E61: From Law Enforcement to Firearms Instructor: John Pashain's Journey

Ever wondered what makes a truly exceptional firearms instructor? Meet John Pashain of 7 Hills Security, who brings more than two decades of military and law enforcement experience to his firearms training business in Northern Colorado.

What separates John from other instructors isn't just his impressive background, which includes nine years in the Army Guard and service with the Pima County Sheriff's Department. It's his personal journey of resilience. After a career-ending wrist injury that kept him from firing a weapon for over a decade, John now teaches despite experiencing pain with every trigger pull. This firsthand understanding of overcoming obstacles infuses his teaching with unique empathy and perspective.

7 Hills Security offers comprehensive firearms instruction, security courses, and de-escalation training, with plans to introduce executive protection studies for a new national standard. As a verified instructor for Colorado's recently expanded concealed handgun permit classes, John focuses intensively on fundamentals and safety, challenging the misconception that firearms themselves are good or bad rather than tools whose use is determined by their handlers.

Perhaps most valuable is what happens after training ends. Unlike many instructors who teach a class and send students on their way, John serves as match director for monthly defensive pistol shoots at the Northern Colorado Rod and Gun Club. These scenario-based practice sessions allow students to refine their skills in a safe, supervised environment among like-minded enthusiasts.

Whether you're new to firearms or looking to enhance your skills, connect with John at [e-mail], call 970-213-8686, or find 7 Hills Security on Facebook. Experience training that prioritizes safety, fundamentals, and ongoing practice opportunities with an instructor who truly understands the journey.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Nick George.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a firearmsinstructor with over 20 years
experience?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
john Pashane, with Seven HillsSecurity.
John, how's it going All right,nick?
How you doing Good?
We're excited to learn allabout you and your business.

(00:31):
Tell us about your practice.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well, my business on the private sector side is about
five years old Seven HillsSecurity.
I do firearms instruction,security courses, de-escalation,
as well as in the future I amhoping to be teaching an
executive protection studycourse for a new national

(00:55):
standard that's coming out.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Nice.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
How did you get into the business?
My career was in military andlaw enforcement.
I did nine years Army Guard.
I medically retired from PimaCounty Sheriff's Department down
in Tucson area.
I've been around firearms allmy life and kind of got drug
into the teaching side on thecivilian world.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
What are some myths or misconceptions in your
industry?

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Oh, there are many.
The fallacy that firearmssomehow are good or bad is
completely false.
It is the person that holdsthat tool that dictates what the
tool itself will do.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
I agree.
Who are your target customers,John, and how do you attract
them now?

Speaker 3 (02:03):
My target customer really is anyone who wants to be
educated on the use, the safeuse and fundamentals of firearms
.
I do train a number of securitycompanies here in town as well,
though I don't want to limitmyself just to security
companies.
It is anyone who would like tolearn more about firearms,

(02:26):
especially with our new Coloradolaw change of July 1, where the
concealed handgun permit classhas now changed to a mandatory
eight-hour class.
I'm a verified instructor herein Larimer County that can teach
that class.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
And how are you attracting your customers now?

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Right now I do have advertisements out at USA
Liberty.
I also have a futurerelationship with them where we
may be coordinating together.
In addition to that, I sit onthe board of directors of
Northern Colorado Run and GunClub and I run a defensive
pistol shoot, which is a monthlyhandgun shoot.

(03:09):
Focusing on safety andfundamentals Through my
interaction with a gun club, theadvertisements at USA Liberty
and Word of Mouth to include themultiple security companies
here in Fort Collins andNorthern Colorado.
Those are the primary ways thatI do get my name out into the

(03:30):
firearms world in NorthernColorado.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

Speaker 3 (03:36):
I've thought about it , though it's not really my
forte.
This is my first ever podcast.
I tend to stay away from theelectronic side of things, and
that's why I teach firearms.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
I get it.
Marketing is the heart of everybusiness, as I learned in
Atlanta with a little emissionsrepair shop Outside of work.
What do you do for fun?

Speaker 3 (04:01):
I spend a lot of time at my house.
I have a great dog and an oldDodge Power Wagon, a 53 Dodge
Power Wagon that is fun to drivearound With the gun club.
I was out there earlier todaydoing some volunteer work.
That's all the volunteer sideof my life.
With the gun club, Friends,family neighborhood, Fort

(04:25):
Collins is a great place to live, to get out, have some good
food, some good bourbon out intown.
And yeah, that's kind of how Ispend my time.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
Let's switch gears.
Can you describe a hardship ora life challenge that you
overcame and how it made youstronger?
What comes to mind?

Speaker 3 (04:45):
Well, as I mentioned earlier, I was medically retired
from law enforcement.
That was the career that Iwanted to do since I was in
junior high.
I tore my wrist out on a call,suffered some nerve damage, lost
some grip strength in my righthand, which is my shooting hand,
and readjusted everything onhow I had to do a lot of just a

(05:09):
basic things in life.
As far as that goes, it tooksome time to adjust.
I didn't fire a firearm forover a decade, was worried what
it would do to my wrist and gotback into it.
And every time I pull thetrigger it does hurt still and I
deal with that every singletime, especially when I teach

(05:30):
classes and when I run thedefensive pistol.
I do deal with that on a regularbasis and it's something that,
just like we know as adults inlife, you have to deal with and
you have to just move on.
Does it just hurt or does itaffect your aim?
It hurts.
It can affect my aim If I'veshot too much.

(05:51):
It depends on how much I doactually shoot.
As far as the initial smallamount of shooting, it doesn't
affect it to any degree.
That's overly noticeable,though the more you shoot, the
more I shoot, should I say themore it does affect the injury.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
John, please tell our listeners one thing they should
remember that they shouldabsolutely remember about Seven
Hills security.

Speaker 3 (06:20):
When it comes to firearms and firearm safety, I
am focused on fundamentals,fundamentals and safety.
There's one thing that I havethat's unique with my private
business is that I do volunteeras that match director for
what's called defensive pistol.
After you take a class with me,or even before you don't have

(06:42):
to take a class with me, I havethat avenue for you to get out
and practice your skills on amonthly basis.
That's something that a lot ofinstructors really don't have.
They instruct their class andthen you're done.
Well, I can instruct the classand then I have that direct
access to Northern Colorado Rodand Gun, where defensive pistol

(07:03):
is put on once a month and it'sscenario based and we set up
stages and you can go throughand you can practice those
fundamentals and be safe at thesame time.
We have great range safetyofficers there.
I'm a chief range safetyofficer myself and that's a very
good shoot.
I've been running it forroughly five years.
So after you get your training,come on out and work on your

(07:25):
skills and get better and bearound like-minded people who
enjoy shooting as well.
That sounds exciting, john.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Please tell our listeners all of the ways that
they can get in touch with SevenHills Security, online and by
phone of the ways that they canget in touch with Seven Hills
Security online and by phone.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
So online my email address is
johnpsevenhillssecuritycom andit's a number seven on that
email.
My phone number is 970-213-8686.
I also do have a Facebook page,which is Seven Hills Security
on Facebook.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
Awesome.
Well, John, we reallyappreciate you being on the show
.
We wish you and your businessthe very best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Thank you, nick, I appreciate your time.

Speaker 1 (08:10):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpfortcollinscom.
That's gnpfortcollinscom, orcall 970-438-0825.