Doug Brien, a former NFL Super Bowl-winning placekicker, has transitioned from the football field to the boardroom, establishing himself as a trailblazer in the real estate industry. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Mynd, a tech-enabled property management and real estate investment platform, Brien is redefining how single-family rentals (SFR) are managed and accessed, making real estate investing more inclusive and efficient. His journey, marked by resilience, innovation, and a commitment to democratizing wealth-building, is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit.
Brien’s career began on the gridiron, where he played 12 seasons in the NFL, earning a Super Bowl ring with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995. A standout at the University of California, Berkeley, where he remains the all-time leading scorer for the Golden Bears, Brien honed skills like discipline, perseverance, and performance under pressure—qualities that would later define his business ventures. While playing for the New Orleans Saints, he earned an MBA from Tulane University, laying the groundwork for his post-football career. His time in the NFL also sparked an interest in real estate, as he began investing in properties, recognizing their potential as a vehicle for generational wealth.
In 2008, during the housing market crash, Brien and his business partner, Colin Wiel, saw opportunity where others saw risk. They co-founded Waypoint Homes, a pioneering company in the SFR sector. At a time when single-family rentals were considered unscalable, Brien and Wiel leveraged technology to manage a portfolio that grew to over 17,000 homes and $3 billion in assets. Waypoint Homes went public in 2014 as Starwood Waypoint (NYSE: SWAY), becoming the second-largest public SFR REIT in the U.S. Brien’s leadership as CEO earned him accolades, including Goldman Sachs’ Top 100 Most Innovative Entrepreneurs (2012) and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for Northern California (2014).
In 2016, Brien and Wiel launched Mynd, aiming to disrupt the property management industry by combining cutting-edge technology with local expertise. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Mynd manages over 10,000 SFR units across 25 U.S. markets, offering a platform that allows investors to buy, finance, lease, manage, and sell properties remotely. The company’s app provides real-time financial reporting and seamless communication, making SFR investing accessible to retail investors, not just institutions. Mynd’s vision, as Brien articulates, is to “democratize real estate access,” enabling more Americans to build wealth through property ownership.
Under Brien’s leadership, Mynd has raised significant venture capital, including $100 million in 2021, valuing the company at $807 million. The platform’s innovative approach has garnered recognition, with HousingWire naming Brien a 2022 Tech Trendsetter and Fortune listing Mynd among the Best Places to Work. Brien’s commitment to community extends beyond business; he serves on the United States Olympic Ethics Committee and the National Board for Build, and has founded nonprofits like Kick for Kids’ Sake.
Doug Brien’s journey from NFL star to real estate visionary underscores his ability to adapt, innovate, and lead. By harnessing technology to transform the SFR industry, he is not only building a successful enterprise but also empowering others to achieve financial independence through real estate.