You do not need a bigger bank. You need access, clarity, and a real relationship.
In this episode of Southaven Business Beat, you meet Samuel Kail, Market President of First Choice Bank in Southaven, Mississippi. Samuel shares how he went from college football to banking leadership, and how he helped launch a new community bank branch in DeSoto County.
You will hear how Samuel built his banking career in just eight years, what he learned by working every side of the bank, and why local decision-making matters for business owners and families.
What you will learn
How Samuel Kail became a Market President at age 29
Why relationship banking still matters in DeSoto County
What a community bank can offer beyond checking accounts
How business lending decisions actually get made
What First Choice Bank looks for when hiring a new team
How leadership habits from sports carry into business
How to manage work and family with two kids under three
Why involvement in the Southaven Chamber builds trust faster than ads
Why this matters now
Southaven and DeSoto County are growing fast. Business owners need banks that can move quickly, answer questions clearly, and understand the local market. Samuel explains what that looks like in real life, not sales talk.
If you are a business owner, professional, or family looking for a local bank in Southaven, this episode gives you a clear look behind the scenes.
Subscribe for more conversations with Southaven and DeSoto County business leaders.
Chapters
0:00 Quick preview, football to banking, being coachable and flexible
0:40 Show intro and guest intro
2:18 Sponsor, First Choice Bank
3:06 How Sam got into banking
4:06 Lessons from football that show up in leadership
5:11 Sponsor, J.A. Hall Law Firm
6:03 Moving up fast, mentors, learning every side of the bank
11:56 First Choice Bank history and services, plus what is coming next
15:08 Sponsor, Pure Focus Media
16:00 Building a team from scratch
24:08 Work life balance, boundaries, burnout
27:13 What the Chamber has meant to him, relationships and trust
31:18 Outro and sponsor, Wisdom Integrators
