A Rose in Full Bloom

Some people walk into a room and hope no one notices. Others walk in and everyone notices. And then there’s Rose Madison Jenkins, a woman whose presence makes the whole room lean forward at once, as if someone just announced there would be free snacks.

I saw her first at an NIA networking event in the spring, where she introduced herself with the calm confidence of someone who knows exactly who she is and where she’s going. She wasn’t trying to stand out, but at over six feet tall with a presence that’s basically its own Wi-Fi signal, blending in wasn’t an option.

As we started talking, the connection was immediate. She mentioned she was looking for new branding images and asked if I could help. I didn’t need to think before saying yes; I instinctively knew our shoot was going to be special.

It was perfect timing. Rose was refreshing her website and elevating her brand to match the force she’s becoming. She wanted her digital home to feel like a place where people could rediscover hope and possibility, a place where a single sentence could change a life.

But to appreciate the woman she is today, you need to know a bit about the journey.

Her life began in challenging soil: childhood trauma, addiction in the family, poverty, and homelessness. Life tossed every obstacle her way, and instead of breaking, she turned every hardship into fuel. She didn’t just push through; she transformed.

She writes about that transformation in her courageously open memoir A Rose from Concrete. It doesn’t just tell you where she came from—it shows you the strength she built to stand where she is now. I admired her before reading it. I admired her even more after.

Her evolution deepened under the mentorship of Lisa Nichols—the global speaking coach and bestselling author who knows how to turn a person’s story into their superpower. Lisa helped her understand that storytelling isn’t performance. It’s healing. Rose took that truth and turned it into her calling. 

And she didn’t stop there. Rose has dedicated her life to helping others rise and be heard. Through dynamic keynotes, empowering coaching, and publishing services, she guides purpose-driven speakers, coaches, authors, and professionals as they find their voice, craft their signature story, and share it with impact both on stage and in print.

For many, crafting powerful speeches, publishing a book, and captivating an audience are lifelong dreams. Rose loves working with clients to transform those dreams into reality, not just through skills and strategy, but through deep mindset work—helping them shift their beliefs, expand what they think is possible, and quiet any impostor syndrome trying to talk them out of their greatness.

And with Rose stepping fully into that mission, her branding images needed to reflect the woman her clients already see.

We began her branding process with an in-depth design consultation, followed by a wardrobe review to go over her outfits. During that review, Diane, my talented hair and makeup artist, spoke with Rose about how she wanted to look and feel for the shoot so everything would align the moment she arrived at the studio.

We created a Pinterest mood board filled with images that were strong, feminine, artistic, real. We weren’t aiming for portraits that simply looked like Rose. They had to feel like Rose—the Rose who is unfolding into her next season.

Shoot day arrived and we were all excited! Rose stepped into the studio and headed straight to Diane’s chair, ready for a little pampering. Diane stayed by her side for touch-ups, smoothing clothing, and taming every sassy flyaway hair that dared defy her. 

Her outfits moved from professional to polished casual to some personal looks that quietly whispered, “I am the moment, thank you.” She had modeled before, and it showed. She moved with a grounded, seasoned confidence the camera adored.

With a 90s R&B playlist vibing in the background, nostalgia filled the room. We laughed, swapped stories about old mixtapes, reminisced about high school, and my college dorm days. A few lame dad jokes made their way in—the kind that should probably have been left in 1997 with the dial-up modem. Rose laughed anyway, which I count as an act of public service, but the upside was real: those moments led to some of the best candid shots of the day!

The session flew by, and at the end of the day the same truth surfaced that I felt the moment I met her: Rose lifts the energy of every room she enters. And with a presence like that, dreams of global stages and a New York Times bestselling book aren’t distant hopes. They feel next.

Rose is more than a coach, more than a speaker, more than a survivor of circumstances designed to knock her down. She is proof that purpose doesn’t require perfect soil. It requires courage, clarity, and the willingness to turn pain into service.

True to her name and her business, Rose inspires. She hands people their voice, their strength, their mic, and they rise to meet it.

And in transforming her own story, she helps others find the courage to rewrite theirs.