Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to PangNhia Burke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi PangNhia, thanks for joining us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers

Entrepreneurship isn’t always the glamorous “freedom” people imagine — it’s the unseen grind, the emotional rollercoaster, and the moments that test who you really are. For me, it started long before I became a business owner.

I grew up in foster care. I was the kid constantly reminded that I’d “never amount to anything.” There was no safety net, no family legacy, no one handing me the blueprint. Every milestone I’ve reached has come from faith, resilience, and a decision to believe in myself even when no one else did.

But one of the hardest turning points in my life came years later when I lost my sister. In the middle of my grief, I found myself doing something I never thought I would — asking for money just to bury her. It was humiliating and heartbreaking all at once. That experience stayed with me. It made me realize how unprepared most families are for the unexpected, and how devastating it can be when financial struggle collides with loss.

That’s what led me to life insurance. I wanted to help people avoid that pain — to educate families, to show them that planning ahead isn’t morbid, it’s love. It’s peace of mind.

For a while, I walked away from the business — life got heavy, distractions came, and I lost sight of my “why.” But purpose has a funny way of calling you back. Mine came in the form of a phone call I’ll never forget.

A client called me crying. Her husband had just passed, and through her tears, she said, “You don’t know what this means — I didn’t have to choose between rent and a funeral.” That one sentence brought me to my knees. It was like my sister’s story coming full circle — only this time, I was on the other side of it.

That moment reminded me exactly why PNT Financial Services exists. It’s not just about policies or numbers — it’s about protecting people’s peace, preserving their dignity, and giving them the freedom to grieve without financial fear.

I may have started as a foster kid who was told I wouldn’t make it, but now I get to help families build legacies, not losses. I get to educate them, empower them, and remind them that preparation is one of the most selfless acts of love there is.

Because life insurance isn’t about death — it’s about life. And if I can turn my pain into purpose, then maybe someone else will find the courage to do the same.

PangNhia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is PangNhia “PT” Burke, and I’m the founder of PNT Financial Services — a company built on faith, resilience, and the belief that financial peace should be within everyone’s reach, not just a privilege for a few.

When I first started in this industry, I had a large team behind me. I thought that was what success looked like — the numbers, the structure, the illusion of “big.” But what I learned quickly is that bigger doesn’t always mean better. I realized that I worked best when I could connect personally with my clients, understand their stories, and build relationships rooted in trust and education.

So, I made the decision to go solo — to rebuild with intention. I began aligning myself with the right people, not just more people. Today, I’ve built partnerships that expand what PNT can offer while keeping the heart of my business personal and client-focused.

I’m now partnered with a company that specializes in living trusts, giving my clients access to estate planning tools that protect not only their finances but their families’ futures. Together, we help clients secure their legacies — from the wealth they create to the way it’s passed down.

Alongside that, my husband, Derrick, leads the tax side of our mission. He helps individuals and families truly understand how taxes work — not just how to file, but how to plan, structure, and leverage them to build wealth more efficiently. Together, we show our clients how all these pieces — insurance, taxes, and estate planning — fit together to create generational impact.

At PNT Financial Services, I offer products designed to protect you while you’re alive and take care of your loved ones when that time comes. It’s about more than covering final expenses — it’s about using life insurance as a tool to build wealth, create freedom, and give families options. I teach my clients that what the wealthy have done for generations — building wealth through protection and planning — is possible for them too.

What sets me apart is education and empathy. I break down complex financial concepts into real conversations. I make sure every client walks away empowered, not confused. My greatest pride isn’t in numbers or policies — it’s in watching my clients’ confidence grow as they realize that wealth isn’t out of reach; it’s just about learning the rules of the game.

At the end of the day, PNT Financial Services isn’t just a company — it’s a calling. It’s my way of turning pain into purpose, struggle into strength, and hope into a plan.

Because when you understand money, you can change your story. And when you protect your family, you create a legacy that lasts.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Before I ever learned about business, leadership, or legacy, I had to learn how to survive the unimaginable. I am a human trafficking survivor. There was a period in my life when I lost not just my sense of safety, but my sense of self. I was living in constant fear — yet even in that darkness, a small part of me held on to faith that there had to be more to my story than pain.

Healing wasn’t instant. It came in waves — through faith, therapy, and time. There were days I wanted to give up, and others when I didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me in the mirror. But little by little, I rebuilt myself from the inside out.

When I began my journey into financial services, I didn’t realize how much it mirrored my own story. Helping people find security, freedom, and control over their futures became my way of reclaiming what I had lost.

Even as I faced setbacks — losing loved ones, rebuilding my business, and redefining success — I learned that resilience isn’t about never breaking. It’s about rising differently each time you do.

Every chapter of my life — from foster care to survival, from corporate work to entrepreneurship — has taught me that purpose is born from pain. Through PNT Financial Services, I now help others protect what matters most — their families, their peace, and their futures. Because I know what it feels like to lose control, and I know the power that comes from taking it back.

What I’ve learned through it all is that resilience isn’t about pretending to be unbreakable — it’s about allowing yourself to break, heal, and rise again with more purpose. Surviving what I’ve survived — from foster care to trafficking, from loss to rebuilding — has taught me that pain can either define you or refine you. I chose the latter.

Every scar, every setback, every moment I thought I was done has now become part of my mission. My faith became my anchor, and my purpose became my compass. Today, I use my story not for sympathy, but for strength — to show others that no matter where you start, or what’s been done to you, you can still create something beautiful, impactful, and lasting.

Because resilience isn’t about what happens to you — it’s about what you decide to do with it. And I’ve decided to turn mine into a legacy.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the hardest pivots I’ve ever had to make — both in life and business — came when I was hit with a wave of chargebacks and unexpected debt that nearly took me under. It was one of those seasons that forces you to face everything you’ve been avoiding — your systems, your mindset, your relationship with money, and your faith.

At that time, I was pouring my heart into my business but operating more on passion than structure. I was helping families, changing lives, and seeing growth — but I wasn’t truly protecting my own foundation. When the chargebacks started coming in, it felt like watching everything I had built start to crumble. There were moments when I questioned whether I was even meant for entrepreneurship.

But that experience became my wake-up call. I realized that you can’t build something sustainable on good intentions alone — you need systems, boundaries, and a plan that protects you as much as you protect others. I had to sit with my mistakes, own them, and rebuild the right way — one decision, one payment, one conversation at a time.

Instead of letting the debt define me, I used it to discipline me. I got serious about business structure, compliance, and accountability. I learned to separate emotion from execution, and I started treating my business like the company I wanted it to become, not the one I was struggling to keep afloat.

That pivot changed everything. It taught me how to lead with both heart and wisdom. It helped me design PNT Financial Services into a business built on education, transparency, and client empowerment — because I know what it feels like to be on the other side of financial chaos.

Looking back, that storm wasn’t meant to destroy me — it was meant to refine me. It stripped away what wasn’t working and forced me to become the kind of leader who builds with intention, not desperation. And now, when I teach clients about financial protection and preparation, I’m not just teaching theory — I’m teaching from experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pntfinancialservices.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pntfinancialservices
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fcizthd4p/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pnt-financial-services/