Discover how this power couple bounces back and even give back after tragedy suddenly knocks on their door. This story of triumph is now blessing the lives of so many that were moved to help this young couple during one of the most devastating times of their lives.
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a gift that keeps on giving
Photo Credit: Calvin Finklea
November 2, 2015 was one of the most devastating days in the life of a power couple known as The Dudleys. What started as a gift from God, quickly turned into what they then thought was an inconceivable nightmare. This was the day that Kenyon and Jasmine Dudley lost their first son, Jaxon, in an unexpected premature delivery.
Kenyon and Jasmine Dudley are known for their faith in God and extensive knowledge in business and finance, but nothing could have prepared them for the death of their baby boy Jaxon. What was an earnest prayer for the couple—to birth a son after they had given birth to their first child and daughter—was a miracle wrapped in a trial. Due to unknown health reasons at the time, Jasmine’s body begin to leak amniotic fluid at just a little under 5 months of pregnancy. This left both Jasmine and her baby boy’s life in jeopardy. Thinking she had gone into premature labor, both she and her husband were quickly rushed to the emergency room, and for hours she had to lay with her legs mounted to slow the leakage down. With no word from nurses or a doctor for hours, she was finally advised by a physician that she would need to be transferred to another hospital that could better assist her. Until then, it had been hours and not so much as hearing the heartbeat of their baby boy gave the parents great anxiety. Eventually, while at the second hospital they had been transferred to, the weary and frightened young parents would receive the news that they would not be able to save their son Jaxon. Jasmine would have to give birth to a child that would not survive long after he was delivered.
"a miracle wrapped in a trial"
Photo Credit: Ryan Birk
Rightfully so, this sent the couple into a whirlwind of pain, grief, and sadness. This caused them to lose everything that they had at the time. Back then, they were small business owners of an arts center, a financial literacy company, and they were just taking on ownership of the family transportation business that had been in existence for 22 years. But with the devastation of losing Jaxon, came the inability to maintain the operation of the businesses and the debt began to pile. They were left with only their faith, family, and friends from the community to lean on. “We had no will to do anything at that time. For the first time in our entire life, we were in such shock that we couldn’t even think,” Jasmine says. “One night I was crying as I prayed to God about our next steps. At the time, we had a home that we could no longer pay the bills for because there was nothing coming in and we were destitute. But as I prayed, I thought of GoFundMe,” Jasmine says. After much discussion with her husband, on December 1, 2015, The Dudleys resorted to creating a GoFundMe account to raise money just to get back on their feet.
Many people gave to the campaign back then, and slowly but surely The Dudleys were getting back on their feet. Kenyon begin working odds-and-end jobs while going back to college for his Bachelor’s in Psychology. Jasmine stayed home to care for their daughter because they didn’t have enough to pay for daycare at the time. Soon, as her heart begin to heal from the trauma of their loss, Jasmine found the strength to begin to think outside of the box as she always does and start building their business portfolio again.
And now, 7 years later The Dudleys own a conglomerate of thriving businesses including The 818 Wealth Academy where they conduct virtual trainings and free business tours in various cities and countries teaching entrepreneurs how to enhance their businesses by enhancing their influence, their impact, and their income. The main strategy they teach, among all the other riveting techniques and strategies, is having faith. And people are flocking to this millennial couple by the hundreds. “It’s crazy to think that in 2015, we were in abstract poverty. But with faith and practical strategy, we are thriving and now we get to share those strategies with mid-level entrepreneurs who’ve hit a rough spot in their life or in their business,” says Jasmine. The Enhance Your Business Bootcamp is the flagship online e-course of The 818 brand, and Jasmine is the creator and facilitator. In just six short weeks, Jasmine and her team assess your company, identify the areas of opportunity, and provide processes and technological improvement strategies that can be implemented causing your company’s revenue to enhance. Taking her course, you will gain knowledge in the following areas:
- Developing a Mindset for Millions
- Building Business Credit
- Gaining Credibility and Accreditation
- Client/Customer Attraction
- Creating Winning Sales Pages
- Crafting Offers Customers Can't Refuse
- Identifying Additional Streams of Income That Will Flow into Your Business
Click Here to Learn more about the free USA business tour.
“We had to get creative with the resources that we had, and remain determined to outrun poverty,” says Kenyon. And they did just that. Now, The Dudleys are on a mission to help other struggling entrepreneurs and leadership demographics break out of poverty by going on their latest tour the Enhance Your Business Tour. Each city on the tour will host a free 1-day intensive for the general public. All entrepreneurs and people with an idea, a product, or a service can come and glean from the business couple as they teach business strategies that will enhance their revenue. Strategies that they've personally used and become successful through implementation. But they’re not stopping there.
The super couple is taking their gratitude to God, their creativity, and their benevolence to the next level. They have launched an initiative to locate all of those who publicly gave to their GoFundMe campaign during that hard time in their life and they're paying it all back with interest. The Dudleys will surprise those named givers with up to a 200% return on the amount they gave in that GoFundMe campaign posted several years ago. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving. When someone shows you God’s love through kindness and benevolence—no matter how high you go—you should return the favor or pay it forward to other people and organizations in need as well. It’s called charity, and it is the number one strategy God gives us to continue to be blessed,” says Kenyon R. Dudley. The idea of surprising those who gave with a return on their investment came from the queen of the Dudley dynasty, the international business coach herself, Jasmine Dudley.
It’s an idea that’s sure to warm the hearts of millions.
"Giving Activates Giving"