Meet Devon Joslin of JosVon Holdings

Today we’d like to introduce you to Devon Joslin. 

Hi Devon, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan, where I first discovered my interest in sports and business. Cross Country and Track and Field at Aquinas College brought me to Grand Rapids, where I was part of 4 Wolverine-Hoosier Conference Cross Country championship teams. While finishing my athletic career, I was also completing my master’s degree in Management at Aquinas. During that time, I started my first company (Devon Joslin Consulting).

I am now the Chairman and CEO of JosVon Holdings, Chairman of the Michigan Center for Economic Innovation, and an Adjunct Professor of Business at Grand Rapids Community College.

Starting in 2021, I began making investments in the entrepreneurial community. In 2022, I have individually provided over $50,000 in direct funding to pre-revenue startup ideas and provided over 1200 hours of free consulting for aspiring entrepreneurs. Through my organization JosVon Holdings, I have brought the first Major League Indoor Soccer team to West Michigan (Rapid City Football Club) and Zini Vodka, which is the first Asian Female owned distiller in West Michigan.

In my spare time, I work as a judge in the MWest business pitch competition and provide free business startup coaching through the Michigan Center for Economic Innovation.

I received the Young Changemaker of the Year Award in 2022 from the Hispanic Latino Affairs Commission of the State of Michigan for my work in the business community, which was very flattering. However, that award is truly the culmination of a team effort, and it is important to acknowledge that my work is impossible without the help of my partners and associates. I am truly blessed to have a high level of support in my office and at home.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My journey was anything but smooth. I learned pretty early on that I was taking “the road less traveled” in the business consulting world. When you venture out and try to create your own space in the business ecosystem without money and experience, there is no roadmap. I had a period in my career early on where I did not have electricity for 30 days or money to buy groceries while I was trying to build a brand for myself. I was working close to 13 hours a day just to pay my rent and buy business cards to handout. Thankfully, I had many people that believed in me and helped me find odd jobs to do while I was finding my way. At one point, I was doing carpentry, breaking concrete, and cleaning kegs at a local brewery during the day and working on strategic planning for some of the largest franchises in the country at night. 

I think that the lack of early success really helped refine my work ethic. It helped me realize that nothing in this world is given, regardless of talent and ability; it must be earned. Hard work put me where good luck could find me. I will never forget that. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
JosVon Holdings is the culmination of nearly a decade of planning and work. We provide direct financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs who are still in the ideation phase. Most investing organizations will require the entrepreneur have a high credit score, 2 to 3 years of revenue history, and a minimum revenue requirement (usually $250,000) to receive assistance. Those metrics are hard to hit for individuals like myself, who do not have access to traditional start-up resources or a large network to rely on. We meet with these entrepreneurs and help them refine their idea, provide direct consulting and feedback, funding from our support budget, and opportunities to network with prospective investors and vendors. 

I am most proud of the investments we have made in the BIPOC community this past year. Since August of 2022, we were able to provide direct assistance to Zini Vodka, which is the first Asian-Female-owned distillery in West Michigan to help the brand gain traction in an oversaturated market. We were also able to help bring the Rapid City Football Club, which is the first Major League Indoor Soccer team in Grand Rapids to life through financial and consulting support to their leadership team. Both of those organizations were pre-revenue business ideas when they came to us, and we were able to get them both to launch in under 12 weeks after our initial meeting. 

We will be working with the Michigan Center for Economic Innovation (501c3) to continue to identify the dreamers who have so much potential but lack a clear path to success. 

If you have a business idea and lack the resources and guidance to live your dream, I would encourage you to reach out to MCFEI at [email protected]. 

Alright, so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I believe that every individual has unrealized potential, but I know we cannot reach everyone. Through JosVon Holdings, we can reach a limited amount of dreamers at any given time. When I launched the Michigan Center for Economic Innovation, it was my hope that the Michigan community would come together to support our dreamers by becoming a mentor or financially helping offset the economic barriers that many of our clients face. If you would like to support creating a truly diverse economic ecosystem, please consider a financial gift or offer your mentorship by visiting MCFEI.org. With continued support, we will find more dreamers and unleash their potential. 

Contact Info:

• Website: mcfei.org