It takes a lot of strength to put your ego aside. Agent Rob Cervantez has been humbled, challenged, and pulled in every direction, but he never gave up on his mission to serve people. That mission took many forms, from church marketer to Marine Sargeant, and he eventually found his true calling in Payments. Now he's building a life he's proud of while uplifting others.

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The AgentFirst Podcast is hosted by payments veteran, Justin Volrath. Each episode he explores the journey of Agents in the payments industry, uncovering what makes them tick, how they approach selling merchant services, and why they ventured into this career path in the first place. New episodes every other Wednesday! Follow PayCompass on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Originators of #AgentFirst. Learn more at paycompass.com.

Despite an amazing run in the corporate world, Agent Kristina Meyer knew it wasn't her endgame.

The long hours weighed on her, and she didn't want her kids growing up with misery as the standard. The decision to let that go and dive into the unknown was daunting—but she put her trust in God and overcame her fear. The abundance poured in once she committed to being an Agent, and now Kristina works on her own terms. No more long nights, no more fear. Just pure faith and gratitude.

Thirty years ago, Mary Hogue's first paycheck as an Agent was $2.30. But after going from job, to job, to job, she wasn't going to give up. No more struggling. No more bologna sandwiches. She put in the work and built an empire—now she's a legend known as "The Credit Card Lady" in her hometown of Abilene, Texas, and she's sharing every bit of the journey with us in our Season 3 Finale.

When Justin Farnsworth joined the industry a few years back, he didn't see his small town as a setback—he used it as leverage. Every mom & pop shop was an opportunity to get to know his neighbors and make their lives easier. Every relationship built led to more referrals. He bet on local business owners, driven by his relentless passion to serve others. Fast-forward to today: his numbers are off the charts, and he'll be the first to tell you it's all because of the community behind him.

Brad Withrow has worn many hats, but he only found the perfect fit when he discovered payment processing—through an ad on Craigslist. He didn't know it, but that ad would change his life. Now, Brad leads a whole team of Agents, and reflects on his past experiences that prepared him to be a leader.

With 24 years of sales under her belt, Agent Connie Lewis still feels like she's only beginning. She's been through it all to keep a roof over her family: waitressing, cleaning, manufacturing—but she truly found her stride once she got into the payments industry. Connie opens up about her approach to cold calling, the freedom of 1099, and how she rides the wave of change in industry tech.

In a way, Richard Brown has been training to be a sales Agent since he was a kid. His job selling newspapers in adolescence set the tone for the rest of his career: service, consistency, and perseverance are the only things that matter. Now an industry veteran, he reflects on all of the changes he's seen in the past three decades and what the future holds for his career.

When he was a full-time employee, Brandon Springer barely made it to his son's birth. Years of long hours and being told what to do pushed him to fight for the freedom he craved—and he finally found that in the payments industry. It didn't happen overnight, but now just a few years later, he never misses his kids' milestones or ballgames.

A career pivot is hard—especially after retiring. So how did Carol Steen become an Agent after years of being a manager at AT&T? Carol took advantage of the resources around her and made networking the cornerstone of her business. Her testimony is proof that sales doesn't always mean door knocking or cold calling.

Agent John Williams is no stranger to hard times. From struggle meals to successful payment vet, his story isn't just inspiring—it's refreshingly honest. He and Justin reminisce on the early days of their careers while sharing the importance of work ethic and why sales Agents shouldn't pose themselves as a commodity.