We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Moses Gibson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Moses below.
Moses, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from my strong faith and understanding of how quickly circumstances can change (for better or for worse). From an early age, I had a series of deaths in my family that heavily impacted my perception of what is truly important in life. I had an aunt that passed away when I was age 13, and I lost my grandfather at 16 and my grandmother at 17. The back-to-back loss of family really changed how I viewed just how important the time we do have really is. My focus ever since that time is to find that balance between working hard to reach financial independence and making sure that I am not so focused on just work and career that I miss out on time spent with the people that matter in my life. We all have to face our own mortality and the mortality of those around us, but it shouldn’t scare us from what the future has to offer. It is simply a reminder to appreciate every single moment that passes, as no one is promised another day and each day that passes is another opportunity for growth and change. Without the strong bonds I have formed and the experiences I’ve had, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, so I am very grateful for the life I have been given. Going back to faith, I also strongly believe that without the strong spiritual foundation I have through my personal relationship with God, I also would not be able to have come to such peace and understanding within my life that allows for me to have a sense of optimism despite whatever circumstances I may face. The reality is that when we are focused on being grateful, we will naturally be more joyful and positive even in the midst of adversity. Adversity provides a challenge to overcome, and as we continue to face new challenges, it brings a level of strength and confidence that if you can survive what you already have, you can make it through whatever you are currently facing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am one of the Co-Owners of The Horror House, a horror retail shop located in the city of Chicago at 2911 W Belmont Ave. We opened our doors on June 10th, 2022 after successfully getting backed on Kickstarter to raise enough start-up capital for us to open up operations. The Horror House is a one-stop shop for horror merchandise of all sorts. We have everything from figures and collectibles, to prints and artwork, apparel, books, accessories, and more! We have a unique mix of merchandise produced in house as well as offerings from a number of different local and small businesses within the horror community on top of some of the more mainstream offerings that we carry. We take pride in working with as many small businesses as we can, as its the connections that we have been able to make with so many people within our community that allows us to do what we do. Aside from our retail shop and e-commerce website, we also set up pop-up shops at many event locally and even host special movie screenings at local theaters in Chicago (The Music Box, Facets, The Hollywood Blvd Cinema, etc. ) as well as at conventions, trade shows, and even music festivals such as Riot Fest. Our goal is to try to bring our unique horror platform to reach people in as many ways as we can, whether in shop, online, or out at other events throughout the year. We have an upcoming event February 10th at The Hollywood Blvd Cinema where we will be screening My Bloody Valentine and hosting a pop-up featuring a few different horror vendors, so come on out! The first 100 people get a special gift!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In no particular order I would say that these three qualities/skill sets have helped me in my journey to progress, grow, and persevere within my own journey: patience, adaptability, and self-awareness. Being patient is essential for reaching progress in virtually every endeavor. When acquiring new skills or looking to improve upon existing skills, patience is key in terms of developing the discipline and consistency that is required to gain mastery over any skill set, which takes a long time. Without patience, long term planning is basically impossible, and it is essential when learning to communicate well with others, especially when dealing with people who are less agreeable.
Adaptability will always be essential, especially within business. Being able to adapt to new circumstances is essential to surviving changes in your environment. Change is a constant and to keep up with change takes the willingness to learn and try new things. Without being able to adapt to setbacks and challenges, failure becomes inevitable. It is much easier said than done, of course, but we all know that being too comfortable and complacent impedes progress. With that being said, challenging yourself to force yourself into uncomfortable circumstances is the best way to practice adapting to new circumstances. The more skills and knowledge that you can arm yourself with, the better chances you will have when encountering new changes in your environment.
Self-Awareness is just as important as the previous two traits, and has been a large part of my personal growth both in business and in life in general. Being able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses is crucial to understanding how to best utilize and develop your strengths and work to mitigate any shortcomings you may have. This skill-set is also transferable to being able to analyze and identify the strengths and weaknesses in others as well which is crucial when it comes to collaborating with others. To achieve the highest form of efficiency, it is best to surround yourself with others who have different and unique skills that allow for tasks to be delegated to the people in the group who are best suited for those specific tasks. Ideally you want others who will balance out each others weaknesses to cover as many bases as you can collectively.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was to bring me up with a very strong foundation based within their faith that allowed for them to bring me up to value learning, having a strong work ethic, and integrity in all things I do. They were strict, but very loving and gave me a great balance of discipline while still allowing me and my brother the freedom to chase and engage in our passions. Without the amount of guidance and support I have been given in life from my parents, I would not have been in the position to open up The Horror House, and I am beyond grateful for having such great and loving parents in my life to allow me to become the person I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehorrorhouseshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehorrorhouseshop/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theHorrorhouseshop/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/horrorhousellc
- Other: https://www.whatnot.com/user/thehorrorhouseshop https://www.tiktok.com/@thehorrorhouseshop
Image Credits
Bury Me In Gold Media, LLC.
