From NFL to Ivy League Professor & How To Create Generational Wealth

Brandon Copeland has many titles: NFL linebacker, Ivy League professor, and Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree. He’s also a business owner and real estate investor who’s amassed his wealth both on and off the football field. He didn’t learn about financial management in school but rather educated himself about debt, savings, and investing through research and practice. Today, Copeland wants to share the wealth — or the wealth of his knowledge, at least — with others as part of his Life 101 course. Keep reading to learn how you can access this valuable resource through an Infinity Investing subscription.

Key Takeaways:

• NFL linebacker Brandon Copeland didn’t grow up with wealth, but he’s taught himself how to manage his money and make investments to achieve generational wealth.
• Copeland now shares his financial lessons with others as an Ivy League professor and through his online course, Life 101.
• Some of Copeland’s top tips for generating wealth include understanding tax laws, contributing to retirement accounts, and investing in real estate.
• With an Infinity Investing paid membership, you’ll get access to Copeland’s Life 101 fundamentals course and other helpful financial tools to begin building your own generational wealth.

Meet NFL Linebacker and Professor Brandon Copeland

You may know Brandon “Cope” Copeland for his prowess on the football field. The Maryland native played football at the University of Pennsylvania, contributing to three Ivy League championships during his tenure, including as the senior captain in 2012. After graduating from The Wharton School with a degree in management and entrepreneurship, Copeland headed to the NFL. He’s had a successful decade-long career that’s included seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, and New England Patriots.

But there’s more to Copeland than his stellar football career — much more. In the offseason, Copeland built two successful real estate companies and founded a nonprofit organization called Beyond the Basics, which aims to empower children in underserved communities. He’s also returned to his alma mater to become a Penn professor, where he teaches Life 101, a financial literacy course. The course focuses on teaching students about financial management, with practical lessons related to debt, saving, and investing.

“I want to make financial literacy cool,” Copeland told Penn Today of his Life 101 course. “And to get this down to the high school level, and then down to the middle school level. This should be a requirement for everybody. There’s no reason why I should have sat in a classroom for 16 years … but I was never taught about buying my first house or renting.”

What Is Life 101?

Copeland has shared that he didn’t grow up with wealth. Saving and investing weren’t concepts he learned in school or discussed with his mom, who worked hard to provide for the family. But Copeland was passionate about business and finance, and he taught himself how to manage money through research, trial and error, and advice from trusted advisers. Today, he’s invested in dozens of real estate projects and saves the majority of his paychecks to set himself up for lifelong wealth, even after he leaves the football field.

Along with teaching the lessons he’s learned to Penn students, Copeland is now bringing his valuable Life 101 course to the wider public. This Ivy League course, available to paid Infinity Investing subscribers, contains numerous tools and resources to help anyone build their wealth, no matter their net worth. The mobile-friendly Life 101 course covers the following topics:

• Creating a budget.
• Income and tax strategy.
• Saving for retirement.
• Investing 101.
• Running your finances like a business.
• Credit.
• Strategies for paying down debt.
• Managing major purchases.
• Buying or renting your first home.

In addition to those fundamentals, a subscription to Life 101 also comes with various free resources, including a budgeting tool, an income tax calculator, an annual credit report, a mortgage calculator, and more.

Tips for Creating Generational Wealth

Let’s face it: Most of us aren’t professional athletes signing contracts for a cool $1.1 million. But Copeland’s advice can apply to anyone, regardless of current income or savings. There are ways you can create wealth by managing your money and making smart investments. Here are some tips for building this generational wealth for yourself and your family:

Educate Yourself

Like Copeland, find ways to educate yourself about financial management. Whether you take a fundamentals course such as Life 101 or access other resources such as podcasts, books, and blogs, make the time to learn about personal finance. Then share what you’ve learned with the rest of your family, especially your children, so that they can apply those same lessons.

Understand Tax Laws

You know you have to pay taxes each year, but do you know how to make tax laws work for you? Work to understand tax laws to maximize your deductions and find eligible tax credits. Also, educate yourself about the taxes related to investments, such as real estate. Copeland says not understanding those taxes was one of his biggest mistakes when he started investing.

Make Retirement Contributions

Retirement plans are a simple way to begin saving for future wealth. If your employer offers a company match on a 401(k), take advantage of this contribution. Each year, contribute the maximum amount possible for the largest returns. If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k), you can still invest in a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA.

Invest in Real Estate

Copeland has diversified his income by investing in real estate, and you can, too. These investments can offer both short-term and long-term benefits. For example, you may invest in a rental property to make money through rent payments, or you can invest in a property and hold on to it, so it appreciates until you’re ready to sell.

Diversify Your Portfolio

In addition to real estate, make other investments to diversify your portfolio. Use financial apps and resources to invest in dividend stocks. Consider other investments, such as bonds, exchange-traded funds, and cryptocurrency. Diversifying your portfolio can allow you to make passive income and grow your wealth over time. Plus, you can typically pass down these assets to the next generation. As Copeland teaches in his Life 101 course, make your money work for you — not the other way around.

Learn More With an Infinity Investing Membership

Copeland taught himself how to manage his money through trial and error, making some mistakes along the way. Luckily, you don’t have to do the same. Are you ready to apply Copeland’s lessons to your own finances and begin to build generational wealth? Sign up for the Infinity Investing Starter membership. For $29.95 per month, you’ll get full access to Copeland’s Life 101 course and resources, along with training sessions, online stock rooms, and weekly investing analysis to take your investing to the next level. Sign up today to take your first step toward creating generational wealth.