The lotus flower has an innate ability to survive and grow within muddy and murky waters. When night falls, the lotus will close and lay dormant until the sun rises. This is when the flower will bloom again and open to the sun seeking energy and strength.
Much like the lotus flower, life can follow a similar journey. We confront challenges and hardships that can weigh us down. Inner strength and resilience combined with support from our community can work together to help us grow and find a way forward.
This is why Kerry Bolton, Founder and CEO of Caring Lotus, decided to name her business after this spiritual and inspirational flower. As an individual who has survived domestic violence, experienced grave loss and finds immense joy in helping others, Kerry knew early on that her purpose in life was to assist people seeking extra support within her community.
From a young age it was evident that Kerry had an abundance of compassion to share with those around her, but it wasn’t until she moved to America for love, that she discovered her true passion in life. During her 10 years of living in the US, Kerry worked within public health clinics and the mental health industry. Throughout this journey, she was given the opportunity to work at Buckelew Programs, the largest provider of comprehensive mental health and addiction services in the North Bay of California.
During her tenure at Buckelew, Kerry was shown the ropes by an incredibly supportive team. She built up her professional experience within the mental health industry and gained invaluable knowledge that she would later adapt to her own business.
The sage advice Kerry learned during this experience, that she still lives by today is, “The team at Buckelew taught me to have a heart in business and that it is OK to cry”. Kerry recalls the countless times she would feel emotional after a challenging day at work, and she would feel safe enough to shed a tear and share with her compassionate team. “They showed me that talking and communicating is so important, even if you are a professional businesswoman” and it is this same message that Kerry now shares with her team at Caring Lotus.
When Kerry returned home to Australia, she was a homeless single mother with little to no financial backing. Her community of friends and family rallied around her, giving her a roof over her head and a place to sleep while she figured out her next move. During this period Kerry worked tirelessly to gain further experience within the mental health and disability industry which included furthering her education, and a 1-year stint with an NDIS trial site as a business analyst.
After years of dreaming and planning, in February 2021, Kerry was able to finally take the leap and start up her own business, Caring Lotus. Following the same core values she had learned at Buckelew, Kerry knew this was the right move for her and the community of people she so avidly wanted to assist. From humble beginnings of a small home-based office, Caring Lotus has grown into a corporate office with over 100 staff branching across Victoria.
The team at Caring Lotus is composed of experienced and compassionate people, who live and breathe the same values as their CEO, Kerry. With this tight-knit and hard-working team, there is nothing that Caring Lotus can’t do! When asked what the plans are for the future of Caring Lotus, Kerry isn’t lost for words “We plan on offering a BES program, to support our clients to expand their business skills and support them as they join or return to the workforce.”
Regardless of growth, the value of community is at the core of the Caring Lotus business as Kerry shares, “We want to grow our community of staff and clients, but we will ensure to maintain the personal touch for everyone. This will be achieved by bringing people together through events and celebrations. Community and togetherness are at the heart of everything we do.”
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