Tanner Phifer

Managing Director, Wells Fargo Capital Finance

Tanner Phifer is a managing director in Originations with Wells Fargo Capital Finance (WFCF). In this role, Tanner is responsible for sourcing, structuring, and executing middle-market and corporate asset-based lending (ABL) and specialty debt financings (software, lender) across the South-Central U.S. region. Tanner also provides coverage of third-party referral sources such as private equity, investment banks, and advisors.

Prior to WFCF, Tanner worked in underwriting and portfolio management for Wells Fargo Energy Corporate Banking, providing cash flow financings for private equity-sponsored and mid-corporate clients in the energy services sector. Tanner began his career in the Financial Analyst Program in Middle Market Banking and attended Wells Fargo’s formal 6-month onsite credit training program. Tanner graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston, where he majored in finance and minored in accounting. 

What is the best professional advice you have been given and how have you implemented it? 

Some of the hardest decisions in your life will be related to your career and will involve change. In 2014, I was established in a great job where people liked me, but I desired more, and my heart wasn’t fully in it. The prospective job was more challenging, less pay, and would put strain on my personal life. I had to take two steps back and there were no assurances I would accomplish my goal. The day of my decision, someone sent me Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech. 

“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

The speech isn’t just career advice – it’s a message to do what you love; indulge your curiosity; trust your intuition and pursue your passion. I took the leap, and it was the best professional decision I made. You will spend most of your life working and the only way to be happy is to find what you love. Do not settle. It is worth the risk. 

How do you define a good leader?

When I started my career, my first mentor told me that I should chip away both the good and the bad qualities of all the leaders I meet in my career. That way when it’s my turn, I could use that collage to be my best version of a leader. I have found that a good leader is someone that empowers others. It seems simple, but many people don’t do it because they fear it will make them less successful, which is driven by insecurity or selfishness. Ironically, a leader is always more relevant when they empower others because  it garners increased productivity. People are inspired to push harder and do not want to disappoint because they are valued.  

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor?

Be bold. I do not mean this only in the context of speaking up, because some of the most successful people on earth are introverts. The reason it takes so many years to figure out who we are in life is that we become bolder with age when we develop more self-confidence and experience. Expedite that process by having the courage to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. And remember – you don’t get anything you don’t ask for.

When interviewing newcomers to the industry, what do you say to pique their interest about why they should accept a position in this industry?

I think the most common misconception is that finance is just about numbers. If you have a passion for learning about companies and industries, there is no better place to be than finance. There are also many career paths within finance that enable you to find what you enjoy doing every day, including credit and business development. Whether it is structuring a new transaction or building a relationship with a client, variety was a key component for my decision. I have been in the industry for 14 years and I still get to learn new things all the time. While the technology industry has managed to attract a lot of talent from the industry, finance continues to evolve and will always be a great career path for those who enjoy these characteristics.