Today we’d like to introduce you to Daron Jenkins

Hi Daron, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

I’m originally from Newark, NJ. I’m the youngest of three sibblings. My mom was an artist, a poet, and a pre-school teacher. My father played baseball, transitioned into education as a high school teacher and ended up becoming the Director of the Human Rights Commission in Newark. My brother was a star track and field athlete at Georgetown, a Creative Director and a comic book artist. My sister though she was active in acting and music earlier in life she eventually moved into the corporate world in HR. Currently she’s a life coach for professional women.

Going into college I wanted to study film but my father was against that and made me choose something else business related. I was a decent artist in high school. My art professor talked to me about possibly applying to Parsons Paris. My father wouldn’t let me do that either. I wasn’t sure what else to do. Then I came across the film “Nothing in Common” which starred Tom Hanks as a Creative Director who had to deal with his difficult father played by Jackie Gleason. That film clicked for me and so I declared my major as Advertising Design/Creative Director and also English/Creative Writing (because my English 101 professor saw that I had writing talent). College allowed me to really explore my array of interests and talents and it was there where I really began using my passion for bringing communities together using my creative interests. I founded my fraternity Kappa Sigma Rho. I wrote for the college newspaper. I joined the College Union Board and helped bring bands like the Bangles, Bananarama, the Alarm, and others to campus. I was a late night radio host on WTSC. I became a Community Advisor (most colleges call it Residence Advisors). I help run sports camps during the summers. I ran track. Coached Women’s Intramural Basketball. It was here I began to build who I am now.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

No. I’ve had many (MANY!) struggles. Fires that have burned down the house I was living in. Earthquakes. Family tragedies. Lost of jobs. Entrepreneurial struggles. Life is messy and setbacks happen more times than not. I’ll save the gory details for my book (if I ever write one).

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

What people tell me is that they love how I am able to bring people together and help people to get closer to achieving their dreams.

I honestly never thought about it. I think my personal experiences earlier in life allows me to empathize with the struggles that creators and entrepreneurs go through. It was super frustrating for me as a teen, having all this creative energy and talent, wanting to explore my passions and being told no by my father. My mom was always super supportive but my father was paying for college (full transparency my father was supposed to be paying for college so he said if he’s paying for college I have to study what he wanted me to study. I say supposed because I found out in the beginning of my senior year after he passed away that he wrote a bunch of bogus checks and when I went to sign up for class they told me my father owed 10k from bounced checks so I never got to finish school).

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?

My ability to listen. It’s important on so many levels. Learning how to listen can help you in business meetings so you don’t commit to something that could be detrimental. It can help forge strong relationships. It can help show empathy. Many people only concentrate on talking but listening to me is a super power because you can get a feel for how a person will receive what you’re presenting to them. I try to give everyone my full attention when I can. When I am doing consultations, listening is main tool, which feeds into my ability to innovate and create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/thedaronjenkins
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedaronjenkins
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedaronjenkinsofficial/