Today we’d like to introduce you to Renzo Del Castillo.
Hi Renzo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Peru and immigrated to the United States at a young age. Growing up between cultures shaped how I see the world early on. I learned to observe before speaking, to listen closely, and to adapt without losing myself. That immigrant experience has never left me. It is the foundation of both my creative work and the way I lead.
Poetry was my first language of expression. It gave me a way to make sense of movement, loss, belonging, and identity long before I had the professional vocabulary to describe those ideas. Writing taught me patience and attention. It also taught me that meaning often lives in what people carry quietly rather than what they say out loud.
Professionally, I built a career in complex public and private sector environments, leading teams through growth, transition, and uncertainty. Over more than fifteen years, I have focused on building disciplined, high-performing teams rooted in trust, accountability, and clear communication. I believe leadership is less about authority and more about creating the conditions where people can contribute meaningfully and do their best work. Mentorship has been a constant thread in that journey.
As those paths developed, they began to converge. I founded CastleBridge Solutions as a creative and publishing platform dedicated to poetry, podcasting, live events, and cross-cultural storytelling. It exists to create space for dialogue, reflection, and shared experience. My poetry collection, Still, explores the immigrant experience and the complexities of adaptation, and it reflects many of the questions I have been living with my entire life.
Today, I also co-host the Reel Poets podcast, where film and poetry meet in conversation. Across all of this work, I am interested in connection. Whether I am leading a team, writing a poem, or hosting a conversation, the goal is the same. To build bridges between people, disciplines, and cultures, and to leave systems and communities more human than I found them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Like many immigrant stories, it has been shaped by adjustment, uncertainty, and quiet pressure. We faced financial difficulties growing up, and I internalized early on the idea that my worth was tied to what I could achieve and provide. That belief can be a powerful motivator, but it can also be exhausting. For a long time, I was a high achiever and a people pleaser, measuring myself by output instead of identity.
Professionally, working in complex environments meant navigating ambiguity and high expectations. Early in my career, I thought leadership required having all the answers and carrying the weight alone. Over time, I learned that real leadership is steadier and more human. It is about trust, clarity, and shared ownership. That shift did not happen overnight. It required growth, self-awareness, and the willingness to redefine success.
Creatively, the struggle was making space for poetry while building a demanding career. Much of that work happened quietly, without recognition. Publishing Still and building Reel Poets came after years of writing and questioning whether the work mattered beyond myself.
The deeper journey has been internal. Moving from proving my value to understanding it. Becoming comfortable in my own skin rather than chasing external validation. That process changed how I lead, how I write, and how I show up. The road has not been smooth, but it has been formative.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My creative work is rooted in poetry and storytelling, with a focus on identity, migration, and connection. I am a poet and cultural producer, and much of what I create is shaped by being born in Peru and growing up between cultures in the United States. Living in translation has informed both the themes of my work and the spaces I try to build for others.
I am the author of Still, a poetry collection that explores the immigrant experience, cultural transition, and the quiet work of adaptation. The book has been recognized with multiple honors, including awards from the International Latino Book Awards, and it reached #1 Amazon bestseller status in its categories. In a niche like poetry, that kind of recognition matters to me not as validation, but as evidence that stories rooted in specificity and cultural memory can still find wide resonance.
In addition to writing, I co-host the Reel Poets podcast, where we explore the intersection of film and poetry through conversations with poets, filmmakers, and artists. I also founded CastleBridge Solutions as a creative and publishing platform dedicated exclusively to poetry, podcasting, live events, and cross-cultural storytelling. It exists to support artistic exchange, community, and thoughtful dialogue.
What sets me apart as a creative is my approach. I bring discipline, structure, and intention to art-making while protecting space for vulnerability and curiosity. I am interested in building sustainable creative ecosystems, not just individual moments of expression. Whether through a poem, a conversation, or a live event, my goal is to create work that helps people feel seen and connected.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m pretty intentional about what I let into my head, but I also believe play matters. On the lighter side, I genuinely love the New York Times Games app. It keeps my mind sharp without feeling like work, and it’s become a small daily ritual. I also play Mario Kart Tour, which I’ll fully admit is just fun and a good way to reset.
Books have always been foundational for me. The Count of Monte Cristo is a longtime favorite and one I return to often. I also reread the James Bond novels and The Lord of the Rings every year. There’s something grounding about returning to familiar worlds. Those books remind me of patience, scale, and the long arc of character, which shows up in both my writing and how I think about life.
Podcast-wise, I’m a devoted listener. Unspooled is a staple, especially because of how it treats film with both curiosity and rigor. I also regularly listen to Poetry Unbound, which continues to shape how I think about poetry as a lived, shared experience rather than something locked on the page. Beyond that, I listen to a range of NPR podcasts, especially ones focused on culture, storytelling, and current events.
For writing and cultural commentary, I enjoy reading Good Movie by Shea Serrano. It reminds me that criticism and analysis can be smart, generous, and fun at the same time.
All of these resources, whether serious or playful, help me stay curious. They keep me learning, noticing, and engaged with the world, which ultimately makes me better as a writer, a collaborator, and a human being.
Pricing:
- Pricing is handled on a case-by-case basis and is always a conversation. I am fortunate to have the flexibility to approach each project with care, taking into account scope, intent, and context rather than relying on a fixed rate. I am clear about the value of the work and the responsibility that comes with it, but I am also open to what is possible for the client or community. Giving back is important to me, especially when the work supports artistic, cultural, or educational spaces, and I aim to find an approach that honors both the integrity of the work and the people it serves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.renzodelcastillo.com
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/Renzodelcastillo.author
- Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/renzodelcastillo
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renzodelcastillo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RenzoDelCastilloPoetry
- Other: https://www.reelpoets.com
Image Credits
Carlos Cañadas
