Richelle Pena
Title: ENTREPRENEUR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER
Entrepreneurship and startups
Education: NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - DOCTORATE OF PHARMACY AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Miami, FL, USA
Biography
As an 8-figure founder who transformed from pharmacist to empire builder, I know firsthand that success doesn’t have to mean sacrifice. My mission? Empowering leaders to create extraordinary lives where ambition meets fulfillment, and success feels like second nature.
I’ve walked the path from corporate executive to scaling a pediatric dental practice from scratch to seven locations, managing over 130 team members and 18 doctors. Our successful eight-figure exit in 2021 taught me that with the right mindset and strategy, women can have it all - without losing themselves in the process.
Today, I’m a sought-after media personality and business expert, regularly appearing on Good Morning America, NBC, Fox News, and Breakfast Television Canada. As NBC South Florida Live’s monthly contributor on business and motherhood, I share practical insights that have caught the attention of CNN, NY Post, Success Magazine, and Yahoo Finance.
Drawing from my unique blend of healthcare expertise and business acumen, I co-authored a best-selling book “The Power Couple” - a raw look at building empire while nurturing family. Through HealthBiz Mastery, I guide healthcare professionals in bridging the gap between patient care and profitable practice, proving that you can blend purpose with prosperity.
Passion
My signature straight-talk style and proven success strategies inspire both women and men to stop dimming their light and start embracing their full potential. Whether I’m electrifying audiences from the stage or guiding intimate groups through transformation, my message remains clear: You can design a life you love while building the empire you deserve.
Best Story
I’ll never forget standing in our empty dental practice, three months after opening, staring at a stack of bills we couldn’t pay. With a newborn at home and our life savings gone, my husband and I had just moved back in with my parents. Everyone told us we were crazy to start another dental practice in a saturated market – turns out, they thought we were about to prove them right. That night, rocking our baby on my parents’ floor, I made a decision: we weren’t just building a business, we were fighting for every underserved child who needed care. That clarity of purpose changed everything. Today, our practice serves thousands of families, but more importantly, it’s proof that when your ‘why’ is bigger than your fear, impossible becomes unstoppable. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to find your unshakeable foundation.
Origin Story
“But you’ll never make money serving the underserved patients with special needs and those on state Medicaid !”
That’s what everyone told us when I announced I was leaving my secure six-figure pharmacy manager position to open a dental practice with my husband. Yes, a dental practice – something I knew absolutely nothing about. Fresh out of dental school (him, not me), drowning in student loans, and expecting our first baby – we probably should have listened.
In 2011, with zero business experience but endless determination, we took the leap. Within three months, we were living with my parents, our savings were gone, and our dream seemed like a naive fantasy. I still remember rocking our newborn on my parents’ floor, wondering if everyone had been right.
But that rock-bottom moment became our breakthrough. Instead of quitting, we got crystal clear on our mission: to transform healthcare access in our community, one smile at a time. We studied business relentlessly, built systems from scratch, and learned that leading with love wasn’t just nice – it was necessary. Every failed process became a lesson. Every team member became family. Every setback made me more resilient.
Today, that “doomed” practice has grown into an 8-figure healthcare organization serving thousands of families. We’ve built a culture where our team thrives, our patients receive exceptional care, and our family values remain at the center. Not because we knew what we were doing at first, but because we were stubborn enough to keep learning until we figured it out.
Because sometimes, the advice you shouldn’t take becomes the story you’re meant to tell. When your ‘why’ is big enough, you’ll always find your way.
Featured Video
Featured Book
I am willing to travel
More than 100 miles
When it comes to payments
I generally get paid for speaking but make exceptions
Topics
Best Story
I’ll never forget standing in our empty dental practice, three months after opening, staring at a stack of bills we couldn’t pay. With a newborn at home and our life savings gone, my husband and I had just moved back in with my parents. Everyone told us we were crazy to start another dental practice in a saturated market – turns out, they thought we were about to prove them right. That night, rocking our baby on my parents’ floor, I made a decision: we weren’t just building a business, we were fighting for every underserved child who needed care. That clarity of purpose changed everything. Today, our practice serves thousands of families, but more importantly, it’s proof that when your ‘why’ is bigger than your fear, impossible becomes unstoppable. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to find your unshakeable foundation.
Origin Story
“But you’ll never make money serving the underserved patients with special needs and those on state Medicaid !”
That’s what everyone told us when I announced I was leaving my secure six-figure pharmacy manager position to open a dental practice with my husband. Yes, a dental practice – something I knew absolutely nothing about. Fresh out of dental school (him, not me), drowning in student loans, and expecting our first baby – we probably should have listened.
In 2011, with zero business experience but endless determination, we took the leap. Within three months, we were living with my parents, our savings were gone, and our dream seemed like a naive fantasy. I still remember rocking our newborn on my parents’ floor, wondering if everyone had been right.
But that rock-bottom moment became our breakthrough. Instead of quitting, we got crystal clear on our mission: to transform healthcare access in our community, one smile at a time. We studied business relentlessly, built systems from scratch, and learned that leading with love wasn’t just nice – it was necessary. Every failed process became a lesson. Every team member became family. Every setback made me more resilient.
Today, that “doomed” practice has grown into an 8-figure healthcare organization serving thousands of families. We’ve built a culture where our team thrives, our patients receive exceptional care, and our family values remain at the center. Not because we knew what we were doing at first, but because we were stubborn enough to keep learning until we figured it out.
Because sometimes, the advice you shouldn’t take becomes the story you’re meant to tell. When your ‘why’ is big enough, you’ll always find your way.