Founders Future

Beyond the Wave: Cooper Chapman on Surfing, Suicide Prevention, and Startup Life

Closers.io

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Zach Young, we are joined by Cooper Chapman, founder of The Good Human Factory. Cooper shares his incredible journey from being a top-ranked professional surfer to becoming a passionate advocate for mental health. The pivotal moment came when a tragedy in his younger sister's school community prompted him to ask, "Is there anything I can do?" This led him to start educating students on the practical mindset tools he learned as an athlete, which eventually expanded into a business that has now impacted over 60,000 students and corporate clients like Apple and Amazon.

Cooper delves into the core mission of The Good Human Factory: moving the conversation from mental illness to proactive mental health. He introduces his framework of 10 daily habits—from breathwork and meditation to connection with nature—that are scientifically proven to build resilience. He also discusses his new book, "The 1% Good Club," which champions the idea that dedicating just 14 minutes a day (1% of your time) to these practices can profoundly transform your mental well-being, offering a simple yet powerful strategy for individuals and organizations to thrive.