The podcast dedicated to helping community bankers grow themselves, their team, and their profits. Brought to you by the Correspondent Division of SouthState Bank.
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Oct 5, 2026 · 24:09
Today we feature another backstage conversation from our 2026 Elevate Banking Forum. We sit down with Billy Boughey, keynote speaker and Founder of Elevate Experiences.... and…
Sep 28, 2026 · 31:15
Today we share a special backstage interview from our 2026 Elevate Banking Forum with Dr. Elliot Eisenberg. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are…
Sep 21, 2026 · 31:15
Today on the show, Caleb unpacks the top 10 mistakes banks make in their marketing and how to avoid them. Click Here to Book a Marketing Strategy Call with Our Team Donald…
Sep 14, 2026 · 35:30
In this episode, Bailey Erickson sits down with Scott Latham, CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association. They discuss the issues facing community banks, both nationally, and in the…
Sep 8, 2026 · 27:11
In this episode, Caleb Stevens sits down with Dee Ann Turner, former Chick-fil-A executive, bestselling author, and leadership expert, to discuss the principles behind enduring…
Aug 31, 2026 · 44:52
Today, we're sharing an episode from BJ Green's podcast, Leadership is Everything . In it, David Salyers, former Vice President of Marketing at Chick-fil-A and co-author of…
Aug 24, 2026 · 45:12
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Sarah, an F-22 Raptor pilot stationed in Okinawa, to discuss her journey from aviation student to combat-ready fighter pilot and…
Aug 17, 2026 · 27:06
In this episode of The Community Bank Podcast , SouthState's Tara Edmonds joins Caleb Stevens to unpack one of banking's hottest topics: stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and the…
Aug 10, 2026 · 43:00
Today, we sit down with banking industry veteran Jim Marous. Jim joins Caleb Stevens to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing community banks: preparing for the future…
Aug 3, 2026 · 36:24
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Walt Wear, SouthState's AI Enablement Manager, to discuss the bank's Copilot adoption journey, lessons learned from scaling AI…
Jul 27, 2026 · 40:02
Today, we're sharing BJ Green's pilot episode from his new podcast, Leadership is Everything . In it, SouthState Bank's CEO, John Corbett, explores what it takes to build and…
Jul 20, 2026 · 32:36
Today on the show Caleb Stevens sits down with Ed Kofman to discuss 4 key drivers of profitability for today's community banks. Download our newest eBook: The Community Bank…
Jul 13, 2026 · 41:45
In this episode, Tom Fitzgerald sits down with economist Joseph Keating to discuss the economic outlook amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, evolving Federal Reserve policy,…
Jul 6, 2026 · 26:02
Today we sit down with Scott Cocanougher, CEO of First Community Bank in Shelbyville, Tennessee and Randy Goggans, founder of the company BankerBounty. Together we discuss the…
Jun 29, 2026 · 24:51
In this episode of The Community Bank Podcast , Caleb Stevens sits down with attorney Mark Kanaly to explore the fundamentals of effective strategic planning for community banks.…
Jun 22, 2026 · 24:07
In this episode, Chris Nichols and Caleb Stevens sit down with Brennan Perkins, a recent Citadel graduate, to explore how early leadership experiences translate into a career in…
Jun 15, 2026 · 35:08
In this episode, Chris Nichols and DJ Seeterlin explore what banks can learn from Trader Joe's approach to strategy, focusing on clear customer segments, intentional trade-offs,…
Jun 8, 2026 · 35:13
In this episode, Chris Nichols is joined by Samer Saab of Alloy Labs to explore the growing tension between a traditional "debt mindset" and a more forward-looking "equity…
Jun 1, 2026 · 42:41
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Jack Henry's Lee Wetherington to unpack the biggest strategic shifts facing community banks today. From deposit pressures and the…
May 25, 2026 · 43:11
In this episode, Caleb Stevens talks with Eva Daniel, founder of The Speak Shop, about why effective communication is a critical leadership skill. Eva shares why every…
May 18, 2026 · 37:09
In this episode, we sit down with Ben Udell, a former community banker turned AI advisor, to break down what AI actually means for banks today and how to start using it in…
May 11, 2026 · 37:16
Today we speak with Erik Weiner, CEO of de novo Portrait Bank. We discuss his banking background, why he started Portrait bank, the capital raise process, attracting talent, and…
May 4, 2026 · 25:05
Recorded live from the Financial Brand Fourm on April 14th, Caleb Stevens sits down with Dan Marks, President of OptimaFI, to talk about what bank marketers should actually be…
Apr 27, 2026 · 46:11
Today we sit down with brothers Pat and Robert McLaughlin. Though they come from different, diverse fields, Pat and Robert share a passion in leadership development. They talk to…
Apr 20, 2026 · 40:04
In this episode, former U.S. Senator and SouthState Bank board member Ben Sasse joins Caleb Stevens and Chris Kamienski for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of community…
Apr 13, 2026 · 29:39
Today we speak with Chris Carneal, Founder and CEO of Booster, the largest elementary school fundraising company in the country. He tells us about how he's created a remarkable…
Apr 6, 2026 · 43:33
Today we're joined by Bill Moreland, a credit risk expert whose data and analysis we rely on heavily. Bill helps us break down what's really happening beneath the surface of…
Mar 30, 2026 · 27:20
Today, Tom Fitzgerald, from our strategy and research group interviews our asset-liability manager, Billy Fielding, from our broker dealer SouthState Securities to discuss the…
Mar 23, 2026 · 36:15
Today Tom Fitzgerald and Joe Keating discuss the current global landscape, including ongoing U.S. politics, developments in the Fed, and the ongoing war with Iran. They tie it…
Mar 16, 2026 · 32:41
In this episode, Caleb Stevens sits down with author and speaker Jon Acuff to talk about where procrastination shows up most often in the business world—and why even…
Mar 9, 2026 · 34:04
Today we have the privilege of welcoming back our very first podcast guest, Billy Boughey. Billy is the founder of Elevate Experiences, a company that creates unforgettable…
Mar 2, 2026 · 36:27
Today we're joined by two of our fellow SouthState team members — Shellee Spagnoletto and Jake Schoolfield. They talk about the Private Banking line of business we have here at…
Feb 23, 2026 · 29:16
Today we speak with Karan Bhalla, Founder and CEO of AiVantage. He tells us about how banks can utilize AI to personalize their marketing efforts and, in turn, deepen client…
Feb 17, 2026 · 36:29
Today we sit down with Ballard Cassady, CEO of the Kentucky Bankers Association. Ballard shares the unique perspective a banking association must keep while navigating the…
Feb 9, 2026 · 26:29
Today we sit down with Dan Odom, President and CEO of Western Bank out in Lubbock, Texas. He discusses the history of his family-owned community bank and how he has developed it…
Feb 2, 2026 · 32:21
Today on the show Caleb and Chris talk about one of Chris' recent blog articles, What a F1 Pit Crew Can Teach Banking — Performance as a System. Read the full blog article here:…
Jan 26, 2026 · 37:48
In today's show, Caleb and Chris delve into some of the top marketing tactics and frameworks we utilize at SouthState's Correspondent Division. They also explore how community…
Jan 20, 2026 · 30:01
Today Chris Nichols sits down with Ryan Zacharia and Adam Aspes, partners at FINTOP. Returning after four years from their last appearance on our show, they discuss tokenization,…
Jan 12, 2026 · 45:15
Today Joe Keating joins Tom Fitzgerald to reflect on where we left off in 2025 and discuss the economic outlook for 2026. The views, information, or opinions expressed during…
Jan 5, 2026 · 38:26
Today we kick off 2026 by bringing back our friend Jeff Hancher to discuss the 3 types of feedback great leaders give to their teams. The views, information, or opinions…
Dec 29, 2025 · 54:12
For our final show of 2025, we take a look back at some of our favorite episodes of the year. Thanks for listening! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show…
Dec 22, 2025 · 29:54
Today we sit down with Anton Schutz, President and Founder of Mendon Capital. As an investor, he has a unique perspective on trends shaping community banks. We discuss what…
Dec 15, 2025 · 35:54
Today we talk with Carey Ransom, founder of BankTech Ventures. We discuss what success for fintechs looks like and which tech investments are improving overhead efficiency. He…
Dec 8, 2025 · 36:59
Today we sit down with Ron Shevlin of Cornerstone Advisors. He tells us all about the forces that are "squeezing" community banks out of existence. Ron also shares what to focus…
Dec 1, 2025 · 32:21
Today we sit down with Frank Trotter, CEO of Battle Bank. We talk about his background with EverBank, how he raised $100 million in capital to start Battle Bank, and how to build…
Nov 24, 2025 · 47:32
Today we sit down with Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders, an Atlanta‐based non‐profit organization created to develop emerging leaders. Gen Z has joined the workforce, and…
Nov 17, 2025 · 36:47
Today we feature another backstage conversation from the 2025 Elevate Banking Forum with David Salyers, retired Chick-fil-A executive and SouthState board member. We talk about…
Nov 10, 2025 · 36:11
Today Chris Nichols sits down with Steven Ramirez from Beyond the Arc to discuss their thoughts on Money 20/20. They talk about stablecoin, fraud, AI, and several other topics…
Nov 3, 2025 · 21:30
Today we feature a backstage conversation recorded on October 28th at the 2025 Elevate Banking Forum. Tom Fitzgerald from SouthState sits down with Dr. Elliot Eisenberg to…
Oct 27, 2025 · 25:09
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Gwen Wertz, SVP of Retail Banking at Provident Bank, to discuss how her team drives deposit growth and manages funding costs in a…
Oct 20, 2025 · 1:05:01
Today, Chris Nichols sits down with Alex Johnson, author of popular newsletter Fintech Takes. They discuss the importance of Stablecoin as it's related to the banking industry…
Oct 13, 2025 · 52:47
Today we're joined by Mac Thompson, founder and CEO of White Clay, a company helping banks use data to drive smarter, more profitable decisions. We talk about whether banking is…
Oct 6, 2025 · 49:37
Today Chris Nichols sit down with Subodh Mathur to talk about his work with India's UPI system and what American banks can learn. Subodh Kumar Mathur, Strategic Advisor to…
Sep 29, 2025 · 54:18
In this episode, Caleb sits down with J.R. Lay—entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of Level Up Business—to explore how community banks can deepen relationships and…
Sep 22, 2025 · 37:38
Today Tom Fitzgerald sits down with Brian Barker, Chief Investment Officer here at SouthState Bank. They talk about the recent rate cut by the Fed and what it means for the…
Sep 15, 2025 · 27:27
Today Erik Bagwell and Caleb Stevens talk about 3 ways your bank can take its marketing to the next level. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are…
Sep 8, 2025 · 39:13
Today we sit down with our own James Tippit, EVP and Director of Team Development here at SouthState. We discuss the term "Team of Teams" coined by General Stanley McChrystal and…
Sep 1, 2025 · 27:54
Today we sit down with Will Bryant, Co-Founder of Quantalytix. We discuss how your bank can build a strategy to get the most of your institution's data. The views, information,…
Aug 25, 2025 · 26:57
Today we bring on Will Tumulty, CEO of Rapid Finance. He talks to us about how community banks can update their technology roadmaps to enhance their small business lending. Learn…
Aug 18, 2025 · 29:19
Today we talk with Greg Adelson, CEO of Jack Henry. We dive into technology, AI, cybersecurity, open banking, and several other topics in depth. These are all topics community…
Aug 11, 2025 · 24:36
Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Jaye Eubanks from United Bank in Georgia. Jaye shares how he and his team use the "EOS" operating system to increase team productivity…
Aug 4, 2025 · 25:49
Today we talk with Christian Ruppe, Chief Innovation Officer of Colony Bank in Georgia. Christian talks about the strategic technology and innovation initiatives Colony has…
Jul 28, 2025 · 35:32
Today Chris Nichols sits down with Matt Quale, who serves as President of Digital Banking at Forbright Bank. He has decades of experience in consumer experience, technology, and…
Jul 21, 2025 · 29:27
Today we bring on Owen LaFave, Market President at the Bank of Tampa. He tells us all about how he uses LinkedIn to create value for himself and his bank. Owen's advice in…
Jul 14, 2025 · 44:52
Today SouthState's own Mark Thompson, Banking Group President of Florida, joins us. With over 40 years of banking experience, he shares a wealth of knowledge with us. We discuss…
Jul 7, 2025 · 20:56
Today we bring back Sim Cheema, who works on our ARC Team here at SouthState. We talk about the current Fed policy, the economic environment, and what all that means for you and…
Jun 30, 2025 · 36:17
Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Nathan Stovall from S&P Global Market Intelligence. They discuss current trends in the banking industry including the outlook for…
Jun 23, 2025 · 39:26
Today we sit down with William Warren, Founder of The Sketch Effect — a visual communications agency that works with brands like Chick-fil-A and Delta Airlines. William talks…
Jun 17, 2025 · 33:15
Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Raphael Reznek, Chief Technology Officer of Mascoma Bank. They discuss bank architecture and focus on leveraging technology to your…
Jun 9, 2025 · 14:25
Today we feature an internal conversation with Curtis Campbell, SouthState Bank's Director of Cybersecurity Training and Education. She discusses the importance of having a plan…
May 28, 2025 · 37:47
Today Tom Fitzgerald sits down with series regular Joe Keating. They discuss the latest trends in the current economy and the outlook for interest rates. LEARN MORE ABOUT ELEVATE…
May 19, 2025 · 23:46
This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2021 with Jesse Cole, Founder of the Savannah Bananas baseball team. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING…
May 13, 2025 · 41:08
This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2023 with Mark Miller, Former VP of High Performance Leadership at Chick-fil-A. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE…
May 5, 2025 · 32:18
Today we sit down with Josh Etress, Chief Operating Officer of Anchor Investments. He shares how he adds value to his great and growing LinkedIn following and how bankers just…
Apr 29, 2025 · 54:58
Today we sit down with Jeff Hancher who shares his thought leadership, particularly related to delivering feedback as leaders, founded in his own experiences and ideologies.…
Apr 21, 2025 · 36:18
Today Caleb Stevens sits down with Chris Bates from Agora Eversole for a wide-ranging conversation on bank marketing. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views,…
Apr 14, 2025 · 34:40
Today Chris Nichols sits down with Craig Rodenberger, Chief Marketing Officer of Ephrata National Bank. Craig shares how they bank the Amish community and what it looks like to…
Apr 7, 2025 · 43:31
Today we sit down with Eric Corrigan with MJC Partners to discuss M&A and capital raising. He tells us all about what community banks should be paying attention to when it comes…
Mar 31, 2025 · 34:17
Today we sit down with Randy Goggans, Founder and CEO of BankerBounty. He tells us about his beginnings into banking and how his experience has resulted in BankerBounty and how…
Mar 24, 2025 · 46:43
Today, Tom Fitzgerald and Joe Keating sit down to discuss the economic outlook as we near the end of the 2025 first quarter. They touch on current economic trends, projections,…
Mar 17, 2025 · 45:37
Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Mike Fletcher, President and Co-Founder of Qualtik, to discuss the latest trends in commercial credit. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE…
Mar 10, 2025 · 18:32
Today Chris Nichols sits down with three of SouthState Bank's team members, Tiffany Metelsky, Kunal Das, and Karissa Herns. They discuss our recent Data Build-a-thon, where 58…
Mar 3, 2025 · 27:15
Today, SouthState's Chris Nichols sits down with Steve Ramirez, Founder of Beyond the Arc, where they offer B2B payment strategies for banks. They discuss the current trends and…
Feb 24, 2025 · 32:06
Today we sit down with Russ Hill, co-Founder of Lone Rock Consulting and Lead In 30. We talk about the importance of creating clarity as a leader, leading through change, the…
Feb 18, 2025 · 29:07
Today we sit down with Stephen Coleman, former Bank OZK executive and Founder of Relativity Holdings, where they build enterprise-level software and technology solutions for…
Feb 10, 2025 · 36:01
Today we sit down with Karl Nelson, Founder and CEO of KPN Consulting. He gives us a recap of the community banking landscape since the Covid pandemic and describes what 2025…
Feb 3, 2025 · 31:41
Today we sit down with Chris Nichols and Ed Kofman. They discuss our e-book, "The Top 12 Winning Strategies for Community Banks in 2025," going into detail on the principles to…
Jan 27, 2025 · 27:33
Today we sit down with Steve Williams, CEO and Founding Partner of Cornerstone Advisors. We discuss the community banking landscape for 2025 and the traits every successful bank…
Jan 13, 2025 · 35:23
Today we bring back Joe Keating, SVP & Senior Portfolio Manager here at SouthState, to provide his economic outlook for 2025. The views, information, or opinions expressed during…
Jan 6, 2025 · 36:04
Today we bring back a longtime friend of the show, Jack Hubbard from St. Meyer & Hubbard. Jack has trained and coached over 80,000 bankers, helping them become "resource…
Dec 30, 2024 · 42:29
In our final episode of 2024, Chris Nichols sits down with Steve Smith from Accenture to discuss the future of bank branching. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR…
Dec 23, 2024 · 29:42
This week we feature clips from 8 of our favorite shows we recorded in 2024. Thanks for listening! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those…
Dec 16, 2024 · 35:24
Today we sit down with Davis Stewart and Gene Kirby from Heitmeyer Consulting to discuss the best strategies for effectively managing vendor relationships at your bank. GET OUR…
Dec 9, 2024 · 25:01
Today we shine the spotlight on Katie Wahlquist and her bank, Star Bank, in Minnesota. We discuss Katie's family roots in banking and their plans to remain competitive and…
Dec 2, 2024 · 26:50
Today we bring on Daniel and Joseph Ahn from DelFi to discuss the value of AI in managing your bank's balance sheet. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY…
Nov 25, 2024 · 39:34
Today we sit down with Brian Love and Keith Daly from the Travillian Group. We discuss the keys to succession planning and the importance of attracting and developing young…
Nov 18, 2024 · 42:41
Today we bring on Jackie Smith, Director of Public Relations at SouthState, as well as Vincent Ascolese, Social Media and Public Relations Manager. Together we discuss the 5 keys…
Nov 11, 2024 · 25:24
Today we bring back on Jeremie Kubicek, CEO of GiANT Worldwide. Jeremie has spoken to thousands of leaders and written mutiple best-selling books on leadership, culture, and…
Nov 4, 2024 · 1:05:42
Today we feature our final backstage episode from the Elevate Banking Forum. Chris Nichols (Director of Capital Markets at SouthState) and Nathan Stovall (Director of Financial…
Oct 22, 2024 · 30:03
Today we play a backstage interview from our recent Elevate Banking Forum in Birmingham, AL. We talk with Kevin Scott, one of our keynote speakers at the event, about what it…
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