We recently connected with Lourdes Castro and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lourdes, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Being a teenage mom if you did not work you did not eat. At a young age I was responsible for rent, bills, daycare and food. I had help from my Boyfriend now husband and my family, however the majority of it was on me. On my last year of high school, I was in a program where you worked one week and went to school the other week. You were paid for the week you worked. Due to my pregnancy the school decided to employ me at the school, working in one of the offices. There is where I met a woman who took me under her wing and taught me how to be a working adult at the age of sixteen. she was hard on me at that time. she didn’t want to hear excuses on why I was late or if I called out or if i could not finish a work task. She instilled in me to work diligently to complete my work in a timely manner. I remember one time I called out of work for two days and a week later I got paid and when I looked at my check, I was so disappointed because it was such a low amount. That day she pulled me to the side and asked what I would have done with the money that I am missing on my check? I had my beeper bill to pay (I know right a beeper/ pager) and I wanted to buy stuff to get ready for the baby’s arrival. she then said to me, you would have been able to do that if you just would have come into work. since that day, that conversation has stayed with me. I barely ever call out of work now. In 2023 I am still employed with a company I have been with for over ten years, still showing up to work when I am scheduled, and I own business Hands that Care Mobile Phlebotomy.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Phlebotomy is a unique and special field that combines technical expertise with empathy, patient care, and a commitment to accuracy. Phlebotomists play a vital role in the healthcare ecosystem, bridging the gap between patients and laboratory diagnostics, while fostering trust, comfort, and overall well-being
In the bustling world of healthcare, where the need for diagnostic services is ever-growing, I dared to dream beyond the confines of the laboratory. a passionate and determined phlebotomist who transformed her career by opening her own practice, where she combined her technical expertise with a compassionate touch. I felt it was necessary to give access to those who needed it. A lot of my clients are either elderly or have troublesome experiences getting stuck for labs needed and feel more at ease in the comfort of their homes. It makes me happy to be able to get patients the care needed at have an enjoyable experience in the process. If there is anything else to know about Hands That Care is that we give discounts to Medicare patients, Veterans. I really would like to spread that word that this service is available.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First and foremost are my venipuncture skills. Most people don’t know this about me but when I was learning to draw blood, I started to lose my Vision. I had Keratoconus which means my cornea gradually bulges outward into a cone shape. This causes blurry distorted vision. I couldn’t depend on my eyes to find the vein, I had to use touch to locate the vein. To this day, over 15 years later I still close my eyes to locate the vein. I feel because of this I am the best vampire ever. I am the one they call when someone cannot get a patient. I also am the person who trains all the new vampires. My bubbly personality and customer service skills also helps me build and promote my business. I have always enjoyed having conversations with all my patients, not only does it keep them busy while I draw their blood, I also am getting to know them. When I started my business, it was easy due to my customer service skills to and speak to potential clients at health fairs and other places.
My ambition to succeed. Listen I am a hard worker, I am the type of person that will never tell someone to do something if I won’t do it myself. I want to succeed in this business. I want to build successful business relationships. I pride myself in doing everything in my power not only for me to be successful, but to help others be as well.
The advice I would give to anyone who starting out in this journey is to not listen to the negative comments from people. I held myself back for years in opening Hands That Care Mobile Phlebotomy, not because I doubted my skills but because of the negative comments that was coming from my inner thoughts. I had to first transfer my negative thoughts to positive, encouraging thoughts, and you know what the hardest part of all was? you believing those encouraging positive thoughts.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Oh my God, social media is my obstacle. I Know right, you would think at this age I should be adapted to posting online. Everyone keeps informing me that I should be posting daily to promote Hands That Care Mobile Phlebotomy. I can rarely remember to do one post weekly. I had a friend of mine tell me to post videos on Tic Toc. I have no clue what or how to do that. I just downloaded it a couple months ago I still have not posted. eventually I will need to source this out when the business grows more.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.handsthatcaremobilephlebotomy.com
- Instagram: hands_that_care
- Facebook: Hands That Care Mobile Phlebotomy
