Carmen Castillo is President & CEO of SDI International Corp. She was born and raised in Spain before she decided to move to Florida. Now she is the owner of the largest Latina-owned business in the United States.
Castillo says that one of the mentors who influenced her career was the chairman of Superior Group in New York.
“He was pivotal in guiding me and SDI through our growth process, sharing his insights and experience to help us navigate the complex waters of staffing, client recruitment and retention, and financial and legal aspects. Twenty-five years later we continue to do business across the globe. I have always felt fortunate and grateful to have had such a stellar mentor so early in my career.”
Castillo says that she makes it a point to surround herself with people of all walks of life and work in order to learn from them. She also takes on 8–10 mentees in different industries, many of them Hispanic women business owners.
“We agree on areas of focus and build our mentorship relationship off the goals that my mentee has set forward. Few things make me as happy and proud as when I check in with my mentees and learn about their latest contracts or clients.”
Castillo believes that young Hispanic professionals and students should get out and try to find mentors and opportunities and be determined in their search. She suggests going through friends, family, and college and university staff and professors to help them find guidance in their specific field of interest. She emphasizes that today’s professionals are looking to pass on their knowledge.
“Go into LinkedIn or do a search for executives in target companies for your field of study, and dare to reach out and ask to be mentored. You’d be surprised at how many entrepreneurs and executives are more than willing to make the time to help others thrive. Life has taught me that if you don’t ask, you don’t know if you’ll get what you want. There’s no shame in asking for help.We’re here to build a new generation of leaders, and sharing our knowledge is the best way to pass the torch.”
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