Daegan Jacobs of Sandy Springs on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Daegan Jacobs shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Daegan, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is the most important to me personally. Intelligence and energy matter, but without integrity, they don’t last. Intelligence can be used the wrong way, and energy can eventually burn out, but integrity goes a long way in how you do business. I remember being at a cocktail party where I had a great conversation with an older gentleman who taught me a valuable lesson: if you’re sincere with people, you’ll go far in business. That stuck with me, because especially in business and leadership, people may forget what you say, but they will always remember how you treat them and whether they can trust you. At the end of the day, integrity is what allows intelligence and energy to work together to create something meaningful.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Im Daegan Jacobs, a young entrepreneur who is driven by the idea of creating real value through the work I do and the way I treat people. I started my first business at the age of 8 as a fundraising event, but soon grew it into a healthy smoothie business. This has given me early exposure to real responsibility, customer relationships, and the importance of showing up consistently. These experiences have shaped the way I think about business, but not just as a way to operate businesses, but as way to provide value and build trust within my community.

What matters to me most is integrity, curiosity, creativity, and long-term thinking. Right now, im focusing on stacking a strong foundation of skills such as learning how to operate business, connect with people, and solve problems effectively, so I can move confidently into the future ventures im working on currently. My goal is to create work that is sustainable, long lasting, and rooted in strong fundamentals. I believe success comes from learning by doing, being extremely sincere with others, and taking ownership of outcomes.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
The thing that I’ve found that breaks the bonds with people is the lack of honesty, accountability, or sincerity. I find that when people aren’t truthful they seem to make excuses, or fail to take responsibility for their actions, which delays progress and diminishes trust. Relationships are restored when people are sincere, hold themselves accountable, and communicate openly and clearly. When people are honest and they own up to their mistakes it improves relationships and rebuilds trust. This is what allows you to do great things and work with incredible people. I have found that when relationships have all of these aspects, you are really able to thrive and everyone will benefit

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
One thing I changed my mind about after failing hard was thinking I could handle too much at once. When I first started my business, I had early success at farmers markets and felt ready to scale the brand quickly. I began exploring the idea of turning it into a clean energy smoothie brand and even had a few meetings with the woman who helped develop Bubly, which was an incredible learning opportunity.

What I didn’t fully account for at the time were the realities of scaling, including market regulations, licensing requirements, and the challenges of production and packaging. I believed my ambition and momentum would carry me through, but I quickly realized that balancing school while trying to push the business into a much larger operation wasn’t realistic. I was stretching myself too thin and moving faster than my foundation allowed.

That experience taught me a lot about focus and priorities. I learned that early success does not always mean you are ready for the next stage, and that timing and preparation matter just as much as ambition. I needed to strengthen what was already working, continue building my skills, and respect the importance of school. Failing in this way showed me that success is not about doing as much as possible. It is about knowing what deserves your attention and giving it the care it needs. It changed how I approach growth and how I pace myself moving forward.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
My closest friends would probably say that time matters most to me. I’m very intentional about how I spend it. They would also say I’m deeply committed to becoming the best version of myself and constantly challenging my own limits. I’m very passionate about improving, learning, and moving forward, and I tend to think long term. They’d describe me as someone with a clear vision for what I want my life to look like and the discipline to work toward it.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, absolutely. I believe giving my best is not about recognition or praise, it is about my own standards and integrity. I have a personal consciousness about myself and I am constantly raising the bar. Each year I try to do at least one hard thing that pushes me out of my comfort zone because growth comes from challenge. Something that really sticks with me is that when I am 80, I don’t want to look back and regret not doing something. Even if no one notices, I want to know that I put in the effort, stayed true to my values, and gave everything I had. Doing my best teaches discipline, builds confidence, and sets the foundation for what comes next.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shaggyshakes.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaggyshakesatl/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daegan-jacobs-a72b72249/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Shaggy-Shakes-LLC/61573657716557/#
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEXjd8JXd_s

Image Credits
Girard Amoyo – ATL-Based Photographer