We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikki Moses and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikki, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I pressed forward and allowed God to order my steps because of my faith, sacrifices made by others before me and guidance provided to help me overcome adversity. This helped me stand in my purpose, push through barriers and choose the path towards building a legacy. In order to understand how to keep going and not give up, I embraced my past. “In order to know where you are going, you have to appreciate where you come from.” We can allow our past to define us, shape us or break us down. We can embrace the intricacies of our past or forget the parts that make up who we really are. I had to learn how to speak my truth and understand that in my truth came fortitude, courage, pain, adversity and love. I learned as a child I couldn’t ever give up because it would perpetuate a cycle that was deeply rooted in my family with mental health challenges, and parental drug abuse and parental and sibling incarceration. I began conditioning myself as a child and my way of thinking because I didn’t want to be another statistic. Furthermore, I learned to challenge myself: to do more, to stand for more and to be more than my experiences. It shaped the little girl in me yesterday in becoming the woman I am today. While growing up, some people attempted to define how far I would go in life because of the dysfunctions I grew up in, but I learned I wasn’t my childhood neighborhood, I wasn’t my sibling’s choices, nor my parents. However, I found the beauty inside the dysfunction and accepted my upbringing would forever become an etched part of me. I could choose to allow it to devour me or see the sunshine through it. My past gave me hope and in that hope, I did the “work” and it was the one thing that pushed me further beyond what others had identified as attainable for me in life. Without hope, I wouldn’t be able to walk the path towards my purpose and without wanting to find my purpose in life, I would be giving up on me and who God destined for me to be. Giving up never became an option. When someone said, I couldn’t, I showed them, “I can.” When someone said, it’s too much, I replied, “It’s not enough”. If someone said, you’ll never be, I said, “I am” and when someone suggested to give up, I said, “I’m pressing forward”. Giving up is defeat before the battle. Giving up is the absence of preparation. Giving up is not allowing yourself to do the work. Giving up is not addressing the “past” in order to deal with the “present” and giving up the chance to prepare for the future possibilities. So how do I know rather to keep going, rather than give up….because giving up is too easy. To keep going is proving to yourself that finding your purpose in life is worthy of challenges, worthy of forks in the road, worthy of disappointment, worthy of triumph, worthy of stumbling blocks and worthy of adversity because along the many roads we travel, we may fall a few times and we may even fail, but the essence of it all is being able to brush yourself off to get back up. It helps us build character, strength and tenacity to continue the race until we get to the finish line and knowing it’s ok to run the race again and again as we walk through life because we are worthy.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Consulting 4 the Spectrum, LLC became the first minority provider to offer home and center base ABA treatment services in Frisco-Plano in 2007. As a Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, applied behavior analytic (ABA) treatment programs are created for children with autism and consultation services are provided to families and school districts. We take a holistic approach to learning with a collaborative approach with parents, teachers, speech therapists and occupational therapists. Our specialty is early intervention and our programs are designed for mild to severely affected learners who may also be considered non-verbal, have limited communication, play, social and functional independence skills. I believe what sets us apart is our why. Our mission is to help our learners attain a better quality of life and give our parents a Glimmer of Hope. Our authenticity, dedication, and flexibility allows us to breakdown barriers and shatter misconceptions of autism. Our focus is to shape each learner’s skill repertoire. In doing so, we are building a legacy for each of the children we serve as everything we do is sacrificial. The path of our business and the road traveled has not been easy. We encountered many obstacles along the way. I started the business in 2007 without any business experience or capital. We bootstrapped and any funds acquired were put right back into the business. Before my husband transitioned as a partner, he provided insight and business ideas as this was his background. I dealt with the need to prove my level of expertise in a field, that had very few women of color at the time. It was a lonely road as many colleagues were not open to offering guidance. Two of my undergraduate and graduate professors from the University of North Texas took me under their wings. They kept their doors open for any questions I had, any challenges encountered and provided support whenever needed. As a result of these barriers, I learned the following lessons: 1. Be sacrificial 2. Reciprocate and disseminate knowledge 3. Be transparent 4. Be supportive of others 5. Be authentic 6. Put the learner first 7. The learner is never wrong 8. Give back to the community 9. Press forward through challenges 10. Embrace and collaborate with other providers. Being able to serve families with children affected with autism for nearly 20 years now is one of my greatest passions and something very dear to my heart. One of my younger cousins was diagnosed with autism. It sparked my love for serving others at a young age and why I wanted to learn more and do more for children impacted with autism. Our Legacy is the epitome of being sacrificial to others and leaving positive, authentic, pieces of ourselves behind: For our children to reciprocate love; Our family to retell our story; Our team to disseminate knowledge; and Our community to reverberate our purpose.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Monday: -Legacy West -Legacy Hall Tuesday: -Shops of Legacy -Half Shells Wednesday: -Hiatus Spa -Sixty Vines Thursday: -Painting with a Twist -True Food Kitchen Friday: -Board and Brush Studio -Sambuca

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this shoutout to several individuals who have been instrumental in supporting my passion and career: 1. My parents who poured love in the midst of adversity and helped me believe that anything is possible no matter where you come from or the color of your skin and that we are all worthy even when the odds are stacked against you. 2. My husband, Nick Moses of 16 years and business partner, who showers me with sacrificial love in times of pain, gives me hope and a deep sense of security in knowing everything will be ok through encouragement and unyielding support. 3. Two professors from college that believed in my potential and who always lended an ear, Dr. Janet Ellis and Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales.

Website: www.4thespectrum.com
Instagram: @4thespectrum
Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/consulting-4-the-spectrum-b21ab877
Twitter: @4thespectrum
Facebook: @4thespectrum

Image Credits
Business Images-Tosha Chaney of Love Miss Tosha
Personal Image-Femi Ajisafe of Bomaonephotography