Today, we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Castro.
Michelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Michelle. I came to the US from Mexico 14 years ago and became a US citizen six years ago. I have a bachelor’s degree in communication, but I left my corporate job to dedicate my time to my family. I’ve always liked challenges and doing new things; that’s how I tried baking, and my business started.
It was the perfect job; I could stay and work from home to be with my family 24/7, and I was able to contribute to our household. I did this for more than ten years. In 2022, I divorced the father of my daughters and was in need of a full-time job that would give me benefits and a stable income. I had to start planning for my future as a single mom.
I immediately started looking for jobs in the training and recruiting field since these were the areas I had worked in before. Luckily, I landed a job as a recruiter within a month with a security company. At this time of my life, I literally had to start all over again. I had to look for a place to live and build a new home for my daughters and me, co-parent with my ex, and figure out a routine that would work for all of us. It was a very hard time because I was also redefining who I was; I had to let go of my entrepreneurial dream and put my business on hold.
I kept baking on the side and have done so until now, taking a few orders every week just to keep that little light shining and satisfy my creative hunger. I am very lucky and blessed to have loyal customers who keep ordering from me and offer their support knowing my new circumstances. My baking career also led me to meet amazing entrepreneurs and build partnerships to co-found a night market that we organize once a month, where we host 15 vendors from our community so they can showcase their products. The event is inside a bar where we have a painting class simultaneously.
I love my current job; it’s very rewarding, but I do have to say my entrepreneurial dream is not over; it’s just on hold until the right time comes. I wanted to share my story, for anyone who feels lost or broken, I am here to remind you that you can be anything you want or need to be. That there’s time for everything and that circumstances don’t define who you are or erase everything you have achieved so far.
I am very proud of myself for everything I have endured in the last two years and everything I have built so far. And I hope that my story inspires you to never give up and to always believe in yourself; as long as you have your own back, you will be ok.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
I am a recruiter for a security company by day, and by night I am a baker! My baked goods designs are inspired by my culture. I love to create funny “hard to forget” cookie designs.
Everything I bake is made from scratch, and you can tell when you taste my product.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that we find people from all over the world, the weather, and how people support each other. There is a strong sense of community.
What I don’t like, and I get to experience up close at my recruiting job, is that there’s a mental health and homelessness crisis.
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