REGION–KRNOV

I started a few years later, in 1995. My friends told me

to stop it, that half the people in the Czech Republic

make chairs in their garages. But I replied that they

all make chairs the same way: cheap components,

lots of plastic, zero ergonomy and dismal endurance.

I wanted to do it differently.

I had a serious car accident in 2005. I went into a skid

and hit a tree. Before I fell into unconsciousness,

I had a vision. I promised myself that if I survive this,

I would finish my work and start up the business,

100%. The doctors didn‘t give me much hope. I heard

many times that I would be on medication for the

rest of my life and wouldn’t be able to walk. Luckily,

this didn‘t happen, and I started going to physical

therapy where I met an experienced physiotherapist

and we became friends over time. This accident

changed my life undoubtedly, but also in a good way!

I saw photos of ergonomic chairs in the surgery and

it occurred to me that this might be the way. After

about six months, I invited her to the workshop

where I showed her our chair that we built. She said,

without any inhibitions, that it is nice but it is a shame

that it is totally wrong (laughing). I stared in disbelief.

She came again many times: she commented on

what was wrong and we continued development.

We kept testing until the chair was really correct.

The physiotherapy got me through the worst, but

our healthy chair saved me from the wheelchair.

I had a chance to test it on myself and thus get it to

perfection.

May I ask what is the greatest benefit of the

constructional solution of your chairs?

We started with small ideas. I always enjoyed doing

things well. That is why I named the company

“professional work” straight away: I believed in

myself. I knew that I wouldn‘t do it like the others.

Either I will do it professionally or I won‘t do it at all.

I am a mechanical engineer, a technician, I enjoyed

making the design more original. We were the first

ones who started to design anatomical chairs; we

focused on dispatchers, firefighters or paramedics at

that time. We created chairs that are indestructible,

durable, but at the same time fitting for various body

types.

The Therapia chair can change the person’s

workday. It is preventive care, a friend who helps.

We trained for fifteen years, which I think is a long

time to explore one field. Everyone is welcome at our

place, no matter what his/her problem is. We like to

resolve even the most complicated things. When the

customer gives us his trust, it is the greatest reward

for us, much bigger than money. We always say that

people pay for the material only. The therapeutic

spirit, care and love that we put into the production

are free.

I heard that you are starting to sell your chairs also

via e-shop; this is not typical. How are you handling

advising people regarding chairs that are tailored

to their needs?

We have our solution prepared in advance. As I am

looking at you--and I see you only via webcam--I know

exactly what your height and weight is. Believe me or

not, but distance counseling really works. We can tell

from our eyes, and if not, we ask the customer for the

rest. We are never ending developers and improvers.

Geniality is in the fact that no one else can adjust

chairs as we do. Because we came up with our own

construction system.

And the important thing is that we gather data. During

the fifteen years that we spent making ergonomic

chairs, we have already sold 30,000 Therapias that

have loyal users. They probably sit on them till

today. We have some customers who bought their

second Therapia, then a third. When you get used

to this way of sitting, you save a lot of energy and

you do everything to prevent health problems from

getting worse.

Every client is a challenge for us. And because we

suffered the first five years, the result is that we have

become professionals in this field.

What do you think is the biggest mistake when

people think about buying a chair?

It is wrong to think about sitting as something that

goes after the regimen. People need to realize

that the quality of life is given more by sitting than

sleeping. Poor-quality sitting causes fatigue, back

pain and overall health problems. The chair is not just

a piece of furniture; it is a part of one’s lifestyle. One

of our slogans says, “This is not a chair, this is your

personal therapist.” That says it all.

I swore that till the end of my life I will help people that

want my help. We don‘t sell; we don‘t have products for

sale. We have solutions, and it is only up to you if you

accept it or not. All of my employees sit on Therapia

chairs; we are excited that we do everything manually. It

is clean and perfect work.

How long does it take to produce one chair?

If one person was doing all the operation, the

production of one chair would take around a week.

Maybe three days, if he was fast. It is very demanding

work. I have fifteen employees in the company, very

handy and precise people. When the work is divided

among these handy people, we usually make around

fifteen chairs a day.

So, did you teach Czech people to sit healthily?

I would like to. I think of it as of my mission. Those

who already met Therapia can do it, and the number

of these people is not small. I think we have reached

the point where we are now thanks to our way of

communication. We give people a totally unique

opportunity to buy a brand new chair for their health

online, we have a complete service, send people

videos--everything is included in the price of the

chair, including delivery.

Also, our customers have fourteen days to test the

chair at home and then decide if they want to keep it.

If they don’t like it, they can return it. But this doesn’t

happen to us.

Thank you for the interview.

Text:

Šárka Kůrková,

Kristýna Eliášová

Foto:

archiv Therapia

www.therapia.cz

POSITIV 4/2020 ǀ 107