Today we’d like to introduce you to Irelsie Alvarez.
Irelsie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I got my General Lines P&C License while I was still in college. I only had one semester left at Baylor University but I took a semester off to do an accounting internship. The internship was only three months long, so I wanted to take advantage of the other two months that I had left before starting the fall semester. During that time, I studied and prepared to take the general lines exam. After graduating, I didn’t have enough capital to start my business, so I started working for Carlisle and Gallagher Consulting Group now known as NTT Data. While working there, I was able to open up my Agency.
I hired someone with experience in insurance to help me run my business. I was both working a full-time job and running my business with the help of the person I hired. When the business started growing I left NTT Data, after being there for almost three years and went full time into my business because it was demanding more of my time. I thank God first of all for opening and closing the necessary doors that got me where I am today. It has been a blessing to me having my own business and I want to give back and help others with what God has blessed me with. The people who inspired and encouraged me to launch my business were my uncles and mom. All my uncles from my mother’s side are successful businessmen, so they supported me with moral and financial support at the start of my business. I thank them all for always pushing me past my limits and seeing the potential and strength in me. I still have a lot of exciting plans for future growth for my business and to continue to give back to the community.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I faced a lot of stress in my first years as a business owner because I was putting a lot of overtime. I would get off from work at 4 pm from NTT and then go straight to my business after that and work more hours. Insurance is a commission-based job so in order to start making a good income from it I had to grow my book of business. It was not easy the first two years starting from a zero book of business and paying someone to run the business, almost all my paycheck would go to pay my employee and office expenses, apart from that, I had college loans I was also repaying.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Castillo Insurance Agency is a business that specializes in selling auto, home, and commercial insurance. We also offer income tax, notary public, and are planning to offer life insurance services in the near future. We take pride in offering our customers quality insurance at competitive prices and great customer service. We believe in ensuring your safety while earning your trust. We treat each of our customers with the utmost respect and integrity. What sets us apart from others is that our customer’s needs are always first. We strive to provide the best rates while meeting our customer’s needs.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always the quiet shy kid. I have always been an introvert but after starting college and working, I opened up a lot. I love helping people. When I am not working, I am at church, hanging out with family or friends, and traveling. In my free time, I also like to practice calligraphy, paint, and workout.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7116 Lake June Rd. Ste 100
Dallas, TX 75217 - Phone: 214-238-3808
- Email: trustcoinsurance@att.net
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/castilloinsuranceagency/
Image Credit:
Cireli Bruce and Thao Hoang
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