Professional Writing Services to Fuel Your Dreams: A Veteran-Owned Business Making a Mark
In 2022, Master Sergeant Beryl Castillo in the Alaska Air National Guard launched First Impressions BC, LLC, a comprehensive career services firm offering resume writing, interview preparation, and counseling. With her military experience, including a 2004 deployment to Iraq and being a 2019 Miss Veteran America finalist to raise funds for homeless female veterans, Beryl is dedicated to veterans, community, and guiding individuals towards their professional goals.
As a 168th Civil Engineer Squadron First Sergeant, she serves as an advisor to her Commander, ensuring the well-being and readiness of the airmen under her leadership. Her responsibilities include overseeing morale, discipline, and personal issues, ensuring the unit is prepared for deployment. Despite her extensive military experience and a doctorate in Business Administration, Beryl initially faced hurdles when venturing into entrepreneurship, such as business formation and financial planning.
Upon learning about the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and its support for small business owners, Beryl reached out and was connected with Fairbanks Business Advisor Jade Greene. Beryl says, “From our initial interaction, it was evident that Jade is a remarkable subject matter expert. She provided invaluable assistance in helping me establish the foundation for the business’s future success, offering clear insights into financial projections, and crafting a sustainable business plan and marketing strategy.”
Beryl emphasizes that Jade played a pivotal role in shaping her business identity as a veteran-owned company, enabling her to incorporate her voice, life experiences, and values into the business. This has allowed her to tailor her services to support the bilingual community and anyone who needs professional writing support.
In addition to Alaska, she has helped veterans, military spouses, and civilians from across Alaska, Washington D.C., Washington State, Utah, and Florida. Her services cover everything from translating resumes to helping people transition into civilian life or building strong support networks. Her business recently reached the two-year milestone, and she is happy her outreach has allowed her to support people outside of Alaska’s state boundaries.
Her advisor’s contributions, she explains, have been pivotal to the success of her business and the nurturing and development of her entrepreneurial mindset as Jade helped turn this vision into a reality and sustain its ongoing profitability. Beryl affirms, “While I may possess the education and capacity to understand processes, I lacked the know-how and specialized experience required for establishing and running a business. Jade’s expertise has been instrumental in overcoming these limitations, instilling the confidence I needed to get started while continually enhancing my entrepreneurial mindset.” Beryl reflects, “I am eager to see where this experience leads me. I cannot emphasize enough the significance of Jade’s contributions and the support and resources provided by Alaska SBDC for entrepreneurs like me, which have been and continue to be instrumental in this process.”
Make your best impression with First Impressions BC, by checking out the website at firstimpressionsbc.com, on BuyAlaska, or connecting on Facebook. You can also read Beryl’s media coverage in Alaska Business Monthly (April 2024) and Sol de Medianoche (May 2024, p. 10).
