Today we’d like to introduce you to Takenya Warren.
Hi Takenya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am a graduate of the University of North Texas. I worked at JP Morgan Chase for 13 years in a leadership/Vice President capacity, responsible for loss mitigation, collections. foreclosure oversight, customer complaints, quality assurance, and fraud departments. I was 25 years old when I joined the company. I was grateful for the opportunity and was very focused on my career, willing to take on extra responsibilities which led to additional projects/assignments. For example, at one point of time, I lived in Florence, South Carolina during the week and would fly home on the weekends. I was responsible for transitioning a department from Florence to Irving, Texas. I was responsible for drafting and posting the job roles, capacity planning, site planning, training, and the hiring process including interviewing and sourcing. Another example would be when I flew to the Philippines for a week to transition a departmental function from Texas. Overall, I was able to grow in my business knowledge but also learn about operating a business in a compliance-driven environment. In 2013 I had my first Child, followed by my second in 2019. My second pregnancy was very challenging, and going through such a difficult situation put things in a new perspective. I wanted to spend more time with my family while balancing my career. I tried to determine the best way to make my goal a possibility. Then I found a position online with another bank, seeking a quality director individual contributor role. I felt it would be perfect, applied and secured the position. 7 days from my start date, the individual that hired me was let go, and I was asked to take on the responsibility of the department. Needless to say, I was devastated just leaving a similar role for such a great company but more so finding myself back in the same position I had just left. I took on the new responsibilities in stride focused on the success of the department. Then in March 2020, the outbreak of covid occurred, forcing most to shelter in place. I was home with my then 8-month-old and 1st grader, essentially becoming a teacher overnight while maintaining a heavy workload. The plan was to manage everyone’s needs and not let any balls drop. However, the weight was too much to carry, and I ultimately decided to step away from my leadership role. I intended to maintain from my savings and possibly find part-time work. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find challenging opportunities that would accommodate a part-time employee. As I was scrolling through social media platforms, I found other individuals in similar predicaments, as I considered solutions to my dilemma, Distinctive Staffing Services-TX was born. I could use my previous operations experience and hiring to allow me to help others.
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?
The path has not been smooth. I would say the path has been like a rocky hike. You know exactly where you want to be, but you need endurance. commitment, and focus to reach your final destination. One challenge is gaining the trust of other businesses that you can support them or convincing them to give you an opportunity to show them what you can do. The resolution is to stay focused and continue to press forward until you get the results you are seeking. Everything can change with just one “yes”.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Distinctive Staffing Services-TX connects employees and employers with matching work styles. We are a mission-based agency committed to server the underserved population, such as caretakers, veterans, and re-entry candidates. Our areas of focus are administrative/clerical, call center, data entry, hospitality, quality control, and project management.
I am most proud of the fact I can help other individuals in similar circumstances. Specifically, we are in a position to solicit clients that will provide the work life balance opportunities for other individuals to care for and support their families financially.
Our servant attitude really sets us apart from others.
What are your plans for the future?
Our plan in the future is to continue to grow our client base and further advocate to business to support part-time career-oriented opportunities and return ship programs. Many retirees and previously stay-at-home parents are considering returning to the workforce as a result of the increase in work-from-home options and inflation. I am truly looking forward to hosting our next Summer Turn event, which is an event to connect students with intern or employment opportunities during the summer. We had our first event last year, and it was truly a joy to engage with the students that attended.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.distinctivestaffing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/distinctivestaffingservices_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/distinctivestaffingsservicesTX/
