Meet Luis Castro

Luis was born and raised in El Salvador, a small country coastal to the Pacific Ocean in Central America.  He comes from humble beginnings.  Born to a nurse and a truck driver, one can only imagine the sacrifices that were made for him to go to school.  Being the captain of his soccer, and basketball teams, his innate leadership qualities were evident at an early age.

In 1978, after graduating from high school, he attended the National University and began pursuing a medical degree.  Around the same time the peace of El Salvador, once known as the country of the ‘Big Smile’, was abruptly interrupted by the violent armed conflict between the government and the insurrectional forces.  Going to school under these circumstances was extremely dangerous due to the terrorist activities taking place on and off the university campus. In 1980, Luis had to stop attending school after the university permanently closed about 18 months into Luis’ enrollment.  He responded to the national crisis, enrolled in the military academy that was looking for potential leaders and joined the national forces fighting against uprising terrorism.

Luis graduated from the Military Academy with a Degree in Military Sciences and Public Administration. He served as an Infantry Captain in El Salvador’s Army during the long and violent conflict against the communist terrorist group FMLN. During Luis’ years of combat, he received 2 medals for being wounded in action and 1 for valor (heroism).

In 1992, after signing the peace agreement between the Salvadorian government and the terrorist factions, Luis got out of the military with pride and honor knowing that his country’s mission has been accomplished and he decided to relocate to the United States.

Luis left everything he owned with his parents and with his son from his first marriage. Luis came to the US with $272.00 in his pocket and without a work permit. For the first two years in the United States, Luis worked in different fields such as landscaping, construction, door-to-door sales, mechanics, vacuum cleaner sales and car sales.

Eventually, Luis was offered a position with the Department of Juvenile Justice in a para-military boot-camp. Luis was offered a promotion within the first five months at the job. He became a recipient of the “Commander’s Award of Excellence”, a yearly juvenile justice award given to those whose devotion to duty was their trademark. During Luis’ career in Juvenile Justice (just over 11 years) he was promoted 9 times. Luis’ work ethics, leadership skills and character of excellence rendered positive results and Luis seemed to have found a niche. Luis was promoted to Public Safety Training Instructor 3, and he served as a Senior Instructor at the Juvenile Justice Academy located at the Georgia’s Public Safety Training Center.  He was soon promoted as the Director of The Emanuel Youth Development Campus and a year later as the Executive Director of the Genesis Academy of Ashburn.  He also served as the Campus Director of Macon Behavioral Health System and the Training Director for Cameron and Associates.  Success was on Luis’ side.

In 2004 and 2005, Luis experienced two consecutive lay-offs.  However, this time was different than the first time when he arrived the US. Now, Luis was more skilled, more knowledgeable, more confident and more competent in his field.  He had also nurtured relationships that trusted his rare and effective leadership, social and conceptual skills.  He was offered some positions that could bring the executive status back to him; however a new dream had been birthed in Luis’ heart that would put him in a position to influence others that he had never imagined possible. 

After declining every job offer, Luis opened Castro Consultant Team, Inc., a leadership development consultant company.  He established contract agreements with private companies, governmental agencies and employee assistance programs.  In 2007, the company’s name was changed to MAXIMIZEBIZ and a new element was added: Public Speaking.

In February 2011, John Maxwell, a world-wide leadership expert, opened a coaching, training and speaking company. The John Maxwell Team offered Luis the incredible opportunity to become a founding partner and to join the company in the challenging task of spreading the professional and personal development message to the entire world. 

Luis accepted the challenge and became a founding partner and certified Coach, Trainer and Speaker on John’s Team.  As a member, Luis has had the priceless opportunity to receive the certification training from John himself and the expert members of his faculty.