Spark

2023 was a breakout year for Spark. We partnered with 100+ leading agencies serving 3,400+ brokers, and enrolled 60,000+ beneficiaries. We’re carrying that momentum into 2024 with two announcements: First, we’ve raised a $25 million Series B, led by Drew Aldrich at Viewpoint Ventures. We’re particularly proud of this milestone given the challenging fundraising climate right now. Second, we’re launching the new Spark brand. Our new visual and verbal identity better captures our ambition, and articulates just how much we have to offer our partners. Our new website is a celebration of our partners, our performance to date, and the incredible trajectory we are on together. Here’s a taste: - Last year, we saved partner agents 400,000 cumulative hours, freeing them to focus on revenue generating activities - Across our largest agency partners representing >70% of our business, we’ve seen an astounding 140% enrollment growth year-over-year - Through this growth, we maintained a agent NPS of 91, affirming the value we bring to our customers and our commitment to service Our co-founder and CEO, James Jiang, writes in-depth about all these topics and this year’s vision for the organization on the Spark blog. You can read more here: https://hubs.ly/Q02htCMC0. The future is bright, and our team is ready to get back to work. We’re grateful to be on this wild journey with the industry’s best.

Spark’s technology and services help the industry’s best principals run their agencies more efficiently. Better tools enable agencies to deliver better service to their agents and clients alike—and save principals both time and money. Today, we are excited to highlight Health Plan Markets and Justin Jacobs our valued agency partner based in Orlando, Florida. Justin shares, "We were trying to build the technology Spark already had, which saved me a lot of money and frustration. It’s been a game changer not only for me and my staff but also for our agents and agency principals." Ready to be a part of the transformation? Book a demo: https://hubs.ly/Q02J6bxG0

Our sales team has been working hard to connect with our agency partners in the field, building strong relationships, and attending industry events.  Here are some of this month’s key events attended by our team and agency partners: ⭐ Our VP of Sales, Henry Figueroa and Strategic Growth Manager, Mark Keadle, alongside our Director of Marketing, Erin Tao attended the 2024 North American Insurance Services hosted by our trusted agency partner Andy Dastur. Henry commanded the room educating 50+ agents on how to transform their businesses with Spark. ⭐ Our Strategic Growth Manager, Elin Smith joined Wealth Alliance Group with partners Kevin Brown and Donald Doe Jr at the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference to connect with industry leaders in Missouri. Looking for a true partner, not just an FMO? Book a demo today: https://hubs.ly/Q02HQ9hS0

🚨 Update! Yesterday, CMS released updated Agent and Broker Compensation Rates, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements for the contract year 2025 (July 18th, 2024). In response to the stay granted on the pending litigation against CMS in Texas, CMS has updated the fair market value (FMV) commission for Medicare Advantage and Part D brokers to remove the $100 increase in year 1 and $50 increase in year 2 and beyond originally proposed. As we learn more from CMS, we will keep you updated with any news and future developments. Check out the ruling and updated broker commission schedule: https://hubs.ly/Q02HjsD80 #CMS #MedicareAdvantage #IndustryNews #AEP2025

⭐ This week we’re shining the spotlight on Amanda Roberts, our Client Services Lead! Amanda has been with Spark since the very beginning. As our very first Client Services team member, Amanda paved the way - setting a new industry standard by working directly with Medicare beneficiaries to answer billing questions, find doctors, and clarify policy coverage details. Amanda explains it best: “Current Medicare beneficiaries are on the cusp of technology, and the insurance industry is difficult for a lot of them to navigate - what Spark has built is amazing, and it’s helping a lot of people!” Amanda’s positive attitude and relentless hard work ensure our beneficiaries receive top-notch care, and our agents save valuable time and money. Amanda's impact doesn’t stop there. She’s also a go-to mentor for newer team members, always ready to answer questions and provide assistance. She has been instrumental in shaping our Client Services team into the innovative support system it is today. Living in Veneta, Oregon, Amanda is enjoying a beautiful Pacific Northwest summer by hiking, kayaking, and epoxy crafting.  Looking to learn more about Spark’s client services team? Check out our interactive walkthrough: https://hubs.ly/Q02H8vPX0

There’s nothing like Spark’s Client Service team in the industry. We’re the only national FMO directly serving our partners’ clients as an extension of their support team. A couple of weeks ago, our co-founder and COO Byron Edwards and Director of Client Services Khalilah Salahud-Din led a team retreat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Their primary focus? Improving processes to support team efficiency, the agent experience, and, ultimately, the client’s interaction with Spark! What can you expect from Client Services this AEP? Even better service, leading to more referrals, better retention, and peace of mind. It’s one of many ways Spark makes agents’ lives easier. Want to see Client Services in action? Check out our demo here: https://hubs.ly/Q02G-p6f0 #TeamRetreat #ClientServices #SparkAdvisors #FtLauderdale #TeamBuilding #ProcessImprovement

Spark has been selected by The Generalist for the inaugural Future 50, a database of the world’s highest-potential startups. We are honored to join 50 companies selected from 11 countries across various sectors. Why were we chosen? ⭐ The Opportunity: 4.1 million Americans are turning 65 this year. Despite booming Medicare enrollment, the number of brokers is declining. 🚀 Our Solution: As the industry’s fastest-growing FMO, Spark empowers independent Medicare brokers with technology and services, enabling them to better serve beneficiaries and experience transformative growth. 📈 Our Impact: 5,000 brokers in 4 years 60% daily active users 91 NPS & 96% client satisfaction 90% average production growth for brokers 50% increase in agent recruitment for agencies Check out the full article here: https://hubs.ly/Q02GPSLN0 #Future50 #Startups #Innovation #Medicare #Spark

Meet Pam Harrison, Medicare Trainer and Compliance Lead at Spark ✨ As Spark’s in-house compliance expert and Medicare trainer, Pam provides training for new and experienced Medicare agents alike. Pam’s deep understanding of the agents we serve (she was a former insurance agent for over 5 years!) and her ability to translate complex regulations make her an invaluable partner. Pam’s day consists of creating training modules for agents and delivering that training via webinars and video recordings. She’s the go-to person for agents and Spark staff with information about Medicare, such as Special Enrollment Periods, Extra Help and Medicaid, and general Medicare beneficiary questions. She also works in compliance, reviewing marketing materials and working with agents and carriers to stay on top of the latest CMS guidelines. ⭐Why Pam chose Spark: “I was really attracted to Spark because we are doing things differently than other FMOs. It was refreshing to see a FMO shaking up the industry and focusing on technology and systems to help agents build the insurance business of their dreams.” ⭐ On what it’s like to work with agents: “I love training and educating agents on the insurance business, and to see them grow and succeed is really rewarding.” In her free time, Pam enjoys camping and exploring her home state of Tennessee with her husband. Be sure to sign up for Pam’s upcoming training in your platform account: https://hubs.ly/Q02FF6pN0 #EmployeeHighlight #MedicareTraining #Compliance #CompanyCulture

Spark's July Webinar Schedule is Live! Get ready to Spark your knowledge with our webinar sessions featuring: 📋 Valuable Sales Training ✨ Spark Features 🩺 Medicare Industry Changes Need help with AHIP? Join Pam Harrison, our Medicare Trainer and Compliance Lead, during her AHIP office hours to ensure you're prepared for success this AEP. Sign up in your platform account to reserve your spot today: https://hubs.ly/Q02FF6pN0 #SparkWebinars #AgentSuccess #MedicareTraining #AEP #Compliance

Meet Marielle Trubowitsch, Director of Agency Operations at Spark 🌟 You may know Marielle from an onboarding call or setting up new contracts. She leads our Contracting, Platform, Operations, and Compliance teams, and is the glue that holds many aspects of our organization together. Marielle began her career working for tech startups in college before moving into venture capital. She soon realized she missed the excitement of being on the ground, growing a startup. When looking to join Spark, she met our co-founder and COO, Byron Edwards, and was struck by the opportunity to build and the genuine nature of the Spark team. Spark’s commitment to service is what sets our agent experience apart, and Marielle’s leadership is key. “The core of what I do is ensuring both the teams I manage and agents going through onboarding feel supported,” says Marielle. “I manage the teams that ensure agents have a delightful experience onboarding to Spark from a contracting and platform experience. Behind the scenes, I ensure workflows are flowing properly so agents can build their business.” The results speak for themselves: Marielle’s teams have delivered industry-leading service, leading hundreds of onboarding sessions, processing 16,000 contracts in 2023 (over 3,000 of which were in the months leading up to AEP), and answering 96% of agent support emails within 24 hours — in English and Spanish. Our partners describe Spark’s contracting team as being the best in the industry, and we have Marielle and her teammates to thank. Marielle is based out of Evanston, Illinois, but is currently spending her summer in Seattle with her pup, Freckles. Many mornings you can find them running on the beach or even training for Marielle’s first marathon this November! Curious to see our contracting workflows in action? Check out this walkthrough: https://hubs.ly/Q02DZ8CP0