Mia Feist
I started out in the beauty industry, I'm an Esthetician and Cosmetologist. I was still very much in love with my job, but it didn’t feel like a career, and wasn't matching up with my goals. So, I decided to go back to school and obtained my BS in Communications at ASU. My job here at OTA is my first since getting a degree. I was very nervous, I admit. I never had a job that was not service industry based. Before I was in the beauty field, I worked primarily in service industries. I was worried about what it was going to be like and now, I wonder, "How I ever did that?"
I will definitely use my past experiences for the rest of my life. You learn from the service industry. Things like conversational skills, courtesy, politeness, and patience become extremely important. Treat those the way you want to be treated is a motto I live by.
I have also learned to separate work from personal. "This is my professional face. This is my personal face." It's helpful because not everybody's going to pat you on the back and hold your hand. Sometimes you have to be okay with people being direct and not get defensive. "People make mistakes, it happens, and you get better by learning from them.”
I grew up mostly in Claremont, CA. I moved to Orange County six years ago, where shortly after I met my husband. Travis and I have been together for five years now and share 3 cats. Two of them are brothers, and another one came and hung out at one of my old apartments. When we moved I just couldn't part ways with him, so we took him. He's our third addition, and they all get along like three peas in a pod. Their names are Bonez, Felix, and Grumpy.
I love any physical activities such as hiking, running, paddle boarding, spinning, swimming in the ocean, anything like that. I love to travel. Some of my favorite destinations include Italy, Turks & Caicos, and Hawaii. I am now working on more domestic travel, to see what’s in my own backyard.
I have a thing about numbers, or I should say I pay attention to them. The number 22 has always been my favorite number. It’s the day I was born. My husband proposed to me on the 22nd. We got married one the 22nd. And believe it or not, my hire date at OTA was on the 22nd. And I know it sounds weird, but I started in OTA's 22nd year. “With all these weird cool connections, I can honestly say that OTA is meant to be.” The culture and love expressed here is a perfect fit for me, and my life.
