


Discover clarity, perspective and strategies that help you move forward with confidence.

Hello!
I’m Laura Castonguay, owner of Bright Path Coaching & Consulting. I work with people and small businesses who are standing at the edge of change — big or small — and want both inspiration and structure to move forward. With a mix of intuitive insight and practical strategy, I create space for what wants to be born, while also guiding the real-world steps to get there.
Why I do this work
I’ve always loved problem-solving. Nothing lights me up more than helping someone through a challenge that feels heavy, then easing their way by uncovering creative solutions they didn’t see before. I like knowing that people feel supported and not alone in a big process of change. My role isn’t to hand you a one-size-fits-all answer, but to listen deeply and co-create solutions that truly fit you.
Who I work with
Every path is unique. I work with:
- Small business owners who want clarity, structure, and strategy.
- Creative professionals who need space to bring ideas to life.
- Individuals in transition who are ready to move forward with confidence.
My Approach
Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked across communications, HR, operations, technology, and coaching. What ties it all together is how I approach each challenge: with compassion, ingenuity, and creativity. I see patterns, find solutions, and co-create with others to bring ideas into form.
Below are examples of the projects and experiences that shape my work today.
Marketing & Communications
~ Guided a nonprofit leadership team through a rebrand, including mission and culture alignment, so their message matched their values.
~ Launched a mobile communication platform connecting 800 dispersed workers with disabilities across two states — with high adoption from the start.
~ Designed new communication templates for a healthcare staffing firm, improving how interim leaders were placed in national hospital systems.
~ Audited and improved nonprofit communications to ensure language was inclusive and accessible for both staff and the community.
Human Resources
~ Designed and led the first employee appreciation week for a nonprofit with 300+ worksites, creating connection and recognition across the organization.
~ Improved work conditions for 500+ employees in a janitorial company by assessing needs and ensuring proper equipment and supplies.
~ Enhanced diversity in recruiting by building new outreach strategies and processes.
~ Built and launched a new employee support team to improve retention and engagement — including hiring, onboarding, and mentoring eight new staff.
~ Boosted employee satisfaction from 50% to 90% “very happy” and cut turnover to under 5% within one year through team building and leadership.
~ Reduced open roles from 40 to 5 in less than a month by initiating weekly hiring events and streamlining recruitment.
~ Overhauled onboarding with input from diverse employees to improve experience and successful integration.
Operations & Growth
~ Helped grow a business from $2.5K to $4M in under two years by redesigning operations and building scalable systems.
~ Improved revenue, communication, and employee engagement by creating new processes for customer onboarding, shipping, receiving, and inventory control.
~ Supported a logistics company through COVID-19 and natural disasters, ensuring workflow continued without interruption.
~ Expanded a team from 20 to 60 by introducing scheduling systems, redesigning office space for efficiency, and identifying key capital investments.
~ Led the early stages of an office relocation, collaborating with architects to integrate autism inclusion and universal design principles.
~ Reduced product errors from 13% to under 1% — and maintained them for two years — by restructuring teams, developing new roles, and strengthening accountability.
Technology & Systems
~ Partnered with cross-functional teams to implement and launch a new HRIS, improving efficiency and data accuracy.
~ Introduced a warehouse management system and trained the team directly to ensure smooth adoption.
~ Collaborated to design new accounting software that cut monthly billing from five days to less than one.
~ Rolled out new shipping software that delivered measurable cost savings.
~ Led the transition to updated scanning software, boosting both speed and quality.
~ Worked with leadership to adopt a new applicant tracking system (ATS) that streamlined hiring.
~ Designed and developed multiple websites — blending clear strategy, user-friendly design, and brand alignment to bring each vision to life.
Coaching & Team Building
~ Mentored managers, supervisors, and direct labor staff in HR, Operations, Marketing, Recruiting & Logistics to help them grow into confident leaders and achieve operational success.
~ Guided an organizational restructuring that created new career paths and growth opportunities, including mentoring disabled employees into leadership roles.
~ Built diverse, inclusive teams with a focus on gender identity equity, disability inclusion, and broader DEIA initiatives.
~ Supported individuals through personal and professional transitions — from relocating a family abroad, to launching a shamanic healing practice, to guiding a $4M business owner through succession.
FAQ
Q: What kinds of challenges do you help with?
A: Anything connected to change. I can help a small business grow and strengthen its internal foundation — from HR and communications to finances and operations. I also work with individuals navigating life transitions, like moving to a new country, and with businesses that need a fresh website or updated systems. At the heart of it, I love problem-solving and easing the weight of change. Work with me, and we’ll design a path forward together.
Q: How does pricing work?
A: I use a sliding scale ($75–$225/hour) so you can choose the rate that fits your circumstances without compromising quality.
Q: Do you work only with businesses in Portland?
A: No — while I’m based in Portland, I work with clients anywhere through online sessions.
Call to Action
If you’re interested in working together or would like to schedule a consultation, I’d love to connect.