Merchant Sales Podcast

Selling payments is changing—and software is leading the way. In this week's episode, James Shepherd sits down with Rob Kyle from the Full Stack Payments team to break down the real-world sales process of bundling payments and vertical-specific software. From handling demos to coordinating handoffs with ISVs, James and Rob share insights on how to close deals in today's integrated environment. If you're ready to evolve your sales strategy and generate residuals through Full Stack's lead program, this episode is for you.

What does it really take to grow from an individual agent into a full-blown ISO? This week, James Shepherd sits down with industry veteran Gus Torres to hear his journey—from working the streets to running his own ISO. Gus shares practical insights, mindset tips, and how his partnership with Netevia helped scale his operation. Then, stick around for the Today in Payments segment, where James and Patti Murphy break down the latest updates on the Credit Card Competition Act, BNPL regulations in the UK, and more industry headlines.

This week's episode features a replay of a live event with Brian Fitzgerald, EVP of ISV and Enterprise Partnerships at Full Stack Payments. James Shepherd interviews Brian about what it really takes to close large merchant accounts and build successful ISV partnerships. Learn how Full Stack supports agents with implementation, integrations, and lifetime vested residuals. Then, stick around for the Today in Payments segment where James and Patti Murphy cover the latest headlines shaping the payments industry.

What if merchants could earn reward points just for processing payments? This week, James Shepherd welcomes back Jeff Moskowitz to explore a creative twist on merchant services—credit card processing rewards. From luxury travel to high-end merchandise, learn how this unique program is gaining traction and helping agents stand out in a crowded market. Then, James and Patti Murphy dive into a packed Today in Payments segment, covering everything from crypto developments to Visa and Mastercard's push to enable AI agents like ChatGPT to make payments.

Complex payment flows are one of the biggest challenges in B2B sales—but they also offer some of the best opportunities. In this episode, James Shepherd shares a replay of his live interview with Denis Lunev, CEO of DepositFix, to break down how CRM and payments integrations can help you land merchants with ERP systems, HubSpot, QuickBooks, and more. Learn how tools like DepositFix simplify these workflows and how you can win merchant accounts through Full Stack Payments' mobile app. After the interview, stick around for the Today in Payments segment, where James and Patti Murphy cover the week's top headlines and trends.

ACH doesn't always get the spotlight, but it plays a vital role in the payments ecosystem. This week, James Shepherd sits down with Tommy Chipman of Payliance to unpack the power and potential of ACH—why it still matters, where it's headed, and how it fits into the broader payments landscape. From crypto to PayFacs, Tommy shares a wide range of insights from his diverse industry background. Plus, don't miss sales tips from Rich Norton and the latest Today in Payments segment, where James and Patti Murphy break down key industry headlines.

Nonprofits may not be the flashiest vertical—but they represent a massive, often overlooked opportunity in payments. In this week's episode, James Shepherd shares a replay of his live interview with the CEO of GiveHub to explore how modern payment solutions are transforming the nonprofit space. Plus, hear how Full Stack Payments is stepping in with a mobile-first integration to make giving easier. Then, Rich Norton delivers another round of real-world sales tips, and Patti Murphy joins James for a packed Today in Payments segment covering everything from major acquisitions to mobile wallets and regulated debit.

We often hear that software is eating payments—but what if it's the other way around? This week, James Shepherd sits down with Dustin Magaziner of PayBright to explore how payments companies and ISOs are uniquely positioned to form strategic partnerships with software providers. They dive into a recent deal and share predictions for where the industry is headed. Then, Rich Norton delivers another round of practical sales tips from the field. Finally, James and Patti Murphy bring you the latest Today in Payments segment, covering four major news stories that are shaping the future of the industry.

Surcharging remains a hot topic in payments, but what does a compliant program actually look like in the field? This week, James Shepherd speaks with frontline expert, Alexander Alvarez, who's actively setting up compliant surcharge programs for merchants. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what's working, what's not, and how agents can navigate the compliance landscape. Then, enjoy some timely sales tips from industry veteran Richard Norton. Finally, James joins Patti Murphy on her Today in Payments podcast to discuss the latest swipe fee battles and what they mean for the future of the industry. Check out the full blog post at todayinpayments.com/blog/swipe-fee-showdown.

In this week's episode, James interviews Josh Elkes, CEO at Harbour, an innovative eSign and ClickWrap provider that is already an approved vendor with Esquire bank, providing ISOs with streamlined contract management and approval. Stick around for sales tips from Rich Norton.

Auto dealers are leaning into dual pricing, surcharging, and other differential pricing strategies—and payments companies are taking notice. In this week's episode, James Shepherd interviews Ben Ross of Green Payments to talk about how this high-volume, high-margin vertical is embracing innovative pricing models. Learn how Green Payments' proprietary Dealer Genie software is built to serve this niche and integrate with dealer management platforms. Plus, discover why the auto industry is becoming a prime opportunity for savvy agents and ISOs looking to specialize.

Join me in this live event recap with Jonathan Shirey, CEO of Full Stack Payments, and Kirk Fourniadis, General Manager of SimpleSpa as we break down how sales agents can tap into the growing spa industry with the right software and payment solutions. What you'll learn: • How to identify high-revenue spas and salons in need of better payments • How SimpleSpa helps streamline operations and increase revenue • How to schedule demos, close deals, and build long-term residuals Don't miss this opportunity to get ahead in one of the most profitable verticals in payments!

How will AI reshape the payments industry? This week, James Shepherd explores the role of artificial intelligence in payments, featuring a groundbreaking conversation—including the first-ever AI agent interview on the podcast! He sits down with Vlad Sadovskiy, CEO of Netevia, to discuss AI's impact on ISOs, ISVs, and merchants. Then, Patti Murphy breaks down the latest on the Credit Card Competition Act and what new regulations could mean for the industry. Don't miss this forward-looking episode!

The fitness industry is growing, and with it comes new opportunities for sales agents and gym owners alike. If you missed our live event, you can now watch the replay and discover how Full Stack Payments and GymDesk are transforming gym management with seamless payment solutions. In this session, we covered: • Why fitness is one of the best industries for building long-term, high-value residuals • How Full Stack Payments' partnership with GymDesk creates new revenue opportunities • Strategies to identify gyms that need better payment solutions and how to close deals • How to use the Full Stack Payments mobile app to track and grow your residuals Join Jon Shirey (CEO, Full Stack Payments), Itay Gabay (VP Sales, GymDesk), and Alex Bohatka (AE Team Lead, GymDesk) as they break down this game-changing opportunity. Catch the full replay now and learn how to take advantage of this growing market

Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) are reshaping the payments landscape, but do they pose a threat or a massive opportunity? This week, James Shepherd sits down with Caleb Avery, CEO of Tilled, to discuss the evolving role of ISVs in payments, the challenges they face, and how to capitalize on the opportunities they present. Then, Patti Murphy breaks down the latest developments in interchange costs, including potential regulations and new state laws impacting fees on tips and surcharges. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of payments!

Why is payment processing so complex, and will it ever get simpler? This week, James Shepherd interviews UK-based payments expert Simon Kemp to explore the challenges and future of payment simplification. They discuss industry trends, the impact of verticalization, and whether complexity is here to stay. Then, Patti Murphy dives into Elon Musk's latest venture—X Money. Could it disrupt the payments space? Tune in to find out!

Tune in to this recap of our webinar to learn how to build massive residuals in the Healthcare Payments industry. I am joined by Jon Shirey (CEO, Full Stack Payments), Mark Dunn (Owner, Field Guide & Co-owner, TSI), and Brian Wasserman (President & CEO, TSI) to discuss their new partnership and share strategies for targeting medical merchants, scheduling demos, and adding large accounts to your residual portfolio—all managed within the Full Stack Payments mobile app. Don't miss these expert insights!

In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with payments expert Kyle Morgan to break down the complexities of interchange and uncover the latest pricing tactics used to increase margins. From hidden fees to interchange padding and optimization, this discussion sheds light on how processing costs are structured and what ISOs and agents need to know. Whether you're new to interchange or looking for advanced insights, this episode is packed with valuable information. Plus, Patti Murphy provides an update on Visa Direct's push for instant payments.

In this live event, we hosted special guests Jury Balta, CEO of Defender POS, the leading provider of Gun Shop POS Solutions, and Jon Shirey, CEO of Full Stack Payments. We dove into the unique challenges facing gun shops, including compliance with laws, the high-risk payment processing designation, omni-channel solutions, and more. During the event, Jon shared how viewers could download the Full Stack Payments app from the Apple or Android app stores to schedule a demo for a gun shop. The demo conversion rate is extremely high because Defender POS is the only all-in-one solution tailored for this vertical. With Full Stack Payments' integrated payments setup, attendees learned how to schedule a demo, track its status, and earn lifetime vested residuals from merchant processing after closing a deal. Scheduling a demo is as easy as pulling up the app on your phone! We also covered key tips to ensure a gun shop is a good fit before scheduling a demo. If you missed the live event, be sure to catch up here to get all the insights and training!

In this episode, James Shepherd interviews Robert Finnila, who shares his journey from starting strong in payment processing sales to recruiting and managing a team. Gain practical insights from someone who's been on the front lines and transitioned into leadership in the merchant services industry. Stay tuned for Rich Norton's sales tips and Patti Murphy's update on fraud concerns in the P2P payments space.

James Shepherd interviews Ben Griefer, COO of Maverick, to explore how ISOs can collaborate with upstream partners to secure ISV and eCommerce platform deals. Whether you're a tech company or an ISO, learn strategies to succeed in the integrated payments space. Stay tuned for Rich Norton's sales tips and Patti Murphy's insights on holiday spending and its impact on margins and residuals.

In this episode, James Shepherd interviews AW, co-founder of Silverflow and a former Adyen leader, to discuss innovations reshaping the acquiring space and lessons from the success of companies like Square and Stripe. Gain valuable industry insights into payment trends and challenges. Stick around for Rich Norton's actionable sales tips and Patti Murphy's analysis of Visa's response to monopoly claims and the Credit Card Competition Act.

In this week's episode, James Shepherd interviews Dylan Gaines, who has sold thousands of merchant accounts through bank referral relationships. Discover how to find and activate the right referral partners and maximize these opportunities. Stick around for Rich Norton's sales tips and Patti Murphy's update on Visa's latest instant payment solutions and their impact on the industry.

Join James Shepherd in this week's featured interview with seasoned agent, Reed Corless, who has mastered the art of building a thriving merchant portfolio through cold calling and field sales. Discover what it takes to succeed in today's market and gain valuable insights into what top agents seek in an upstream partner. Stick around for Rich Norton's sales tips and Patti Murphy's take on Google's legal challenges surrounding their payments and banking platforms.

Yesterday, we hosted the biggest live event of my career, and I'm thrilled to share the highlights! We tackled the unique challenges facing merchant sales agents and software companies, introducing a groundbreaking business model to bridge the gap between these worlds. During the event, I unveiled Full Stack Payments, introduced the CCStorage reseller program, and had the privilege of interviewing Ben Shirey, CEO of CCStorage and Jon Shirey, CEO of Full Stack Payments. Together, we showcased how agents can build lifetime vested residuals with vertical-specific software companies using our innovative new app. To top it off, we revealed our mobile app, now available on Apple and Google app markets, and gave an exclusive preview of the four new verticals coming in January 2025. Thank you to everyone who joined me for this game-changing event—together, we're shaping the future of merchant sales!

In today's episode, we start off by interviewing Jennifer May, the "Payment Princess" and discuss how she has built a personal portfolio of 3,500+ merchant accounts and is still growing. Then Patti Murphy joins us to discuss the most recent attempts to regulate interchange and the hearings on the hill that brought senators from both sides of the isle together, in opposition to the current interchange pricing structure.

Discover how PayBright is supporting agents that want to board CBD merchants in this week's featured interview with Dustin Magaziner. And stick around for sales tips from Rich Norton, and Patti's reporting on just how merry the holiday shopping season is expected to be.

Many successful agents are competing in their market, one vertical at a time. The pharmacy vertical has been largely untouched by the ISO world for decades, because of a lack of integration partnerships. During this event, I interviewed Ben Ross of Green Payments to discuss how they are selling into this vertical with success and building a profitable / valuable portfolio. I still believe the long-term winners in the agent / ISO community will be those who focus on specific verticals / partners. This event highlights that approach in a practical way, using the pharmacy vertical as an example for this approach.

Are you an ISO and thinking about getting your own BIN (bank identification number)? Then this interview with Elaina Smith of Secure Bancard is a must. It's chock full of information about managing BINs and details Secure Bancard's new BIN-in-a-box program, which allows an ISO to lay claim to a BIN on Secure Bancard's multi-BIN platform. Then stick around for sales tips from Rich Norton. Plus Patti reports on the latest breaking news out of Fiserv.

Discover how Dejavoo works with ISOs and ISVs to private label technology and service so they can offer merchants a processor agnostic one-stop shop in this week's conversation with Mony Zenou, Founder and CEO of Dejavoo. Mony also announces a special program for replacing merchants' outdated Linux devices with Dejavoo's Android P line at steep discounts. Check it out at ccsalespro.com/dejavoo. Also this week Rich Norton offers fresh sales tips for the feet on the street, and Patti reports on a Fiserv-Walmart partnership.

In this week's featured interview, discover how Len Kats built an impressive portfolio of B2B merchant accounts in just three years! Stay tuned for valuable sales tips from the field with Rich Norton. Plus, catch Patti's latest update on an Illinois law that would exempt sales tax and tips from interchange assessments, along with a look at other states considering similar legislation.

"It's not a slam dunk," as Ali Mast, Founder of Parachute Advisory, explains in this week's featured interview. It's more a matter helping them put together "puzzle pieces" in ways that foster alignments of the right models and partnerships. Then stick around for fresh sales tips from Rich Norton, and Patti's reporting on payments orchestration in the ecommerce ecosystem.

"Hone in on automation and technology," explains Ben Griefer of Maverick Payments. This week's podcast also features tips for landing more sales from Rich Norton, and reporting from Patti on how card acceptance fees paid by U.S. merchants compare to fees paid by merchants in other countries.

Passion, not being afraid to fail, and making time for family, explains Vlad Sadovskiy, CEO at Netevia. Vlad a successful entrepreneur and his daughter, Emma, a budding entrepreneur, sit down with James for a far-reaching discussion around the changing complexion of entrepreneurship in this week's featured interview. Then stick around for more tips on selling from Rich Norton, and Patti's reporting on bank-to-bank payments.

Omni-channel payments are evolving—don't get left behind. In this webinar, I share insights on terminal placement in an omni-channel market, alongside an interview with Mony Zenou, CEO of Dejavoo/iPOS. We discuss Dejavoo's "POPUP" program, which offers discounts on new gateway-enabled devices, and explore key topics such as payment integration with POS systems, the pros and cons of gateway-enabled versus stand-alone devices, and strategies for promoting your brand to merchants. Watch the replay to catch all the insights, including a Q&A session with Mony and myself.

Building a restaurant point of sale portfolio in 2025 isn't going to get any easier for the lone wolf payments rep. In this webinar I discuss the role of the merchant sales agent in the restaurant POS project, how to successfully partner with a POS company, and what restaurant owners want in order to choose your solution over Toast. I am joined on this webinar by Saleem Khatri, CEO at Lavu. After working with Lavu on the consulting side to design an agent reseller program, then boarding some restaurants myself, I recently worked with them to make some major changes to their program in order to position agents for success in building a portfolio in 2025 that takes feedback and market realities into consideration.

Discover how AI is streamlining sales, approvals and customer service in this week's interview with Dave Fiegle, president of the AI Agency. Then James describes how he uses AI in his businesses, and Patti reports on how regulators are honing their focus on BNPL.

It's a sticky proposition, explains Alan Noe CEO at Evolv, in this week's featured interview. James continues on this theme, encouraging sales reps to think more broadly about building relationships that go beyond payments. And Patti wraps up the podcast, reporting on how the CFPB is taking issue with fees merchants charge for cash-back transactions.

In our recent webinar, we explored strategies to reduce friction in the sales process, increase the lifetime value of your clients, and boost payment processing margins by white-labeling your own gift card program. For those looking to create long-lasting relationships with merchants, regardless of the technology solutions they choose, it's crucial to control the gift cards and offer a flexible program. During the event, Ryan Rose, CRO at Factor 4, joined us to discuss three key revenue drivers that are often overlooked by ISOs and Agents—drivers that can significantly impact your portfolio's value.

"If you build it right, buyers will come," explains Danny Mikhail in this week's featured interview. Mikhail built Zuza, a POS and business management software company, which he sold earlier this year to Bank of America. This week's podcast also features sales tips from Rich Norton and Patti's reporting on instant payment networks and fraud.

In this week's episode, James interviews David Morris about which payment methods are most important and how ISOs and ISVs should adjust their payment acceptance strategy. Then, we get a sales tip from Rich Norton and James finishes this episode with a special segment recorded a few days ago at his dinner with Green Payments on the future of the payments industry and how Agents and ISOs should focus on partnerships as they move forward.

In this week's episode we are joined by long time industry veteran and recruiter Chris Sandifer to discuss the history of the ISO model, how things have changed and what the future holds. We also discuss the keys to building a 1099 sales team and how to leverage technology in this effort. After this interview, James talks with Rich Norton about how to raise your floor and remove your ceiling for success and Patti Murphy talks about the innovations happening today with debit cards. We hope you enjoy this episode, thanks for listening!

In this week's episode, James shares his thoughts on a framework for effective strategy. You will learn how to identify, create and combine strategic puzzle pieces in the payments industry to create maximum value for yourself / your organization. Rich Norton gives a quick sales tip from the field and Patti Murphy shares a disruption to the growth of the BNPL space as card issuers begin to stop payments from their cards to pay off their BNPL loans. Thank you for joining us!

Your ISO should offer BNPL. "At the end of the day, it's all about stickiness," says Derek Barclay, CEO at Enable Inc., which offers ISOs a white-label approach to financing consumer purchases. Plus, another installment of sales tips from Rich Norton, and Patti's reporting on how consumers are embracing tap to pay.

"Building a great, profitable agent relationship is a lot like building a great friendship," explains Chris Del Grande, Co-Founder & President of Valued Merchant Services, in this week's featured interview. Then James discusses the value of finding and teaming up with the right business partners, and Patti reports on a Supreme Court ruling that deals a blow to the Fed over its debit interchange cap.

Learn how to offer Dual Pricing, Compliant Surcharging, Invoicing (email / text), subscriptions and so much more to card not present merchant types. In this event, James is joined by CTO and co-founder Jeff Rooney of Fluid Pay to discuss how to provide the right solutions to these merchants and how to do it in a way that is fully white labelled to promote your ISO brand.

"It's a new twist on a winning model that works especially well for restaurants," explains Alejandro Swaby, Director of Sales at Cervion. Plus, Patti reports on the ongoing legal fracas involving the card brands and merchants.

Learn strategies for successfully raising capital to grow your ISO from a panel of experts in this week's featured interview. Plus Patti reports on predictions for travel spending.

It's a new twist on an old strategy: merchants earning reward points for card payments processed. "We're seeing merchants who are wiling to sign long-term contracts," because of this type program, Jeff Moskowitz, Co-Founder of Tuzo Rewards explains in this week's featured interview. And stick around for more sales tips from Rich Norton and Patti's reporting on what's up with the Fed's planned debit interchange haircut.

That's what Dee Karawadra is hoping is the case for the CRM he's building at ImpactTechLab - a CRM ISOs can use to streamline operations, he explains. Plus get sales tips from merchant sales guru Rich Norton. And stick around for Patti's reporting on state initiatives to rein in interchange.

This week James & Patti interview industry attorneys James Huber and Matt Luciani on the proposed $30 billion legal settlement Visa and Mastercard just inked with retailers to make a longstanding lawsuit go away. Then James interviews uber-salesman Rich Norton on mastering the one-call close, and Patti reports on research into consumer and business payments preferences.