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

Hi Nisa, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Growing up, I would not have considered myself to be a risk-taker. I was a soft-spoken and somewhat shy young lady who cared a great deal about what others thought. I did all of the things that one is expected to do; I went to college, got married, raised a family, joined a church, and settled into a great career. On the outside it looked as if I was living a “successful” life, but in reality, I was unfulfilled, bored, and longing to break free of the imaginary box that we so often find ourselves in. Beginning in 2014, a series of major life events led me to reevaluate how I’d been living my life. I decided that I wanted to experience more, to be more, and to set an example for my four children. I knew that it was time to break free! On January 1, 2015 I moved across the country from Pennsylvania to California to start anew. It was one of the biggest risks I have ever taken, and it has paid off handsomely.
My mindset has now shifted from that of a shy young lady, to someone who is outspoken and driven when necessary. Instead of simply enduring the challenges of life, I purposely look for the challenges and risks that will make a significant positive difference in my life, my business, and my community. Because of this, I have a successful career and business with a focus on educating children in historically underserved populations. I see challenges and risks as opportunities to make a powerful impact and I will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am the Executive Director of my non-profit organization, Next Generation Financial Educators. At NGFE, our mission is to teach real-world financial literacy to children in historically underserved communities. At the start of the pandemic, I started very small by offering online workshops for school-aged children and teens. I have since grown to teaching up to 150 students at a time at in-person events. I believe that the key to my success is positioning myself in the right circles and networking. The challenge is making sure that I get the right help at the right time for my business to continue to grow. I want the world to know that by focusing on underserved populations, we at NGFE will transform the financial trajectory of families for generations to come.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I very much enjoy the outdoor life that SoCal has to offer. When people come to visit, I take them to the normal tourist traps, if they desire. But, I always take visitors to Laguna Beach because I believe it is the most beautiful beach in the area. While in Laguna I like to eat at some of the beach-front restaurants, shop in the small town, and meet many of the locals in the pubs and bars. It’s always a great time.

I also like to take visitors to eat at any of the small neighborhood Mexican restaurants to get real street tacos and margaritas. Most people don’t know what a taco is supposed to taste like and I’m happy to show them the light.

I also like to take visitors on a hike. I love taking the drive to San Diego to hike the beautiful La Jolla trail.

Finally, it is a must that my visitors visit one of our beautiful wineries in Temecula. It’s such a beautiful and peaceful drive and the wine, view, and service are like no other.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shout out feature to my immediate family and close friends who consistently encourage, motivate, and inspire me to take big risks. They do so without judgment and with unending support.

Website: www.nextgenfe.com

Instagram: @nextgenfe

Facebook: Next Generation Financial Educators

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