This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating the incredible fathers in our Spark community who are building successful Medicare agencies — sometimes alongside the next generation.

In the Medicare industry, family businesses aren’t just about legacy — they’re about combining wisdom with innovation and fresh perspectives. We sat down with Harry and Christopher Fong, owners of Smile Insurance Group, Inc., to talk about building something meaningful together.

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From Law School to Medicare Success

Harry’s path to Medicare began over 20 years ago when he helped his mother and in-laws navigate their Medicare options. Coming from personal finance, he noticed a significant gap: 

“There were no agents focused on the Chinese community.” 

He started providing free advice at senior residences, restaurants, and community centers, a form of grassroots marketing that helped build trust and credibility in underserved communities.

His son Chris had different plans. After getting his insurance license as a “backup career” after high school, he pursued law and became an attorney. 

In 2014, Harry’s Medicare business was growing quickly, and he needed help. He saw Chris’s potential. “I told him he should look into trying Medicare full time, since his background as an attorney would help him understand Medicare regulations and the laws affecting Medicare beneficiaries.” 

Chris planned a one-year trial that turned into a career. He discovered that working with his dad in Medicare afforded him more personal time with his family, and possibly the same earning potential he had as an attorney.

Their partnership wasn’t built overnight. Years earlier, Chris had helped manage Harry’s 24-hour convenience store, learning family business dynamics from childhood. “Now that I have a family of my own, we also have the luxury of easily timing out vacations and family time since our busy seasons align,” explains Chris, who appreciates the practical benefits of his business relationship with Harry.

But maintaining work-life balance requires intentional boundaries. “At the beginning, 80-90 hours is normal. I believe working smart and long hours at the start of your career will make success come sooner.” But even while working seven days a week, Harry says he still prioritizes family: “I set up quality time during which I focus only on family. Currently, both Chris and I are in Hawaii for two weeks and we’ve hardly mentioned our business (other than answering these father-and-son business questions).”

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Essential Advice for Family Medicare Agencies

So what’s their guidance for other families considering starting their own Medicare business?

For parents: “Once your child starts showing their skills and abilities — technology, creating new ideas, management skills — don’t discourage them. Be their coach and consultant,” Harry advises. “I would encourage fathers to always keep an open mind and listen.”

For adult children: Chris emphasizes patience and humility. “Be humble in knowing that your parent’s experience means something and that we can learn a lot from them. Their experience can help us avoid pitfalls.” For those starting out, here are four things to consider when becoming an independent Medicare agent.

Today, their Medicare agency operates as a true partnership. Harry focuses on relationship-building with senior centers, senior residences, and medical offices, while Chris applies his tech expertise and legal background to drive company growth. Read more in our full agent spotlight on Chris.

“I would describe my dad as an extremely hard worker. His dedication to the Chinese community is commendable, even when he was not receiving many enrollments in the beginning.”

For other families building together, you may find value in these stories of couples growing their Medicare agencies as partners, as well as tips for onboarding new employees to your Medicare business.

Reflecting on his experience in growing their agency, Chris says that family businesses can be hard and potentially strain relationships, but there’s also opportunity to deepen the family bond. 

Their story exemplifies what we see throughout the Spark community — Medicare agents and agency owners building legacies while serving their communities and strengthening family relationships.

This Father's Day, we celebrate Harry, Chris, and all the fathers in our Spark family who are showing the next generation what it means to build successful Medicare agencies.

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At Spark Advisors, we support Medicare agents and agencies at every stage of their journey. Whether you're just getting started or looking to hire support staff to scale your team, our platform helps you unlock your agency’s potential and build the insurance business of your dreams.

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