Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Esther Castillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Esther, appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

When I started Accesso Care, I made a lot of mistakes—it’s one thing to know the field, and another to dive into the actual work. I’ve spent years working with immigrant populations, from being an ESL teacher to managing community health programs, serving as a community liaison, and designing workforce development initiatives in public health and vaccine equity. However, this venture—preparing immigrant workers to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and work in nursing home facilities—was a whole new challenge.

In the beginning (summer of 2023), we invested heavily in funding individual students to complete their CNA courses, even providing stipends to support them. But we quickly learned that not everyone was ready or in the right position to take up this work. While financial incentives can empower those in need, they also attract individuals who may not align with the mission.

By the end of 2023, our initial optimism had led to significant financial losses, which was a hard lesson. Recruiting isn’t just about filling spots; it requires a thoughtful process and deep relationship-building. There are no shortcuts to building trust and a committed team. When we hit a low point, I had to rebuild from what remained—a group of six individuals who were truly committed to the journey.

In the spring of 2024, I became deeply involved in supporting these six individuals, which opened my eyes to the many barriers they faced. I hosted study groups, helped them navigate administrative challenges like scheduling exams, and addressed practical issues such as transportation, access to technology, and finding quiet spaces to study. I’ll never forget driving a student to her exam site at 5:30 AM so she could take her exam at 7 AM.

Through these experiences, I realized how much support immigrant workers need to succeed. From the very beginning of their journey—getting physicals, PPD exams, and background checks—to navigating the CNA course and exams, to finally onboarding as licensed workers, every step posed challenges.

I didn’t just learn this theoretically—I experienced it by walking alongside these individuals. This hands-on approach helped me build systems to address these barriers: creating orientation processes, implementing a buddy system, and ensuring ongoing support at every stage.

Launching a mission-driven business requires more than a great idea—it takes resilience, humility, and a willingness to adapt. Supporting immigrant workers in their journey isn’t just about filling roles but creating systems and relationships that ensure their success and wellbeing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve had the privilege of wearing many hats throughout my career, which has given me a unique perspective and skill set. I began as a sociology professor, earning a PhD in sociology and teaching in the academic space. While I loved working with students, I eventually felt a pull to make a more direct impact. This led me to transition into the nonprofit sector, where I focused on community health, designing and managing programs that served immigrant populations. Later, I was recruited into local government, where I worked at a more strategic level, guiding workforce development and community engagement initiatives.

Through all these transitions, one thing has remained constant: my passion for community work. Whether in academia, nonprofits, or government, I’ve always focused on finding ways to engage and uplift communities, meeting people where they are and designing strategies that drive meaningful change.

My journey with Accesso Care began when my husband, Jimmy, shared his deep passion for addressing the nursing home staffing crisis. With over 15 years of experience in the nursing home industry, Jimmy became increasingly focused after COVID-19 on improving the quality of care for nursing home residents. Inspired by Jimmy’s vision, I took the lead in transforming his idea into Accesso Care, a mission-driven initiative that aligns with my professional expertise and values—building community and ensuring that care is delivered with dignity.

At Accesso Care, we support immigrant workers in becoming Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and placing them in nursing home facilities. What sets us apart from traditional staffing agencies is that we don’t just place people in jobs; we create processes, build support systems, and foster a sense of community. Our goal isn’t just to help people get jobs but to help them thrive and stay in those roles long-term by ensuring they feel a sense of belonging and purpose.

One of the things I’m most proud of is our program participants. They come from all over the globe—Ukraine, Burma, Congo, and beyond. Their resilience and stories inspire me every day. These individuals are hardworking and culturally competent, filling a critical gap in the nursing home industry by serving an increasingly diverse elder population in our country.

Accesso Care isn’t just a staffing agency—it’s a community-driven initiative to transform care with dignity and respect. Through my leadership and our team’s commitment, we’ve created a model that uplifts immigrant workers and ensures meaningful, long-term impacts in the nursing home industry.

As an immigrant myself, I deeply understand the challenges our participants face, and I feel privileged to lead an organization that is mission-driven and value-aligned. It’s not just about solving an industry problem; it’s about doing so with integrity, care, and respect for the people at the heart of it. That’s what sets us apart and something I’m deeply proud of.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One of the most defining moments of resilience in my journey was when we came dangerously close to losing the only nursing home facility contract we had at the time. It all began with an administrative oversight—an honest mistake on our part—but one with potentially devastating consequences. Suddenly, the trust we had built with our partner was at risk, and our entire business felt fragile.

Rebuilding trust after a critical mistake was humbling. By addressing the issue transparently and staying true to our mission, we ultimately preserved the partnership and emerged stronger.

Resilience is about owning mistakes, learning from them, and remaining true to your mission, even in the face of uncertainty. Challenges test your leadership, but they also provide opportunities to grow stronger and more prepared for the future.

These lessons have prepared us for the exciting growth we’re seeing now as we expand our impact and continue to empower more immigrant workers.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I deeply believe that fostering a sense of community within the team is the key to maintaining high morale. It’s not just about me, as the leader, being the sole source of motivation—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels supported and empowered to uplift each other when they can.

Trust is the foundation of this community, and it’s something we must actively nurture, especially as new people join the team. To build trust, I strive to practice what I preach by demonstrating care, fairness, and respect in my actions. A key part of building trust is keeping promises—when I say I’m going to do something, I follow through. This consistency shows my team that I take their concerns seriously and sets the tone for how we operate as an organization.

For example, a CNA once described herself as “being left in the jungle,” which highlighted a gap in our processes. I didn’t stay behind the scenes. Instead, I set up one-on-one meetings with our CNAs to identify gaps directly and ensure they felt heard. We discovered that they needed more hands-on experience before fully transitioning into their roles. In response, we partnered with nursing homes to implement a buddy system, pairing new CNAs with experienced team members for shadowing and guidance. Additionally, we enhanced our orientation process to better prepare them for the realities of their work. This showed that my commitment to their well-being is more than words—it’s backed by action.

When morale is high during the good times, we build the resilience needed to weather challenges. Trust acts as a reserve we can draw on, so we’re not reacting out of panic or uncertainty when difficulties arise. Instead, we face them together, knowing we’ve already laid the groundwork for collaboration and mutual support. By building trust and community within our team, we create a foundation that enables us to serve our clients with excellence and care.

We’d love for you to explore our work and see how we’re building community and care every day. Visit us at www.accessocare.com to learn more!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.accessocare.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/accessocare
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/accessocare/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accesso-care