Kari Coultis

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING YOUR AGE?
I like that I have gotten to the point where I’m established in my business, which I have had for 13 years now, and it has allowed me to do what I need to do with my family.

WHAT HARDSHIPS HAVE YOU ENDURED THAT YOU FEEL HAVE MADE YOU STRONGER?
My son’s autism, high functioning autism, people look at him and think he’s a normal kid, just bad. Because of his behavior, we’ve been judged as parents a lot and we’ve been alienated from friends over the years. Being able to work through that with him. Also, not to hold grudges against people we used to be friends with when rekindling those friendships that were alienated during those years.

Starting my own practice and having to be successful and having it last so many years, knowing I can do this. I am proud that I was able to start my own practice, it was what my family needed at that time. My son was going through all those struggles and there were years he came to work with me every day because that’s what we needed to have happen. Having the flexibility to be able to do all that and get through it. I’m still here, my business is still here.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
I’m proud of my family, my boys, I’ve been married for 24 years this year and having my business this long.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
I’m a pretty simple person. I would say my self-care, I like getting regular massages and think that’s an extravagance. Taking care of yourself and making sure you can stay healthy, mentally as well.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
I don’t really have anything materialistic; I would say my family is most treasured.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING YOU HAVE CHECKED OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST?
Last summer we did a rafting trip as a family. I was a little scared at first, but it was really cool and fun. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be and I’m glad that we did it, we all ended up enjoying it.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?
I have been working through a lot of personal development in the past years. Being able to see the good things in life and if it’s a negative situation, figuring out what I can learn and better myself. Trying to be in that mindset rather than letting difficult negative things bring me down. I’ve been through a lot of adversity with my son with autism and we had a lot of years that were hard and a struggle. Getting through all that has made me a better person.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
Failures and hardships are ok. If you’re not going through that stuff you’re probably not learning and growing. Everything’s going to be ok on the other side of all of that.

DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR YOUNGER WOMEN?
Stay strong in your beliefs of what’s important to you. For me, family is important, I stood strong in my beliefs and convictions, and I wasn’t going to give that up for a job, I started for myself to be successful for my family.

WHAT IS A TRAIT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?
My strength to get through difficult times and not give up.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO OR FAVORITE QUOTE?
Move mountains.
It gives me belief in hope and that I can do the impossible. There’s a Christian song that has that in it. When going through the hardships of my son, I quit going to church. When I went again for the first time, they were singing that song during the worship time and I finally felt like I was through those hardships enough to get back to life again. It touched me in that moment.

WHAT DO YOU MOST VALUE IN YOUR FRIENDS?
Loyalty and loving me for me, not being judgmental.

HOW DID YOU CHANGE OVER THE YEARS?
I think there was a time when I probably was angrier and let things get me down more.  I’d put a lot of negativity and stuff on social media.

Getting through everything that I’ve been through made me a stronger person.  Those situations and circumstances have taught me a lot, seeing the positive side of things and what it teaches me, and how I can grow from it. I try to be a more positive person and I don’t put that negativity out there anymore.  Overall, it’s just made me a better person.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Confidence in myself.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS?
That they know and believe they can do anything they set their mind to.  And not let other people’s judgments, beliefs, or thoughts get them down or make them doubt themselves. Believe that they can do whatever they want.

WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY AT THIS AGE?
My boys and my family. My boys are 15, 16, and 18 and just following them around and watching their sports has been fun. They all played football and my youngest wrestles. My oldest wrestled as well but not as seriously as my younger one. It was great to see my youngest go to high school state, he didn’t place but it’s been fun watching him. He’s good, that’s cool.

WHAT IS YOUR SUPERPOWER?
Being a mom to my boys, being there for what they need. They are all in their teens, 15, 16, and 18. The relationship changes and it’s fun.

I remember a time when one of my youngest son’s teachers emailed me. They did a gratitude journal at school every week, and she wanted me to know what William wrote. He wrote he was grateful that I was always there for him, helping with his homework. It was cool that he actually said that.

DO YOU LIKE BEING 40+?
It’s a number, I don’t really think about age too much. I guess, it’s good.

WHEN IN YOUR LIFE, SO FAR, HAVE YOU FELT MOST CONFIDENT, AND WHY?
Now. Many small businesses fail early on and I’m through that hurdle. My business is established for quite some time and it’s going great.