A Personal Conversation with SchGo’s CFO, Ching Chia
Before I was the VP of SchGo Engineering Products, I was a dancer. I started ballet at age five and spent a decade training under the discipline of the Royal Ballet Association. Like many young girls, I dreamed of spinning across a stage, but when high school arrived, academics took over, and ballet quietly slipped away. Looking back, I realize how much discipline and grace in leadership started forming even then.
I never imagined that years later, dance would find its way back into my life. It started with adult ballet classes. Then I found Booty Ballet. And now, I’m at Pure Barre six days a week, reconnecting with the strength and precision I thought I’d left behind. What surprised me most, though, was how much this return to movement reshaped the way I lead – at home, in the office, and especially at SchGo.
At SchGo, discipline and grace in leadership are not just ideas – they are active forces that shape how we grow, connect, and innovate.
Curious how discipline and creativity can work together in leadership? Connect with SchGo and discover a fresh take on executive growth.
Discipline in Motion
Ballet is as demanding as it is beautiful. It builds deep core strength, mental clarity, and a level of self-awareness that most people only gain through years of personal development. Every movement has meaning, and every inch of posture is intentional.
At SchGo, I lead with that same mindset. Precision leadership isn’t just about being exact – it’s about being intentional with how you show up, how you make decisions, and how you connect with your team. It’s about patience, presence, and the ability to see both the big picture and the smallest details.
Mistakes in ballet are part of the journey. You fall, you adjust, you try again. That’s true in business, too. Leadership isn’t about getting it right the first time, it’s about being open to correction, committed to progress, and graceful in the face of challenge.
The Power of Poise in Business
As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I’ve found that the same poise that helped me balance on pointe helps me balance people and performance. My leadership style is rooted in empathy and emotional intelligence – traits often seen as soft, but in reality, they’re strategic.
At SchGo, we’ve built a culture where kindness, accountability, and collaboration go hand in hand. I treat my team the way I’d want to be treated: with clarity, respect, and encouragement. Over the years, that approach has brought people back to us, even after they’ve left. Why? Because they felt seen. And that matters.
Through discipline and grace in leadership, we have created an environment where people thrive – and where precision and heart work side by side.
Your Past Passions Still Belong
If there’s anything I’ve learned from ballet and business, it’s this: Nothing we love ever really leaves us. It shows up in how we think, how we move, how we lead. Whether it’s ballet, cooking, music, or travel, our passions shape our power.
If you’ve ever questioned whether your creative side belongs in the boardroom, let me assure you—it does. It always has. Thank you for reading.
Want to work with a team that leads with both heart and precision? Reach out to SchGo, where leadership is as intentional as every step in the studio.
