"You either get it done or you don't—it's that simple," says Ina Kao, second-generation successor of the Manhattan Hotel Group (MHG) LLC in the United States. She describes herself as someone not easily swayed by emotion, approaching professional challenges and life changes with composure and clarity. Numbers are the language of her management. Over the past six years, a series of structural adjustments under her leadership has propelled the company to achieve the highest hotel occupancy rate in the United States.
From Academia to Practice: Stepping Up During the Pandemic
Born in the United States and raised in Taiwan, Ina Kao moved with her family to California at the age of ten for educational reasons. Her mother, Kitty Lo, founded Manhattan Hotel Group in 2012.
Reform Led by Second Generation: Building a Solid Foundation Through Data and Systems
Ina Kao joined the Group as General Manager and initially faced challenges in establishing her authority. She responded with patience, building consensus among team members and aligning everyone around shared goals. Recognizing significant opportunities to improve cost control, Ina began with everyday operational items such as housekeeping supplies, including soap and towels, as well as hotel insurance. Through vendor selection and price comparisons, and by leading renovation and refurbishment efforts across all group hotels, she was able to rein in costs while maintaining service quality.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people stayed home and the hospitality industry entered a severe downturn. Manhattan Hotel Group avoided closure with the support of the U.S. government's loan-based relief program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and has continued operating to this day.
Ina Kao focuses on management and marketing, and examines how to increase revenue and ensure service quality while covering necessary expenses such as interest and taxes. "It's not as simple as adopting a low-price strategy," she notes.
Beyond marketing and data analysis, Ina Kao conducts in-depth assessments of individual hotel properties and closely monitors market trends, adjusting strategies based on market response. "There is no single formula—it takes time to implement and validate," she says. She established rigorous standard operating procedures (SOPs) that define clear guidelines for time management and execution. For example, purchases exceeding a set threshold require managerial approval and competitive bidding from multiple vendors; if the results fall short, Kao might even personally seek out alternative suppliers.
By setting precise key performance indicators (KPIs), Ina Kao enforces monthly data tracking and variance analysis to continuously optimize management plans. Using restaurants as an example, if revenue declines in a given year, she compares menu offerings across two years to identify what changed and pinpoint the reasons behind the fluctuation.
Leading the Group into the Community: Giving Back Through Charity and Education
As the industry recovered after the pandemic, Ina Kao led Manhattan Hotel Group in dedicating more time and resources to charity. She made effective use of hotel resources, including food, bedding, and pillows, and led members of the Taiwanese compatriot community in distributing these essentials to the homeless in downtown Los Angeles.
"Some employees, limited by their educational background, find it difficult to provide sufficient resources for their children to pursue their dreams, leaving many young people uncertain about the future," Ina explains. She cares about her employees and is aware of the challenges faced by local youth, so she and her mother, Kitty Lo, launched a Care Scholarship in 2025 through the MHG Charitable Foundation for high school students of diverse ethnic backgrounds in Southern California. Paired with a mentorship program, the initiative offers not only financial aid but also guidance and support from mentors, helping students navigate and build their future paths.
In October, Ina Kao led hotel teams across the Group to successfully support the first-ever Los Angeles edition of the TCCNA Job Fair Series 2025, the largest job fair in Southern California. This is an important job-matching platform for young Taiwanese professionals in the United States.
In recognition of her business leadership and contributions to the overseas compatriot community, Ina Kao won the 2025 Global Young Entrepreneur Stars Award. She sought advice from program mentors on growth opportunities for the hospitality industry amid advances in AI technology. "It's not about cutting costs. It's about improving how we do things." Following the mentors' recommendations, her group has already introduced delivery and cleaning robots, and she is now exploring the near-term rollout of self-service check-in solutions.
Resilient Leadership: Building a Sustainable Company With a 600-Person Team
Ina Kao now serves as CEO of the hotel group, leading nearly 600 employees across the United States. Under her leadership, the group's net profit margin increased from 37% to 46%, while the hotels' average annual occupancy rate rose from 89% to 99.2%, earning the top occupancy ranking nationwide.
In pursuing business growth, Ina Kao believes in cultivating patience and engaging closely with employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. Through listening and dialogue, she seeks to better understand their lives. "My employees all think I put a lot of pressure on them," she jokes candidly. Committed to talent development, she leads her team to grow alongside the company while advancing long-term sustainability. "With this approach and mindset, we aim to continue expanding our footprint and further developing our hotel acquisition and development business," she says.
Proud of the group's strong performance, Ina Kao also carries a strong sense of responsibility to keep raising the bar. "Keep trying, nonstop," she says. Over the past six years at the helm, she has met changes and challenges head-on, always with an open mind. Giving up has never been an option. Even when the road ahead feels uncertain or difficult, she stays grounded and keeps moving forward, looking for what's possible next.
