The international etiquette expert tells us all about her new show, Asian representation and the 14-year-old who inspired her
The world of etiquette is a minefield to navigate. Not only does it change over time and depend on social settings, but it also varies by culture. Thankfully, etiquette specialist Sara Jane Ho has a new show on Netflix, Mind Your Manners, that decodes the many layers of this intimidating protocol in six episodes. Not only that, she also advocates for the Chinese approach to holistic wellness and uses it to help her clients find their best, most refined selves.
We sat down with her to talk about her inspiration, her methods and her biggest takeaway from Mind Your Manners.
Read more: 5 Red Packet Etiquette Tips to Follow For Chinese New Year 2022
How did it all begin?
It all started ten years ago when I moved to Beijing to found a finishing school [Institute Sarita] after earning my MBA from Harvard, which I did to carry on my mother’s legacy. She was a fantastic hostess and had a natural gift for bringing people together. She was a huge inspiration to me. Unfortunately, she succumbed to cancer when I was 21.
Also, I am a typical Sagittarius. I am socially inclined and enjoy being around people. Then I discovered that there’s a market need, so I enrolled in a finishing school in Switzerland. I recall my friends in Beijing asking me for advice on how to hold a breakfast meeting and other such questions, so I figured this might be a good way to combine what I love doing with my mother’s legacy, whilst addressing a market need in China.