Sign in Subscribe

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

John Bradley Jackson is Professor Emeritus at Cal State Fullerton and an expert in New Venture Creation and Launch, Entrepreneurial Marketing, and Technology Commercialization. Affectionately known as “Professor JJ,” he brings real-world marketing and sales experience from both Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Beyond academia, Jackson advises startup founders on how to ignite and scale new business concepts. He is also the founder of Titan Angels, a seed investment fund.

Academics

Jackson is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). His academic expertise includes:

  • New Venture Creation and Launch
  • Entrepreneurial Marketing
  • Technology Commercialization

He is the former Director of the Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship, a “Center of Excellence” at CSUF. The Center serves as an outreach hub for students, faculty, staff, mentors, startups, and small businesses.

Startup Incubator

Jackson founded the CSUF Startup Incubator, which has supported more than 100 startups launched by students, graduates, and faculty. The incubator guides founders through evaluating and launching their business concepts, with student consulting teams providing hands-on support.

Corporate Career

Jackson's corporate career includes high technology and market research in Silicon Valley and corporate finance on Wall Street. His career includes senior leadership roles at:

  • Dataquest Incorporated - Vice President of Sales and Marketing
  • Bowne and Company – Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Operations
  • TechVantage International - Vice President of Sales and Marketing
  • Communication Industry Researchers - Vice President of Sales and Marketing
  • Forrester Research - Director of Sales

Entrepreneur & Investor

Jackson has founded multiple ventures and investment organizations:

  • Titan Angels, LLC – A seed investment fund focused on scalable ventures in Southern California.
  • Titan Angels II, LLC – A follow-up fund investing in scalable startups.
  • The Youth Development Fund, LLC (2022) – Focused on global Ed-tech investments.
  • The BirdDog Group – Marketing and sales consulting firm specializing in digital marketing and sales strategy.
  • Lighthouse Research – A semiconductor research firm.

Author

Jackson is the author of five books on entrepreneurship and marketing, including:

  1. First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing
  2. Déjà New Marketing: Increase Sales with Social Media, Search Marketing, E-mail Marketing, Blogs, and More
  3. Socially Close: Social Media Marketing for Small Business
  4. Your Entrepreneurial Journey: Fifteen Guiding Principles
  5. Creating New Ventures: Profiles of over 150 Orange County entrepreneurs

Speaker

A frequent keynote speaker, Jackson demystifies marketing and entrepreneurship with practical, real-world tools. He has delivered talks for organizations including:

  • MSNBC, ABC, CNN
  • Wells Fargo Bank, US Bank, Royal Business Bank, Bank of America
  • Cal Poly Pomona, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine,
  • Forrester Research, Vistage International, Mintel Incorporated, Marketing Sherpa
  • Numerous universities, corporations, and nonprofit organizations

Community Leadership

Jackson has served on numerous boards and advisory roles including:

  • NeoBravo Capital (2025–present)
  • xMotion LLC (2022–present)
  • Youthink Academy (2021–present)
  • Appoon LLC (2019-present)
  • Orange County CEO Leadership Alliance (2020–2024)
  • Small Business Development Center (2018–2024)
  • Global Vision Holdings, Inc. (2012–2016)
  • Los Angeles Sports Council (1996–2002)
  • United Way (1987–1992)
  • And many more

Personal

Jackson lives in Olalla, Washington, with his wife, near their children and grandchildren. A lifelong horseman, he also shares his office with an Amazon parrot and four dogs.