Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jevon Wooden, founder of Live Not Loathe, located in Houston, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Live Not Loathe is your invitation to discover more personally and professionally. Imagine achieving your definition of success in work and beyond. That success doesn’t come from grinding harder, doing more, or being the hero who is everything for everyone.

My 5Y framework is an elite customized coaching system that blends high-impact mindset, business coaching, and brass-tacks business analysis that takes the struggle out of your hustle and helps you create a life you don’t need a vacation from. You can fly higher and achieve more with less effort--if you know where to put your energy to get maximum ROI.

I’ll work with you to crush your specific goals, overcome obstacles in your way, and create a personal blueprint for sustained success.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a business and mindset coach as well as a veteran of the US Army and the tech industry. I specialize in empowering motivated people to build the life of their dreams, both professionally and personally. I felt called to this line of work after navigating my fair share of adversity and emerging from it stronger, wiser, and committed to uplifting others.

I grew up in poverty in Rochester, NY and my home life was what you might call non-traditional. My mother had a polygamous marriage, and my stepfather had another family who lived on the other side of the city. My childhood and youth were marked by struggle, and this pushed me off the beaten path, forcing me to find a new way forward for myself.

Along the way, I took a few wrong turns. At just 17 years old, I was arrested and faced seven years in prison. This experience was a profound wake-up call that shifted everything for me: my perspective, values, and life goals. During this time, I turned to my faith for guidance, and God answered my prayers. I learned the power of taking inspired action, investing whole-heartedly in relationships, embracing my authentic self, and genuinely connecting with others from a place of understanding and transparency.

By the grace of God, I was released from jail after serving a month. When I was released, I was ready to give back and live a life of purpose. I earned a master’s degree in cybersecurity from Fordham University and an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. I also joined the US Army Reserve and served proudly for 12 years. It was here that I not only developed my expertise in all aspects of IT and cybersecurity — from providing help desk support to designing information security architecture — but did so under the highest possible stakes.

Some of my career highlights include leading soldiers on two deployments to Kuwait, supporting strategic and tactical missions as an information technology manager, and setting up the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade's critical communications to support battlefield operations, with zero downtime, on a 24/7 operation. I was honored and humbled to be awarded a Bronze Star for heroic acts during my deployment to Afghanistan.

These experiences taught me the importance of mindset when facing what seem like impossible odds. They also showed me that you can do more with less, but not without a solid strategy and a commitment to maintaining good mental health. I’m passionate about sharing my unique mix of mindset and business coaching to help business leaders and entrepreneurs do more and be more without losing themselves in the process.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been helping hundreds of people tap into their greatness. I’ve had clients who were on the brink of divorce tell me that their relationship is doing better than it ever has after a few months of my program. I’ve had clients hit their first six figures when they were ready to go back to work for someone else because nothing seemed to work. My biggest accomplishments are the lives and businesses I’ve been blessed to transform through my work.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things that comes from being a business owner is staying consistent. You can’t just do things when you feel like it because the business depends on you operating at a high level. It takes resilience, patience, and a strong work ethic to have a successful business that lasts more than a year or two.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Perform an in-depth market analysis. You have to know the language your target audience is using. Find out their pain points and the benefits that matter to them. Learn the social media platforms they frequent, the websites they visit, and everything they like to do so you can meet them where they are. You want to be omnipresent so you can build a rapport with them.
  2. Know your numbers. You have to know how many sales of your product or service will take to make a profit. You need to identify where your money is going, the cost per acquisition of a customer or client, the bounce rate on your website, and more. When you pay attention to the metrics and numbers, you can identify what works and where you have work to do.
  3. Focus on revenue-generating activities. As a business owner, you could work 24 hours a day and still have work to do. You need to make a plan focusing on marketing, sales, and business development. Every day should include goals that fall under these umbrellas.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Do not be afraid of investing in help to expedite your success. A great mentor or coach will expedite your success tremendously.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://livenotloathe.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livenotloathe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livenotloathe/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/livenotloathe
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jevonwooden/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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