We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Mason recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kayla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?
Breathwork, cold plunging, herbal support and mindful drinking all seem to be trends that are peaking or on the rise! These types of practices are becoming so much more available now and I think people are starting to take their health into their own hands and question the subconscious patterns that they were brought up with. One thing that has been huge for me has been finding alternatives to drinking alcohol. My previous career was in industrial construction, and it was very common to head to a bar after work for team building or to unwind. To be a “team player” you were inadvertently expected to be there. I think companies are becoming aware that they need to offer more inclusive options to their employees and healthier alternatives to what seems to be an old way of doing things.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I was transferred for work from Canada to California in 2014 as a combustion turbine specialist! I had been working in the field, moving from city to city building power plants, since 2010 and was given the choice after California to move to Kansas City for a more stable position. And I took it! That choice became a pivotal one in my health and wellness career. Once I was able to settle in, I realized how burnt out I was from the previous years of moving around and the grueling hours of the construction industry. I began to seek out the various healing modalities in Kansas City, including ayurveda, Chinese medicine, herbalism and yoga. I received my yoga teacher certification in 2017 and began teaching from then on! In 2021, I hosted my first wellness summit, bringing people in the wellness world together to talk about psylocibin, intuitive healing, akashic records, cold plunging and more! And in 2022, I was able to host my second summit at The Crossroads Hotel, discussing mind-gut connection, cannabis medicine, hormone health, and healing your inner child. While I still plan on hosting a 2023 summit, my attention has currently shifted into the NA (non-alcoholic) space. My business partner and I co-founded SipSteady which is a marketing, PR and event agency supporting innovative alcohol-free brands and sober-friendly businesses. We are seeing a huge need for more inclusive options in Kansas City and beyond, and are so thrilled to be able to bring this to KC. We just hosted Dry Vibes Weekend, our first big launch event for SipSteady. Stay tuned for more connective experiences that don’t involve alcohol coming soon!
Have you ever had to pivot?
I feel like I am constantly pivoting! Although it may seem like I have it all together and have been able to host some big events, the truth is there have been MANY failed attempts behind it and a lot of hard work. I have tried to start so many businesses; from a juicing Instagram page to a balanced lifestyle blog, corporate yoga (which actually did pretty well), Breathe KC which is now Awake & Relaxed, and now SipSteady! And while attempting many of those businesses, I was still working full-time in engineering and longing to make wellness my career. There were so many times that I was ready to quit my day job, but deep down knowing that it wasn’t the right time yet or that my business wasn’t actually making the money I needed it to be able to cover my bills. That will be different for everyone. Be open to pivoting! Test things out. Trial and error. Most things are just a problem to be solved, and if comes to one that you don’t care about solving, then you either need to delegate or decide if it is really right for you. That being said, be cautious of pivoting too much. Squirrel! Being consciously optimistic can mean that once you start a new project, you are over the moon and ready to give it your all. But once that dips back down, as it most likely will with a bump in the road, we lose momentum and sometimes want to chase what’s next. Evaluate where you’re at, try to stay laser focused, and if it no longer feels aligned, then move on.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
My business partner and co-founder of SipSteady, which raises awareness about all the NA options out there, actually met over margaritas. We had gotten together with a mutual friend and headed out for delicious Mexican cuisine on southwest boulevard. I think it might have been 2-for-1 that night and we each received a large and in charge lime margarita with our order. My friend shortly after that, decided to go alcohol-free. I had been exploring different NA products at home as well, and we made sure to always have the option available at gatherings and get togethers for those that wanted to take a break from drinking. My same friend, Sarah, told me about her idea for SipSteady shortly after that but we didn’t talk about it much until last summer! About a year later, a few friends had gathered at my house for our own mini business mastermind, where we could share our ideas, issues and goals within our own businesses. Sarah brought up SipSteady again, and we went back and forth on all of the possibilities there were for the brand. She graciously asked if I would like to partner on it, and we expanded on our offerings from there! And while I am not completely alcohol-free, my approach is more from the wellness aspect and having the options out there. I think we make a really great team and we have big goals within this space.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.awakeandrelaxed.com, www.sipsteady.com
- Instagram: @awakeandrelaxed @sipsteady_
- Facebook: @sipsteady
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-mason
Image Credits
Samantha Levi (for all photos)