GoodParty.org Academy Grad Spotlight: Breanna Stott

Breanna Stott got her start in the banking industry when she was 19 years old. Later, while earning her MBA from Pepperdine University, she nurtured the idea of starting her own business as a way to make wealth management more accessible. In 2017, she founded Finwell, a financial wellness and wealth management company. Then, after moving from Los Angeles to Nashville, Tennessee, she took another step forward by enrolling in GoodParty.org Academy (GPA).

GoodParty.org Academy is GoodParty.org’s free online course designed to help future candidates determine whether a run for office is right for them. After discovering GPA on Instagram, Stott connected with the vision of GoodParty.org — working to make people matter more than money in our democracy.

“Politics have always been something I’ve been interested in and somewhat involved in. [GoodParty.org’s] message resonated with me and I decided to reach out and get involved,” Stott said. “I’ve always liked to hear different ideas and have an opinion on them and think about any sort of changes that can help people.”

Stott began thinking about running for local office after having a negative experience with her local city council in California. Her dissatisfaction with partisan politics started much earlier, however.

“Growing up in Southern California, I feel like I was more influenced by the liberal community, arts, helping one another, creating social programs that helped those that might need help at certain times of their lives,” Stott said. “But I would dive into different policies and I was never driven by the [Democratic] Party's nominations. I would always look at what that individual's visions were and what their ideas were. So although I've always leaned more liberal and on the Democratic side, I have definitely voted for Republicans. I think now, at this time, with everything being so divided, I can't find a home. I've realized I'm definitely more moderate, so being an independent makes the most sense for me and a lot of people I know.”

This feeling of political homelessness peaked for Stott during the 2016 presidential election. She felt that neither candidate — neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton — truly represented her or the American people. Elections began to feel “like a reality TV show” instead of a genuine part of the democratic process.

“It really felt like you had to go far in one direction, whether it's right or left, in order to have a home,” Stott said. “It started to become about who can get the most attention and who can win ultimately for the power and less for the people. From there, I started to look at alternatives.”

GoodParty.org Academy aims to fill in the gap between these two political extremes, empowering real people to run authentic and transparent campaigns. Stott said she appreciated the support and expertise of GPA’s instructors, as well as the insight they provided into what it takes to run a successful political campaign.

“GoodParty.org Academy has been great because it's informative and it's a safe space to ask questions, meaning you don't feel like you're going to be treated like you're stupid or unequipped or you don't belong here,” Stott said. “It's a good place to go if you've been thinking about running for office, you're curious about it, or if you want to be supportive of those that will run that are different than the two-party system. It's a great place to start and win.”

During her time with GoodParty.org Academy, Stott was also reminded of the process of starting her business, Finwell — except that instead of marketing a product or service, she was learning how to market herself. 

“You're selling yourself to the community of being the best candidate for the job, but the same things are there. You need the time, you need the expertise, you need a team, you need to have a strategy and execute on that strategy and have your marketing in order so that way you can spread your message, get known by the community, and get their votes,” Stott said.

As of August 2023, Stott had not yet decided to run for office, opting instead to prioritize her business’ growth, but she said she is open to a run in the future. In the meantime, Stott is committed to collaborating with the GoodParty.org community and supporting people-powered candidates. She said she encourages more people to become part of GoodParty.org’s community.

“All of us have so many different talents that aren't utilized,” Stott said. “If you're passionate about politics and if you're passionate about change in your community and making sure that they're being represented above money, then you should get involved and be able to share those talents and qualities that you have in any way that you can.”

You can join GoodParty.org’s movement for change by getting connected, booking a meeting with our GPA instructors, or volunteering. There are plenty of ways to get involved and start making a difference in your community!