Merchant services has changed—and if you're still leading with rates and payment processing, you're already behind. In this episode, James sits down with Steve Trovillo, President of Cygnus Payments, to discuss why software, AI, and vertical specialization are redefining success for agents and ISOs.

They explore how top-performing sales professionals are shifting from selling commodities to solving business problems, why merchants only use a fraction of the technology they already own, and how AI is accelerating software innovation faster than ever before. They also dive into building profitable portfolios, choosing the right verticals, improving merchant retention, and what the future holds for independent sales organizations.

Plus, Patti Murphy covers the latest payments news, including X Money's launch, new fraud statistics, payment processor enforcement actions, and evolving Buy Now, Pay Later regulations.