Jacob is a former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur, transformational keynote speaker, best-selling author, and business coach. He is also the co-founder of Varlo, a leading brand in cycling, triathlon, and athleisure fitness apparel. Jacob has faced plenty of challenges – academic setbacks, business hurdles, personal losses, and even homelessness. But with each stumble, he found strength. He learned that failure isn’t the end; it's a stepping stone. As a three-time TEDx speaker, Jacob was also named one of the '40 Under 40' in 2015.

His insights have been featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Good Morning America. Top brands and institutions like Intel, Meta, LinkedIn, Dallas Cowboys, UPS, Stellantis, University of Notre Dame, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and Central Michigan University have been captivated by his talks. Jacob's mission goes beyond motivation.

He promotes a transformative approach to life, advocating for a mental reset and a shift in perspective to discover one’s true calling. His #FailForward philosophy, shared on LinkedIn, through motivational posts, and in powerful videos, has inspired countless individuals worldwide to turn setbacks into strength.

Ready to connect? Text or call me @ 248-805-6093 or email me at jacob@failforwardbrown.com

For speaking inquiries: www.failforwardbrown.com

Jacob Brown

This should ring true both professionally and personally.

Jacob Brown 🎤

When I was 27, I applied for a position I knew I wasn’t qualified for – and I landed it.

It was my "dream job."

This position was a lead role for a very large digital agency and one that I had always wanted to work for.

I had a phone interview on a Wednesday, a face-to-face that Friday, and was made an offer that Sunday.

Yep, Sunday.

I even received my benefits package the same day.

They offered me $30k more than what I was currently making at the time, 4 weeks of PTO, and every other Friday off during summer.

Jackpot, right?

Nope!

That Monday, I received a call that the position was going to be eliminated due to lack of budget.

Thank God I hadn't already put in my 2 weeks.

I was crushed.

But I was not defeated.

Shortly after, I was offered an even better position and life went on.

Moral of the story - fail forward.

Hey, new followers and connections! 🖐

If you’re new to my page - welcome! I’m so glad you’re here, and I want to take a moment to introduce myself.

My name is Jacob Brown 🎤, but you can call me Jake! 

I’m a former NFL athlete turned keynote speaker, leadership coach, and bestselling author who is obsessed with one thing: helping humans lead from within.

Before I ever stepped on a stage, I spent 15+ years as a Creative Director, leading teams, managing pressure, coaching talent, and building culture in fast-moving environments.

Today, I work with:
 ⚡ HR leaders and people teams
 ⚡ Associations and conferences
 ⚡ Organizations in tech, healthcare, finance, auto, manufacturing, education, and many more
 ⚡ Executives and mid-level leaders navigating change, burnout, or culture drift

And I speak about:
 🗣️ Leadership alignment
 🗣️Culture transformation
 🗣️Navigating burnout and disengagement
 🗣️Turning failure into fuel
 🗣️Building teams that actually trust each other
 🗣️Leading with purpose instead of pressure

I’ve been fortunate to share this work with companies like Intel, Meta, GM, UPS, LinkedIn, and the Dallas Cowboys - along with universities, associations, and SHRM chapters across the country.

But more than any credential, here’s what matters most: I care deeply about helping people grow. Not just as professionals, but as humans.

I’m glad we connected.

I’m here to serve.

- Jake

I put together 5 leadership lessons that I wish I knew sooner as a leader.

5 Leadership Lessons I wish I knew sooner

Before you'll ever enter rooms you wish to be in, you must first enter them in your mind.

2026…we're coming for you. Here’s to building powerful rooms together next year.

Sunday evening reminder that you still have PTO left this year - so take it.

Public confidence is found in private discipline.

Chloe' Sizer

Digital Marketing Specialist

Spark Management

Director of Marketing and Human Resources

Focus Staff

Senior Director of Marketing

Oppti

*Sold to Stemuli*
Oppti is a SaaS platform that helps high school students nationwide find internships, jobs, and volunteer opportunities. To date, over 150k students have used the platform to better themselves. We see an emerging trend that employers are allocating resources to access pre-college talent. Students and school districts are struggling to find these new and growing opportunities. Oppti is motivated by helping students gain access to real-world experience and life-changing opportunities.

Marketing and Business Development

The Institute of Human Performance

The Mecca of Functional Training. Home to people of all ages and ability levels, including top athletes from around the world. Come visit our gym and find out why we've been voted one of the Top 10 Gyms in the Nation for the past 11 years.

Marketing

Wine & More Reimagined

South African Beer is an Importer and Wholesaler of South African and Namibian wine, beer and spirits. My role has heavily involved sales, web development for WMR as a corp and brands, and marketing partnerships throughout the USA.

Director Of Marketing And Development

National Sales Manager

Tilson PR

- Web Development
- Social Media Management
- Content Creation and Strategy
- Organic and Paid Advertising 
- Podcast Producer and Strategist
- Business Analyst and Strategic Planning

Account Coordinator

100% CAPRI ITALIA SRL

Responsible for store opening, team growth and brand growth within the luxury market.

-Launched Palm Beach Island store in the luxury market, targeting high-level clients from around the globe offering a destination experience
-Grew a team with a 100% retention rate and ensured a positive and growing team environment 
-Developed relationships with media, non-profits, businesses, and key socialites, while acting as the Head Ambassador for the brand
-Integrated inventory system controls, and introduced new website and software systems across the company leading to a higher rate of customer satisfaction, turnaround, and inventory accuracy

Manager of Market Development

Lynn University

-Maintained budget for university productions and promotional events to promote the university and it's new Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
-Tasked to manage a crew of over 40 students, crew members, part-time and full-time team 
-Lead classes and initiatives to push students' growth and development
-Traveling tradeshows to recruit students, designing and developing marketing materials, and facilitated meetings
-Worked an average of 60 hours p/week while attending classes and completing MBA in 1 year versus 2 years

Graduate Assistant

-Maintained budget for university productions for their annual largest show, including promotional events to draw larger crowds
-Tasked to manage a crew of over 120 students, crew members, part-time and full-time team 
-Grew the show from one night only, the first year to two nights and thereafter planned 3-4 nights due to the demand
-Grew marketing efforts across platforms, internally for the university and externally drawing new audiences, partnerships, and sponsorships 
-Developed print and digital marketing materials, while collaborating with sponsors

Assistant Director and Production Coordianator

- Social Media Manager
- Organic and Paid Advertising 
- Web Development 
- Marketing Strategy
- Brand Partnerships

RSP Nutrition

-Performed data analysis with a focus on shipping costs resulting in over $500,000 in excess fees being paid for programs and operations processes that were inefficient within the past three years
-Developed and executed comprehensive digital marketing strategies to increase brand visibility through social media channels, SEO/SEM, and email marketing
-Cultivated partnerships with like-minded fitness influencers, athletes, and community partners
-Developed Influencer Program and Brand Ambassador Program, targeting social media growth and on-location events
-Managed and created content calendars for social media accounts, while A/B testing on a limited advertising budget which proved successful

taplio

The Battle

Jacob Brown

Chloe' Sizer

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJacob Brown's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jacob Brown

Chloe' Sizer

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jacob Brown's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJacob Brown's LinkedIn Performance