It’s been a year of change. Actually it’s been over two years of change. My personal life (getting married, buying a house, etc.) has completely coincided with monumental changes in my professional life. About two years ago I was about to walk away from a well paying, high performance job to co-found a new marketing firm. In about 18 months, I worked to quickly build that company, helping dozens of businesses in Western New York and across the Northeast.
And now I’m doing it all over again; living the philosophy of “You’re young…now’s the time to do it!” to an extreme.
I am very thankful to my numerous clients that continue to follow me to each new level. I’m also thankful to be in a position to take on these new business ventures. Each strategic move has so far been for the better.
There were many reasons I moved on to start Casilio Communications, but one important reason: I wanted to stay true to the memory of my grandfather, Pat Casilio Sr.
He defined “The American Dream”. He was 16 years old when he lost both of his parents within a matter of a few months. His older sister, my great-aunt Anne, raised him. After graduating from high school and serving our country, he moved from Rochester to Buffalo to start a new life.
Starting with almost nothing, he worked tirelessly, got an education, and started buying and selling properties while investing money that he was saving along the way.
Working his way from a poor farm boy to the top, his business became one of the more prominent Real Estate and Development Companies in Western New York.
Yet despite hundreds of buildings, properties, and deals, his legacy is about kindness and how often he would give back to the community.
People who knew my grandfather never say, “Wow, he owned a lot of property,” or say, “He sure built a lot of buildings,” even though both are impressive and true.
It warms my heart when people tell me about what a great guy my grandfather was; and most smile when they remember he was never “reserved” when it came to showing affection towards family, friends, or business associates.
Although I don’t plan on greeting you with a bear hug and a wet kiss on the cheek, I do plan on using Pat Sr.’s philosophy towards business as my foundation for the rest of my career.
Casilio Communications was founded to continue this business practice while layering on the incredible skills and talents of the various marketing people I have worked with over the years. While I’m confident in the abilities and work that Casilio Communications can produce, I want our legacy to be about our heart.