No two roads to financial literacy are the same. Some learn lessons in school, some from parents, others through trial and error.

In this episode of "Financial Freestyle," host Ross Mac is joined by Brandon Copeland, a former NFL player turned professor, author, and entrepreneur. Copeland, a 10-year NFL veteran, shares the motivation behind his financial literacy journey. "As I went into the league, it was all about startup capital," explains Copeland. "It was all about how to take this opportunity to make some money and how to flip it."

Copeland recounts his early experience with day trading, which he began during the early years of his NFL career. Armed with knowledge from his internship at UBS, he dives into the lessons learned, including a costly Nike-options trade that faltered due to geopolitical tensions in Greece. "I learned a tough lesson there, which was one don't get greedy," said Copeland. "I need to learn how to better understand leverage and de-risk some of my trades... I need to find things to invest in that I control." That lesson ultimately led him to real estate investing.

Today, Copeland and his wife, Taylor Copeland, are the founders of BTC Investments, which is a real estate investment portfolio holding $203 million.

"Financial Freestyle with Ross Mac" on Yahoo Finance is dedicated to promoting economic prosperity for all. Through expert insights, practical advice, and inspiring success stories, we empower you to build and grow wealth. Join us on this transformative journey toward financial freedom and inclusive economic growth.

This post was written by John Tejada.