Mia Kyricos, President / Founder, Kyricos & Associates
Mia Kyricos is president and founder of Kyricos & Associates LLC, a boutique advisory firm providing strategic guidance to wellness-driven hospitality, tourism and lifestyle companies.
With over 20 years of experience, Mia has helped to develop, operate, and market wellness-related brands and facilities across 100+ countries, and has held senior positions for industry pioneers including Spafinder Wellness, Inc., Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, Exhale, EXOS and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
She co-founded the Global Wellness Travel Awards, sits on the Boards of the Global Wellness Summit and the University of California Irvine, and Chairs the Wellness Communities Initiative on behalf of the Global Wellness Institute.
What does a perfect Sunday look like to you?
Sleeping until I wake up, going out to breakfast with my husband (known as my “Mr. O”), taking a hike up the mountain or a walk on the beach, going to the farmer’s market (ideally) or grocery store, and then preparing “Sunday dinner” for family and friends.
Zany (or strange!) travel experience you can share?
One of my favourites was at the border control upon entering Bali back in 2007. It was 5 years after the bombings in Bali which greatly impacted their tourism. The border control agent – appearing very serious at the time – saw my US passport, sized me up and down and then opened his arms and said “Whattttsss-upppppppp?” in the voice of those famous frogs made popular by the Budweiser commercials featured during the Super Bowl. He proceeded to tell me how excited he was to welcome an American back into his country and embraced me in a huge hug. I couldn’t believe it!
We’re having a potluck dinner. What do you bring?
PIE. It’s a dying art and one I take seriously. Apple, Blueberry, Lemon Meringue and my personal favorite, dark chocolate custard cream pie, are my specialties.
Go-to comfort at the end of the day?
An Epsom salt bath with essential oils and the latest copy of People Magazine (it’s brain candy!).
What’s in your carry-on?
Laptop, earbuds, sunglasses, umbrella, a selection of herbal teas and Starbucks Via packs, mints, a shaker bottle with Greek Girl Beauty Protein (my latest health craze), apples, dry roasted nuts, journal, notebook and a jump drive with all my latest work. My other carry-on has sneakers, workout gear and any professional clothes I may need. Boring, I know, but it works!
Best wellness tip?
Waking up and spending 10-15 minutes journaling before looking at my mobile phone or email or turning on the news. I find it’s a great way to manage stress, document great ideas, and clean out whatever good or bad is happening in the subconscious. Think of it like an “active meditation.” It really works.
What excites you about your company?
The diversity! I have clients that range from hotel and travel companies to 3rd party operators, spas and health resorts, wellness communities, consumer-packaged goods and healthy lifestyle companies. And after two decades of working in what I like to call the “business of wellness”, it’s nice to see the legitimacy of what’s now considered a $3.7 trillion-dollar marketplace including many of the brands and concepts I’ve had the honor of helping along the way.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I’d like to be known as someone who truly helped people to live well, showed up for the people she loved, and enjoyed life while doing it.
