‘Updates from the field are really better while on foot’: A day in the life of Eddie Behringer, CEO and co-founder of Copper

“It became clear that our high school system was failing Gen Z by not equipping them with basic personal finance skills at a critical point before they become adults and can fall victim to predatory credit,” said Behrenger.

“With fintech and open banking, we realized we could build a financial product that provided tremendous value to teens and their parents and that would drive real positive financial outcomes.”

For Eddie, entering the market means immersing himself in it. Throughout the day, you’ll find him diving into teens’ favorite social media platforms, getting feedback from the engineering and product leader, and directly interviewing Copper users.

Here’s a little glimpse into what a day in his life looks like:

6 a.m.: I begin my day with a ritualistic Peloton session. 

7:30 a.m.: Our Gen Z teen users are who we serve, so staying connected to what’s important to them is important to me. 

That means running through my favorite accounts on TikTok, Instagram, and Snap. 

Of course it’s entertaining.

But immersing myself in their world is also an important part of our mission. 

8 a.m.: I review the roadmap for the day that was set the night before, which is organized around the top goal that needs to get accomplished to push our company forward. 

Email can get really distracting and take away from accomplishing the top goal, so an early morning slot is set aside to triage email.  

10 a.m.: We’re moving quickly and intentionally as a company right now. This translates into a daily review of data and the core KPIs that are currently driving growth. 

Right now that is centered around a hyper focus on product and our unique marketing and distribution efforts. These are the two main areas of our focus. 

I meet with our engineering and product leader to run through sprint updates and also deliver direct feedback from our parents and teens. 

I am a firm believer that no matter your size or role you should be very close to the customer, period. I speak directly with our customers on a daily basis. 

12 p.m.: I’m lucky enough to have an incredible wife, and my ‘dog son’ Brady -- the most regal of golden retrievers! 

Midday includes running him around a couple of blocks while on the phone with our marketing and sales leaders. 

Updates from the field are really better while on foot. 

Afternoon: We’ve really doubled down on minimizing the distance between our company and our families. 

This means that we talk with our teens and parents on a weekly basis. 

We’ve set up a constant feedback loop through how we deliver Copper through schools that has been invaluable in shaping our product roadmap and the evolution of our message. 

7 p.m.: I am incredibly lucky to have an infinitely supportive wife that understands what it takes to build a rapidly growing company. 

My day is non-stop. 

Taking time to break for dinner and enjoy our time together is important. 

After dinner, I hop back onto my laptop to wrap up loose ends from the day and most importantly review progress against the top goal for the day, and setting the intention for the next day!