We recently connected with Salma Haji and have shared our conversation below.

Salma, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

The saying “You can do anything you set your mind to” never had a deep meaning for me. It was just something I heard but never believed. This all changed when I was faced with teaching a student of mine. I was teaching 6th–8th grade in a middle school. I had a student who was on the autism spectrum and was adopted with a very troubling past. He was starved and lived in a devastating situation prior to his adoption. He would have extreme aggression, biting, pinching, and pulling when he saw pizza, balloons, or anything he desperately desired. I had finally gotten to a point where his aggression was on a declining trend, and I could try to teach him at the table without aggression. I was trying to teach him “nice hands,” and he consistently got 30% or lower. One day during my conference period, I was reviewing his data, and I told myself he could learn this. As his teacher, I have to believe he can learn; I just have to figure out how to teach him. It is this unwavering belief that led to my students progress. I knew he too would learn as long as I believed in him and continuously tried. That was when a light bulb went on in my head. At that moment, I questioned why I didn’t apply the same belief to myself. I always believed in my students, fought for them, and never gave up on them. Without a doubt. However, I did not believe in myself. On that day, I changed, and my life changed. On that day, I asked myself, “What is my dream”? Whatever it is, I will believe in it and fight for it. That was in 2017, and in 2021, Meem Behavior was born.

Salma, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Meem Behavior is the result of my passion for wanting more for individuals on the spectrum. I believe that it is that same passion that sets Meem Behavior apart. We provide ABA therapy, and in this field, there are enough clients to go around; in fact, there are too many clients. I highly dislike this about our field. I wish that there were more competition and more providers. In a competitive market, providers have to fight and provide the best service, and that is what I want for our clients. They deserve nothing less. Meem Behavior fights for their clients like they deserve. During intake, we give our clients all the attention they deserve. We spend extra time answering all their questions and educating them about ABA therapy. We also strive to provide flexibility. We base all our decisions on what is best for our clients; that is the deciding factor. The driving force behind every decision What is best for our clients? Meem Behavior also has a growth mindset. We are constantly striving to improve by providing flexible hours for our staff, more benefits, and more pay. The result is staff retention and happy families.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Understanding that we are the pioneers of our field. The ABA field is a young field dating back to as early as the mid 1960’s. We are constantly evolving and improving. Our success lies in our core values which are to benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity; and ensure our own competence. We also have to constantly remind ourselves that what we do impacts the future of our clients. We have to thrive to provide the best future for our clients. Anyone in the line of educating children needs to remember that what we do has a lasting effect. Therefore we always have to give our best. It is also really important to practice self care because you cant pour from an empty cup.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Creating a healthy work space for staff is essential to the success of a business. Business owners should spend time and money in creating a healthy work space. Providing healthcare and benefits is really important. Listening and supporting staff is just as important. We noticed that our staff were struggling with our clients during transitions. We created a thorough plan to help with transitions. We reminded our staff of all the rules and regulations required, provided additional training and we asked for their input, really listened to what they had to say. We then took a step further and required all admins to be available to help during transitions. This resulted in not only a smooth transition but also staff that felt supported. We also noticed most of our staff struggled with balancing work and life due to being students. We purposely stay overstaffed so that we can provide them opportunities to take off for exams and personal life when needed. We advice them to look at their syllabus and request time off during exams ahead of time. This results in less stress and staff that are happier. Finally we celebrate every holiday and festivities with lots of food and laughter just because.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meembehavior.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meembehavior/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeemBehavior/

Image Credits
Ms. Ashley engaging in a sensory activity with a client. Clients enjoying an outside activity with their technicians.