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Patty Castro immigrated to the United States at the age of 14 in the back of a truck. It was a Friday. By Saturday, her parents had secured her a cleaning job. For many immigrants, their career trajectory stays confined to entry-level positions, often limiting their professional advancement opportunities. These jobs often include roles such as restaurant workers, retail cashiers, and housekeeping staff. Castro’s family, like many others, exemplifies this trend, with several relatives employed in these vital yet often overlooked positions.
Today, Castro is the chief operating officer for El Vecino (The Neighbor), a 15-year-old Latino-focused retail outlet for money transfers, cellular phones, and other financial services. The model is so successful with the underserved community that owner Mike Burns is rolling out a Hispanic-centric national franchise this fall.
Burns, though not Latino, recognized an opportunity to serve the unbanked market of consumers with few options for their financial transactions. Castro’s commitment and dedication have propelled her to the forefront of the company’s expansion.
Prior to El Vecino, Castro worked at Chipotle while also managing school and other cleaning jobs. She taught herself English by inputting her school assignments into Google Translate. Faced with the financial demands of starting a family, Castro and her husband, Mauricio, had to find another way to help support their family.
After having her first child, Castro applied to be a cashier at El Vecino. Unfortunately, there were no openings. A few months later, while at El Vecino to send a money transfer, an issue with her transaction led her to her first conversation with the owner, Burns.
“No matter the challenge a customer brings, we aim for them to share their positive experience with two to three others. Personal referrals are how we grow.”
Patty Castro
Burns was so impressed by the knowledgeable and confident woman he spoke with that he offered her a job right on the spot.
“My background is in sales management,” Burns explains. “I am a rather good judge of character, and I just saw something in her. Now, twelve years later, I cannot run this company without her.”
All four of El Vecino’s locations in Monmouth County, New Jersey, including two stores on the same block, turned a profit within six months of opening. Burns asserts that Castro will be essential in replicating this successful model nationwide, particularly given the company’s focus on serving the Latino community.
Burns says, “I wanted to introduce a community-based service where anyone who was uncertain how to pay a bill or send money could come to El Vecino for guidance. We care about our customers and their needs, and they’re loyal to us in return.”
Turnover is rare at El Vecino. Most employees have been with the company for at least six years. Much of this loyalty stems from employee benefits like company interest-free loans to help purchase a car and flexible schedules around family commitments. Burns and Castro are confident that they can reproduce El Vecino’s culture of service, support, and care across the nation.
El Vecino’s franchise consultant praised the company as a rare entity that deeply understands and serves its clientele, describing it as more of a community hub than a standalone business. Burns credits Castro as the key attraction for Latinos interested in franchising the model, as she exemplifies the potential for personal and professional advancement.
“It may sound cliché, but this organization is helping people live the American dream,” says
El Vecino VP of Business Development Francisco Arrellano. “But for Latinos coming to this country, just like my parents and Patty’s parents, that idea is still very much alive. It’s why people come here. Latinos come here to work and make a life for their families.” And for some immigrant families with a dream of owning their own business, they have had little or no options to attain that dream. Now they do.
Castro is highly dynamic, handling complex financial issues across multiple locations, vendors, and customers. However, she keeps expectations straightforward for the cashiers.
“Our mission is to serve,” she explains. “No matter the challenge a customer brings, we aim for them to share their positive experience with two to three others. Personal referrals are how we grow.”
Castro believes there are many others like her who can achieve success and may become future franchisees or employees of El Vecino. Her message is clear: if she can achieve it, so can others. The journey may be challenging, but Castro has found her place at El Vecino—a company that values hard work, customer service, and community.
When she is not tending to the four El Vecino locations and 16 employees, she spends time with her husband and their two children, Jayden and Liani. And on top of all that, she still finds time to train for the 2024 New York City Marathon in November.
