IT'S YOUR BUSINESS
SPOTLIGHT ON JEWISH-OWNED BUSINESSES
BRIGHTWAY INSURANCE, RIVERSIDE By Mitzi Saul, Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” ― Henry David Thoreau
Daniel Miller is the epitome of young leadership. He is a former board member of the JCA, Congregation Ahavath Chesed, former chair of the Young Professionals & Families division, former VP on the executive board of the Jewish Federation & Foundation, and member of Leadership Jax class of 2020. In 2014, he was honored to be the recipient of the Ilene Sari Selevan Young Leadership Award. Daniel is a board member of the Jewish Federation & Foundation and is stepping up to lead the Genesis Society, a newly formed group of philanthropists for 2022. Daniel states, “Community is part of my ethos. I’m committed to helping make an impact specifically in the Jewish community.”
To understand Daniel’s success in philanthropy and in business, one only has to look back at his education,
activities, and circuitous career path. A Jacksonville native, Daniel attended Wolfson High School and Florida State University where he received degrees in International Business and Political Science. He spent a summer on Kibbutz Yahel in the Negev in Israel and was director of the Jewish Student Union while at FSU. He moved to Sydney, Australia two weeks after graduating and later lived in London and New York City where he was a fundraiser for the United Way. It was at that job where he developed skills in federated giving that he applies in his volunteer leadership with the Jewish Federation & Foundation today. In 2006, Daniel moved back to Jacksonville to join his brothers’ David and Michael Miller’s insurance business. Starting on the ground floor, he quickly learned the various aspects of the business and saw the potential of running his own agency. More importantly, Daniel had a desire to help others, his community, and wanted to build a small business. In 2007, he opened Brightway Insurance-Riverside, an independent insurance brokerage firm. His agency of six employees provides personalized insurance for people in different life stages and specializes in homeowners, auto insurance, and small business coverage. According to Daniel, “We’re not a typical insurance agency. We offer expert advice, more choice of insurance companies, and can leverage technology more than we ever have before. For instance, we can shop 50 different carriers at one time
to save our clients’ money and customize policies to provide the coverage they need at the price they want.”
Daniel coaches his sales staff to say to themselves, “How can we make this the best call of the day?” This sets the tone for the buying experience that doesn’t end after the policy is sold. They guide clients throughout the insurance lifecycle from helping clients cancel old policies to helping people when they need it most. Daniel asks clients to store his cell number on their phones for emergencies. “I’ve had clients call me at 2 a.m. to say their house is on fire. I genuinely care. They’re my clients, my friends, my family, and everyone’s treated the same. We give our clients the best advice for the current conditions.” Daniel’s married to Lior Spring, Director of Impact for the Miller Families, and they have two sons, Jacob (six years old) who attends Martin J. Gottlieb Day School and Ezra (three years old) who attends the Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool at the JCA. “I want my kids to know we’re all on this life journey together. We should make every day count and continue to help our community.” There’s no doubt that Daniel’s making every day count both personally and professionally and also making an impact in his Jewish community.
Looking for insurance? Contact Daniel Miller at (904) �54-4555 or daniel. miller@brightway.com. Offices are located at 2104 Park Street in Riverside.
