Today we’d like to introduce you to Gauthami Vemula
Gauthami, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey began at The Department of Child Protective Services where I started off as a sexual abuse investigator and worked my way up to a Department Manager where I managed one of the child abuse/neglect investigative units. After a few years, I was selected as one of the few in Texas to train new CPS Investigators to go in the field and assess abuse/neglect (you can refer to the position as a Quality & Training Manager).
After a few years working as a sexual abuse investigator, I was one of the only three investigators hand-picked from Dallas County for a special pilot program, the Skilled Response Team, which investigated more than 40 child abuse cases a month. I later became a Department Manager of an Investigative Unit and after a few years was selected as OJT (on the job trainer or I refer to as a Quality & Training Manager), which was a milestone at CPS and great learning experience. One of the many things that I was very proud of while training new investigators was co-authoring Dallas County’s policy and procedure handbook used by all CPS Investigators. I also helped create a systematic method called “Tips, Tools, and Tactics,’ specifically utilized by newly trained CPS Investigators.
I worked at CPS for an entire decade working in various positions – during this time there and while working on the training manual, I was able to utilize my own experiences and perspective. However, I realized that I still had to work within the structure of CPS and that there was not much room to grow. The idea of starting my own consulting firm was sudden but not surprising. I would receive numerous phone calls from individuals in the community, specifically the South Asian community requesting my guidance or advice on their CPS cases and luckily, I was able to guide and consult with them because they were out of my jurisdiction. While working at CPS, I had many times wished, “what if there was an independent consultation entity that could mediate between families, the lawyers, CPS and guide families through navigating through the CPS system?”
And then one day, it occurred to me that I could actually do it. I really wanted to be a voice for those who were underrepresented, specifically families who may be misunderstood or discriminated against and may not know or understand how to navigate through the child welfare system, didn’t speak English or just didn’t understand the child welfare laws of this state our country. So, I pitched to a good friend of mine who was on board and wanted to join as my CoFounder. With that said, I left CPS after ten years and founded Color me SAFE, LLC so I can be these family’s voice and fill a void in the community. My goal is to simply build a bridge between a broken system and the families we serve. My hope is to empower our clients by providing guidance and solutions in child welfare issues.
Has it been a smooth road?
Being a social entrepreneur definitely has its shares of ups and downs and it’s not easy. This was a huge risk financially and in terms of my time and resources. There have been many obstacles along the way that I have had to endure – from finances, marketing, community outreach, to operations. It’s been tough but at the same time a wonderful learning experience. There have been many times I question whether or not I should continue and then I come back to reality and keep pushing myself because there is such a need in the community for Color me SAFE. When I do get discouraged, I try to think about the positive things Color me SAFE has brought into my life – for me, the most rewarding part, (the part) that keeps me smiling and motivated, is to hear from my clients several months later, when they call just to say, “Thank you for keeping my family together.”
The important thing for me is not to close a file, but to know that I have brought some hope for the families we work with. When you hear these kinds of testimonials, all those struggles seem like nothing. My family and dear friends have been a huge support system during this journey and I cannot thank them enough for encouraging my vision. When you have an idea or vision to take on the road, it’s definitely going to be a bumpy ride, it’s not going to be perfect and it shouldn’t be. But, if you believe in something and want to change something in the world, just DO IT, even if it’s not perfect. A Hindu Saint once said, “take up one idea. Make that one idea your life. Think of it, dream of it. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea. And just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Color me SAFE, LLC story. Tell us more about the business.
Color me SAFE, a family crisis management consulting firm serving the Greater Dallas area. Our mission is to assist families of the Greater Dallas area by offering guidance and solutions in child protection issues. Color me SAFE staff has over twenty-five years of experience protecting the children of the great state of Texas.
Recognized as knowledgeable experts in their field, the Color me SAFE team is committed to providing a wide range of innovative consulting services that address current Child Protective Services investigations, civil court proceedings, child custody disputes, and putting measures in place to ensure current and future child safety in the home. When it comes to dealing with issues of child protection, circumstances can quickly become frightening, traumatic, and often overwhelming. Color me SAFE provides your entire family with a sense of security, navigating you through every step of the process from beginning to end.
Color me SAFE will work with you to tailor a solution that best suits your family’s needs. We are still at the grassroots level and building this from firm from the bottom up – as Founder and President of a small firm like this; I have the overall responsibility of overseeing and doing a little of everything from daily operations, marketing, community outreach and consulting with clients and working with family attorneys. I am very proud of to say that CMS has a team on ground and will be implementing more programs and services within the community. Lots of wonderful changes are happening within the firm and we very excited to share them with our community/ partners very soon. My goal for Color me SAFE is to see it progress from a startup firm to a midlevel organization, expand our network and services.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
There is always going to be a need in area of Child Welfare — I definitely see a need for Color me SAFE in the community. As time goes by, there will more trends, more child welfare laws, more legislation, more changes in CPS. We at CMS will continue to strive to educate ourselves with these shifts so we can empower our clients and the community on a higher scale.
Pricing:
- CMS retainer is 500.00 and One-Time Consultation is 100.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.colormesafe.net
- Phone: 214-738-6490
- Email: g.vemula@colormesafe.net or info@colormesafe.net
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColorMeSafe/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColorMeSafe
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gvemula
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