Entrepreneur & Bestselling Author
Jesse Itzler: Biography at a Glance
- Jesse Itzler is the New York Times bestselling author of Living with a SEAL, where he shares lessons in grit, mental toughness, and pushing beyond comfort zones — principles he brings to every keynote.
- As co-founder of Marquis Jet, the world’s largest private jet card company, Jesse speaks about entrepreneurial resilience, creative problem-solving, and building cultures that win.
- He later partnered with Zico Coconut Water, scaling it into a global brand and selling it to The Coca-Cola Company, a story he uses to inspire audiences on partnership, vision, and growth mindset.
- A former MTV rapper turned entrepreneur, Jesse blends creativity and storytelling to challenge audiences to think differently, innovate fearlessly, and bring more authenticity to their work and leadership.
- As an owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and a passionate endurance athlete, Jesse shares how mindset, discipline, and energy management drive sustained performance.
Videos
Biography
A successful serial entrepreneur, Jesse’s mission is to continually raise the bar and build his LIFE RESUME. And with a passion for endurance challenges, he completed Ultraman at the age of 53, which entails a 6.2 mile open water swim, 261.4 mile bike, and 52.4 mile run, the same year he sold his endurance hiking company, 29029 Everesting, to iFit. These things are not uncommon for Jesse, who also completed a 100 mile running race, sold Marquis Jet to Warren Buffett, and partnered with Zico Coconut Water which sold to Coca-Cola in 2013.
Jesse’s career is unlike anyone else's. He started as a rapper on MTV in 1991, became the Manager of the greatest hip hop band ever, Run-DMC, and wrote the anthem for the NY Knicks.
He always says, "You don’t have to be the smartest in the room, but you have to be the most passionate." He teaches his principles and best practices through his online course and coaching program, where thousands of people have learned from his lifestyle approach and applied it to their own.
When he’s not training with Navy SEALs (check out his book, Living with A SEAL) or learning from monks (check out his other book, Living with Monks), you can find him plunging in cold water and sweating in hot saunas as part of his latest venture, All Day Running Co., a brand built on the foundation of combining race-like challenges (half-marathons, marathons, etc.) with retreat-like experiences (cold and heat exposure).
At the end of the day, his proudest accomplishment is his family—with 3 sons and a daughter, he and his wife, Sara Blakely (founder of SPANX), definitely have their hands full!
Topics
Build Your Life Resume: Life’s Greatest Achievements Don’t Fit on a Piece of Paper
Beyond job titles, what does your life resume look like? Jesse reveals the habits, rules, and mindset that helped him build a life of adventure, success, and meaning—and how you can too.
The Spiritual Billionaire: Bring Your Soul and Business to Life
Success isn’t just what you earn—it’s how you live. With music from DJ Dee Wiz and stories from his wild journey, Jesse shows how soul, luck, and mindset can help you win big without losing yourself.
No Blueprint? Create One: Why the Best Leaders Think Like Artists and Move Like Athletes
Big goals take bold moves. In this high-energy talk with DJ Dee Wiz, Jesse shares how risk-taking, perspective, and hustle helped him succeed as a rapper, runner, and entrepreneur—and how you can do the same.
