Jo-An Darlene Chua, Founding Partner, Spark Amber Life Insurance Agency, 0
Few embody this philosophy as strongly as Jo-An Darlene Chua, Founding Partner of Spark Amber Life Insurance Agency Inc. With over two decades in the financial services industry, Jo-An has transformed her career from a dedicated producer to a visionary agency leader and mentor. A lifetime Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) member with multiple Court of the Table (COT) and Top of the Table (TOT) accolades, she has set the highest standards of excellence in sales and leadership. More than her impressive sales track record, Jo-An’s true success lies in her ability to empower others, guiding over 600 advisors and equipping them with the skills and confidence to achieve financial independence.
Below is an exclusive conversation with Jo-An Darlene Chua, where she discusses her journey, industry insights, and the values that drive her success in financial services.
Share your professional background and what drives your daily routines.
2025 marks my 25th year in the financial services industry, a journey driven by purpose and passion. What fuels me to continue is the impact we create. Helping families secure their future, establishing legacies, and building generational wealth has always been more than just work, it’s a calling. Beyond personal success, building a team that shares this mission has expanded the impact, not just within my community but across society.
My commitment extends beyond business. Volunteering for industry associations such as the Million Dollar Round Table Membership Communications Committee and GAMA Global has allowed me to give back to an industry that has been incredibly rewarding.
People often enter this profession for three main reasons, namely financial independence, income and impact. As a sales-driven industry, financial services offer unlimited earning potential, time freedom and the opportunity to impact lives. However, success in this business requires discipline, resilience, skill, and perseverance. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, this industry allows professionals to operate as entrepreneurs without the need for much capital and inventory.
What strategies should leaders adopt for ethical selling, fostering long-term client relationships, and a high-performance sales culture within sales teams?
Ethical selling is built on trust, transparency, and genuine client-centered guidance. We don’t just sell financial products but rather, we offer advice that has a lasting impact on clients, their families, and their futures. Ethical selling requires advisors to be honest about risks and benefits, recommend solutions based on client’s situation and profile. Understanding our clients' fears, needs and aspirations is critical to being able to recommend the right solution and plan for them.
Fostering long-term client relationships begins with trust and sustained value. Advisors who see themselves as financial partners rather than salespeople are the ones who build lasting connections. Leaders must instil this mindset, encouraging advisors to focus on long-term financial guidance rather than one-time transactions.
Cultivating a high-performance sales culture begins with recruiting and developing the right candidates. I like to recruit someone who has a P.H.D, who is persistent, hungry and driven. Candidates who are hungry to live
lives to the fullest are the best candidates to hone and develop. Successful advisors are also those with a growth mindset, continuously learning and honing their craft. At Spark Amber, we aim to develop our financial advisors to be trusted advocates of their present and future clients.
What key trends are shaping insurance, and how should leaders respond?
The insurance industry is undergoing a transformation driven by multiple key trends. One of the most significant changes is the shift in workforce demographics. While recruitment previously focused on millennials, the industry is now seeing a growing presence of Gen Z professionals. Their motivations and behaviors differ, requiring a re-evaluation of recruitment and retention strategies.
Digitization is another major force shaping the insurance industry. The shift from physically meeting clients to closing deals on virtual platforms has significantly improved efficiency. In addition, underwriting of policies that was once done manually via paper are all now digitized, enabling speed of issuance to as low as minutes.
The increasing integration of AI is another transfor -mative factor in the insurance industry. While its full potential is yet to be realized, AI is already playing a role in streamlining operations, generating insights, and improving efficiency.
How do you stay up to date with industry trends?
Staying updated and actively engaged in an ever evolving industry requires continuous learning, participation in professional organizations, and adapting to emerging trends.
I volunteer with organizations such as the MDRT MCC (Million Dollar Round Table Membership Communications Committee), where we collaborate with various life insurance companies in the Philippines. Through events and conferences, we engage with all active life insurance advisors. This not only allows me to give back to the community but also helps me network, stay informed about industry developments, and gain insights from C-level executives across different companies.
What future destination are you heading towards?
My future destination is centered on growth and expansion in the financial services industry. Currently at the branch level, I have already spun off a general agency and plan to establish more agencies and branches in the future. My vision is to build a network of 2,000 trusted advocates by 2030, growing from our current 600 advisors. While attrition is inevitable, my focus is on continuous development, ensuring that each financial advisor is well-equipped and competent. Through strategic expansion and collective effort, I aim to create a lasting impact in the industry by partnering and developing the best of the best advisors.
What advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
The goal isn’t just to achieve milestones, it’s to truly love what you do. When you’re passionate about your work, you’ll have the resilience to overcome challenges and stay in the industry long-term. My advice to aspiring leaders is to embrace the purpose behind the work, as true success comes from commitment and a genuine passion for making a difference.
Jo-An Darlene Chua, Founding Partner, Spark Amber Life Insurance Agency
Jo-An Darlene Chua is a visionary agency leader, shaping the financial services industry through mentorship and achieving lasting impact
Hobbies:
•Traveling to local and international destinations.
•Eating at Michelin-starred or Bib-Gourmand restaurants
•Staying fit with Pilates
•Occasionally playing tennis
Favorite Books
•Business Brilliant by Lewis Schiff
•Beyond Wealth by Alexander Green
•Real Leadership by John Addison
•When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
What key trends are shaping insurance, and how should leaders respond?
The insurance industry is undergoing a transformation driven by multiple key trends. One of the most significant changes is the shift in workforce demographics. While recruitment previously focused on millennials, the industry is now seeing a growing presence of Gen Z professionals. Their motivations and behaviors differ, requiring a re-evaluation of recruitment and retention strategies.
The goal is not to just achieve and make records but to fall in love with what we are doing
Digitization is another major force shaping the insurance industry. The shift from physically meeting clients to closing deals on virtual platforms has significantly improved efficiency. In addition, underwriting of policies that was once done manually via paper are all now digitized, enabling speed of issuance to as low as minutes.
The increasing integration of AI is another transfor -mative factor in the insurance industry. While its full potential is yet to be realized, AI is already playing a role in streamlining operations, generating insights, and improving efficiency.
How do you stay up to date with industry trends?
Staying updated and actively engaged in an ever evolving industry requires continuous learning, participation in professional organizations, and adapting to emerging trends.
I volunteer with organizations such as the MDRT MCC (Million Dollar Round Table Membership Communications Committee), where we collaborate with various life insurance companies in the Philippines. Through events and conferences, we engage with all active life insurance advisors. This not only allows me to give back to the community but also helps me network, stay informed about industry developments, and gain insights from C-level executives across different companies.
What future destination are you heading towards?
My future destination is centered on growth and expansion in the financial services industry. Currently at the branch level, I have already spun off a general agency and plan to establish more agencies and branches in the future. My vision is to build a network of 2,000 trusted advocates by 2030, growing from our current 600 advisors. While attrition is inevitable, my focus is on continuous development, ensuring that each financial advisor is well-equipped and competent. Through strategic expansion and collective effort, I aim to create a lasting impact in the industry by partnering and developing the best of the best advisors.
What advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
The goal isn’t just to achieve milestones, it’s to truly love what you do. When you’re passionate about your work, you’ll have the resilience to overcome challenges and stay in the industry long-term. My advice to aspiring leaders is to embrace the purpose behind the work, as true success comes from commitment and a genuine passion for making a difference.
Jo-An Darlene Chua, Founding Partner, Spark Amber Life Insurance Agency
Jo-An Darlene Chua is a visionary agency leader, shaping the financial services industry through mentorship and achieving lasting impact
Hobbies:
•Traveling to local and international destinations.
•Eating at Michelin-starred or Bib-Gourmand restaurants
•Staying fit with Pilates
•Occasionally playing tennis
Favorite Books
•Business Brilliant by Lewis Schiff
•Beyond Wealth by Alexander Green
•Real Leadership by John Addison
•When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi