Shegun Otulana is a seasoned entrepreneur, advisor, mentor and investor. Drawing from his experience as a bootstrapped startup founder who found incredible success, his mission is to empower the next generation of builders by sharing his lessons learned to guide their entrepreneurial journeys. In addition to mentoring founders in his community – many of whom have gone on to launch successful companies – he also enjoys sharing his insight with startup leaders, business associations, academic institutions and other growth-minded groups.
In 2013, Shegun founded TheraNest and its parent company, Therapy Brands, a software platform for mental, behavioral, substance and physical rehab providers and organizations. In 2021, he exited the business for $1.25 billion, the largest software exit on record in the state of Alabama.
Prior to establishing Therapy Brands, Shegun founded Zertis Technologies, a computer software consultancy company. Today, he continues his “idea lab” approach as the Founder of Harmony Venture Labs (HVL), an idea and growth studio that owns and operates a family of technology companies. He also serves as the CEO of Copysmith AI, a startup that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for generative content creation. Copysmith’s products include Describely, Rytr.me, and Frase.io.
He has received many awards for his work, including EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year and the prestigious Henry Crown Fellowship at the Aspen Institute. He serves on the boards of Venture for America, Landing, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, among others. He also is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is an active Endeavor mentor. Shegun resides in Birmingham with his wife Mary and their four children.
