Today we’d like to introduce you to John Paschall.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up in rural West Tennessee, the son of hardworking, blue-collar parents who never finished high school, I learned the value of common sense and hard work. I didn’t inherit wealth; hand-me-down’s were my norm. By applying practical principles to my own finances and life, though, by the grace of God I became financially independent in my mid-40s. I believe a similar disciplined approach can guide you toward your own version of success.
Professionally, my journey has taken me down three different roads–
The first road was like a 12-lane superhighway. It spanned 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, where I proudly retired as a Colonel. This leg of my journey instilled in me the discipline, strategic thinking, and unwavering dedication essential for leading large teams and tackling complex challenges. From intricate research and development to delicate international diplomacy, these experiences taught me the power of clear vision, meticulous planning, and resilient execution. I was honored with the Bronze Star for my service and a Presidential award for innovative environmental stewardship.
Following my military career, the second road was more like a busy city street, ultimately leading me to an executive role at CareSource, a non-profit health insurance company serving underserved communities. In my 11 years there, I twice earned the company’s highest honor, the Heartbeat Award, for my dedication to serving our most vulnerable members. This role deepened my understanding of empathy, advocacy, and the profound impact we can have on others’ lives.
Now, third and most fulfilling, I’m on a back country road that allows for deeper and more personal connections to everything and everyone around me. Here I combine my strategic mind, passion for service, and a lifelong commitment to practical wisdom as your life and financial coach. Although I’ve been coaching for many years in my previous leadership roles, I now get to do it full-time. As a certified Master Financial Coach, I’m equipped to guide you with proven strategies for debt elimination, wealth building, and achieving your biggest financial goals.
My coaching is rooted in my Christian faith, which guides my approach to finances and life in general. I strive to serve others with a heart mirroring Jesus, prioritizing your needs and aspirations. I believe your identity and value are divinely given, and you are uniquely prepared for good works God has called you to. Powerful Biblical truths empower me to help you uncover your inherent worth, clarify your purpose, and chart a fulfilling path forward, getting unstuck from whatever’s holding you back.
Beyond my professional endeavors, I’m a proud husband, father to two beautiful adult daughters, a granddad (Pop Pop!), and the happy owner of a handsome black lab-Great Pyrenees mix. I find immense satisfaction in creating an exceptional outdoor space around my home – a small testament to the beauty and order we can cultivate in our live
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growing up was a bit of a struggle. The street I grew up on didn’t have other kids my age, and my friends all lived “out in the country.” My brothers were all older than me, with my youngest brother still six years older, so we didn’t really play together. And there wasn’t much to do in Ripley, TN, population around 5000 back then.
College was a struggle academically. Although I made straight-A’s through high school, the public school education just didn’t prepare me for the rigors of getting a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. And I made the mistake of registering for honors calculus, honors chemistry, and honors computer science. I pulled out B’s, but they kicked my butt! In my senior year I realized I was failing a required class for my major, and it was offered only once a year. I spoke with my professor, who agreed to give me equivalency credit for his class if I took three other classes over the summer. I aced them and was able to graduate on time for the Air Force.
I didn’t realize it until too late, but my first marriage was a struggle, too. One night I could tell my wife was troubled, and I asked what was wrong. She didn’t want to say, but I asked again and she said she wanted a divorce. Hit me completely out of the blue. We went to counseling, but it seemed clear her mind was made up already. Afterwards the counselor told me I hadn’t done anything wrong and had been a pretty good husband, but my wife had a very unrealistic expectation of what marriage was supposed to be.
I guess one other challenge was during my deployment to the Middle East during Operation IRAQI Freedom in 2003. Even though i was around a bunch of people all the time, it was still very isolating and I felt lonely. I think that’s the only time I’ve ever felt that way.
Those are the big ones. Of course I had ups and downs at work, first in my Air Force career and then working for the health insurance company.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m a Christian life & financial coach, helping people navigate the identity shifts and financial implications that accompany big life transitions: high school graduation, starting college, entering the professional workforce for the first time, getting married, having kids, getting divorced, and becoming widowed. I work to understand their goals and their current situation & challenges, and then help them build their own roadmap to get from where they are to where they want to be.
I’m especially passionate about helping young people start life on their best foot. As a master financial coach, I hear story after story of people in their 50s, 60, and even older who have nothing saved for retirement, and many of them are also carrying a mountain of debt. By working with young people, I want to keep their generation from becoming a similar story 30 or 40 years from now.
Here’s what one client said about working with me:
“When I started working with John, I was in a place of financial stress and emotional burnout. I was juggling responsibilities, carrying pressure quietly, and honestly just trying to survive month to month. I had goals, but no real structure. I wanted stability for my children, but I did not feel confident in how to build it.
Working with John changed that.
He did not just look at numbers. He helped me understand money with clarity and purpose. He taught me how to intentionally save, how to grow what I have instead of constantly feeling behind, and how to manage finances in a way that creates peace instead of pressure.
He also helped me expand that mindset beyond just my personal finances and begin thinking about legacy, stewardship, and how financial wisdom impacts my entire family.
What has meant the most to me is that his guidance has never been transactional. It has felt fatherly, steady, and rooted in Godly wisdom. He gives advice that is both practical and righteous. He challenges me when needed, encourages me when I doubt myself, and always points me back to faith and responsibility at the same time.
He has also supported me in thinking through bigger vision decisions and long-term strategy, not just budgeting. His counsel has helped me grow in confidence, discipline, and clarity.
I truly believe God places certain people in our lives at the right time, and John has been that for me. I am incredibly grateful for his patience, his integrity, and his investment in my growth.”
Another client wrote: “What I appreciate most is that his financial guidance never felt one-dimensional — he thoughtfully considered every aspect of my family’s needs and values, and always proposed practical, realistic solutions we could confidently act on. I’m incredibly grateful for his support and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for faith-centered, practical financial coaching.”
I hope from those testimonials you can tell that I genuinely care about my clients and even the people who never become my clients. I pray for them regularly. I want nothing but the best for them. As my LinkedIn tagline says, “I strive for the success of others!”
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I wish someone had actually taught me more about money when I was younger. I figured many things out on my own, but young people today face different complexities that weren’t around when I was growing up: buy now / pay later, online sports betting, the pressures of social media, and so much more. And – no fault of their own – parents just aren’t as intentional at teaching this kind of stuff. Sometimes they might think they don’t know enough about it themselves to teach their kids. So young people today tend to learn through TikTok and everything else the culture tells them: everyone should go to college (not everyone is suited for college, and there are great options available if you don’t go to college), you have to take out student loans if you’re going to college (no, you don’t), you deserve better (hmmm…why is that?).
In terms of advice, I’d tell them to figure out what THEY believe, especially about themselves. Not what their parents believe. Not what their friends believe. What THEY believe. About themselves, about the world around them, about their faith, about money, about people. And if they realize they don’t like what they believe, now’s the time to change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://purposeandplenty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purposeandplenty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580037140063
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpaschall/
