SOLO’s China Connection

Serve Others, Love Others from Pennsylvania to China

We recently had an opportunity to speak with Jeff Smith, one of our vendors in China who recently stopped by the SOLO offices on a trip back to the USA. Jeff and his family live in eastern China amidst beautiful landscape, developing infrastructure and modernization for the past 10 years, and plan to continue to live there for many years to come.

Jeff helps SOLO source materials for our custom orthotics, including EVA and synthetic cork. He shared that American standards are perceived as high or too high. He explained that this disbelief comes from having a difficult time understanding how the product performs in our American society. That often causes a disconnect and can result in a product not matching our expectations.  

Leading By Example

While he’s living in China, Jeff has an opportunity to share his faith with those around him. His work ethic and work standards are a reflection of his faith in action. This is often a new experience for those who may not be familiar with Christianity. “Wherever I live, I want to consciously represent God to everybody. Honoring God involves speaking truth about quality-control results, not cutting corners, encouraging others, engaging in wholesome downtime, and speaking God’s truth into people’s lives,” added Jeff.

By demonstrating these principals, Jeff believes it enhances the working relationship with those around him. “Chinese workers work hard and often are looking for new ways to make money. Their work ethic includes a sense of belonging to a greater group, usually their immediate and extended family. They will often work far away from home and long hours to help the greater family prosper.”

Forming these essential partnerships with those around him fosters trust. “I really enjoy finding solutions that ensure quality products created in smarter ways. Experiencing these kinds of successes fosters camaraderie, harmony, and better mutual understanding,” he added.

Quality is Paramount

When SOLO approached Jeff about sourcing some of our materials, it was a natural fit. “I was very impressed by how SOLO cares for people and delivers quality products,” noted Jeff. He took that purpose and extended it to the work he does in China. “SOLO asked me to source products that help them continue to create a great product. Through that activity, it blesses workers in China by creating income and opportunities to learn about their Creator.”

Jeff and his wife grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania. Today, these high school sweethearts have twin daughters who are enrolled in a university in the United States, after being homeschooled in China for most of their school years.

SOLO:  Where Serve Others, Love Others extends beyond our borders and partners with others who assist in delivering high-quality, custom orthotics to our customers.

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