Today we’d like to introduce you to Darlene Taylor.
Darlene, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Though I was born in Miami, Florida, my story really starts in Anchorage, Alaska, where I was raised. I was fortunate enough to stay there until I left for college in Washington and then came to Cincinnati for graduate school. I initially moved there to further my education but stayed for the better part of the next 18 years. I attended the University of Cincinnati, where I earned my Master of Social Work degree in 2001 and began my career working for Children’s Services, then moved into working as a therapist. I was married at that time, and my husband’s job took us away from Cincinnati for a few years, and then we returned in 2006.
In 2008, we divorced and began the journey of co-parenting our then-two-year-old daughter, Samantha. Like many, we struggled with finding a new normal, so the first few years were pretty rocky. Thankfully, we eventually got into a nice co-parenting rhythm and found our way back to friendship and a good working relationship, so much so that when he was offered an incredible job in Los Angeles, California, he came to me and asked if I would move too so that he could remain a consistent presence in our daughter’s life. After a lot of soul-searching, I agreed, and we uprooted our lives and moved.
In 2019, we all moved to Los Angeles, and in 2021 I decided to write a book about our journey and the lessons I learned along the way. My book, It’s Not About Us: A Co-parenting Survival Guide to Taking the High Road, was released on November 1, 2022. I also began work as a co-parenting coach and featured speaker.
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?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, mostly because of Covid. When we left Cincinnati in August 2019, I decided to pivot away from clinical therapy and start a coaching and consulting business. Little did I know that within six months, we would all be dealing with a pandemic that would change everything. While the Covid shutdown did provide a wonderful opportunity to improve my coaching skills through earning several certifications, it proved to be a very challenging time to try to start a new business.
Though the coaching side of the business stalled, the consulting side took off, probably in part as a response to the light that 2020 shed on the racial injustices that were happening throughout the country. I began working with organizations, companies and schools around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and have really joyed this work. It has definitely been a challenge to build a business during this time, but I have loved finding ways to pivot and adjust my work so that I am still living out my purpose of helping people be the best versions of themselves.
Since the release of the book, my coaching focus has shifted to parenting so I could use both my professional and personal experience to help other parents, which has been very fulfilling. I love the idea that all of the challenges that I have faced just make me better able to serve my clients and understand their lives.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
DYT Consultant is a consulting firm specializing in turning personal growth into professional success. We focus on using the CliftonStrengths® assessment and the Intercultural Development Inventory to help companies and organizations harness opportunities for individual growth and channel that into creating healthier, more productive workplaces. DYT Consultant also offers these assessments to individuals interested in learning more about their strengths or growing their intercultural competence.
Darlene Taylor, LLC was developed to coincide with my book’s release and co-parenting coaching services. I work with individuals and groups on how to best utilize their strengths to be better parents and parenting partners. I also speak to different groups about co-parenting effectively and in a way that is healthy for all parties involved and about how the supporting cast around a family (attorneys, teachers, extended family, friends) can help support the family in that endeavor.
My services are different because while I have a wealth of professional knowledge and experience with which I can help families, I also have the lived experience to draw from, which makes it easier to connect to clients in an authentic way. I am very proud of the fact that all of my services are centered around being the very best version of yourself, whether that be professionally or in your interpersonal relationships. I know that my purpose in life is to help people see themselves differently and to know themselves better so they can be better, and I believe both these entities do just that.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m not sure that I believe in luck. I think the quote is, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” I am a person who believes your power comes from your agency, so I don’t want to give up control of my destiny to something as fickle as luck. IF there is such a thing as good luck, I’ll take it, but I’d rather bet on myself because I know that I will continue to work and be ready for whatever opportunity comes my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: darlenetaylor.com; dytconsultant.com
- Instagram: @thedarlenetaylor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedarlenetaylor/
Image Credits
Dana Rubin and Wendy Magee
