Empowering Women Through Firearm Safety with Javondlynn Dunagan of JMD Defense

EP # 127- Empowering Women Through Firearm Safety with Javondlynn Dunagan of JMD DefensePart of noseyAF's 31 Days of Black Business series 🖤She cried and left her first firearms training early. Now she's taught hundreds of women to shoot.Javondlynn Dunagan spent 25 years as a US probation officer, retired at 49, and built JMD Defense around a thing she used to be terrified of. Her Ladies of Steel Gun Club® has grown from seven members to 760, ages 20 to 80, and a documentary about them is making its way through film festivals right now.What We Talk AboutWhy she wants you using your brain before anything else, and how to actually build situational awareness — where you park, why she recommends dusk to dawn lights over motion detectors, and what she's watching during church serviceWhy your partner can't teach you to shoot, and what she noticed watching men and women train differently at the rangeWhy firearm education can't stop after one concealed carry class, and the once-a-month practice she recommendsThe unexpected turn: when her male instructors would introduce her as the owner, she'd watch the energy in the room shift and men walk awayIf you love origin stories that don't skip the scary parts, this episode is for you.All about Javondlynn DunaganYou're gonna love Javondlynn she's prepared and paranoid, in her own words. She founded JMD Defense in November 2016 and The Ladies of Steel Gun Club® the following April, and she teaches from her own testimony: she was scared of guns first, so she walks people through the fear at their pace and never rushes anybody. Over 600 five-star reviews and not a single safety incident.Things We MentionedJMD Defense → jmddefense.com — classes held at 111th and KedzieThe Ladies of Steel Gun Club®JMD Defense Safety Academy, her foundationThe Ladies of Steel documentary, currently submitted to film festivals across the countryServices offered: situational awareness training for organizations and corporations, intro to firearms, concealed carry, gun cleaning, how to purchase a firearm, draw from concealment, private lessons, and a service for families who find a firearm after a loved one passesChapters:00:08 - Celebrating Black Business Month02:17 - Transitioning from Law Enforcement to Firearm Education18:01 - The Rise of the Ladies of Steel Gun Club31:20 - The Importance of Ongoing Firearm Education41:37 - Embracing Fear and Leadership in a Male-Dominated Field47:29 - Understanding Value and Pricing in BusinessThis series is supported by Off the Grid, a podcast for small business owners who want to leave social media without losing their clients. Find them at offthegrid.fun 🖤Connect with Javondlynn DunaganTikTok: @jmddefensellcWebsite: jmddefense.comStay Connected📬 Get the noseyAF Dispatch → Subscribe here🏡 Grab the Good Neighbor Playbook → Download it freeMore ways to connectEmail: [email protected] on IG: @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes: noseyaf.comSupport & FeedbacknoseyAF is listener-supported; thank you for being here. 💛🫶🏾⭐ Rate & Review the Show📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear thisEpisode CreditsProduced, Hosted, and Edited by Stephanie GrahamLyrics: Queen LexInstrumental: Freddie Bam FamCover Art: Emma McGoldrick