
Press & Media
Josh Liljenquist (Joshlilj) Press & Media Kit
Copy-ready biography, verified impact facts, dated audience context, approved photos, selected coverage, and direct media contact for reporting on Josh Liljenquist and Live to Love.
Last updated

At a Glance
Verified facts for editors and producers.
Copy these facts directly or use the downloadable plain-text fact sheet.
- Full name
- Josh Liljenquist
- Known publicly as
- Joshlilj
- Authority identifier
- ISNI 0000 0005 3172 2257
- Professional base
- Minnesota
- Current role
- Digital creator, producer, and impact storyteller
- Documented platform views
- More than 10.3 billion views tied to an approximately two-year content window across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Period analytics and displayed TikTok post views use different bases; this is not a strict same-window total or unique viewers. Dated methodology and platform distinctions.
- Company relationship
- Josh's professional creator work operates through Joshlilj LLC.
- Creator platform
- Pillar · long-term creator platform relationship; public profile documented since at least June 17, 2024.
- Live to Love
- Live to Love is the public mission behind Josh Liljenquist's work. It is not a nonprofit, a crowdfunding platform, or a single crowdfunding project. Individual fundraisers are separate, recipient-specific campaigns documented on their canonical Impact pages.
- Education
- Communications degree, 2021, as recorded in Minnesota State University, Mankato’s public archival biography.
- Institutional preservation
- SMHC Collection 0300 is cataloged at Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Southern Minnesota Historical Center.
- Educational publication
- Whose Story Gets Told? Reading Images and Oral Histories with Care — creator-authored Smithsonian Learning Lab educational collection, published October 20, 2026.
- Representation
- LAA Sports & Entertainment
- Recognition
- 2026 Creator Impact Honors — Storytelling for Impact nominee (produced by Tiltify), one of four category entries alongside Łatwogang, Maya Higa, and the joint MrBeast and Mark Rober entry.
- Professional membership
- CGA Verified Member · public Mosaic profile ↗
- Creator feature
- Josh Liljenquist is featured in GoFundMe for Creators, where GoFundMe highlights his community-support stories and fundraising work. GoFundMe profile.
- Media contact
- josh@laasports.com
- Official website
- https://joshliljenquist.com/
Current verified context
Audience and impact are reported separately.
As of November 2, 2026. Includes source-linked campaign totals, direct cash support, documented sale proceeds, and estimated donated-service value connected to approved stories; each is classified separately. Public fundraiser totals may continue to change.
These figures do not imply that Josh personally received, held, controlled, or distributed every public fundraiser.
Minnesota geographic reference
Origin, college period, later base and project locations.
Copy-ready wording for editors who need to distinguish these relationships.
Josh Liljenquist is a Fairmont native and Fairmont High School graduate. His Minnesota record includes his Minnesota State University, Mankato college period, when independent reporting documented his early creator work; the MSU-hosted collection biography records a communications degree completed in 2021. Chaska is his later documented Minnesota base: independent reporting identified him as a Chaska resident in March 2024, and Josh separately confirmed Chaska as his current base in September 2026. Twin Cities and other Minnesota locations on this site identify documented projects or coverage locations, not additional hometowns or residences.
Press downloads
Choose the resource you need.
Figures retain their own observation dates. Photo and footage reuse still requires the applicable permission.
The original dated press kit plus a professional website-support supplement.
Plain textFact sheetCopy-ready facts with sources, metric definitions and reporting dates.
Plain text · 4 lengthsApproved biographiesThe same host, short, standard and extended biographies shown on this page.
ZIP · photos and textApproved asset packageExisting press photographs, credits and rights notes, plus the matching fact sheet and biographies.
Copy-ready biography
Four approved lengths for different formats.
Confirmed spelling: Josh Liljenquist · Public name: Joshlilj · Handle: @joshlilj
Host introduction
Josh Liljenquist, known online as Joshlilj, is a Minnesota-based digital creator, producer, and impact storyteller connecting public storytelling with practical community support.
Short biography
Josh Liljenquist, known online as Joshlilj, is a Minnesota-based digital creator, producer, and impact storyteller behind Live to Love. His short-form human-interest work connects public attention with practical support, while the official Impact archive documents approved stories, source-linked fundraising, and real-world outcomes.
Education source: SMHC Collection 0300, Biographical / Historical section. This is a university-hosted collection biography, not a registrar transcript or an independent audit of donor-supplied information.
Impact proof
Four outcomes, each tied to a canonical record.
Representative examples only. The complete Impact archive contains the published stories and explains how support is counted.

Azeza and Gigi
$600,000+ raisedPublic support helped create financial relief for the family during an exceptionally demanding period.
Verified July 19, 2026Read the canonical Impact story
Steven Mills
More than $55,000 raisedThe documented response increased donor-search awareness and public fundraising; no later medical outcome is claimed here.
Verified August 7, 2026Read the canonical Impact story
Chuck
$300,000+ raisedThe documented follow-up includes improved mobility and Chuck moving from the streets into a condominium.
Verified July 19, 2026Read the canonical Impact story
Aaron
100+ days soberSupport and follow-through helped Aaron enter treatment, build accountability, and reach a documented recovery milestone.
Verified July 19, 2026Read the canonical Impact storySelected media coverage
Independent reporting and approved broadcast context.
Independent written reporting remains distinct from publisher syndication and first-party archive material.
October 18, 2024
Associated Press
'Kindness' influencers on TikTok give money to strangers. Why is that controversial?An independently reported national feature examining kindness creators, giving, consent, and public debate.
Original publisher; written featureOpen coverageJanuary 17, 2024
Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota TikToker films as he gives food to homeless people, and his 5M followers eat it upIndependent local reporting on Josh's community work, public reach, and approach to filming assistance.
Original publisher; written featureOpen coverageFebruary 1, 2024
KARE 11
KARE 11 Profiles Josh Liljenquist's Community WorkKARE 11 Sunrise profiles Josh's community work, including support for Twin Cities Firefighters Operation Warm.
Approved archive playbackOpen coverageAugust 11, 2026
Twin Cities Live / KSTP-TV
Josh Liljenquist Talks Live to Love and Spreading Kindness on Twin Cities LiveA mission-focused studio conversation about Live to Love, practical community support, and nominations.
Approved archive playbackOpen coverageAdditional public context
Collaborative profiles, Q&As, and participant accounts.
These publisher-hosted sources can help with background research, but they remain distinct from the independently reported coverage above.
Your Kindness Corner
Josh Liljenquist: Beyond the Viral Moment The Family, Faith and FoundationsA collaborative profile based on conversations with Josh about family, faith and formative experiences; it is separate from independently reported biographical sources.
Classification disclosed; not presented as independent reportingOpen publisher accountFeeling Creative?
Creator Spotlight: Josh LiljenquistA creator spotlight and Q&A about the Minky Couture drawing-and-blanket video, storytelling choices and brand work; Josh's answers remain first-person statements.
Classification disclosed; not presented as independent reportingOpen publisher accountDaHo Creative Hub
How a Minnesota Producer Is Building Beyond the ViewsA founder introduction using supplied business information with separate editorial reflections from DaHo Creative Hub; it is not an independent audit of company performance.
Classification disclosed; not presented as independent reportingOpen publisher accountRoss Franklin
Josh Liljenquist & Pure GreenPure Green founder Ross Franklin reflects on the collaboration with Josh Liljenquist and the community encounter behind it; it is not independent reporting.
Classification disclosed; not presented as independent reportingOpen publisher accountPress & editorial portraits
Curated press photos
Use the edited navy-blazer portrait as Josh Liljenquist’s primary press image. Three visually distinct alternatives are provided for editorial layouts. Public availability is not a blanket reuse license; confirm the intended use and credit through the media contact.

JLI-2026-0016 · Source photograph captured June 28, 2023
Edited Navy Blazer Portrait
Edited portrait of Josh Liljenquist in a navy blazer over a black shirt. The clothing and background were digitally changed from Ingrid Liljenquist’s June 28, 2023 source photograph; the derivative date and editor are not documented.
Credit: Source photograph by Ingrid Liljenquist / © Joshlilj LLC
Location: Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Rights: All rights reserved. Reuse requires authorization.

JLI-2026-0017 · Capture date not published
Black Sweater Editorial Portrait
A relaxed seated portrait for editorial profiles and feature layouts.
Credit: Photo by Julie Westcott Liljenquist / Joshlilj LLC
Location: Mequon, Wisconsin, United States
Rights: All rights reserved. Reuse requires authorization.

JLI-2026-0001 · Capture date not published
Blue Suit Portrait
A formal vertical portrait of Josh Liljenquist in a blue suit jacket and tie.
Credit: Photo by Josh Liljenquist / Joshlilj LLC
Location: Not published
Rights: All rights reserved. Reuse requires authorization.

JLI-2026-0481 · September 15, 2026
Seated Minneapolis Portrait
An outdoor seated portrait near U.S. Bank Stadium for Minnesota and location-based editorial context.
Credit: Photo by Ben Steine / Joshlilj LLC
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Rights: © Joshlilj LLC. All rights reserved. Third-party reuse requires authorization.
Press Video & B-Roll
Rights-cleared footage is handled clip by clip.
No downloadable B-roll is included in this release because clip-level music, location, caption, credit, and reuse rights have not been verified as a complete public package.
Outlet-owned footage is not offered for download or redistribution through this page.
Published work
Selected work by Josh
These materials include Josh’s essays, professional commentary, an educational collection and a research dataset.
Educational resource
Smithsonian Learning Lab | Educational Collection (2026). Josh Liljenquist created Whose Story Gets Told? Reading Images and Oral Histories with Care, published October 20, 2026. It helps learners examine ethical storytelling, source interpretation, privacy, and consent.
View the official collection. Creator-authored and platform-hosted; not a museum accession, commission, employment credential, or endorsement.
- I Gained Over 42 Million Followers By Helping People In Need. Here's The Part No One Ever Sees. · HuffPost Personal
- What can lived experience actually teach us about helping? · KevinMD
- When Creator Media Becomes a Publishing Operation · What’s New in Publishing
- Behind the :60 story · Post Magazine
- Creators, consider this before you say yes · The Stable
- The Unexpected Lesson James Taught Me About Service · Virtues for Life
Published-writing biography · All contributed writing and disclosed republications · Production context
First-party corpus studies: Hook-to-Payoff coding and short-form storytelling analysis, based on Josh’s published videos.
Skills, time and practical help
Professional abilities, tied to actual work.
For assignments involving websites and digital publishing, these project records show the work behind the skills. They complement the approved biographies and press resources.
Storefront development · volunteer project
United by R&S Jewelry
Documented abilities: Shopify presentation, product discovery, customer navigation, merchandising, buying guides, search metadata and launch preparation. Shannon and her business remain the subject.
Read the scope and first-party source notesDigital publishing · professional project
Veteran Excellence Magazine
Documented abilities: technical and on-page SEO, responsive team and author profiles, accessibility, internal linking and reader navigation on the existing Hostinger site. Editorial responsibility remains with VEM.
Read the scope and publication-controlled roleInterview and feature topics
Story angles grounded in the current work.
- What happens after the viral moment
- Turning online attention into documented real-world outcomes
- Consent, dignity, and ethics in creator-led human-interest storytelling
- Housing, transportation, recovery, and care through community response
- How a small production team evaluates, films, and follows up on stories
- Minnesota-rooted stories with national reach
Selected recent records
Reporting, broadcast and documented follow-through.
Parade: James Cowan Jr.’s housing and team-role follow-through
Yasmine Coleman’s reported feature and interview covers the community fundraiser, home purchase and later work relationship—not a personal $40,000 donation by Josh.
Read Parade’s featureTwin Cities Live: Live to Love and spreading kindness
A KSTP-TV studio conversation. This broadcast date is separate from newer written reporting and contributed essays.
Open the broadcast recordNick Best’s completed roof-and-gutter project
Approximately $30,000 in estimated donated value, not cash received. The project record retains its source and attribution boundaries.
Open the project recordResearch routes
Use the focused press room, then go deeper when needed.
Complete captions, credits, rights notes, and image-detail records.
CoverageMedia ArchiveWritten reporting, broadcasts, radio, podcasts, and interviews.
StandardsMedia MethodologyHow coverage, syndication, playback, and archive relationships are represented.
IdentityOfficial ProfilesVerified public accounts and the canonical profile route.
Commercial workPartnership ResourcesBrand collaboration formats, campaign fit, and historical context live separately.
Campaign dataPartnership Performance ReportRelationship types, dated view evidence, distribution links, and downloadable campaign records.
Please include:
- Outlet or production
- Proposed topic
- Deadline and time zone
- Interview format and location
- Requested photos, video, or supporting records
- Best contact phone or email
Historical audience figures and methodology
Dated audience observations and definitions
Read the dates first
A dated record, not a newly verified total
A complete September 19 official-platform snapshot is not available. The account inventory below separates established identities from count observations. Earlier approved counts remain dated September 17–18; cached public profiles have their own dates or an explicit unknown date. Retrieval today does not make those numbers current today.
Combined followers/subscribers across official social-media accounts are not unique individuals or unique audience reach. A person can follow several accounts on the same platform and on different platforms.
Different scopes, different numbers
What each audience figure means
Approximately 33.77 million followers/subscribers across one primary TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook account in retained September 18, 2026 records. These overlapping account audiences are not unique people or a live October total.
Primary-account methodApproximately 39.40 million followers/subscribers across documented creator-controlled TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook accounts in retained September 17–18, 2026 records. This includes five YouTube channels; the overlapping counts were not captured simultaneously and are not unique people or a live October total.
Minnesota comparison methodJosh-reported historical statement from August 30, 2026. It is not reconstructed from this account table and must not be quoted as a current October total.
Source and evidence classThese are three different dated scopes, not interchangeable measures. Platform audiences overlap, so none counts unique people. The September 17–18 account records were not captured at one moment; current all-platform, Core 4 and controlled-channel YouTube totals remain unresolved.
Dated platform evidence
More than 10.3 billion documented views tied to an approximately two-year content window
Platform records associated with content and analytics from through total more than 10.3 billion documented views across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The total combines period analytics for Facebook, Instagram and YouTube with the current displayed views on public TikTok posts published during the same content window. It is a mixed-method content-window figure, not one homogeneous same-window analytics total or a count of unique viewers.
| Platform | Measurement | Content or analytics window | Documented views | Source type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period views | Sep. 29, 2024–Sep. 27, 2026 | 5.179B | Authenticated Meta Business Suite analytics | |
| Period views | Sep. 29, 2024–Sep. 27, 2026 | 920M | Authenticated Meta Business Suite analytics | |
| YouTube | Period views | Sep. 29, 2024–Sep. 27, 2026 | 1.911B | Authenticated YouTube analytics export |
| TikTok | Current displayed views on public posts published in the window | Sep. 29, 2024–Sep. 27, 2026 post cohort | ~2.301B | Reconciled TikTok Studio public-post inventory |
What the total means: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are period analytics. TikTok is different: approximately 2.301 billion is the cumulative displayed view total observed September 28 for public posts published during the content window. TikTok Studio does not establish that every view on those posts occurred inside the same analytics window.
Platform definitions differ. Views are viewing events, not unique viewers, unique people, impressions, customers or conversions. One person can create several views and can encounter content on several platforms. Private exports and account details are retained in the private evidence package and are not published here.
Broader available-history context
Available records also document approximately 13.75 billion cumulative views across Josh's TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube content. That secondary figure combines different measurement periods—approximately 4.681 billion current displayed views across 1,130 Everyone-visible TikTok posts, 5.179 billion two-year Facebook views, 920 million two-year Instagram views and 2,967,992,167 lifetime YouTube views—so it is not a lifetime cross-platform total or a same-period total. Snapchat views are not included.
Account inventory
Josh’s official accounts and dated counts
Primary designations below apply to the four accounts already established by the approved primary-account method. The remaining listed profiles are not automatically assigned primary status. An official identity does not by itself verify a fresh follower count.
| Platform / account | Role | Last documented count | Count record date | Evidence | September 19 count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok @joshliljJosh Liljenquist | Joshlilj | Primary | ~11.5MRounded · followers | 2026-09-18 | Retained first-party record | Unresolved |
| Instagram @joshliljJosh Liljenquist | Joshlilj | Primary | 6,942,790Exact displayed integer · followers | 2026-09-18 | Retained first-party record | Unresolved |
| YouTube @joshlilj2Josh Liljenquist | Joshlilj | Primary | ~4.4MRounded · subscribers | 2026-09-18 | Retained first-party record | Unresolved |
| Facebook @joshlilj1Josh Liljenquist | Joshlilj | Primary | 10,926,381Exact displayed integer · followers | 2026-09-18 | Retained first-party record | Unresolved |
| Threads @joshliljJosh Liljenquist | Listed profile; primary designation not asserted | UnresolvedNo usable count · followers | Not established | Official identity reference | Unresolved |
| X @joshlilj1Josh Liljenquist | Listed profile; primary designation not asserted | UnresolvedNo usable count · followers | Not established | Official identity reference | Unresolved |
| LinkedIn joshliljenquistJosh Liljenquist | Listed profile; primary designation not asserted | 544Exact displayed integer · followers | Not established | Platform source (cached) | Unresolved |
| Reddit u/Joshlilj1Josh Liljenquist | Listed profile; primary designation not asserted | UnresolvedNo usable count · followers | Not established | Official identity reference | Unresolved |
| Snapchat joshlilj1Josh Liljenquist | Listed profile; primary designation not asserted | ~2.7MRounded · followers | 2026-09-13 | Platform source (cached) | Unresolved |
All records were reviewed September 19. Exact integers are exact only as displayed in the cited prior record. TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat displays are rounded. Snapchat’s source displays a September 13 update date; LinkedIn’s indexed 544-follower excerpt has no exact observation date. Neither is a live September 19 measurement.
Facebook counts followers, not page likes or friends. Reddit karma and subreddit membership are not profile followers. A missing count is unresolved, never zero.
Primary channel ≠ channel network
The creator-controlled YouTube inventory
The retained September 17 record contains five channels totaling approximately 10.03 million subscribers. The primary Joshlilj channel accounts for approximately 4.4 million of that snapshot. The larger network figure must not be presented as the primary channel’s subscriber count.
Primary channel
Josh Liljenquist | Joshlilj
~4.4M subscribers
Retained 2026-09-17 snapshot
Channel ID: UCigtcFawdenDMcbJHn733EQ
Owner-approved primary-account record and official website profile linkage. Current count unresolved.
Secondary channel
Dog Reacts
~5.15M subscribers
Retained 2026-09-17 snapshot
Channel ID: UCOs9JQ5-_V6GM5ZnjKnx5Tw
Control: retained owner-supplied account-switcher evidence. Stable ID: YouTube public metadata, checked October 21, 2026. Current subscriber count remains unresolved.
Secondary channel
Factual Channel
~345K subscribers
Retained 2026-09-17 snapshot
Channel ID: UC8oc086szmS9L49wyo_ofrg
Control: retained owner-supplied account-switcher evidence. Stable ID: YouTube public metadata, checked October 21, 2026. Current subscriber count remains unresolved.
Secondary channel
Skit Channel
~130K subscribers
Retained 2026-09-17 snapshot
Channel ID: UC0jaX9eafgDqzZVkZILQ9SQ
Control: retained owner-supplied account-switcher evidence. Stable ID: YouTube public metadata, checked October 21, 2026. Current subscriber count remains unresolved.
Secondary channel
Media Page
~1.64K subscribers
Retained 2026-09-17 snapshot
Channel ID: UCQ1hfnlUHsVhl2VomE3m1tA
Control: retained owner-supplied account-switcher evidence. Stable ID: YouTube public metadata, checked October 21, 2026. Current subscriber count remains unresolved.
The four secondary-channel control claims come from owner-supplied account-switcher evidence recorded in the approved YouTube dataset. They are first-party control evidence, not independent verification. Secondary names remain retained inventory labels. The four stable IDs were checked against YouTube’s own canonical channel URLs and channel metadata on October 21, 2026. That identity check does not refresh the September audience observations or independently verify account control.
Rounded-input arithmetic: 4,400,000 + 5,150,000 + 345,000 + 130,000 + 1,640 = 10,026,640, displayed as approximately 10.03M. These are not hidden exact subscriber counts. The September 19 network total is unresolved.
Counting rules
Why the totals differ
One primary account per platform
The retained Fairmont and alumni comparison method counts one verified primary account on each Core 4 platform: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. Secondary channels are excluded.
The September 18 inputs total 33,769,171: 11,500,000 + 6,942,790 + 4,400,000 + 10,926,381. Because two inputs are rounded, the result is approximately 33.77M.
Creator-controlled Core 4 portfolio
The Minnesota Creator Index uses qualifying creator-controlled accounts on the same four platforms. Its YouTube scope includes the channel network.
Using the retained September 17 network instead of the primary YouTube channel gives 39,395,811, approximately 39.40M, from the September 17–18 records. This is not a synchronized new snapshot.
All-platform audience is broader again
An all-platform count may include additional qualified official profiles, such as Snapchat and Threads. It must identify every included account and its observation date. Missing or conflicting observations prevent a complete new total here; the older 42M+ statement is not used to fill those gaps.
What is never added
Video views, likes, Facebook friends, group or subreddit members, LinkedIn connections, Reddit karma and engagement estimates are different metrics. They are not added to follower/subscriber totals. Rounded platform displays stay rounded; no audience number here measures unique people.
Verification limits
Other platforms checked
Threads, X, LinkedIn and Reddit remain in the established official-profile inventory. Their fresh counts are unresolved; the page does not imply that every listed account is equally active.
A Lemon8 profile with matching Josh content and website references was located, but ownership confirmation and the current count are held. Cached displays conflict. Clapper did not yield a sufficiently verified official identity. Neither is added to the official inventory or included in a total.
The canonical Person’s sameAs array has not been changed. This page links the source-backed Snapchat profile without treating that as authorization to alter the site-wide entity graph.
Source classes matter
The 42M+ claim and historical milestones
More than five million TikTok followers
Independent local reporting: the Fairmont Sentinel reported this dated TikTok milestone. It is not a current measurement.
Fairmont Sentinel sourceMore than ten million TikTok followers
Independent local reporting: FOX 9 reported this dated TikTok milestone while describing Josh as a Minnesota native and TikTok influencer. It is not a current account measurement or a cross-platform total.
FOX 9 source42M+ combined platform followers
First-party disclosure: Josh’s website reported the broader aggregate. A complete contemporaneous account-by-account reconstruction is not available in this audit.
Original dated website disclosureHuffPost Personal essay
Josh repeated the 42M+ statement in contributed first-person writing. Publication by HuffPost does not make it independent verification. The retained citation identifies Josh as the author; the publisher page could not be freshly retrieved in this review.
HuffPost Personal essayUpdate method
Sources, updates and reusable data
This website is published by Josh Liljenquist. Official identity links, owner-supplied platform captures, cached platform pages and third-party analytics are different evidence classes. The downloadable record preserves that distinction, the count’s observation date, and the September 19 review date.
A future count refresh should record the official URL and display, a capture date, primary/secondary role and control evidence. It should resolve the channel set before calculating a complete total. Vendor figures are cross-checks, not substitutes for an exact platform display.
Download the account and audience dataset (JSON) · Browse all public datasets · Request a factual correction