A Mission-Driven Life

Category: "Inspire" Stories

Date: May 9, 2025

We’re in the business of making an impact for good — and that means empowering agents, uplifting communities and building legacies of success. For JJ Kim, President and CEO of Smart Insurance, that purpose has defined his career and continues to shape his vision for the future.

Originally from South Korea, JJ graduated from college in the late ’90s before immigrating to the United States to pursue an MBA. He arrived with little support and pursued multiple ventures, including working as a financial director and launching a seafood wholesale business. But when the recession hit, JJ was forced to close that business and pivot into his next opportunity — insurance.

He founded Smart Insurance with a clear mission: to support Korean Americans and other immigrants navigating a new culture, a new language and a new career. His agency became a place where underserved communities could be educated on their options and where hardworking agents could build a strong foundation for their own legacy.

For JJ, success is about how many lives you uplift. That’s why, in addition to building a successful business, JJ has served as a director for the Association of Korean Schools and supports cultural and senior events throughout the broader Asian American community. Since the recent loss of both his parents and mother-in-law, JJ has focused even more on serving through his church. He’s found solace and purpose in supporting missionaries and even volunteered to serve on a recent mission trip to Cambodia.

JJ Kim Mission

JJ sees the next chapter of his life as a time to give more. Now, with Integrity’s support, he can do more of what he does best ­— uplift others. It is because of his personal mission to serve that we’re honored to welcome JJ and Smart Insurance into the Integrity family. Learn more about JJ’s story by watching his partnership announcement video here!

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