Aída’s First Forays into Business

Aída, born and raised in Bilbao and educated at Northeastern University in Boston, tends to capture the messages life sends her; one senses she is very much an adventurer at heart, a person who is open to change as she lets inspiration rather than fear guide her every move. In Boston, Aída completed studies in business administration and marketing, graduating summa cum laude. Upon graduation she returned to Bilbao, keen to start a business. “I realised I needed to work alongside others. In Boston I completed an internship at Victoria’s Secret and in Bilbao I started working on the launch of the Sheraton Hotel. I began studying Spanish business protocol and was advised that if I wanted to eventually organise fashion shows, I could start out by modelling. I had modelled in Boston before so I thought ‘Why not?’. I joined a beauty contest and won Miss Vizcaya. Suddenly I became a public figure and I had to attend events, appear on TV, get up at 6pm to work out with my personal trainer then start working again on the Sheraton project. It was ‘intense’ to say the least!”

Telling it Like it is

Aída next made headlines when she told the judges of Miss España that she was not interested in taking home the title. “All the TV channels called me and asked me why I had opted out, but there were things I was uncomfortable with in that world. Moreover, I wanted to work on my career. I received an offer to fulfil the post of Marketing Director of the Palacio de Congresos de Monterey and i jumped at the chance. A year later, I returned to Bilbao and was keen to start a business from scratch. My company, Aída Aguirre (then called Infiniti Style) was born in 2004. I did everything, from A to Z, offering brands an integrated service that involved everything from advertising to branding, logo design, communications, PR, hostessing, event organisation and post event PR.” Aída landed great clients, thanks to the contacts she had made as Miss Vizcaya. One of her first clients was no less than Megapark: the biggest shopping centre in the North of Spain.

Birth of a Brand Ambassador

Aída blossomed into a brand ambassador for Bilbao, appearing on television and sharing information on exciting things going on in the City. “Brands began approaching me and asking me to wear their clothing or jewellery to events. While representing them at events I also organised everything from the launch of a golf course to organising weddings, presenting events and organising events. Her company was incredibly profitable yet Aída notes, “They saved money with me because I offered a very complete service; I even presented their events for them.”

Like many top companies, Aída’s suffered from the crisis, with some clients owing her quite a sum of money. Aída, a wise woman who reads the business environment well, decided to take a break. It was then that she noticed a new phenomenon: the rise of the female blogger. “I thought, ‘I know all the big brands and companies, I can do that.’” She was right! She initially found that some companies weren’t aware of the power of social media for brand awareness. “Back than, concepts such as hashtags and tagging were not common marketing terms,” she notes.

Motherly Duties

In 2011, Aída gave birth to her first child, and soon after, a second baby arrived. This was the ideal time to work on blogging and on making the switch to video blogging. In 2014, just three years after becoming a mum, Aída won the Best Video Blogger in Spain award, testimony to her eye for fashion and style, but also for how well she models clothing, jewellery, make-up… Soon after she began creating additional companies, including an electro-fitness company alongside her husband, an expert mountain climber. As she hails from a family that specialised in construction, she embarked on a project alongside her husband and brothers, buying land in Costa Rica for its development and construction. The land is located in Mal Pais and the project is named after her daughter, Angela. Currently Aída works as marketing director, with a view to finding international real estate investors interested in buying the development and land. “Our neighbours there were Sylvester Stallone and Gisele Bundchen,” she laughs.

Overcoming Challenges

Aída’s health took a turn for the worse when she developed an infection and had to be hospitalised for two months. “I was told I could die,” she says, “and because I believe in countering death with life, I made my husband promise that if I overcame this, we would have a third child. He agreed! Surviving such a big health condition changed me. I decided I wanted to live somewhere sunny. I saw a TV programme on Marbella one day and thought it would be perfect for my company, since there are many luxury brands I already had contact with. I’ve been here for two years and a half now and I am super happy that my husband was on board with the move. I have the best husband in a world; he believes that a family’s happiness is very much dependent on a mum’s happiness.”

Marbella Opens its Doors

Aída also sees Marbella as “the best European city which could serve as a door to moving overseas once again… I love Florida, California, Cancun… I don’t know where I’ll end up but at the moment Marbella is the ideal place for my family. I love seeing my kids enjoying the pool and sunny weather, not having to put up with traffic jams, yet still enjoying a dynamic entrepreneurial life.” Aída has already lined up important clients in Puerto Banús, with services ranging from public relations to brand awareness through her stunning vlogs. Some of her clients include Elisabetta Franchi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Marks & Spencer, and Puerto Banús, currently completely revamping its image with a new marketing team.

Aída the Eco Ambassador

Aída discovered that she has a rare disease called Ehlers-Danlos, which affects the processing of collagen. It can make one feel fatigued, which inspired her to make major lifestyle changes. She is thus keenly aware of sustainably sourced health foods such as coconut oil, acai, or chia seeds, and loves sharing her knowledge of their effects with her followers and clients. Motherhood has led to a growing interest in the organic, natural lifestyle, and she combines these interests perfectly as a ‘mummy blogger’ in Marbella. She has also embraced spirituality, which is an important pillar in her life. “When you love, forgive, and hope, life is in balance. You develop empathy for others but also self-compassion.” Aída is ‘all that’ and more: fearless, fun, full of life. “There is a saying that nothing is impossible for God, so with patience and love everything is possible.”

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

www.aidaaguirre.com

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