We were lucky to catch up with Damontre And Joyce Owens recently and have shared our conversation below.
Damontre and Joyce, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
At the heart of our mission at Knockout Investing is the acronym RESPECT, which stands for Relational, Educational, Spiritual, Physical, Esteem, Capital, and Time wealth. Each element represents a core aspect of a fulfilling life by respecting yourself and others around you. For us, this mission is more than just words; it’s a commitment to living and teaching these principles. It’s meaningful to me because I’ve seen firsthand how embracing these values transforms lives, including my own. By aligning financial education with Biblical principles, we’re not just building wealth in the monetary sense, but in every facet of life. Our mission is to help others SET their lives God’s way by strengthening their faith, empowering their families and taking control of their finances.
Damontre and Joyce, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Damontre’s Story: From Struggle to Success
Our journey is one of resilience, faith, and relentless pursuit of purpose. I’m Damontre Owens, founder of All Pro Quality Cleaning Service, which I started in 1996 as a young father determined to break the cycle of poverty. I refused to settle for a $9-an-hour job, knowing it wouldn’t build the life my family deserved. From humble beginnings, I grew my carpet cleaning business into an enterprise grossing over a million dollars a year. But financial success came at a cost—I was sacrificing time with my family.
I realized I needed a new way to provide for my loved ones while being present for them. That’s when Joyce, my wife and partner in life, suggested we explore trading and investing. Together, we navigated the complexities of the financial markets, learning the skills necessary to build lasting wealth. This wasn’t just about money; it was about freedom and stewardship. Today, we run Knockout Investing, are multi-asset class traders, educators, and mentors who help others unlock their financial potential.
Joyce’s Story: A Journey of Faith and Partnership
I’m Joyce Owens, and my journey began as a young woman balancing motherhood, education, and career aspirations. When my health took a turn, I realized the value of embracing my role as a helpmate, rooted in faith and partnership with my husband. Together, we’ve built businesses, raised five children, and pursued trading as a path to financial independence.
What sets us apart? It’s our commitment to teaching others not just how to make money but how to manage it wisely, stewarding wealth across generations. We believe in helping people unlock the power of their VIP: Vision, Identity, and Purpose. Wealth extends far beyond financial gain, it’s enjoying each day of the present that God has given us.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Some memories replay in your mind like scenes from a movie, shaping who you are. If you asked me what drove me to pursue wealth and eventually trade, I’d take you back to when I was 10 years old.
At 10, I lived with my mom and stepfather. That was the year I realized he wasn’t my biological dad. My real dad was shot and killed when I was just 2 years old. This man was abusive—physically and verbally—to my mom and us kids. Watching my mom endure that broke something in me. I had no idea what I wanted to become when I grew up but what I did know is that I wanted to be a good husband and father. I swore I’d never be like him. Eventually, my mom finally left him, and we faced new struggles. She was raising four boys alone, battling depression, and relying on welfare and Section 8 housing to get by.
I remember the shame of standing in line at the grocery store, watching her pay with food stamps. I hated it. I promised myself that when I grew up, I wouldn’t live that way. But life didn’t get any easier. My mom was in a tragic car accident resulting in her having amnesia. She was prescribed powerful painkillers which led to a lifelong addiction to drugs leaving me caring for my 2 younger brothers while my older brother was out running the streets. Eventually, my aunt stepped in, and my grandparents raised us. They brought structure, discipline, and stability into my life, which I craved.
In school, I dreamed of getting rich. My teachers told me the formula: get good grades, go to college, and get a good job. It seemed simple enough, but the price tag of higher education—$20,000 to $30,000 a year—loomed over me. I worked hard, excelling in both academics and basketball, earning a scholarship. But when I learned I was going to be a father at 19, my world shifted. Suddenly, the urgency to provide for my family outweighed everything else.
Growing up in 1990s Baltimore, I was surrounded by a culture that glorified fast money through illegal means. Rap music, movies, and street life glamorized the drug trade, and I got pulled in. At first, it seemed like the perfect solution: a way to provide for my family and chase my dream of wealth. I was smart, strategic and quickly rose to a leadership role. I convinced myself that I was doing it for the right reasons.
Even getting arrested and sent to jail didn’t deter me. I paid my lawyers well, got out, and went right back to business. I thought I was unstoppable—until one day, a jealous associate betrayed me. After a dramatic police chase that ended on a rooftop, guns drawn, I found myself facing a reality I couldn’t escape.
The judge looked me in the eye and said, “That’s enough. You won’t stop unless you go to prison. Bail denied.” That was a turning point. I was sentenced to five years and served 18 months. It was in that cell that God broke through. He stripped away every illusion I had about wealth, success, and control. He showed me that while I had a plan, His plan was better—one that would truly prosper me and my family, but only if I lived life His way.
That lesson—that quick riches come at a devastating cost—changed everything. I learned that true wealth isn’t just financial; it’s rooted in purpose, integrity, and faith. Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to honoring God in all I do and helping others unlearn the lies of the world. My story isn’t just about redemption; it’s about realizing that prosperity comes from obedience to God’s plan, not shortcuts.
How’d you meet your business partner?
Joyce Owens: A Story of Love, Growth, and Faith
My life as a wife and mother is nothing short of a miracle—a testament to God’s grace and redemptive power. These roles, often underestimated and undervalued, were never modeled for me growing up. My father, an officer in the U.S. military, met my mother while stationed in Seoul, Korea. They married in a little white chapel in Las Vegas, but they contentiously divorced when I was just three. My mother left, and my father raised three young children on his own.
Being raised in a Black American family, looking distinctly Korean, and attending predominantly Black or white schools, I struggled with identity. My aunts were highly educated, successful teachers, and my father and uncle were hardworking men. Their lives shaped my definition of success: earn a degree, secure a good job, buy a home, pay bills, and take annual vacations. I was a good student, driven by those aspirations, but my dreams of being a wife were vague, and motherhood wasn’t even on my radar—I didn’t have a model for it, as I barely knew my own mother.
In high school, I crossed paths with a senior named Damontre Owens. He was a basketball star, impeccably dressed, and we moved in different circles. For most of the year, we never spoke. But in the final month before he graduated, our theater arts teacher, Mr. Terry, paired us for a class project. That project was the catalyst for everything that followed.
That summer, we were inseparable—me sneaking around and lying to my father to be with him. At the end of the summer, just as Damontre was preparing for college, I discovered I was pregnant and in the 10th grade. That moment forever changed our lives, cementing not just our relationship but our journey as partners in both family and business.
From the start, Damontre shared his dream of becoming a millionaire. I laughed at him then, thinking it was a pipe dream. But as my aspirations were put on hold and I grappled with the reality of young motherhood, God began to work in my heart. He showed me a better path—not just for myself, but for my family. This was my chance to break the cycle of divorce and absentee parenting that had marked my life.
Through grace and faith, I embraced a new mindset. It wasn’t easy; in fact, it went against everything I thought I wanted for my life. I transitioned into the role of a stay-at-home mom, supporting my husband’s vision and building something greater together. This period of submission, sacrifice, and obedience wasn’t without pain, but it laid the foundation for a life that surpassed my dreams.
Today, my partnership with Damontre has flourished into a strong marriage, a family of five amazing children, multiple thriving businesses, and a deep love for Jesus, His Word, and the Church. What began as a high school project blossomed into a lifelong mission, one guided by faith, perseverance, and the belief that God’s plans are far greater than our own.
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