Jevon Wooden is a business and mindset coach, speaker, author, and veteran of the US Army and the tech industry. He specializes in empowering motivated people to build the life of their dreams, professionally and personally. Wooden felt called to this line of work after navigating his fair share of adversity and emerging from it stronger, wiser, and committed to uplifting others.
Along the way, he took a few wrong turns. He was arrested at just 17-years-old and faced seven years in prison. This experience was a profound wake-up call that shifted everything for him: his perspective, values, and goals. During this time, he turned to his faith for guidance, and God answered his prayers. Wooden learned the power of taking inspired action, investing whole-heartedly in relationships, embracing his authentic self, and genuinely connecting with others from a place of understanding and transparency.
He has 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. He credits his 12 years in the Army for the opportunities to develop his expertise in all aspects of IT and cybersecurity — from providing help desk support to designing information security architecture — under the highest possible stakes.
His 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. He was honored and humbled to be awarded a Bronze Star for heroic acts during his deployment to Afghanistan.
These experiences taught him the importance of mindset when facing what seemed like impossible odds. They also showed him that you could do more with less, but not without a solid strategy and a commitment to maintaining good mental health.
Wooden is passionate about sharing his unique mix of mindset and business coaching to help business leaders and entrepreneurs do more and be more without losing themselves in the process.
FMM: Your life has taken an unconventional course. Share your background and what led you to launch Live Not Loathe?
I was born and raised in Rochester, NY. I am the middle child of my mother’s five children. I was raised in a polygamous Muslim household, where my mother was wife number two of two. Instead of a Catholic school, I went to an Islamic school until the 8th grade. I believe that the discipline Islam taught me has shaped me into my adult years, but as a child, I rebelled against the religion because I felt forced into it. It was until I was arrested at 17-years-old that I really got in tune with God of my own volition. After receiving a visit from my mother and oldest sister, I went back to my cell and prayed for another chance at freedom, and God came through for me! Two weeks after I said that prayer, the prosecution dropped the case because the witnesses were coming to the trial dates. After that run-in with the law, I did everything possible to stay out of the streets. I worked two full-time jobs after graduating high school since college was too expensive. At 22, I got tired of working dead-end jobs, and I knew there had to be more to life than working just to scrape by and having no time to live life, so I went to the Army recruiting office in downtown Rochester and took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). My recruiter told me I did so well that I could have any job that I wanted in the military. I chose information technology because I wanted skills that translated well into the civilian world. As soon as I arrived at basic training, I knew I had made the right decision. I had opportunities to lead, motivate, and inspire through action. I had to prove that I had something to offer the world and that something showed up in a big way through the challenges and opportunities presented throughout my military service. I served 12 years total, eight years in the Reserves, and four years of active duty with three deployments to the Middle East. I received numerous awards, including a Bronze Star medal, but the most important accolade came from the Soldiers that served to my right and left. So many of them became their best selves and have done things they didn’t think were possible under my tutelage. These soldiers are how Live Not Loathe came about. They always told me I should be a motivational speaker because I inspired them to tap into their greatness. I took that advice after hearing it for years and found coaching through the International Coaching Federation. Live Not Loathe was established in 2017 while I was in Afghanistan during my last deployment. I knew I was done with the military, and IT was never my purpose, so I dove into entrepreneurship. When I returned home from my deployment in 2017, I started experiencing a deep depression and PTSD from a suicide bombing that took place during my time in Afghanistan about six months into being back stateside. This dark time taught me a lot about why vulnerability is a strength, the lack of black men in the coaching and mental health space, and the importance of me doing everything I can to get the message of Live Not Loathe out to the world.
FMM: How did your experiences in the military teach you the importance of mindset when facing what seemed like impossible odds?
The military was vital in my understanding of mindset when facing seemingly impossible odds. I went in with a scarcity mindset, thinking I was valueless because I had no money. I learned that money had nothing to do with my value and that all things were possible beyond my understanding of my value and capabilities. I learned how to slow down in moments that were literally life or death, and now everything that comes with running a successful business and living a life I don’t need a vacation from doesn’t scare me at all. In the military, you must have the mindset that you’ll come out stronger than you were when you went in. I also learned the power of collaborating versus competing. You’re forced to trust others to accomplish the mission, and you’re forced into uncomfortable situations. I grew into a man in the military, and the mindset lessons I’ve learned are what I tap into daily to perform on a high level. I live by the mantra that impossibility is a limiting belief.
FMM: “How to go from Distress to Success” is your value proposition to your clients. How has your journey taken you from distress to success?
My journey was all distress early on because I didn’t have the right mindset or systems. Now, I’ve applied the lessons learned through all the adversity I’ve gone through over the years, and I focus on what I can control. I have put routines and systems within my life that keep me calmer and more in control of my thoughts and emotions. I have also defined success clearly, serving with compassion and using the gifts God has given me to transform lives. My mornings always include hydration, exercise, education, and meditation to start my days off right. I’ve realized that distress often comes from a lack of preparation and direction, so I ensure both are always in place. I learned early in the military to stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready. I apply that to all aspects of my life. For example, before I log off for the night from my computer, I write down the things I need to do next on a prioritized list. I also ensure that I only target no more than three goals for the day, which gets me closer to my larger goals. It’s essential as an entrepreneur to eliminate the possibility of overwhelm when possible. Preparation and direction help with that tremendously.
FMM: You have helped thousands of people in over 100 countries. Take us through your Elite Customized Coaching System.
Having the right systems in place is the key to sustainable business success. I’ve developed my strategic 5Y Framework™ toward maximizing the success of my business coaching clients through gaining clarity on what they want and how to achieve it.
Yardstick: What key measurements need to be considered for expedited success?
Yield: What levers can we pull to produce the desired outcomes?
Yare: How do we make things easy to manage so success runs on autopilot?
Yoga: Where do we need to ensure flexibility to allow room for growth, scalability, and expansion?
Yearn: How do we ensure people are filled with passionate desire and good thoughts for your offerings to promote brand loyalty?
The 5Y Framework™ was created through a combination of formal education (International Coaching Federation accredited training programs and an MBA from the University of Maryland – Robert H. Smith School of Business) and leadership experiences from the battlefield to the boardroom. I don’t just talk about success; I have success receipts.
FMM: “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 your success stories.
I’ve had success stories ranging from marriages on the brink of divorce transforming into a forever marriage stronger than ever to an educational consulting business owner going from just scraping by to landing 25K+ contracts after working with me for a few months. I’ve coached soldiers transitioning to civilian life to help them land their dream job. I’ve worked with successful entrepreneurs who started with an idea to help them make their first six figures in revenue and business leaders overwhelmed by disjointed teams, ineffective communication, and lack thereof of direction. It has been a true honor helping people design a life they don’t need a vacation from across many diverse situations.
FMM: What do you want people to know about you?
I want people to know that I’m here to serve. When you come to me for assistance in your life or business, I am here to add value, but you have to be willing to do the work. Success, especially lasting success, does not happen overnight. I have gone through a ton, so you don’t have to. If you’re ready to go from distress to success personally and professionally, set up your free discovery call with me at livenotloathe.com, and let’s get to work!
FMM: Tell us about the upcoming Master Your Goals Master Class.
My Master Your Goals Masterclass takes place July 16th at Noon ET. It is designed to help driven individuals master their goals and stay consistent in achieving them…by minimizing procrastination, overcoming overwhelm, and maximizing efficiency and focus. The VIP ticket also includes a coaching session with me to help you create an action plan for success. There is no way to succeed if you don’t know what that means to you or how to get it; I’ll cover all of that in my masterclass. You can find out more at masterclass.livenotloathe.com
FMM: As a sought after thought leader, share your upcoming speaking engagements and topics.
My signature Own Your Kingdom group coaching program now accepts applications at ownyourkingdom.com! I am only taking on 20 business leaders and entrepreneurs this round, and slots will fill quickly. I have a new course on confidence that I just opened designed to help you build the confidence you need to get what you want in life. The confidence course can be found at https://livenotloathe.com/confidencecourse. I also have my solo book project, Own Your Kingdom, which has gotten great reviews that can be found at oykbook.com.
I just wrapped up a bunch of speaking engagements, and I’m taking the second half of this year to create more courses and serve my coaching clients. If you’re interested in being added to the waitlist for my new membership program opening in October, the Live Not Loathe Academy, you can email me at info@livenotloathe.com.
