Get to know Brandon Copeland; he is a former NFL linebacker who founded BTC Investments with his wife, Taylor Copeland.
Copeland grew up in a frugal home where his mother stuck to a tight budget. As such, he did not get to enjoy “small luxuries” in his formative years but he was able to get into sports, according to Entrepreneur.
Copeland recalled telling himself one time that he would work hard to make his own money so that he would not have to tell his children, “no.” Today, Copeland, a father of two, said what he went through as a child, including being denied “small luxuries,” inspired him to learn more about money.
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After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Copeland became an intern at Union Bank of Switzerland. However, it was during his time with the Baltimore Ravens that he immersed himself in the world of personal finance and financial advocacy.
This was when NFL players were talking about benefits, including a matched 401(k), which had never been explained to Copeland.
“I had to make it to the Baltimore Ravens to learn what a 401(k) is,” Copeland told Entrepreneur. “This is a tool that most people who interact with an employer may have the ability to use, but who taught my mom about a 401(k)? Who taught my brother about 401(k)? Who taught anyone I love about these things that are just real facts of life?”
Determined to secure his future beyond the NFL, he became frugal, like his mother. He became mindful of his spending habits and started saving, as well as opting to eat at the team facility and take meals home.
What is more, he also became an investor, venturing into the real estate space and establishing BTC Investments.
“Having the success kind of got me hooked,” Copeland said, “but it also showed me, ‘Okay, I can make money off the field in large lump sums by doing this and using my mind.”
His company has invested in Airbnb, Lyft, and Triller as well as affordable housing. Key of the company’s projects include a 12,000-square-foot building on MLK Boulevard in Newark, NJ, which was purchased in 2019 for $1.55 million. The company’s website said the BLVD is the adaptive re-use of a former 2-story office building located on a 12,000 sqft parcel into a 41-unit apartment building with 36 parking spaces.
“We believe in creating a better future for not only ourselves but also for generations to come. That’s why we carefully select investment opportunities that have the potential to improve lives and create a better world for everyone,” a statement on the website reads.
All in all, Copeland’s BTC Investments boasts a $203 million investment portfolio across 354 acres of land development projects and 1,123 multi-family units.
