Sharing big tech with small and midsize merchants
Nationwide Payment Systems began in 2001 when Allen Kopelman and David Burney set out to provide South Florida businesses with transparent, competitively priced merchant services. The co-founders first met in 1998 when working as agents for a Broward County ISO. "I was transitioning from the restaurant business and had heard that credit card processing was a good business," Kopelman recalled. "So, I answered a Yellow Pages ad, and a few days later I was on a ride-along with Dave."
Their background as serial entrepreneurs gave Burney and Kopelman an edge, and soon they were motivated to set up their own shop. In a short time, the new company was boarding merchants across the United States and unveiling a new product or service with each new year.
Technology-first company
Kopelman described NPS as a lean, technology-first company that helps businesses find the right technology fit. Excellent customer service and deep rapport with financial institutions, payment gateways and processors have helped NPS tailor solutions to each client's unique requirements, he said, adding that no customer can ever say they can't get a hold of us.
Burney and Kopelman have always placed a premium on education, and they continually research emerging technologies to help clients and partners stay ahead of competitors, Kopelman noted. The partners serve on multiple advisory boards, including The Green Sheet, and consult with hard-to-place merchants, trade associations and tech startups, he added.
High-risk specialists
"We've forged deep relationships with banks, processors and payment gateways over the years that enable us to tailor solutions for each partner and merchant," Kopelman said. "All merchants, regardless of their risk profiles, deserve individual attention and not a one-size-fits-all approach."
Kopelman went on to say that NPS works with all types of businesses, payment processors and gateways to assist clients with shopping cart integrations, web platforms and software product implementations across physical store, online and mobile app channels. The company has signed legitimate businesses that some banks avoid, considering them to be high risk, he noted, such as adult entertainment, gaming, e-sports, ticket sales, travel, nutraceuticals and pharmacies.
Different banks tend to specialize in specific industries, and accounts that get declined by one bank may be attractive to another, Kopelman noted. NPS works with multiple players across the payments ecosystem, he added, to facilitate fast approvals and onboarding.
B2B Vault podcasters
Kopelman started B2B Vault: The Payment Technology Podcast in 2021 to help merchants win and retain customers, he said, adding that his background as a former executive chef and payments industry veteran makes him relatable to other small and midsize business owners.
"People ask why I started the B2B Vault podcast," Kopelman said. "Like most entrepreneurs, I find people listen more than they read, and I wanted to reach my audience. Podcasts are a great way to share useful information with business owners."
The podcast series has covered a range of popular topics, such as buy now pay later, cryptocurrency and cash discounting, all presented in Kopelman's signature, off-the-cuff style. Going forward, Kopelman said, B2B Vault will stick to its unscripted format while continuing to explore impactful topics across the small business community.
From Florida to the Metaverse
Nationwide Payment Systems continues to add new companies to its growing family of brands, most recently with Worldwide Digital Payments, a merchant acquiring platform that services a diversity of new age businesses involved in NFTs, NFT Marketplaces, NFT games, Web3, decentralized finance, cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency coins, Metaverse, iGaming and crypto-related businesses. Kopelman and Burney were recognized at the 2021 Southeast Acquirers Association conference for their perfect attendance record at all SEAA shows. "It was their 20th and our 20th year," Kopelman said. 
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