possible and living right out of the vehicle. With only 2 sizes – large and extra-large – and only one design, the T-shirts were all relatively uniform in appearance. They even used them as mattresses, placing their sleeping bags on top of them to crash at night. The bittersweet irony: though their sales sky rocketed as they traveled south and sold more and more shirts, their beds became increasingly less comfortable as the padding diminished and the shirts began to fall in on top of them.

Life is good, at every stage of the game

Fifteen years later, after the initial T-shirt tour in 1989 and through the launching of Life is good in the spring of 1994, Bert still wouldn’t change the experiences of living out of a van and selling T-shirts the hard way. “Life was good when we were hawking in the streets,” Bert explained. “The whole point of Life is good® is not when you reach some goal, some destination . . . it’s today. Life is good today.”

In fact, this philosophy has not only carried Bert and John through years of different experiences, but also serves as the foundation for a new charitable division that helps kids who face unfair challenges. In October of 2003, Life is good® hosted the first Life is good Pumpkin Festival in Portland, Maine. The goal was to break the Guinness Book of World Records entry for the most candle lit jack-o-lanterns. Though they did not set a new record, over 20,000 attendees united and carved exactly 15,001 pumpkins. This effort raised an amazing $52,000 for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Camp Sunshine has helped over 16,000 children in its 20-year history.

More than funds, however, the event provided hope and good times for the retreat children, their families and the community. Hayrides, fireworks, live music and a pie-eating contest were among the many activities. This summer, the “Life is good® Backyard Festival” will benefit Project Joy, a learning program for homeless children. The festival will be held on the Esplanade in Boston on June 5, 2004 and events will offer the excitement of an original, backyard celebration. Good times will include games such as whiffle ball, croquet, bocce and horseshoes, and some good old-fashioned challenges including a burger-flipping and watermelon seed-spitting competitions.

More than profit

Though the company puts forth 100 percent of the allotted budget towards these charitable efforts, they also acknowledge the product awareness created by the buzz. “We do think there will be visibility for the brand and it will help the brand eventually,” Bert offered. “But if it doesn’t, we’re never going to regret it, because the people who needed it more got it.” In fact, Bert doesn’t try to hide his enthusiasm about the charity events. While he and his Life is good® team are enjoying company growth and soaring sales, Bert makes no mistake about where his heart lies. “All of these things are happening and to me, the most exciting thing we’re doing is the Life is Good® festivals.”

Indeed, Bert Jacobs is not an average Villanova alum, but still maintains that with a little effort, everyone’s career can be more satisfying. He claims that in the past 10 years, he has learned the most from going out and making mistakes. So for members of the Villanova community who harbor entrepreneurial aspirations, follow Bert’s advice to just get out and your test your ideas. “Get your feet wet and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.” But whatever happens, be sure to remember the most important attitude of all: Life is good.