Meet Aida Mandić | Entrepreneur, Author, Poet, Songwriter, Inventor, Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aida Mandić and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aida, how does your business help the community?
I write books. I think that it’s important to speak your truth and be a catalyst for change in the world. I write about socially relevant topics such as war, bullying, rape, hatred, love, friendship, self-respect, etc. I am very raw and very real. I don’t sugarcoat. I think that it’s crucial to be as direct as possible. My experiences as a Bosnian Genocide survivor have inspired me to empower others.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I worked my tail off to get to where I am today. I had to research a lot to get to information. Nothing was handed to me on a silver platter.  I worked at different places as a social media consultant, teacher, blogger, executive communication coach, image consultant, and motivational speaker. I grew up all over the world as a kid so I like to embrace change.As a Bosnian ex-refugee, my childhood was rough. That compelled me to think for myself and to be independent. I analyze situations and people very quickly. This thought process led me to publish 116 books. I can spot ideas/trends/danger/friends/enemies from a mile away. I have a strong sonar for people and things. This helps me to not waste my time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci. They have fascinating life stories. Very interesting people. I love Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. That’s where I was born. Bosnian zeljanica is delicious. Zeljanica is spinach pie. I also like San Francisco quite a lot. Japantown is so cool. Chinatown is awesome. I love Asian cuisine. I guess that living in Malaysia for 4 years had that impact on me. From age 3 to age 7, I lived in Malaysia as a refugee escaping war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their food is heavenly. I love Los Angeles because it’s so big. So much space! Soup is one of my favorite foods. I also like Italian and Mexican food. Like, literally anything that is Italian or Mexican. Fried food is addictive. I would fry my shoe and eat it! Maybe that’s not the healthiest choice, but it is the funniest choice!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Mom deserves immense recognition for helping me succeed. Sanija Mandić-Zuko is her name. She was the first person in her family to graduate from college. She survived the Bosnian Genocide. She survived discrimination and hatred in America because of intense xenophobia. My Mom was often one of the only support systems I had. I bow down to her greatness.

Website: https://www.aidamandic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidawesome/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidamandic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aidawesomeee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aidamandicbooks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aidawesome

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@aidawesome https://medium.com/@Aidawesome https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17046592.Aida_Mandic