Brianna Terry, a teller at FirstBank’s Emory Road location, is one of the lucky few who seemingly always knew what the future had in store for her. She recalls being interested in finance and wealth even as a small child. Whether it was collecting coins or old checks from her “Mam” to play store, Brianna had a natural affinity for money before she ever had to start worrying about it.
Now, grown up Brianna is getting to live her childhood dreams after moving to Knoxville in 2008. She eased back into the workforce at Food City where she would meet her friend Taylor, who Brianna later followed to FirstBank after seeing through social media that they were hiring a teller. After that, as she puts it, “the rest is history.”
Brianna says having a job that requires a lot of customer interaction was an adjustment because she is naturally shy, so it was something she had to overcome when walking through issues with customers day in and day out. Though, if you bring up one of her favorite topics, she’s usually more likely to spring into a conversation. Conversation has become a key in her industry, one where automation has de-humanized a lot of its facets.
“Everyone is in such a hurry nowadays,” Brianna noted. “So, it feels nice to take a second and chat. Plus, I am a talker so if you bring up cooking or animals, I’m all in.”
Years of experience can also break down the barrier between Brianna and her customers. Most of us go our whole day without thinking of banking issues, until we’re notified of their existence when our card gets denied at the gas station or grocery store. She says an empathetic heart and an ear for listening have helped her be the voice of reason through some of our financial annoyances.
“Listening to your customers is one of the most important lessons I have learned,” Brianna said. “Not just responding. Just because we may see the issue they are going through daily, it’s their first time.”
Times have changed for Brianna and no day is really the same. Security has become a much bigger issue in 2024 than it was in 2008, with almost all banking now existing online. Though there are still constants, mainly in that it’s a service everyone needs. She meets all kinds of characters, including a sewing machine sales rep who showed up to fix her grandmother’s old unit.
For now, she seems content staying put with the job she has, and she seems to be thriving in it. When she’s not at work, she’s usually found reading, honing her cooking skills on her husband, Mitchell, and daughters Chloe and Auburn, or looking for new dogs to adopt. As long as she keeps moving forward, she’s feels on the right track.
Brianna Terry highly recommends FirstBank as an employer and while there may not be a teller position open at present, the human resource department is always looking for talent and recommends anyone who is interested to see all open positions at: website.
Adam Delahoussaye is a freelance writer for the KnoxTNToday who loves telling stories about music, arts and culture in and around his hometown. Have a story for Adam? He can be reached at email or text 865-919-5059 with your story idea.
