We were lucky to catch up with Kenisha Darden recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kenisha, thanks for joining us today. The more we talk about good leadership the more we think good leadership practices will spread and so we’d love for you to tell us a story about the best boss you’ve had and what they were like or what they did that was so great?

I’ve been blessed to have two incredible leaders who made a lasting impact on my life — one in the workplace and one in my personal journey.

The first was Rob Stumpf, my store manager when I worked at Rooms to Go in Buckhead. Rob truly saw people — not just as employees, but as individuals with potential. He believed in me before I fully believed in myself and taught me what it meant to lead by example. I’ll never forget when he called me out for arriving a few minutes late to work. I explained that I lived in SWATS — Southwest Atlanta, near Greenbriar Mall — and mornings were tough between daycare drop-offs and traffic on the way to Buckhead. He listened, but then said, “Kenish, I drive from Canton every day — if I can make it, you can too.” It wasn’t until he invited me to his home that I realized just how far he really lived — past Kennesaw! From that day on, I had no more excuses. That moment taught me accountability, discipline, and the power of integrity in leadership.

The second was Tanya Robinson, a Black woman who owned the daycare my children attended. At the time, I didn’t work for her — I was simply one of her clients — but watching her changed my life. Tanya ran her business with compassion and strength. She was kind, but she didn’t allow her kindness to be mistaken for weakness. She handled every situation with fairness and grace, and she genuinely cared for the families she served. She was the first Black woman I personally knew who owned and operated her own business, and seeing her thrive gave me permission to believe I could do the same. Over time, she even became my children’s godmother — a true testament to her heart and character.

Both Rob and Tanya modeled leadership that was rooted in belief, integrity, and service — values I carry with me in everything I do today.

Kenisha, 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?

A lot has changed since the last time I was featured. I actually transitioned into an entirely new industry after having to close my previous business due to performance challenges and the changing economy. What felt like an ending turned out to be a divine redirection.

Today, I’m the founder of Darden Quality Solutions, a Georgia-based business that provides virtual transaction coordination services for real estate agents and investors. We help Realtors and investors streamline their closings, organize documentation, and manage the behind-the-scenes details that keep deals running smoothly. In addition to contract-to-close support, we also offer marketing and back-office services — helping busy professionals stay organized, branded, and ready for growth.

Along the way, my creative side began to shine through. What started as creating simple marketing materials for clients — like postcards and property flyers — blossomed into full-scale print and digital design services, including t-shirt graphics, invitations, brochures, and more. I also discovered a gift for producing video presentations — especially heartfelt tributes for celebrations of life, graduations, or major milestones. Those projects, in particular, have become something deeper for me — a form of ministry through creativity, where I use faith-based messages and scripture to comfort, uplift, and inspire.

What truly sets me apart is that I lead with integrity, compassion, and faith — qualities shaped by people who have influenced my journey in meaningful ways. From Rob Stumpf, my former store manager at Rooms to Go in Buckhead, I learned discipline, accountability, and how to lead by example. From Tanya Robinson, a Black woman business owner I deeply admire, I learned the importance of compassion, grace, and standing firm in your values. The lessons I took from both of them still guide the way I serve my clients today.

At Darden Quality Solutions, I stand by our motto: “Where quality isn’t a promise — it’s a process.” My goal is always to leave every client feeling seen, supported, and satisfied, because I believe you’re only as good as your last customer.

Have you ever had to pivot?

This very moment is my pivot.

I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my professional life — shutting down my remote staffing business and stepping into a completely new industry: real estate. At first, it felt like a setback, but in hindsight, I can clearly see that it was all part of God’s plan.

What’s interesting is that I believe God had been preparing me for this transition long before I ever realized it. Back in 2004, the Realtor who sold me my home — Sylvia Ervin — became a close friend. Around that same time, my husband was doing real estate investing, and we ended up moving to Clayton County, Georgia, which brought me even closer to Sylvia. Not long after, I was involved in an accident that kept me out of work for a while. During that downtime, Sylvia would have me help her with real estate tasks — organizing documents, following up on files, and assisting with transactions. I didn’t know it then, but I was doing transaction coordination work before I even knew what that meant.

Fast forward to 2025, and here I am — the owner of Darden Quality Solutions, a business that specializes in exactly that: transaction coordination. Looking back, I can see how every step, every experience, even the challenges, were divinely orchestrated.

What felt like a forced pivot was really a divine redirection. God was molding me, shaping me, and preparing me for this purpose all along — I just didn’t realize it at the time. Today, I walk in that purpose with gratitude and faith, knowing that what seemed like an ending was really the beginning of something greater.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Absolutely. My story of resilience ties directly to my recent pivot — closing down my remote staffing business and starting over in an entirely new field.

For years, I poured my heart into that business. I believed in it. I built it from the ground up and genuinely thought it was what I would be doing long-term. So when I had to face the reality that it was no longer performing — that the economy had shifted and it was time to close the doors — it felt like failure. Not just a business failure, but a personal one.

That decision shook me to my core. I hadn’t been part of the traditional workforce since around 2008, and suddenly I was standing at a crossroads asking, What now? What does this mean for me? For my family? How do I start over? It was more than a business loss — it was a period of grief, reflection, and rediscovery.

But resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about getting back up — wiser and more grounded. I had to confront hard truths about what went well and what didn’t, where I had been too loyal to an idea that had run its course, and what lessons God was trying to teach me through it all.

Letting go of that chapter taught me that sometimes resilience looks like release — having the courage to walk away, not because you’ve failed, but because you’ve outgrown that season. I took everything I learned from that experience and used it to build something new, something stronger: Darden Quality Solutions.

Now, instead of seeing that closure as defeat, I see it as the foundation of my strength. It taught me how to trust God’s timing, believe in new beginnings, and understand that endings are often just setups for greater things ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dardenqualitysolutions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dardenquality
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dardenqualitysolutions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dardenquality
• Other: I am also an author
  https://www.amazon.com/author/kenirdarden