Sarah DeSantis

My daughter is the heart behind everything I do. I want her to see a mother who is willing to learn, take chances, and keep going when something feels unfamiliar. Returning to work and building a career in insurance has taught me that confidence often comes after you take the first step, not before.

I attribute my progress to that sense of purpose, along with the people who have encouraged and mentored me. When my daughter looks at my journey, I hope she sees that she can choose her own path, work hard at it, and be proud of who she becomes along the way.

I can’t point to one sentence someone said to me, but the most valuable career lesson I’ve learned is this: you don’t have to feel ready before you begin.

After four years as a stay-at-home mom, I earned my insurance licenses and stepped into a field I was still learning. I had to be willing to ask questions, accept guidance, and keep building my knowledge. That experience changed how I think about confidence. It grows through doing the work, one step at a time.

I would tell any woman considering a new direction that the experience she already has matters, even if it doesn’t look like a traditional résumé. Give yourself permission to start, and keep learning as you go.

You don’t need to have your entire career figured out when you enter this industry. Insurance gives you many ways to help people, and it may take time to discover where your strengths and interests fit best. Be curious. Ask questions, seek out mentors, and take opportunities to learn, even when you’re new and unsure of yourself.

I came into insurance after spending four years as a stay-at-home mom. I earned my licenses, started with what I knew, and kept learning from there. That path taught me that changing direction is not a failure; it can be how you find work that matters to you.

Most of all, remember that people are trusting you with decisions that affect their lives and families. Take that responsibility seriously, explain what you know clearly, and be honest about what you still need to learn. You can build confidence and a career at the same time.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is helping people make important decisions when the information can feel overwhelming. Choosing health coverage involves more than comparing monthly premiums. People also need to understand what care may cost when they use it and how a plan fits their doctors, prescriptions, and budget. Life insurance brings a different set of questions, often about responsibilities people carry for those they love.

I see a real opportunity to make those conversations more approachable. Technology can help us share information and connect families with services that support care at home, but it cannot replace listening to someone’s concerns. My role is to slow the conversation down, explain options in plain language, and make room for questions.

As I continue to learn, I want to be part of an industry where people feel respected and informed, especially when they are making decisions during a major life change.

Honesty matters most to me. In my work, that means being straightforward with people, listening carefully, and saying when I need to learn more. In my personal life, it means being true to who I am and doing my best, even when the path feels uncertain.

I also value perseverance. When something doesn’t work out, I try to learn from it and keep moving. A setback may change my direction, but it doesn’t have to define what I’m capable of.

Finally, I believe in staying curious and surrounding myself with people I can learn from. I want to keep growing, both for the clients who place their trust in me and for my daughter, who is watching how I meet challenges. If she sees me ask questions, work hard, and try again, I hope she’ll know she can do the same.