Entrepreneur Lessons from Bert Jacobs of Life is good

Chief Optimist Executive (CEO) and Entrepreneur Bert Jacobs co-founder of Life is good was one of the speakers at Saturday's University of New Hampshire (UNH) graduation. The company makes T-shirts and other positive products depicting Jake and his simple message. It also give back via The Life is good Kids Foundation committed to helping children overcome life-threatening challenges. The company and its customer base has raised over $4 million for the cause through product, festivals and sponsors.

Here are a takeaways from his talk:

1) "Optimism truly is powerful." Sixteen years ago Bert and his brother and business partner, John, started the business with a used van, discussion about all the negative information in the media and a box of crayons. The brothers looked at the situation and turned it into a business.

"We looked at a gloomy situation, something that bothered us, and saw opportunity."

2)"Simplify your life." Social networking tools, instant messaging, email, video and all the other information coming at us isn't all good.

"We get bogged down because we have access to the information. It's too much.

Instead, play ball with your son, talk to friends in person and have a cookout.

3) Give of Yourself.

"Now, people these days occasionally will ask me, what's it like to be rich? Well, let me tell you there's more than one kind of rich. And the rich that you get from acquiring things and from earning money, it means nothing to me. It really doesn't.

But the richness that you get from giving, it's priceless.

At Life is good we say that takers eat well, but givers sleep well."

Thanks Bert, you are spot on and I couldn't agree with more...ah...frisbee time.

Image via University of New Hampshire Blog