Stephanie Richardson
Stephanie Richardson is the Agency Owner at Brightway Insurance, The Blue Lake Agency in Tavares, Florida. After an 18 year career as a physician assistant in open heart surgery, Stephanie made a life changing decision during the COVID 19 pandemic to enter the insurance industry. Witnessing profound loss, including the passing of a 30 year old mother of four, inspired her to pivot to a career where she could continue helping people in meaningful ways. She began with life insurance at New York Life in 2020, where she learned the fundamentals of the industry, quickly becoming a trusted resource for clients across Lake County.
As Stephanie built her network and opened a workspace in downtown Mount Dora, the community repeatedly asked her to handle their full spectrum of insurance needs, not just life insurance. This demand led her to take another major step in 2023, launching her own agency, Brightway Insurance Blue Lake Agency. Today, she focuses primarily on commercial insurance, guiding business owners through the complexities of both their policies and running a business. Supported by three skilled agents covering personal lines, commercial, and life insurance, Stephanie remains the face of the agency, cultivating strong client relationships and serving as a trusted community resource.
Stephanie’s commitment extends beyond her professional life. She values maintaining a brick and mortar office to provide clients, especially older community members, a personal, face to face experience rather than navigating impersonal 1 800 numbers. Actively involved in local chambers of commerce, the Kiwanis Club, and various community events, she continually seeks ways to give back and support other business owners, particularly women entrepreneurs. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys horseback riding, which reflects her love for nature, balance, and persistence, qualities she brings to her personal and professional life alike.
• Insurance license 2020
• Bachelor of Science degree 2004
• Featured in Style Magazine multiple times
• Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce
• Umatilla Chamber of Commerce
• Tavares Chamber of Commerce
• BNI
• Kiwanis Club
• Million Dollar Club
• Kiwanis Club scholarship fundraising
• Community event sponsorships
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to surrounding myself with wonderful people in the community who really guided me, especially when I was new to Lake County and didn't know anyone. I would also say extreme positivity with mindset has been crucial. It's not always easy, but staying positive and using challenges as fuel rather than setbacks has made all the difference. When things get hard, I ask myself what I'm missing and try to learn from every mistake instead of taking things personally. I've seen a lot of businesses close due to mindset because they give up, but I believe in using difficult moments as growth and learning tools instead of letting them set you back. My dad always taught me that when you're uncomfortable, you're growing, and that wisdom has served me well through both of my major career transitions.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received came from my dad, who was an entrepreneur himself. He always told me that when you're uncomfortable, you're growing. I didn't really use that advice during my 18 years in the medical field because I had gotten very comfortable, but when I was contemplating my career changes, I had a lot of conversations with him about what to do next. He's always been very supportive and taught me and my sister that whatever we choose to do, we need to give it 150 percent, not just 100 or 105. He said if this is what you want to do, you're going to give it everything you have, and you're going to be great at anything you do. That advice about embracing discomfort and giving your absolute all has guided me through both of my major career transitions.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering this industry to maintain a positive mindset and find a great business mentor. Having someone to guide you through the challenges is absolutely essential. When women reach out to me after seeing features about me in publications like Style Magazine, asking if they can do it, I tell them yes, absolutely you can do this. Sometimes it's just about confidence and having someone tell you to just do it, whatever your dream may be. It doesn't matter what industry you're in, whether it's insurance or opening a nail company or anything else. I try to share not just what I would do, but also the mistakes I've made so they can learn from my experience. Being able to help other women open their own businesses and go for whatever they want is one of the most rewarding parts of being featured and recognized as a business owner.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Personally, honesty is the most important value to me. Professionally, I would say being driven and focused are crucial, especially when it comes to setting and achieving goals. I actually shared this recently when the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce asked me to speak about wisdom for new business owners. I told them that a goal without a plan is just a wish, so one of my biggest pieces of advice is to make sure you have both short-term and long-term goals with a clear plan to achieve them. I would also add compassion to my professional values, which I think comes from my background in healthcare. Whether someone is dealing with a cancer diagnosis or their insurance getting canceled, both situations are very important and stressful to them in that moment. I train my agents on this too because it's important to take yourself out of the moment, have compassion, and help people through their challenges without getting upset with them.