Why Integrity Is Your Best Growth Strategy: Faith, Leadership, and Building Loyal Teams With Alex Castillo

What if the key to scaling your business wasn’t a new tool or tactic—but a radical commitment to integrity? In this episode of the Catalytic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Alex Castillo, a faith-driven entrepreneur who built his premium contracting company, AC Solutions and More, from the ground up—without ads, without shortcuts, and without compromising his values. His story is a masterclass in leading with purpose, building loyal teams, and growing a business others are willing to wait for.

If you’re an entrepreneur navigating the chaos of scaling, managing small teams, or struggling with client churn, Alex’s journey offers real-world parallels. We unpack what it takes to move from constant firefighting to faith-fueled clarity, and how embracing a servant leadership mindset transforms both company culture and customer retention. You’ll learn why investing in your team’s growth, practicing consistent follow-through, and standing firm in your principles might just be your most powerful growth strategies yet.

Connect with Alex Castillo

Discover more about Alex’s work or connect with his team by visiting AC Solutions and More on Google or Facebook. Check out their project photos, client reviews, and see why loyal customers are willing to wait months for his premium service.

Books Mentioned

• The Bible – mentioned by Alex Castillo as his foundational and daily-read book.

Right now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.

Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there!

Chapters

• 0:00 Alex Castillo's Inspiring Journey
• 9:37 Developing a Winning Mindset
• 19:55 Building on Faith and Integrity
• 29:02 Premium Service and Customer Relationships
• 31:45 Taking Risks and Training Leaders
• 36:45 Faith as Business Foundation
• 40:49 Final Thoughts and Connections

Transcript

Dr. William Attaway: 0:37

I'm excited today to have Alex Castillo on the podcast. Originally from El Salvador, alex has been in the construction industry for almost 20 years. He migrated to the US, had no place to stay and failure was not an option. He stood on corners looking for work, spoke no English, had no car and no family. He struggled, but he never stopped learning and trying to be the best in everything he did. God opened and closed doors for him, and today Alex is the founder and owner of AC Solutions and More, a premier full-service contracting company with a team that is dedicated to providing excellent service and pleasing their clients. Alex, I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for being on the show. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure.

Intro/Outro: 1:30

Welcome to Catalytic Leadership, the podcast designed to help leaders intentionally grow and thrive. Here is your host author and leadership and executive coach, dr William Attaway.

Dr. William Attaway: 1:47

Alex, I would love to start with you sharing a little bit of your story with our listeners, particularly around your journey and your development as a leader. How did you get started?

Alex Castillo: 1:58

Well, you know, I came to the US and well, still being a kid, I'll say at that time, you don't know what I mean, you're confused, you don't know what you're going to do with your life. You just know that you want to grow, you want to be better, you want to be someone in life, you know. But, like I said, and what you said in the description, you know said, and what you said in the in the description, it, um, you know, failure was not an option for me. I knew that I wanted it to be or do something with my life, but heading back home was not an option for me. Yeah, I think that, um, going going back, now that I look back when I, when I came and actually walking what my path and what god did for me always continue doing for me, has helped me to realize that all those times to be where I am right now is being part of the process.

Alex Castillo: 2:53

One problem I had it was like I never trusted and believed that I could achieve certain things, but I knew in my heart that I needed to succeed. So, you know, there's a few things that until I remember, like watching this video of this great pastor and I think I mentioned it before Mr TD Jakes. You know he said that one of his videos that we have a self-defeating belief system and that it's a fight that we have a self-defeating belief system and that then that it's a fight that we have in our brain constantly, where god says you are capable and the enemy says you are incapable, you can't, god says you can and then, and the enemy says you can't. That's right, and and it's a constant fight between the two forces. But then I said, okay, so how can I make myself to think constantly how I can be better?

Alex Castillo: 3:51

And then I said you know what? This is not our nature, it's not my nature. My nature is to just sit down and think that I can just relax and do what I wanted to do and not to look for something better. Right, but at the end I realized, you know, when I became a father at such a young age and being a father I remember that I stopped thinking okay, you know, I got to stop living my life and continue and provide what I didn't have for this new person in my life. So the choice was dead, that failure was not an option. Now that I have a kid, that shouldn't be a question at all. Yeah absolutely.

Alex Castillo: 4:32

And I remember going to the corners and thinking, okay, here I am, I am with different people, different people, different cultures, different countries, and standing in a corner and trying to figure it out. How can I make myself different? Because, you know, there's Mexicans, there's people from Guatemala, there's people from Nicaragua, nicaragua, Costa Rica. They all gather in one place. But I was like, how do I stand out from all these people that is in this corner? So when Americans come and try to find the right people, I look appealing to them, you know. And then I say, okay, so I don't want to look like that. I don't want to look like that. I need to show that I am different, okay. So I was like, okay, I'm going to change the way I look. I'm going to change. I'm going to look clean, I'm going to look, I want to be by myself, I'm going to move out of this crowd and move to this corner and then, if I get the opportunity to be hired by someone, then I'm going to give them my 110% and I think that will have a huge opportunity for me if they come back to hire me again. And I remember that formula I was not a formula, but that's what I thought that formula I was not a formula, but that's what I thought that's what keep bringing the same person over and over again every weekend, every Friday, every Saturday, and as time passed, well, he told his neighbor, the neighbor told his other neighbor, and that's how they got in contact with me and that's how I started having more jobs.

Alex Castillo: 6:02

And I didn't know anything about the United States how construction was, what was this? What was a I don't know a putting knife? Or how was a sprayer gun or how to use a brush. I didn't know any of that. Yeah, you know, and people took the time to teach me. And people took the time. Some of them were mean, some of them were nice, some of them were rude, some of them were not very friendly. But, you know, I took it all as it came, you know, and I think God has allowed to close and open doors for me. And now that I look back, I think, hey, wow, god closed this door to open these other three doors in my favor. Wow, I think in this industry it's very challenging, because I know there are a lot of different companies that they try very, very hard to succeed and we all want to succeed but at the same time is what are the core values that we are bringing into our clients, into our companies, to make sure that we are reaching out that potential or filling out that purpose?

Alex Castillo: 7:07

And one of the things I think is integrity. And do everything, regardless if someone is watching me or not watching me, but I know for a fact that God is looking at me, what I'm doing. At the end of the day, I owe everything to him, me or not watching me, but I know for a fact that God is looking at me, what I'm doing. At the end of the day, I owe everything to him, and I think that every blessing that comes my way, I have to treat my employees or the people that are working with me in a way that is honorable. That is good, that is.

Alex Castillo: 7:44

That is good, that is I don't know what will be the next word but that sharing my blessings with them, not just keep everything to me, because I think when God puts you in a position as a leader, you have that responsibility to guide these people in the path, and I think it's a big responsibility that you hold in your hands. The same way is yeah, they provide a service for you, but you also provide something to them. But at the end of the day, god hold me accountable for that people that comes to work for me. So that's how I see it. I see a little bit of what I do and I hope this helps someone out there that is trying to change or improve. I will say I don't know what else to tell you.

Dr. William Attaway: 8:34

Well, I think it's so interesting. I often say there's no such thing as a wasted experience. Everything that happens in our lives is either for our benefit, eventually, or something that will help us benefit people around us through the experience, through the story, ways that we can walk with somebody through even the most difficult things. There's no such thing as a wasted experience. And I'll look at your story, what you've shared, and I think there were so many times when it would have been easy just to just to give up and say this is too hard, just give up and say I'm just going to, I'm just going to take the easy road here. That's not what you did, you know. You continued to press forward. Even when it was hard, even when people were rude, even when it seemed like there was, there was nobody on your side, you kept going.

Dr. William Attaway: 9:24

And that mindset that failure is not going to be an option for me, I'm going to succeed, I'm going to press through. This difficulty is something that I find in the most successful entrepreneurs. It's not with the ones who give up, it's not with the ones who fail. Failure is part of the process. You know, if we look at your story, it's not just up and to the right right it's not just every year is better than all the years before it.

Alex Castillo: 9:52

And there was no failure and only success right, yes, no yeah.

Dr. William Attaway: 9:56

That's not your story. What kept you going when you kept getting hit, when you kept taking the the hits?

Alex Castillo: 10:04

you know, what kept me going is, you know the list of saying, I guess the people and it says, uh, you said it until you believe it. Right, yeah, you know. And then I think you know, uh, you believe it, because I heard this said um, that your mind, your mindset control your assets. You know, and I think it's that you will believe it, and you have to believe it until you change your mindset. And until today, I still practice that. I love that. I practice that when I swim, I practice that when I run, I practice that when I'm cycling, I practice that when I'm doing roof, like today, and I said that to myself. You know there's a better time ahead of me and I know I will become greater than what I am, but at the same time, I don't want to be great if I'm not impacting other people, if I'm not impacting the kingdom of God and that is my main thing Faithfulness to the Lord. Right when it comes to and this is a problem nobody talks about this.

Alex Castillo: 11:11

It is giving and honoring God with the first fruits of what you produce or what is given to you, and I am a huge example of that. I try to honor God for what he gives me every single time. What I pay myself, my 10% goes to the Lord and I think, and still that's not enough. Sometimes I feel it's not enough because I'm so thankful what God has brought me into this land. This land is the land of milk and honey and to me, I never forget that, wow, I see people at the 7-E. Wow, I see people at the 7-Elevens. I see people at Home Depot Lowe's.

Alex Castillo: 11:55

I remember that that was me, mr William. That was me, mr William, with one meal a day, sometimes no meals. That was me under the cold, with my hands and my fingers all numb, my toes, hoping that someone will stop and see my face and take me to work. I mean, there was not much difference from because I was either running from my life or running for other things, you know, and I was just, you know, I'd rather be called than being running away from someone that's going to kill me. Yeah, and that's why, until today, you know, I feel that I keep going and I think that my goal right now. It's bigger and it has a purpose, and it has a purpose because I serve a Lord. I serve God and I think my message is, or my mission is, to go everywhere I go to. If I had the opportunity to talk to my client or to my guys about the Lord that has made my day, I feel that I've done my job.

Alex Castillo: 12:52

That's so good.

Dr. William Attaway: 12:54

That's so good, and I think the example that you set, you know, is what your team sees and learns from. You know they're going to follow where you lead and they watch how you do what you do, in addition to just what you do, and I think that mindset that you're describing is one that pervades your team, ac Solutions and more. You started this from nothing. It didn't exist before you, and not only now is there a company that services so many clients, so many customers, but you have a team. You've created jobs right and you continue to do that. You continue to give opportunity and create jobs to people who were where you were right. I've got to think that's incredibly rewarding for you, given where you started.

Alex Castillo: 13:44

Yes, you know, when I had employees now that I was calling colleagues, that they didn't know anything I had a few of them that went into the food industry right, it was a burger or it was a bartender and we became friends because maybe I visited those places. I told them what I did. They came to work with me, leaving that job behind, and now they have their own businesses and they said wow, mr Alex, we're always going to be thankful for you because you taught us the right way. You know, and look at me. I have all six members now.

Alex Castillo: 14:22

Three are family members, three are others like friends and I, my company is, well, eight, my other company is ten, and I just see them and I was like, wow, I'm so happy that that you are, you are and you're growing. You know, and now you see what I saw one day because one thing is being an employee but another thing is to be a leader into having charge a company where a lot of things happen you know, one of the things that your company is known for is that you find a way to say yes when a homeowner asks you.

Dr. William Attaway: 14:57

If something is possible, you look for the way to say yes. You look at what they'll show you on a Pinterest board and you figure out a way to say yes, and then you figure out how to make that happen. That can-do, will-do, make-it-happen mindset is not common. A whole lot of people go immediately to no. You go to yes.

Alex Castillo: 15:21

You know, for me, the community where I live, I always have repetitive customers or clients and they all want to do similar things. But I'm not a cookie cutter, it's a word of speech, right? I want to say, right, yeah, and I like to do something unique for you that nobody else has. So if you bring me a bathroom and you say you know, I found this bathroom in Pinterest, or my neighbor has this bathroom, can you do that for me? And I said I look at it and I say, okay, we can make it better, let's tweak a few things. And I present and I said let's do it this way and if they like the idea, we execute that idea.

Alex Castillo: 16:04

Sometimes they don't expect it and they go, wow, this is better than what's on the picture. And they say, how much more is going to cost me this? And I said, hey, no, nothing more. I just love changing a few things. So your house is not like 10 people in your area. It could be with your patio, it could be your fireplace, it could be your master bedroom, it could be your accent wall, anything. We can make it different. I want your house and your project to be uniquely designed that nobody else has. So, yeah, that's what I try my best on.

Dr. William Attaway: 17:52

And this is why people wait for you to do their work. This is why there's a waiting list.

Alex Castillo: 17:57

you to do their work. This is why there's a waiting list. It's incredible, yes, and we have people that have waited a year or more for us. That's a place in Washington DC that is called the Dominican House of Studies. I did a lot of work there. It's a Catholic church. They waited a good amount for me to come and do work for them and I feel honored. You know, I wish I could be ten of me to help everybody at the same time Right, but that's that's not possible. But I feel at the same time is very concerning, because I was like, oh my goodness, you know, I just can't understand. How can someone wait for me? You know, how might I cut? And my mindset will go back to what we said. I hear a negative voice and I hear a positive voice and I have to choose. Okay, where do I need to listen? Why do I need to hear more? Either this or that.

Dr. William Attaway: 18:59

Well, I think people will wait for quality, people will wait for premium work and the results that you provide for your customers are premium and people will wait for that and I appreciate it.

Alex Castillo: 19:14

Yeah, and you know what? Also, my response immediately is premium. Let's say that I put a, let's say, a picture frame and the picture frame in in a month or two days or five days or whatever, um, it's crooked. You call and say alex, you know that picture frame is crooked, you don't have to wait for me a week for me to show up Immediately. I figure it out, but I get to you either the same day or the next day we don't know how big or small the project is Because I like to fix those things, because if you leave them lingering, hanging around, they can become really, really annoying. You can lose a client.

Alex Castillo: 19:56

Yeah absolutely, because people I mean clients and humans we're a little complicated. Let's be honest, right, we can be happy right now, but tomorrow I can be annoying if you don't show up.

Dr. William Attaway: 20:07

That's right.

Alex Castillo: 20:10

That's true, and then a bad comment, and it just goes down the hill. And that's why, when I called, I said to someone you know, is this very important? And if they tell me yes, then I can try to, okay, sense the tone and sense the environment, what they're calling, and if it's deep from their heart, if it's just worrying or concerning, and I give them the importance. But if I feel, okay, you know what? No one's dying, this is not going to happen. Would it be possible for me to stop on Wednesday or Thursday and they say, yes, okay, I'll be there at this time and I made that a priority to me to be at that time. So they know that I'm coming, that's good.

Dr. William Attaway: 20:51

Yeah, that's good and I think when you prioritize people and they feel that value you know they feel that you value them I think that makes a difference because really business is about relationships. You know you, you do business with, with people that you know and you like and you trust.

Intro/Outro: 21:11

Yeah.

Dr. William Attaway: 21:12

And that's what you build. You build relationships like that.

Alex Castillo: 21:15

One of my, one of my uh, I have, I have an amazing business coach and he said to me one day he said you know what? What is lost right now, in this time, is the customer service where you actually listen to your clients and you and you, you deliver that attention where they feel, oh, someone is actually listening. You know, and that has stayed with me, you, you know, and that has stayed with me. You know, and I try to be that person. I don't want that old customer service, one-on-one relationship, die. I want to maintain that for as long as possible. You know, in this life, in this life that we're living right now, everything is so fast, fast, fast, fast, and not everyone wants to make money as long as we're talking and having, but after that they're done, they don't want to go back, they don't want to get nothing to do with you unless you have an X amount or a dollar amount of a project or something that you will give them again, and that shouldn't be that way.

Dr. William Attaway: 22:11

I hear you you know you think about AC Solutions and your business has grown to the point that it has and it continues to grow. And your business has grown to the point that it has and it continues to grow, and I know you have ideas and goals and dreams still ahead of you. If you could wake up tomorrow and one thing was different in your business, what would that one thing?

Alex Castillo: 22:34

be. I think I will not hesitate to risk, because you know I will not hesitate to take a risk. You know, I think that, um, in this path, after you walk for a for for several years I don't know if it makes sense to say this, but some things has has a cycle and they repeat itself and when you have lived that, you kind of know where you are in that time. And I have been able to predict, and I said, you know what we are in October, I know what's going to happen and in the past three years I have seen the same behavior in my business for the past three years. So I said, okay, if I see that every year, so I'm not too far off of what's going to happen in October this coming year. Some things might happen, but I've seen it three years. Yeah, but I think I will not hesitate to take risks. I love that.

Dr. William Attaway: 23:34

Let's say that you can go back and talk to Alex Castillo when he was 20 years old, knowing what you know now, and you could go back and you could tell 20-year-old Alex one thing what would you like to go back and tell that Alex?

Alex Castillo: 23:52

That it's not his fault to feel the way he felt. Feel the way he felt and the mindset that he grew up in, because we learned as we were young and our parents or the family or the environment that we live in. We absorb that because we're learning when we're young, when we're three, five, ten years old. We're capturing all this information and behaviors and mannerisms from everyone around you, right, and I guess I have the wrong, wrong mentality about people, about life, you know. So if I will go back, I will sit down and I'll say it's okay, it's not your fault. Give yourself a chance to see someone else, other people, different, and approach life in a different way. That's powerful.

Dr. William Attaway: 24:43

Thank you. You've been on the entrepreneurial journey for quite a few years now and you've learned a lot of things and have grown a business from scratch into what it is today. None of us do it all on our own. We listen to and learn from other people. What is some of the best advice that you have ever received about owning and running a business?

Alex Castillo: 25:08

You know, mr William, there are many, many people that said to you and it may be true, but people say, you know, in order for you to see your company succeed or for you to reach a high level, you're not going to see it in 10 years. But I don't think that's true because you know, I'm a firm believer that once you are honest and you are faithful to who's faithful to you in this case you're faithful to god god strengthened your path and that is true, and a lot of people might not believe it. But people probably say, no, that's just because he's a fanatic or because he's a legalism. That has nothing to do with that.

Alex Castillo: 25:57

It's the reality, because I think that is the mind of the Lord in a book speaking to me. And let's go back to the mindset. If I want to believe and change my mindset, I want to believe what God says and if he tells me, hey, you're faithful to me, I'll be faithful to you. I think that's the key. That's the key.

Dr. William Attaway: 26:20

I love that. One of the things that really impresses me about you, alex, is that you are so consistent about weaving your faith into the rest of your life. You know, sometimes people feel like they have to compartmentalize their faith and not let it come into the workplace, not let it come into their interactions with other people. That's not you. You are the same, alex, no matter where you are, and your faith is such a core part of who you are. When did that start? Or has it always been like that for you?

Alex Castillo: 26:52

No, no, you know, I was when I grew up in a very abusive and a very violent environment and I was introduced to being Catholic when I was such a young age and I never liked that. So I accepted Jesus Christ when I was probably 16 or 17, if I'm not mistaken. But after that, you know, I just thought, you know well, god is not helping me, god is not with me, god is not here. But there was always something. You know that in the moments when I was alone in that airplane landing in the United States, I was like, okay, who's with me? And I said, okay, if there's a, okay, who's with me? And I said, okay, if there's God, god is with me. And that's where everything started.

Alex Castillo: 27:41

But you know what, for me, the joy of the Lord, like they said, right To me, that's everything, no matter where I go. I mean to me it doesn't make sense if God is not. God is the center of everything and he should be the center of everything the center of your marriage, the center of your business, the center in the life of your kids. Because at the end of the day, what do I gain if I lose my soul? That's what the Bible says I gain the world, but I lose my soul. Nothing it's meaningless. I lose my soul, nothing it's meaningless. You know so. But that's, I guess, for me. I feel happy, joyful, when I share the good news with everyone, when I tell them about Jesus, when I tell them about what he has done for my life. He can do the same exact thing for them, for you. You know I love that.

Dr. William Attaway: 28:31

Alex, ac Solutions needs you to lead at a higher level today than it did three years ago, and that same thing is going to be true three, four, five years from now. How do you stay on top of your game? How do you level up with the new leadership skills that your team and your business and your customers are going to need you to have in the years to come?

Alex Castillo: 28:56

yes, you know, one of my, one of my, um, this is what you need, um, and I have a partner with a great coach um, that one thing is allow yourself to someone to teach you, okay, because if you have that teachable spirit, then you allow information on. So now I'm going to call the word outsiders right, because they can see from outside what I can't see myself.

Alex Castillo: 29:20

Yeah.

Alex Castillo: 29:20

And you take that information and you take that as a feedback and you say, ok, I'm going to implement what they're telling me. And that person says to me Alex, you know what? You will never have another Alex that worked 100 percent and he has the same values or the quality, but you can train him to be as close as you are. And right now that's what I do. I'm taking the time to train one or two people with me to make sure that they capture my idea and they like to feel accountable and they feel that responsibility in their hand, that they feel, oh wow, you know, something is given to me bigger than just like putting a nail. So now I can be in check and make sure that that nail is completely straight on the wall or that screw is the right size to go into the drywall and they know why. It's the purpose, why it's created to that side, that length that thickness, all that.

Alex Castillo: 30:18

I explain everything to them. You know, and I know that by doing that because I cannot be everywhere I can rise and they can rise with me. We all can grow. I make them feel part of something big yeah.

Dr. William Attaway: 30:32

Yeah, and I think that's the spirit you bring into your team environment. It's not just hey, y'all help me build my dream, it's hey, we're going to build something together and I want you to grow and succeed just like I am. That's what I see in you and, again, that's not terribly common, but I think it's part of your faith being lived out.

Alex Castillo: 30:55

I hope, mr Wooden, you know, like I said, you know I like to share my faith, but I also said you know one of the things that we always a lot of people struggle with the way they speak at work. And one of my main rules at work is okay, respect, no bad jokes or foul language, and I hold that to the standard up here. And I said well, I'm not your dad or anything, but in this environment and in my company, this is how we operate and I like how I see they get along. They work as a team and I think you know what it's amazing to see that. It's incredible why you transmit to other people, yes, and they behave that way.

Alex Castillo: 31:46

Yes.

Alex Castillo: 31:46

You know because I've seen some friends that actually they have their own companies but they are not well-spoken and they treat their employees in a way like they feel more superior to their people, and I don't think that's a good thing.

Dr. William Attaway: 32:04

So well said, people are going to lead, people are going to follow, based on how you lead them, and I think what you do is you lead by example. You operate in a servant leadership model and, as we've had this conversation and you've shared this, it's just become more and more evident that that's part of who you are. That's what you want to build. You're creating the company that you would want to work for and that's the environment you create for your team. You know you're a constant learner. You're always listening, you're always learning. Is there a book or a podcast that has made a big difference in your journey that you would recommend to the leaders who are listening?

Alex Castillo: 32:43

You know, one of my favorite. You're going to laugh at this, but you know, right before I met you and I hear your podcast and everything, I like to watch you and I watch what other people that have been on your podcast says. I try to take notes on what they say. I try to analyze why they say what they said. But you know, I wish I could be a book reader like you are. Look at all those beautiful books behind you. Right? The only book that I read it's the Bible. And I do listen to TD Jakes.

Alex Castillo: 33:20

You know I read the Pastor and I also listen to a lot of Christian music and I don't allow any other type of music to interfere in my spiritual life. It's not because I think I'm better, it's just that I feel that doesn't bring anything good into my soul, because I have experienced that when I allow other sources, in this case music, that doesn't bring honor or nothing good to my life, my spirit and my energy changes. And people ask me why don't you listen to this music? I say I used to. I used to. That's a good song. But I say I don't listen to that type of music. It's not because it's a sin. I say no. It's because you know what I am so thankful with my Lord. I do that to honor Him, because that makes me feel connected with Him. That makes me feel connected with that. This music, yes, nice, and it talks about love, but it doesn't make me feel connected with God.

Alex Castillo: 34:18

The lyrics might be nice, but at the end of the day, those are empty, you know. Yeah, those are empty.

Dr. William Attaway: 34:25

Well, and I think you're illustrating a principle here that great leaders determine the inputs in their life and they are very careful about those inputs. And they are very careful about those inputs and they're very careful to make sure that they are allowing inputs and creating input streams that are going to help them move toward the person they want to be.

Alex Castillo: 34:47

You know that's absolutely correct. Let me tell you why. Because there's so much distraction, especially on the media. You go to TikTok, instagram, facebook, and I go this with my son you know, my teenager son and I said, joaquin, there are a lot of things in those platforms that there shouldn't be a lot, but the minute you stop and you entertain your eyes where they shouldn't be entertained, that's a problem. I said, king, the enemy is trying to distract you from what your goal is. You have to be clear where you're going and in that direction you're going to have obstacles and distraction. Remember, he's trying to get you out of what God wants for you. God wants you to be that person in this human being. He doesn't want you to be there. The devil doesn't want you to be there to reach that goal. That's good and it's very challenging.

Alex Castillo: 35:44

But I say, joaquin, the more you talk to God during the day, it becomes a little bit easier, you are more aware of what you're surrounding, you are in connection with, spiritually, with Holy Spirit and with God to know, oh, this is allowed, this is not allowed. Hey, I'm walking, yeah, I feel free. I mean, there's freedom. There's freedom in the Lord, there's freedom. People think that when you're Christian, you are limited to all these things that you cannot do, and that's not true. That's right, you know. There's freedom.

Alex Castillo: 36:11

And that's not true. That's right.

Alex Castillo: 36:13

You know there's freedom, so I feel free and I feel I don't know. That's how I operate. I try to make sure that I bring stuff that are not good to contaminate my waters.

Dr. William Attaway: 36:24

What

Dr. William Attaway: 36:24

a great analogy, alex. This has been such a fantastic conversation and I'm so grateful to you for sharing your time and your story and the insights that you've gleaned so far with us. It's just been a joy to hear what has happened so far, where you have learned and led so far, and I know that the best is yet to come for you.

Alex Castillo: 36:52

I appreciate it and thank you for allowing me this short period of time to talk to you about my life and the company, and I feel honored to be part of something big like this. I've never been on camera before, Even with headphones, you know, and if it's yours you know. Computers and all this stuff is not my thing, but finally I was able to put it all together right After 30 minutes of dealing with all these cables and trying to figure it out. Okay and yeah, and then you call your wife and your wife just does this bing, bing, bing, bing, bing and you got it.

Dr. William Attaway: 37:29

Well, I think part of wisdom is knowing who to call.

Alex Castillo: 37:35

Yeah, and that's why God blessed me with a wonderful wife, you know.

Dr. William Attaway: 37:38

That's exactly right. That's exactly right, Alex. I know people are going to want to stay connected to you and continue to learn more about what you're doing in the company that you lead. What's the best way for them to do that?

Alex Castillo: 37:55

them to do that. You know, I think the only the best way to do this is, you know, I guess, look for AC Solutions and more on Facebook or Google, you know, and you will find pictures, you will find reviews, you will find information about us. You know, and we're happy to. I mean, we service Northern and this part of Winchester Virginia, helping people and helping neighbors. We're creating environment and we're creating relationships. You know, because everywhere I go, it just feels nice. I've done work for so-and-so and they say Alex, alex, I go everywhere, it's just nice. I love to connect with people from the 5-year-old to the 7-year-old that sit in my Panera because I've done something for them, you know, and they know me, and it's just amazing to have friends everywhere.

Dr. William Attaway: 38:42

I love that, Alex. Thank you.

Alex Castillo: 38:45

I appreciate it. Thank you to you and God bless and thank you for what you do. We appreciate it so much.

Intro/Outro: 38:51

Thanks for joining me for this episode today. As we wrap up, I'd love for you to do two things. First, subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an episode, and if you find value here, I'd love it if you would rate it and review it. That really does make a difference in helping other people to discover this podcast. Second, if you don't have a copy of my newest book, catalytic Leadership, I'd love to put a copy in your hands. If you go to catalyticleadershipbookcom, you can get a copy for free. Just pay the shipping so I can get it to you and we'll get one right out.

Intro/Outro: 39:31

My goal is to put this into the hands of as many leaders as possible. This book captures principles that I've learned in 20 plus years of coaching leaders in the entrepreneurial space, in business, government, non-profits, education and the local church. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn to keep up with what I'm currently learning and thinking about. If you're ready to take a next step with a coach to help you intentionally grow and thrive as a leader, I'd be honored to help you. Just go to catalyticleadershipnet to book a call with me. Stay tuned for our next episode next week. Until then, as always, leaders choose to be catalytic.

Intro/Outro: 40:11

Thanks for listening to Catalytic Leadership with Dr William Attaway. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss the next episode. Want more? Go to catalyticleadershipnet.