Jantsch grew up in Kansas City and attended the University of Kansas. His first professional jobs were sales related for the John Henry Company and his father’s independent sales agency.

He started his own marketing business in 1985 and created the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system in 2002 and added the Duct Tape Marketing Coach Network in 2004.

Much of Jantsch’s writings are centered on the concept that marketing must be approached much like any system in a business. A strong proponent of developing marketing strategies before marketing tactics, he says "small-business marketing is a system...not an event." He often speaks on how small businesses can get started on their marketing initiatives, take their brand online, and create marketing materials that yield results.

Marketing systems can be designed effectively for advertising, public relations and referrals.

John Jantsch is the author of several books: