Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Larmond.
Hi Ariel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Ariel Larmond, “Ari of America” online. I was born in New York City, but Orlando is where I was raised. I grew up here from the age of four, and even though life took me back to New York for a few years to work in film, I came back in 2020.
When COVID hit, everything reset. I moved back to Orlando, went to law school, and pushed pause on a lot of the creative dreams I had been building. Law school was intense, it demanded everything I had, and for a long time it drained the creative energy that made me feel alive.
While studying for the bar, I made a promise to myself: after I pass this exam, I’m going to choose the life that truly moves me. And once I passed, I meant it. To be honest this was also a promise to the person I was in NYC. I worked on some big projects with amazing talents I learned a lot from and never shared any of it publicly. That fear set me back without even knowing it.
Fast forward to 2025, I started posting videos, slowly at first, documenting my experience learning Brazilian Portuguese (still learning lol) and the love I have for soccer, culture, and the everyday moments that make Orlando special. That grew into me filming my pickup games, highlighting the people around me, and creating segments like The People’s Pitch, Pass the Mic and Partners of Players (I guess I like the letter P), where I hand the mic to teammates, friends, and even someone’s mom to let them share their voice. I learned that I love watching others enjoy their love for soccer while getting to be a creative on the mic.
I’ve also been building a creative brand rooted right here in the city — making spec ads, collaborating with local businesses, and showing what makes Orlando a hidden creative gem. I’ve learned that this city is full of talent, culture, humor, and heart, and I want my work to reflect that.
I hope my story shows that you can be multifaceted — a lawyer, a creator, an athlete, a storyteller — and still call Orlando home.
My creative journey is still growing (really just starting) and I have big goals for here and abroad, but Orlando is the foundation.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think one of the biggest challenges has been learning to trust my own voice. For a long time, especially during law school, I stopped sharing my creativity because I felt like I needed to choose one identity—either be the serious, disciplined law student or the creative storyteller. I didn’t think I was allowed to be both.
Law school was tough emotionally and mentally. It demanded so much that my creativity went quiet for years, and when I finally started filming again, I had this fear of putting myself out there. I was making progress behind closed doors but too scared to show anyone. That battle with self-doubt, perfectionism, and worrying about how people would perceive me was one of my biggest hurdles.
Another challenge has been starting over, twice. Moving back to Orlando after film work in New York, then rebuilding again after COVID, meant relearning how to create community from scratch. A lot of what I do now — from passing the mic to my teammates to highlighting local voices — comes from knowing what it feels like to feel disconnected and trying to rebuild.
Balancing two careers — law and content — has also been a challenge. I work full-time in entertainment contracts, and building a creative brand on top of that means long nights, early mornings, and a lot of trust that the work will pay off.
But every challenge taught me something. The biggest lesson has been realizing that I don’t need permission to build the life I want. And now, every time I post or create something new, I think of the version of me who was stuck in the law library, dreaming of something bigger. She’s the reason I keep going.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a creator, storyteller, and community-builder whose work blends soccer culture, language learning, local stories, and creative filmmaking. I specialize in making people feel seen — whether that’s through mic’d-up pickup soccer videos, street-style interviews, or spec ads created in partnership with local Orlando businesses.
My content lives at the intersection of culture, humor, and heart. With segments like, Pass the Mic and Partners of Players, where I let my teammates, friends/family share their voice. Those moments are some of my favorites because they show the real people who make Orlando what it is.
I also create spec ads and collaborative content for small businesses, especially hidden gems across Orlando. I love taking a shop, food spot, or local brand and giving it the kind of creative storytelling usually reserved for big-budget campaigns (even if it doesn’t look big budget interest the production process as such…..or try to) It’s important to me that our city’s local entrepreneurs feel spotlighted and celebrated.
What sets me apart is that my work is both cinematic and community-driven. I’m not just filming myself — I’m building a world around me. My content isn’t about perfect aesthetics; it’s about connection, culture, and the story that’s unfolding in real time. And because I have a background in film and a career in entertainment, I bring a level of professionalism, structure, and narrative clarity that’s rare in the grassroots creator world ( at least I hope).
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I definitely didn’t get here alone. First, my family deserves a lot of credit. They supported me through law school and the long periods where I wasn’t creating anything publicly.
The Orlando soccer community deserves a massive shoutout! My teammates are the reason my content feels alive — they’re the ones who jump on the mic, hype me up, joke around with me, and remind me that storytelling is meant to be shared. The soccer videos only exist because the people around me were willing to play, laugh, and be themselves on camera.
A big thank you also goes to the local business owners and creatives who trusted me early on — the shops that let me shoot in their space.
My videographer Joell is amazing! He lets me ramble on about ideas and he shows up and shoots it even if don’t know what I’m talking about lol. He is very patient and I appreciate that he lets me focus on other parts of the production. I never have to worry about the footage.
I also appreciate all of my friends and family that allow me the space to change plans last minute, that do my make up for free, give me feedback, or let me ask 1,000 hypothetical questions about a potential shoot. Without them I would truly not know struggle. I’d like to note that I truly hate not being able to pay creatives their worth. We have limited professional roles and we all deserve compensation. So for those that gave me their hand I am indebted.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariofamerica?igsh=N3p0cW16b3dnMjhj&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ariofamerica?si=Lw3nq2lEAWGpBwQH
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ariofamerica?_r=1&_t=ZT-91pXjSBaFzy
Image Credits
Joell Hernandez
