The founder
Jeremy Cowart is a photographer, designer, and entrepreneur who has spent over twenty-five years using creativity to reveal dignity in people. His work has appeared in TIME, Rolling Stone, ESPN, People, and CNN, and he’s shot projects for Nike, ABC, FOX, and GAP — but the thread through all of it has been the same: how do you use art to make someone’s life better?
That question led to Help-Portrait, a global project that brought free professional portraits to people in need. It led to the Gatlinburg Fire Project, where he photographed wildfire survivors standing in the ruins of their homes. And it led to The Purpose Hotel, a concept where every element of the guest experience funds a social cause.
If You’re Breathing is where all of that work converges into a single system.
The Personal ConnectionJeremy lives with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare degenerative disease that affects his balance, coordination, and speech. It’s progressive. There is no cure. Simple things — walking across a room, holding a camera steady, finishing a sentence without pausing — take more effort than most people would guess.
The name “If You’re Breathing” comes directly from that experience. It’s not a slogan. It’s something Jeremy tells himself. If you’re still breathing, you’re still here. And if you’re still here, there’s still something you can do.
That’s not a metaphor for Jeremy. It’s a daily reality. And it’s the reason this brand exists — not as an inspirational campaign, but as a working system built by someone who understands what it means to keep going when your body is telling you to stop.
J’s Role at IYBJeremy is the creative director and lead collaborator for every IYB project. He’s in the room with the artners. He’s shaping the art. He’s making the creative decisions that turn a person’s story into something the world wants to wear and own.
But the work isn’t about him. It’s about the people he’s making it with. Jeremy built IYB so the spotlight would land on them.