Today we’d like to introduce you to Kandace Harris.
Hi Kandace, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fisk University without a plan for what was next. I held on to a business card from an HR Professional from Regions Bank and literally called her to ask for a job. This is how my banking career began.
My career has really been a story of growth, relationships, and being willing to say yes to opportunities that stretched me.
I started my career in banking as a teller, and at the time, I don’t think I could have imagined where that first opportunity would eventually take me. What started as learning the basics of banking quickly became a passion for understanding people, their goals, their businesses, their challenges, and how the right financial resources and relationships can help them move forward.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work in several areas of banking, including retail, branch leadership, private wealth, business development, and community relations. Every role taught me something different, but relationships have always been at the center of what I do.
My career also gave me the opportunity to step outside of traditional banking and work with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. That experience gave me a different perspective on entrepreneurship and what it really takes to build and grow a business. I was able to work closely with entrepreneurs, help connect them to resources, and be part of creating spaces and opportunities that supported their growth. It expanded the way I thought about economic opportunity and community impact.
From there, I moved into executive leadership in banking, where my work became even more focused on business development, community engagement, financial education, and connecting people with opportunities. I’ve been fortunate to work with individuals, business owners, nonprofits, and organizations throughout Nashville, and those relationships have shaped so much of my career.
Today, I’m with Pinnacle Financial Partners, and I feel like I’m in a place where I can bring all of those experiences together. I get to serve clients, build relationships, support businesses, and stay connected to a community that has played such an important role in my own journey.
When I look back, of course I’m proud of the career growth and accomplishments, but what means the most to me are the relationships and trust I’ve built along the way. I started my career serving people from behind a teller line. Today, what I do may look a little different, but the heart of it is still the same. I want to listen, build genuine relationships, connect people to resources, and hopefully make a positive impact wherever I can.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road, but I think some of the most challenging seasons have also been the ones where I’ve grown the most.
One of the biggest challenges throughout my career has been learning how to navigate spaces where I may not have always felt like the obvious choice or where I had to prove that I belonged. As I moved into different roles and took on more responsibility, there were times when I had to learn to trust my own voice and recognize that I didn’t have to know everything to bring value to the room.
There have also been moments when I had to make difficult career decisions and walk away from what was comfortable in order to pursue something that felt more aligned with where I was growing. Those transitions aren’t always easy. Sometimes you have a clear picture of what’s next, and sometimes you just know that it’s time for something different. I’ve had to become comfortable with that uncertainty and trust that every experience was preparing me for the next one.
Another challenge has been learning that you can’t be everything to everyone. I care deeply about people and my community, so naturally I want to show up whenever I can. As my career and responsibilities have grown, I’ve had to become much more intentional about where I spend my time and energy and understand that saying no sometimes allows me to give my best yes to the things that matter most.
I wouldn’t change the difficult parts of the journey, though. They’ve taught me resilience, patience, humility, and the importance of staying grounded in who I am. Success rarely happens in a straight line. For me, it has been about continuing to learn, staying open to opportunities, building genuine relationships, and not allowing a difficult season to define the entire story.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At the core of what I do is relationship building. I work with individuals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and organizations to understand where they are, where they want to go, and how I can help connect them to the right resources, people, and financial solutions to get there.
My background is pretty diverse. I’ve worked in retail banking, private wealth, business development, community relations, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership. Because of that, I tend to look at things from a broader perspective. I’m not just thinking about a transaction or what someone needs today. I’m thinking about the bigger picture and how I can be a resource to them long term.
I think I’m probably best known for being a connector. I genuinely enjoy bringing people together. Sometimes that means connecting a business owner with a financial solution, but other times it may be an introduction to a potential client, mentor, community partner, or simply someone they need to know. I’ve always believed that relationships are one of our greatest resources, and when you’re intentional about connecting the right people, really meaningful things can happen.
What I’m most proud of is the trust I’ve built throughout my career. Nashville is a relationship driven city, and your reputation matters. I’m proud that people feel comfortable calling me when they need advice, an introduction, a resource, or sometimes just someone to help them think through an idea. To me, that kind of trust is more meaningful than any title.
I also take a lot of pride in the work I’ve been able to do around entrepreneurship, financial education, and creating access to opportunities. Seeing a business owner grow, watching someone gain confidence in their finances, or knowing that an introduction I made opened a door for someone is incredibly rewarding.
What sets me apart is that I don’t really separate business from community. They are connected. I care about doing good business, but I also care about what that business means for the people and communities around us. I try to lead with curiosity, authenticity, and a genuine desire to help people win.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that when they work with me, they’re getting more than a banker. They’re getting someone who is invested in their success, who will pick up the phone, make the introduction, ask the right questions, and help them find a way forward.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I absolutely love this question because I really believe in giving people their flowers and recognizing the people who helped you along the way.
Laquan Jackson taught me early on how important relationships are and that you can build meaningful connections from anywhere, even from a drive thru teller window. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my entire career.
Jorie Hoskins took me under her wing and saw leadership potential in me before I necessarily saw it in myself. She trusted me with leadership opportunities, sometimes before I felt like I was ready for them, and that pushed me to grow and become more confident in what I was capable of.
And there are truly no words for the late Latrisha Jemison. She was a top executive at Regions Bank, but she always made time for me. She would spend lunches with me, sharing wisdom, listening to my dreams and aspirations, and helping me think bigger about what was possible for my career. I’ll always be grateful for the way she poured into me.
Raquel Beck also played such an important role in my development as a banker. She was the first person I ever inherited a book of business from, and I don’t think I fully understood at the time what a gift that was. It gave me a strong foundation to build from and allowed me to focus on deepening relationships with clients who already trusted the bank. There’s a big difference between constantly pounding the pavement hoping to find your next client and being able to pick up the phone, call someone who already has a relationship with the bank, and simply ask, “What can I do to help?” That experience helped shape the way I approach relationship banking today.
Casey Mulligan is genuinely one of my favorite people and is actually the reason I’m at Pinnacle today. We originally got to know each other while serving on a few panels together, even though we were working for competing banks at the time. There was an immediate connection between us, and I think we both walked away knowing that at some point we wanted the opportunity to work together. I love that our relationship started simply by being in the community, doing the work, and getting to know one another. Eventually, that relationship opened the door for the opportunity at Pinnacle, and it’s a great example of why I’ve always believed relationships matter.
When I think about each of these people, they all gave me something different. Laquan taught me how to build relationships. Jorie saw leadership in me before I saw it in myself. Latrisha showed me the power of taking the time to pour into someone. Raquel gave me a foundation that helped me grow as a banker. And Casey is a reminder that some of the best career opportunities come from genuine relationships, sometimes with the person sitting on the other side of the table.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have people throughout my career who saw something in me, opened doors for me, shared what they knew, or simply gave me an opportunity. As I’ve grown in my own career, I’ve become very intentional about doing the same for others. I know firsthand how much one person can change the trajectory of someone else’s career.
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