We were lucky to catch up with Aida M. Toro recently and have shared our conversation below.
Aida M. , we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity has come from my parents, as I’ve witnessed them help family members, friends, and even strangers without any conditions. Ever since I was a kid, I have had people look up to me, from cousins to close friends, because they would always see me live my life to the beat of my drum. Even to this very day, I have followers, family members, friends, and even strangers on platforms such as Instagram asking how I do it all when it comes to my career and that I am so blessed with the support my parents, older brother, mentor and sister Natalie, and best friends shower me with. Not to mention that many of these people are just in awe of how I land opportunities.
When these comments reach my inboxes or DMs, I always try to provide empathy for those who are seeking someone to vent to or advice when it comes to pursuing something they love because not everyone receives that support, so for me, giving someone support, even if I don’t know them makes my heart warm. I’m also one to share experiences with people I love or those seeking to prosper in their careers. These experiences entail taking them out to dinner and sharing those experiences to make them smile or motivate them to go after what they want. For me, sharing a meal and treating someone is the highlight of my day, and I’ve witnessed my parents do this without any conditions, which is highly generous and something I firmly believe in. Lastly, if I hear of opportunities that would suit a specific person, I automatically put them on because just like I deserve opportunities, so do others.
Overall, giving without expectation is equivalent to being kind. For me, that’s a win.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Aida M. Toro (the M stands for Maria, my middle name). I am a Colombian-American freelance lifestyle writer based in the New York Metro area. I cover celebrity/tastemaker long-form feature profiles, dining experiences at restaurants, entertainment, wellness, and now travel and leisure. In addition, I’ve extended my love and talent for the written word into copywriting. I am currently a freelance, more like a “permalance” (permanent freelancer), e-comm copywriter for Schutz shoes.
I decided to branch out as a freelance lifestyle writer/e-comm copywriter during the pandemic after being laid off for almost two years from my first-ever job as a North Jersey Media Group local reporter. I’ve always wanted to tell authentic stories about personalities, whether they are celebrities or up-and-comers who have a purpose. As for the dining and travel landscape, I have always been a major sucker for top-notch dining experiences and state-of-the-art hotels, as my parents have exposed me to fine dining as well as to unique experiences where my palate was never disappointed as well as to always lodging at hotels that never disappointed during our travels. Lastly, fitness and wellness have always been a major part of my life, as my parents always had me doing sports as a kid, such as gymnastics and running.
Of course, fashion has always been one of the major loves of my life, which is why I enjoy writing about it for brands, especially for Schutz, as it is one of Arezzo’s high-profile footwear brands in the game.
What I love about both forms of writing is that I tell authentic stories, whether about a person, restaurant, hotel, or product, from a pair of shoes to clothing and more.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three most impactful qualities throughout this journey for me and continue to impact me are resilience, grit, and wit. The advice I could give to those who are in the early stages of their journey, along with those who don’t even know where to begin, is to grab a notebook or blank piece of paper and write down things they love and jot questions down such as “why do I love doing this”, “why do I want to pursue this”, “is it worth my mental health”, “how will I turn this thing that I love doing into streams of income”…once you have the answers, then GO FOR IT. While going for it, always look at yourself in the mirror, AFFIRM that your dreams are coming to fruition, and KNOW that the journey is worth it.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
To name just one person would be an understatement. So, with this in mind, I’m going to name teams and people who contributed to the cultivation of the professional and person I am today.
The first person I automatically have to mention is my dad. My dad taught me so many skills at such a young age, from reading to financial literacy to the resilience and grit I needed to strive as a student, athlete, and professional.
The second person would be my mom, as she’s always instilled creativity into my soul, so I express myself uniquely through my writing. Creativity plays a big role when it comes to being a writer, so I’ve given my mom kudos for that. Even though she wasn’t a writer, she was creative via other outlets, such as art and calligraphy, similar to how I instill creativity into my writing.
The third person would be my brother Adrian. My brother has always been one of my greatest role models as he’s had a plethora of different careers, from pursuing a career in music to working corporate in the financial district in NYC in the early 2000s to now being an elementary and middle school teacher focusing on coaching bilingual students in a variety of subjects.
Lastly, Natalie Tran Steger is not just one of my closest friends but someone I consider a mentor and big sister. She founded Great Social Club, a boutique public relations agency based out of Wyoming catering to the NYC metro area/LA and more on lifestyle, fashion, art, etc. Natalie met me at a point in my life during the pandemic when I lacked self-confidence due to my being laid off for almost two years and going through a breakup from a long-term eight-year relationship. She taught me the value of communication and how to switch your mindset to that “you could do it” mentality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aidamtoro.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidamtoro/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aida-m-toro-07558744
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AidaMToro?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Image Credits
Aida M. Toro
Jazmine Padin
