NFL Linebacker Tackles Entrepreneurship Off the Field Through ‘Life 101’

Lower-earning professional athletes run the risk of not having a sufficient source of income after their playing days are over.

Yet, Brandon Copeland, a linebacker in the NFL has already taken charge of his off-field career by teaching college courses while he’s still an active player. Copeland also runs several companies as an entrepreneur.

The free agent, who has been playing in the league for over nine seasons, spoke with Boardroom to discuss his drive to make entrepreneurship work for him. He shared that he takes pride in a financial literacy course he is teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.

On top of it all, the football player is an investor working within the Mid-Atlantic Alliance real estate development company in New Jersey. Copeland showed that he is hands-on when it comes to the intricacies of properties when he took Boardroom writer, Randall Williams, on a site tour. The linebacker tackles the real estate market along with three other entrepreneurs in the Netflix show, Buy My House.

Copeland also co-hosts Money Music Culture, on Sirius XM radio. He told Boardroom the podcast gives him a chance to speak about all his business endeavors.

“Some of our favorite artists might be breaking down financial gems while we’re dancing in the club,” Copeland told Williams.

He also spoke about his love for educating others.

“Years ago, I took a crazy idea to the University of Pennsylvania and said, ‘Hey, why don’t we have this class where we teach kids about the money decisions they’re actually going to make in their lives,” Copeland said. Based on that idea, he teaches, EDUC 245, Urban Financial Literacy: Pedagogy and Practice.

Copeland refers to the class as “Life 101.”

You don’t have to attend the University of Pennsylvania to be educated. You can access Copeland’s teachings, along with snippets of video and audio that can help you on your educational and entrepreneurial journey via his website, Life 101.