Jesse Itzler Net Worth: How the Entrepreneur Built Wealth Across Multiple Industries

Jesse Itzler has built substantial wealth through serial entrepreneurship spanning music production, private aviation, consumer beverages, professional sports ownership, and fitness ventures. His estimated net worth ranges between $200 million and $250 million, generated primarily from the sale of Marquis Jet to NetJets (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) and his involvement with Zico Coconut Water’s acquisition by Coca-Cola. Combined with his Atlanta Hawks ownership stake, book sales, speaking fees, and ongoing business ventures like The 100 Mile Group and 29029 Everesting, Itzler represents a model of wealth creation through diversified business exits and strategic partnerships.

Who is Jesse Itzler?

Jesse Itzler is an American entrepreneur, author, and former recording artist who built multiple successful companies across unrelated industries.

Music Career and Alphabet City Sports Records

Itzler’s professional journey began in the early 1990s music industry. After graduating from American University, he signed with Delicious Vinyl Records under the stage name Jesse Jaymes. His debut album Thirty Footer in Your Face (1991) included “Shake It Like a White Girl,” which reached #74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later appeared in the 2004 film White Chicks.

His early music partner was Dana Mozie, whom he met in 1987. Together they collaborated on several musical projects during Itzler’s rap career.

Sports Music Business

In 1992, Itzler wrote and performed the New York Knicks theme song “Go NY Go”, which became a team anthem. This success led to creating music for over 50 professional sports teams. He also wrote and sang the Emmy Award-winning “I Love This Game” for the NBA and produced the theme song for Inside the NBA.

Alphabet City Sports Records Sale

In 1996, Itzler co-founded Alphabet City Sports Records with childhood friend Kenny Dichter. The company specialized in mixing classic arena anthems with sports highlights and play-by-play calls, creating unique compilations for professional teams including the Wizards, Mavericks, Lakers, Knicks, Broncos, and dozens more.

The business model proved successful by turning team pride into marketing assets. In 1998, SFX Entertainment acquired Alphabet City Sports Records for $4.3 million in cash and stock, marking Itzler’s first major entrepreneurial exit and providing initial capital for future ventures.

Marquis Jet: The Primary Wealth Generator

In 2001, Itzler and Kenny Dichter co-founded Marquis Jet, transforming how consumers accessed private aviation. The company introduced prepaid jet cards offering 25-hour flight blocks, creating a middle tier between full aircraft ownership and individual charter flights.

This business model addressed an underserved market: high-net-worth individuals wanting private aviation benefits without ownership costs and maintenance responsibilities. Marquis Jet partnered with NetJets to provide aircraft access, handling all logistics while clients enjoyed private travel flexibility.

The company grew rapidly, achieving over $5 billion in cumulative sales and becoming the world’s largest private jet card provider. Itzler served as Vice Chairman throughout this period.

In 2009, Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets acquired Marquis Jet. While the exact acquisition price remains undisclosed, this transaction represents Itzler’s largest known liquidity event and the primary foundation of his net worth.

The 100 Mile Group and Zico Coconut Water

In 2009, Itzler founded The 100 Mile Group, a brand incubator and accelerator comprised of creative directors, designers, and brand builders. The company focused on three areas: taking equity stakes in brands, creating new brands, and providing creative services.

The 100 Mile Group’s most notable success came through partnering with Mark Rampolla and Zico Coconut Water. Itzler helped build brand awareness and brought in celebrity investors including Kelly Ripa and Gisele Bündchen to enhance Zico’s reach during the coconut water market expansion.

Within four years, The Coca-Cola Company acquired 100% of Zico Coconut Water. While specific financial terms remain private, this sale contributed meaningfully to Itzler’s wealth accumulation.

The 100 Mile Group also created Sheets brand with LeBron James, Maverick Carter, and Warren Struhl in 2011, demonstrating Itzler’s ability to partner with high-profile athletes and entrepreneurs.

Atlanta Hawks Ownership

In 2015, Itzler and his wife Sara Blakely joined an investment group led by Tony Ressler, along with Grant Hill, Steven Price, and Rick Schnall, that purchased the Atlanta Hawks for $850 million.

This minority ownership stake represents a different asset class—professional sports franchise ownership—which serves both as financial investment and personal interest. NBA franchise values have generally appreciated significantly, making team ownership a wealth preservation and growth strategy.

The Hawks investment connected Itzler to professional sports management and Atlanta’s business community, aligning with the family’s relocation to Georgia.

Books and Motivational Work

Itzler expanded into authorship and speaking, creating additional income streams beyond business ventures.

Living with a SEAL

In November 2015, Itzler released “Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet”, chronicling his experience inviting Navy SEAL David Goggins to live with him and implement an intensive training regimen. The book became a New York Times bestseller and ranked first on the LA Times book list.

The book’s success opened lucrative speaking opportunities where Itzler shares perspectives on entrepreneurship, personal development, and pushing beyond comfort zones.

Living with the Monks

In 2018, Itzler released his second book, “Living with the Monks: What Turning Off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus”, detailing his two-week experience living in a monastery exploring spirituality and disconnection from technology.

Both books reflect his philosophy of experiential learning through extreme challenges. Itzler is represented by literary agent Lisa Leshne of The Leshne Agency.

Speaking Fees

Itzler commands speaking fees exceeding $70,000 for corporate events, personal appearances, and keynote speeches, representing recurring income beyond his business exits.

Fitness and Endurance Ventures

29029 Everesting

Itzler co-founded 29029 Everesting with Marc Hodulich and Colin O’Brady in 2017. The company creates endurance events where participants hike up ski mountains (taking gondolas down) until reaching 29,029 vertical feet—the equivalent of Mount Everest’s height—within 36 hours.

The concept emerged from Itzler and Hodulich’s interest in measuring workouts by vertical gain rather than distance. Participants pay approximately $4,000 for the all-inclusive weekend experience, which includes glamping tents, coaching, meals, and recovery facilities.

29029 Everesting events consistently sold out across locations in Vermont, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and British Columbia. In 2021, iFIT acquired 29029 Everesting, with Itzler, Hodulich, and O’Brady remaining actively involved. In 2023, Itzler and his partners bought the company back from iFIT—a scenario he describes as “every entrepreneur’s dream.”

The company currently operates seven annual events across the US and Canada, with recent events selling out within six minutes of going on sale.

Build Your Life Resume

Itzler created Build Your Life Resume, an online coaching course and philosophy encouraging people to focus not just on professional achievements but on life experiences, challenges, and personal growth. This program includes 40+ coaching videos covering business, wellness, parenting, mindset, and planning.

The course ties into his broader personal brand emphasizing intentional living and experiential wealth over purely financial accumulation.

The Big Ass Calendar Company

Itzler founded The Big Ass Calendar Company, a productivity company producing large-format wall calendars (approximately 4 feet by 3 feet) designed to display an entire year at a glance. The calendar system emerged from Itzler’s personal planning methodology for managing multiple business ventures and family life.

The product includes dry-erase functionality, color-coded adhesive labels, and a planning system focused on scheduling experiences and “alive time” alongside professional obligations. The company has sold to over 300,000 customers and recently launched The Big Class Calendar for teachers, students, and parents (July-June school year format), which appeared on Good Morning America.

Wealth Composition

Itzler’s net worth stems from multiple sources:

• Business Exits: The Alphabet City Sports Records sale ($4.3 million), Marquis Jet acquisition by NetJets (undisclosed, multi-million dollar transaction), and Zico Coconut Water sale to Coca-Cola (undisclosed) represent major liquidity events.
• Sports Ownership: Atlanta Hawks minority stake purchased as part of $850 million team acquisition.
• Intellectual Property: Book royalties from two New York Times bestsellers and recurring speaking fees exceeding $70,000 per engagement.
• Active Businesses: The 100 Mile Group, 29029 Everesting (bought back from iFIT), The Big Ass Calendar Company, and Build Your Life Resume coaching program.
• Investment Portfolio: Like most high-net-worth individuals, Itzler likely maintains diversified investments across asset classes, though specific holdings remain private.

Marriage to Sara Blakely

Jesse Itzler married Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, on October 18, 2008, at the Gasparilla Inn and Club in Boca Grande, Florida. The couple met at a Marquis Jet poker tournament in Las Vegas in 2006.

Blakely built Spanx into a global shapewear brand with minimal initial capital and is recognized as a self-made billionaire. In 2021, Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Spanx for $1.2 billion, making the couple’s combined net worth approximately $1 billion (with Sara responsible for the majority).

Together they have four children: Lazer (born 2009), twins Charlie and Lincoln (born 2014), and daughter Tepper (born 2016). The family resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

The couple joined The Giving Pledge in 2013, committing to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. They represent a notable entrepreneurial partnership, with both building significant businesses independently before marriage.

Endurance Achievements and Personal Philosophy

Beyond business, Itzler pursues extreme physical challenges that inform his personal brand and motivational work:

• Completed the USA National Ultra Marathon Championship in Grapevine, Texas (2006), finishing a 100-mile run in under 24 hours
• Finished 49th out of 80 in the SEA Paddle NYC 25-mile stand-up paddle race around Manhattan (2012)
• Completed over 20 consecutive New York City Marathons
• Finished an Ultraman at age 53 (2022): 6.2-mile open water swim, 261.4-mile bike ride, and 52.4-mile run
• Rode his bike across America for charity

These experiences reflect his “Build Your Life Resume” philosophy—the conviction that life’s most meaningful achievements often don’t fit on traditional professional resumes.

Current Activities and Residence

Itzler resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where his business interests, Hawks ownership, and family life center. Beyond managing his portfolio of companies, he maintains an active speaking schedule, produces weekly content through his “Free Swim” newsletter (150,000 subscribers), and maintains a social media following exceeding 1 million on Instagram.

His current focus includes scaling The Big Ass Calendar Company, continuing 29029 Everesting events, and coaching through his Build Your Life Resume program. He also pursues ongoing physical challenges including cold plunge and sauna experiences through his latest venture, All Day Running Co., combining race-like challenges with retreat-like recovery experiences.

Net Worth Estimate

While exact figures remain private, Jesse Itzler’s net worth is estimated between $200 million and $250 million based on known business exits and holdings. This estimate considers:

• Alphabet City Sports Records sale: $4.3 million (1998)
• Marquis Jet acquisition proceeds (undisclosed, likely tens of millions)
• Zico Coconut Water sale participation (undisclosed)
• Atlanta Hawks minority ownership (portion of $850 million team value)
• Ongoing business revenues and speaking fees
• Investment portfolio appreciation

When combined with wife Sara Blakely’s wealth (Spanx majority sale to Blackstone for $1.2 billion in 2021), the couple’s combined net worth approaches $1 billion.

How Jesse Itzler Built His Net Worth

Jesse Itzler’s wealth accumulation demonstrates a path of serial entrepreneurship across unrelated industries. Unlike specialists who build deep expertise in one field, Itzler identified opportunities across music, aviation, beverages, sports, and fitness, partnered with experienced operators, and executed strategic exits at optimal times.

The Marquis Jet exit provided the financial foundation. Subsequent ventures—100 Mile Group’s work with Zico, Atlanta Hawks ownership, book publishing, speaking engagements, 29029 Everesting, and The Big Ass Calendar Company—built upon that base through continued wealth creation and diversification.

His approach combines business acumen with personal brand development. The books, speaking, social media presence, and coaching programs create symbiotic relationships with his business ventures—each reinforcing the others while generating independent revenue streams.

The marriage to Sara Blakely represents a household where both individuals pursued independent entrepreneurial paths before combining resources, suggesting mutual support for ambitious business building rather than wealth derived from marriage.

Jesse Itzler’s net worth reflects three decades of identifying market opportunities, building businesses with strong partners, timing exits strategically, and maintaining multiple income streams while building a personal brand centered on experiential living and continuous challenge.