Jamin Heitner

Life is Good

One van. Two brothers. Three simple words: Life is Good. For five years, Bert and John Jacobs drove up and down the East Coast, selling their t-shirt designs on the streets and in college dorms. They slept in their van, lived on PB&J, and showered when they could. The adventure was great, but sales were, uh, lacking. In 1994, with just $78 to their names, Bert and John designed their first Life is Good t-shirt to counter the negative news—and discovered how those three simple words could inspire people to focus on the good. The brothers stumbled forward, making mistakes left and right, but the power of that one idea was just too strong to get wrong. Letters and emails started rolling in from customers who found strength, simple wisdom, or a much-needed laugh in Life is Good. This diverse, ever-growing community continues to inspire our mission: To spread the power of optimism. 25 years into the ride, we celebrate these optimists and all the ordinary, extraordinary things they love.