Roxanna “Rocky” Daniel Builders Story
“We Feel Protected, Supported, and Empowered.” How Roxanna Daniel and Christina Atkins Built Taj Development Into a Legacy
Roxanna Daniel has been in construction for over 45 years. Long enough to remember what overt discrimination looked like on a job site, and long enough to watch it shift into something quieter, subtler, but no less real.
“As a Black woman in construction, I’ve faced my share of challenges,” she says, “navigating both gender and racial barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field.”
That transition from overt to subtle discrimination only served to sharpen her resolve.
How It Started
When Roxanna Daniel and Christina Atkins launched Taj Development in Chicago back in 2009, they established a general contracting and finishing work enterprise entirely from scratch within an industry not designed for their success. For Taj Development, resilience represents far more than a mere marketing slogan – it is the very bedrock upon which the firm was established.
Sixteen years down the road, that very core remains completely unshaken.
How Builders Avenue Helped
The operational impact of Taj Development’s partnership with Builders Avenue was most prominent in the essential, behind-the-scenes functions that dictate a company’s longevity. By enhancing project estimating and streamlining back-office operations, Builders Avenue provided Christina and Roxanna with the critical infrastructure needed to scale sustainably, substituting calculated growth for speculation.
But the partnership went further than operations.
“What makes them unique is they’re truly about the whole,” Roxanna says, “not just what they can get out of it, but how they can help humanity and move businesses forward. They don’t just talk about support; they put money where their mouth is and make sure we’re prepared for opportunities.”
The results extended far beyond merely streamlining their day-to-day business functions; it completely transformed their operational foundation.
“With Builders Avenue, we feel protected, supported, and empowered to grow in ways we never thought possible.”
What They’re Building Now
As Taj Development scales, Roxanna and Christina stay deeply invested in the success of those following in their footsteps. Both women dedicate themselves to mentoring young entrepreneurs, sharing invaluable insights gained from four and a half decades in an industry that has rarely made room for them.
To them, other women in the construction industry are not competition; they are essential partners.
“Our goal is to break down barriers and lift each other up in an industry that has traditionally excluded women,” Roxanna says. That mission now has infrastructure behind it: Builders Avenue’s support gives Taj Development a platform to mentor and support the next generation of women in construction, connecting them to opportunities Roxanna and Christina had to find the hard way.
“Together we build generational wealth through high-quality business practices and partnerships.”
Every builder within our network possesses a narrative worth sharing; the journey of Roxanna and Christina represents just one of these many inspiring stories.
This foundational purpose is precisely what Taj Development was established upon, and Builders Avenue remains dedicated to demonstrating this truth, one builder at a time.