Kendall Morton is a name that you may not know right now but after winning the Outstanding Business Women of the Year in the recent SCBWN Awards, Kendall is about to become a household name, and is making a big impact from Redcliffe to Bundaberg (South East Queensland), in a fast growing industry.

So Kendall, tell Us a little bit about you and your story, including business and personal achievements:

Home Care Assistance. We provide high quality, personalised, in-home support for those aged over 65 or with a disability. My key achievements are developing a business from the ground up to a growing organisation with a team of over 50 staff from Redcliffe to Bundaberg. Our focus on quality of life and reminding individuals of what they have to offer, to look forward to, to engage with through relationships and personal happiness sets us apart from other providers in a highly competitive industry.

You have just been heralded as the SCBWN Outstanding Business Woman of the Year – CONGRATULATIONS! – tell us how it feels to win this amazing accolade?

It is such an honour and such a wonderful surprise. To even be a finalist against such amazing business women is an honour. It really is a dream come true and something I will hold dear for the rest of my life.

Tell us about your career and what drives you to succeed?

I think when you are in business, it is very important to define what success looks like for yourself as it means different things to different people. As we all have a basic human need, and mine is contribution, this means I am driven by making a difference in a bigger picture and facilitating positive change for the wider society.

Success to me is having the opportunities that arise from running a successful business. This past year we have not only created positive models of service delivery for our clients, but I have also been asked to speak at different organisations and events. I absolutely love these events and the chance to share knowledge and inspire others within a community that has been so generous with me.

You work in an industry that is growing rapidly and would be challenging – does this affect you on a daily basis?

Our days are pretty full on! We are so lucky to have so many amazing clients that choose us to manage their funding so the overall growth has made us quite busy. The biggest challenge we face is the fact that there is simply not enough funding to meet the demands of the market. Clients are then in a situation where they face a long wait time (over 12 months) or they are assigned funding that is much lower than their care requirements. We then have to work with clients and their families to prioritise what will keep them both safe and happy.

How do you feel you influence your colleagues and the people that you work with?

I lead by example and do not ask anyone to do anything that I am not prepared to do. The team around me always appreciate my positivity and gratitude that we get to work with such fabulous and inspiring people and I think this attitude is passed on to them.

What are you passionate about – professionally and personally?

Professionally, I am passionate about making a difference to the lives of vulnerable people in an ethical, transparent and approachable way. I am also passionate about efficiency and strategizing ways for Government funding to be more accountable and stretch further through better systems and processes. I think it is our responsibility to ensure we are contributing to the greater good of society in order for our country to be sustainable for future generations.

Personally, I am so proud and happy to have my little family, my husband and four children. I am a passionate advocate for encouraging women to only justify the decisions they make to themselves and those that they love. We don’t need to compare ourselves to others, and we don’t need to pigeonhole ourselves into any boxes – what works at one stage of life can change. We are not trees, and we are not stuck in the ground, we can move and improve and continue to learn.

How do you plan to spend the next twelve months following the Award win?

I am looking forward to the opportunities to work with the SCBWN, and attend as many events as possible. Hopefully I can share my story with anyone who wants some guidance, friendship or even to share the challenges of being in business. I can’t wait!

And what’s next on the agenda for Kendall Morton – beyond this year?

Woo hoo! Who really knows? I absolutely love the industry I work in, and I will keep taking the opportunities that arise. I would really like to see some long-term planning and stability in our government so hopefully I will have to chance to continue those conversations with the decision makers in our community. I really, really want to work on abolishing payroll tax in Queensland and this project has started……watch this space!

What do you do in your spare time?

Spend every spare minute with my beautiful children, Coty, Rafe, JJ and Tula

Favourite movie?

Good Will Hunting

What is your favourite quote or manifesto?

Make the most of this life, we only get one, and it is a beautiful world we have to live in.

To check out more on Kendall & Homecare Assistance head to:

www.homecareassistancesunshinecoast.com.au

or Facebook –

@HomecareAssistanceSunshineCoast