Is your glass half full? “If not, then shift your thinking,” insist Bert and John Jacobs, the founders of the Life is good Company, who have turned the message of optimism into a $100 million firm.

From shirts and caps to spare tire covers, this message is more than great marketing. “We truly believe that people want to be positive and optimistic, and the power is the message,” insist our September Entrepreneurs of the Month, who graciously invited one of their biggest fans (my son, Dylan) and me to interview them this summer at their headquarters on Newbury Street in Boston. Scroll down to read that Q&A. And click here to learn more about his Sept. 18 backyard fundraiser.

In this issue: All of our columnists were inspired by the power of positivity. Click around the 20 columns for ideas on how to be optimistic in terms of conflict resolution, management, HR, sports, and more.

This month you’ll also meet:

• Playmaker extraordinaire Steve Gross, whose mission is to spread joy. With his team (pictured above), the Life is Good Kids Foundation chief playmaker has been traveling the East Coast to inspire children who are facing life-threatening challenges. Read more about the Playmakers in our Nonprofit column. And click here to buy tickets for Steve’s Life is good Festival, September 24-25.

• Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” book illustrator Paul Rogers. This children’s book is a favorite of Bert and John Jacobs, and this month our Fine Artist columnist Michael Gibbs interviews the man behind the inspired artwork.

• We also welcome PNC Bank’s Tricia Mininger, our new Banking columnist, whose timing is perfect, for she teaches us how to manage the peaks and valleys of cash-flow.

We are also thrilled to announce that Inkandescent Networking is live!
Click here to sign up for a free profile on this new Strategic Social Media website that will help you build your business in seven East Coast cities.

If you want to suit up and show up, you’ll find a list of the best networking events in town. You can also network online by perusing our extensive list of contacts in the Network Directory. There are incredible advertising opportunities that will help you feed your business for $5 / day (less than a sammy at Starbucks). For details, contact Jody Maki at Jody@inkandescentpr.com.

Here’s to your incredible success! — Hope Katz Gibbs, founder, Be Inkandescent Magazine / Inkandescent Networking / Inkandescent Public Relations