Mia Choi is the founder and president of MAS. She splits her time between Boulder, Colo.; Asbury Park, N.J., and London.
How she got her start: "I grew up in Los Angeles, so perhaps it was inevitable that I started my career in the film business. Though I wore many different hats during my time in film, I kept finding myself in charge of producing events, like the Independent Spirit Awards for IFP/West. And I loved it.
Photo: Courtesy of Mia Choi
Every event is an opportunity to get wildly imaginative—and we take it."
What innovation means to her: "It means never getting too comfortable. It’s not about chasing shiny new tech or the next trend—it’s about being provocative, breaking rules, and burning down your last great idea to get to a new one. To me, staying innovative isn’t an option; it’s a necessity. I’ve built a career, a company, and a reputation on staying sharp, staying curious, and never getting complacent.
This industry moves fast. The minute you start coasting, you’re already behind. MAS keeps me inspired. The team is relentless; they’re smart and they're unconventional. We challenge each other, and that friction—that's where great work lives." 
To Choi, innovation is about "breaking rules, and burning down your last great idea to get to a new one."Photo: Courtesy of Mia Choi
Memorable moments: "A true career highlight was selling MAS to Opus Group in 2018. What a proud moment for my co-founder and me, to know we had built something from the ground up that had become so valuable—and was selected four times as an AdAge Best Place to Work. Going global had been our goal from the start. Selling provided us the leverage, reach, and security to branch out on a global scale. Thanks to the backing of Opus Group, we were able to get there much quicker.
Over the past seven years, we’ve grown stronger, we’ve grown larger, and we’ve worked to make MAS a recognizable name across the industry. This milestone meant even more to us as women of color. With that sale, we became trailblazers. We had defied the odds in an industry where less than 2% of women ever build and successfully sell a business." 
MAS regularly works with clients including Nespresso, Google, YouTube, and CrowdStrike.Photo: Courtesy of Mia Choi
Her hope for the future of experiential: "I hope we never forget that connection is the core of everything we do. Our profession is designed to bring people together: connecting them to ideas, to brands, and most importantly to each other. In an increasingly divided world, helping brands find their humanity might just be the most radical thing we can do.
I hope we always keep a global perspective and never lose sight of the human experience: the universal and individual aspects that shape all of our lives. Does this sometimes involve lasers, disco balls, or 40-foot-tall gumball machines? Absolutely! But the power of what we do doesn’t come from the spectacle; it comes from the sentiment.
What makes the experience much more than the sum of its parts is being rooted in feeling. I hope that our industry will keep making space for people who are boundary pushers, risk-takers, big dreamers, and bold thinkers. 'Feel Something More' isn't just a tagline at MAS—it's our north star. I believe MAS will continue to create experiences that resonate with people long after they leave them." 
"I’ve built a career, a company, and a reputation on staying sharp, staying curious, and never getting complacent," she says.Photo: Courtesy of Mia Choi
What's next: "MAS means more. More voices. More backgrounds. More brought to the table. More bold, innovative solutions. I can’t imagine slowing down anytime soon, especially now that we’re global! Demand is at an all-time high for unforgettable experiences that transcend time zones and harness the power of international teams, and we’re excited to continue achieving record-breaking results for brands looking to have global impact.
Back at our virtual home base, our operations team is working on earning ISO certification for our agency-wide commitment to quality and environmental sustainability. Though we don’t have our entire future mapped out, I know we'll remain committed to growth, setting clear targets, exceeding expectations, and tracking real results. As a team, we will continue to build on our successes and deliver MORE, globally and sustainably." 
"We’re excited to continue achieving record-breaking results for brands looking to have global impact."Photo: Courtesy of Mia Choi
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This feature is sponsored by Gladiator Productions, a new kind of production company igniting magic in the arena of live events, entertainment, and experience. We consistently partner with our clients by providing high-touch service through every step of the production process.
