Carina Kuo, the COO at SportsArt, shares how she got her start in the industry, the biggest challenges she’s faced and more.
How did you get your start in the health and fitness industry?
I was literally born into it. My father, Paul Kuo, founded SportsArt in 1977 and the business was a huge part of our family. From a very young age, I was exposed to all aspects of the business, from the production line to the back office. This experience was very influential in my life and led me to earn a degree in manufacturing engineering.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome and how did you overcome it?
The pandemic was very difficult for all of us. Right from the beginning, we decided to invest in ourselves, that meant we didn’t lay off any of our 500 employees around the world. We dug in and fixed our SOPs, nurtured relationships between different teams, and most importantly, we remained committed to exceptional service. Our customer relationships have always been a huge part of what we do and why we do it. So it was never a question to maintain our high level of engagement and support.
What are the keys to your company’s success?
At our core, we have always believed serving others is more important than serving ourselves. Building on that foundation, we’re dedicated to innovation with purpose. We make machines that offset the carbon footprint. We make equipment that helps people learn how to walk. We create fitness solutions that are efficient, reliable and built to last. Finally, we stand behind our products with exceptional support and a great warranty.
Of course, we also value our employees and nurture their creativity. We know great ideas can come from anywhere within our company, so we make sure there’s an open, collaborative environment. I remember one time in particular when a customer experience representative made a process improvement suggestion that ended up saving us over 200 hours of time over the year.
How does your company differentiate from competitors in the industry?
We’re a privately-owned, family-operated business that has thrived on innovation and social consciousness since our inception. When we talk about improving lives and leaving the Earth in a better position than how we found it, these aren’t empty statements. These are values built into everything we do, from product development to corporate responsibility to customer service to team culture.
What’s your vision for your company’s future?
Our vision is SportsArt will be the global choice of sustainable fitness and rehabilitative exercise equipment for organizations and individuals looking to change the world. We’re committed to innovation, social responsibility, serving the fitness industry and inspiring performance for a shared world.
