Mita Quiogue: From skin care to desserts to health technology

By Cristina DC Pastor

Ever since Mita Valentino Quiogue discovered the thrill of entrepreneurship, she has never stopped creating and investing.

“I don’t know how to stay still,” she said with a laugh. “If I see potential, I go into it.”

In 2009, she launched Glossy Skinnovation, a spa dedicated to pampering hardworking women in the heart of Manhattan. Located near Madison Square Garden, the clinic became a sanctuary in New York City’s relentless jungle with women exhausted from long office hours seeking refuge in Mita’s treatment rooms for beauty and relaxation.

But Mita is not one to cling to old ways.

As the beauty industry evolved, so did she. Glossy Skinnovation transitioned from a physical spa into a tech-based skincare line. The treatment beds and equipment? They’re now languishing in her house, she said with a laugh when interviewed by The FilAm.

“I need to let go of things that do not serve my business goals,” she said.

A sweet pivot

Mita’s entrepreneurial appetite didn’t stop at skincare. She entered the grab-and-go food business, becoming a distributor of pre-packaged snacks available at kiosks. She spotted trends early — Tanghulu sweets and Dubai chocolate, for instance — and proudly calls herself a pioneer in introducing them to her market.

Her concept focuses on aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-assemble treats that travel well and are accessible. She envisions affordable, oven-baked or air-fried items, similar to Jamaican patties — an empanada-style pastry — convenient but not expensive.

“I like grab-and-go food,” she explains. “Not too expensive, but delicious.”

Enter medical technology

Today, Mita’s latest and most ambitious venture is in healthcare technology.

She is now the CEO of a 20-year-old medical technology company operating both in the Philippines and the United States. She acquired the practice after purchasing a medical clinic in Elmhurst during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company called AKA Medical is a system that allows doctors to monitor patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension without requiring frequent in-person visits.

“It’s like telehealth,” she explained. “But more comprehensive.”

Her company introduced a service called Remote Patient Monitoring. It serves as the back office for medical clinics. They manage billing, insurance verification, compliance, and patient monitoring allowing doctors to focus solely on patient care.

“We make money for doctors through reimbursements and volume,” Mita said. “They don’t need to hire additional staff. We handle everything.”

Here’s how it works:

-Patients are sent FDA-approved devices — blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, weighing scales, and oxygen monitors. The devices connect to the company’s  HIPAA-compliant platform.

–Caregivers and family members are trained to use the equipment.

–Data is transmitted directly to the system. The medical team monitors readings and reports to physicians.

“We don’t go to the patient’s house,” she clarified. “We train them and their caregivers. We monitor remotely. We report to the doctors.”

The service is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, she said. Her company bills insurance providers directly.

“It saves money for the government,” she explained. “We prevent hospitalization. We take care of patients before it gets worse.”

Currently, AKA operates nationwide, with strong coverage in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and New Jersey. The company is only six months old but growing rapidly, she said. It employs 15 staff members, including a Fifth Avenue office team, though much of the operation remains remote.

A personal drive

Mita balances her ambitious ventures with mothering. A mom of two, her eldest, Angela is 21, is in her third year of college studying Business Administration while her youngest, Angelus is 14, and still in high school.

“My kids see my business,” she said. “They understand hard work.”

Her path hasn’t been without setbacks. She openly shared that she was deceived in a previous business deal.

“Niloko ako,” she said candidly. “But that’s business. You learn.”

Still, she keeps moving forward. She remains guided by one instinct: to create and evolve, and to reinvent if the business is going nowhere.

She said, “If there’s a problem to solve, there’s a business to build.”