Merchant Sales Podcast

In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Sebastian Builes Jinete, CEO of Arcum, to discuss how AI and payments data are transforming the way ISOs, acquirers, and processors manage their portfolios. From merchant activation and retention to win-back campaigns and partner monitoring, Sebastian shares how actionable intelligence can help organizations maximize revenue and make smarter decisions throughout the entire merchant lifecycle.

The conversation also dives into the realities of entrepreneurship in the payments industry, including building a technology company, overcoming setbacks, finding product-market fit, and maintaining the conviction required to succeed. To learn more about Arcum, visit arcum.ai.

Plus, Patti Murphy's Today in Payments segment covers stablecoin settlement, tokenized deposits, interchange legislation, and emerging payment innovations.

In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Lane Gordon, CEO of 733Park, to discuss how AI is reshaping software, payments, and business valuations. From merchant portfolios and SaaS models to vertical software strategies and acquisition trends, Lane shares what buyers are looking for today—and what business owners should be thinking about if they hope to build long-term value.

The conversation explores the future of AI-powered software, why payments revenue remains so attractive to investors, how verticalization creates defensible businesses, and what separates companies that command premium valuations from those that struggle to find buyers. Plus, Patti Murphy's Today in Payments segment covers interchange legislation, crypto ATMs, international remittance taxes, emerging payment preferences, and other trends shaping the industry.

Tap on Phone has been one of the most talked-about innovations in payments, but many agents still aren't offering it to merchants. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Vlad Sadovskiy, CEO of Netevia, to discuss why Tap on Phone is gaining momentum, the challenges behind bringing it to market, and how ISOs can use it to compete more effectively in a Square-dominated segment.

They explore real-world use cases for salons, field service businesses, events, and mobile merchants, along with instant onboarding, funding innovations, and the growing importance of creating a seamless merchant experience across devices. Plus, Patti Murphy's Today in Payments segment covers fintech access to payment rails, stablecoin developments, fraud prevention initiatives, Mastercard's latest merchant risk tools, and new same-store sales data from across the economy.

Traditional ISO models often leave agents waiting on approvals, relying on multiple systems, and giving up control throughout the merchant lifecycle. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Simon Kemp to discuss the growing opportunity around PayFac for ISOs and how new models are helping bridge the gap between traditional ISO relationships and full payment facilitation.

They break down faster onboarding, real-time transaction visibility, AI-driven underwriting, gateway ownership, and why giving ISOs more control could fundamentally change the way payments businesses scale. Plus, Patti Murphy’s Today in Payments segment covers interchange legislation, AI trends, software provider complexity, and major shifts impacting the industry.

In this replay episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James Shepherd revisits one of our foundational conversations: What is payment processing? James delivers a straightforward, easy-to-understand explanation of how credit card processing works, covering the basics of authorization and settlement, along with the roles of processors, acquirers, and merchant accounts.

Whether you're new to payments or just need a refresher, this episode is a great starting point for understanding the moving parts behind every transaction and how they connect to merchant sales.

Fraud prevention used to be about stopping bad transactions—but today, it’s about maximizing revenue without blocking good customers. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Stuart Mann of Accertify to break down how fraud strategy has evolved, from simple rule-based systems to AI-driven models that analyze behavior, device data, and user intent.

They explore how merchants can reduce chargebacks, limit false positives, and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics—all while improving the customer experience. Plus, Today in Payments covers rising fraud trends, real-time payment risks, and key industry updates that every agent and ISO should understand.

The payments landscape is changing fast—and many ISOs are struggling to keep up. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Ben Griefer, COO of Maverick Payments, to break down what it really takes to stay competitive today, from choosing the right upstream partners to balancing risk, operations, and sales focus.

They dive into the tradeoffs between going direct vs partnering, how infrastructure decisions impact growth, and why the most successful ISOs are doubling down on sales while leveraging the right back-end support. If you’re building or scaling an ISO, this episode offers a clear look at what’s working right now—and where the industry is headed.

In a market where pricing and equipment have become completely commoditized, agents are struggling to stand out and win deals. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Jeff Moskowitz, CEO of Tuzo Rewards, to explore a different approach—using rewards to shift the conversation away from price and toward value.

They break down how agents can use rewards to create better first conversations, increase engagement, and close more deals without competing on basis points. Plus, Today in Payments covers fraud trends, AI in payments, tap-to-pay adoption, and emerging innovations shaping the industry.

Most agents are stuck competing for small accounts where pricing is everything—but enterprise deals play by a completely different set of rules. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Jerry Gialanella of Fort Point Payments to break down what it really takes to win larger merchants, from shifting your mindset to focusing on real business problems instead of basis points.

They dive into how to uncover true merchant pain points, manage longer sales cycles, and leverage the right partnerships to close complex deals. Plus, Today in Payments covers rising interchange costs, pay-by-bank momentum, and key trends shaping the future of the industry.

Most agents are focused on saturated markets like retail and restaurants—but the real opportunity may be in B2B. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with Russ Hayes and Mike Hayes to break down how ISOs and agents can tap into manufacturers, distributors, and contractors to unlock larger deals and long-term growth.

They discuss why integrated invoice and ACH solutions are in high demand, how to get in front of the right decision-makers, and what it takes to build a scalable B2B portfolio. Plus, Today in Payments covers global surcharge changes, digital wallet trends, and key shifts shaping the future of payments.