After graduating from Northwestern University, Harvin joined the U. S. Department of the Treasury in 1986 as a bank examiner. He learned the basics of business and banking in community, regional, and multinational banks in New York, while simultaneously earning an MBA from New York University. Harvin received numerous achievement awards for his work for the U.S. Treasury in New York, Washington, and London. He was one of the youngest examiners to earn the National Bank Examiner commission in 1991.

In 1991, Harvin returned to Houston, where he worked in investment banking and consulting for several years. In 1992, he formed Frontera Furniture Company. Frontera ranked four times as one of the “Houston 100” list of fastest growing companies (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001), and four times among the top five online furniture companies in America by Gomez Advisors, Inc. (in 2000 and 2001). Harvin was awarded Runner-up for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2000.