Mental Health, AI and Turning Tragedy into Purpose with Jeff Johnston of Brightn

In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee welcomes back Jeff Johnston, founder and CEO of Brighton, for a candid conversation about loss, purpose, and building a mental wellness company. Jeff shares the deeply personal journey that led him from a successful 32-year wealth management career to advocacy after losing his son to fentanyl and, later, his wife—ultimately inspiring Brighton, named in honor of his granddaughter. He explains Brighton's unique approach to "mental wellness planning," translating principles from financial planning into a human portfolio of health, wealth, and purpose. With AI embedded from day one, Brighton focuses on prevention and engagement, not diagnosis or treatment, positioning the app as a bridge between therapy sessions—offering mood check-ins, journaling, tailored micro-learning, and gamified routines. Kaylee and Jeff also unpack founder mental health, fresh off a major LinkedIn livestream that Jeff kicked off following Techstars' David Cohen, benefitting free therapy for founders. They discuss InnoVenture's new investment in Brighton, the responsible use of AI in mental wellness, and how Brighton's sentiment analysis and personalized content drive real engagement (with session time doubling year over year). Jeff talks roadmap, their pivot from schools to employer benefits, and the grit it takes to build a startup—embracing resilience, mission over ego, and constant iteration. If you're a founder, investor, or someone passionate about mental health innovation, this conversation blends raw humanity with practical insights. To learn more or reach Jeff directly: [email protected] (Brightn spelled B-R-I-G-H-T-N). Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/jeff-johnston