As a licensed massage therapist, Debbie understands the power of dedicated, one-on-one care. Day after day, she provides her clients with relief, connection, and a safe environment to heal. Yet, when it came to her own financial health, Debbie found herself “winging it” because she was carrying the burden completely alone. That is, until a visit with a friendly associate at her local bank branch connected her with Operation HOPE Financial Wellbeing Coach Natalia Palacio.
That connection gave Debbie something she had been missing for years: a trusted financial partner to talk to.
“When you don’t really have family to talk to or a significant other, you just don’t want to talk to anybody about your business. But then when I finally had somebody to talk to about my finances, things started making sense and started coming to my attention that I never paid attention to,” said Debbie.
Debbie’s coaching experience with Natalia mirrored the personalized, 1-on-1 care she gives her own clients. Sitting down with Natalia, Debbie found a judgment-free space to look at her complete financial picture. Natalia brought a meticulous approach to every session, going line-by-line through financial statements and assigning homework to keep Debbie accountable.
“Natalia took the time to walk me through practical steps to better manage my money, improve my credit, reduce debt and make smarter financial decisions,” Debbie shared. “Her guidance helped me look at my finances in a completely new way and gave me the confidence to make better financial choices.”
Natalia added that “Debbie is one of the most inspirational clients I’ve had the privilege of coaching at Operation HOPE. When she walked through our doors, she knew what she wanted: better credit, less debt, and a real plan to make it happen.”
Together, they crafted a clear six-month coaching plan to refine Debbie’s budget and develop a realistic debt-payoff strategy. They focused on stripping away unnecessary accounts, redundant credit cards, and interest charges in order to streamline her business and personal life.
- Eliminating Debt with Intention: Faced with eight open credit cards, Natalia challenged Debbie to tackle the three smallest balances first. By focusing on small, fast wins, Debbie quickly built momentum and paid off nearly $1,500 in credit card debt by their next meeting.
- Simplifying Bank Accounts: To stop unnecessary fees, Natalia helped Debbie merge multiple scattered personal and business accounts into one streamlined personal account, one business account, and one savings account.
- Building a Safety Net: By sticking to a clear budget and putting her money into CDs and a high-yield savings account, Debbie was able to set aside six months of emergency savings.
- Shifting Mindset from Credit to Cash: Debbie adopted a cash-based spending habit after Natalie showed her how much interest she was being charged by only paying the minimum amount due on credit cards.
“Working with Natalia has been an absolute blessing. She is not only knowledgeable about credit and financial management, but she truly cares about the people she works with.”
With a credit score now comfortably in the 700s, an established emergency fund and lower debt, Debbie is now turning her focus to scaling her massage therapy business.
Debbie’s journey proves that financial wellness doesn’t happen in isolation. Just as physical healing requires care and guidance, financial health takes root when you have a trustworthy partner who listens, educates, and holds you accountable.
“There are so many people out here who need the services Operation HOPE provides,” said Debbie. “It is such a powerful resource for the community, especially for hardworking people who want to get out of debt, improve their credit and build a stronger financial future.”
For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.