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Whether you’re a seasoned vet of the payments industry or a brand-new rookie who just heard the term dual pricing for the first time, you’ve found the right place. This is the only podcast that shares the strategies and stories behind selling merchant services, entirely from the perspective of those on the front lines. Welcome to AgentFirst. Powered by caffeine and PayCompass
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A Tribute to Jon Skelly: After the Close—Building Merchant Relationships
25:59
25:59
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25:59
In this heartfelt bonus episode, Justin honors his late co-host John Skelly with a personal story and a powerful conversation on how agents can turn sales into long-term relationships. The episode dives deep into what comes after the deal is closed—turning merchants into loyal partners, supporters, and referral machines. Justin shares practical, re…
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18 Pizza Shops Walk into a Sales Pitch...
31:30
31:30
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31:30
In this episode of The AgentFirst Podcast, Justin Volrath sits down with industry veteran and all-around good guy Tim Toombs, who opens up about his accidental entry into the world of credit card processing—starting with a Budweiser warehouse job and somehow ending with 18 signed pizza shops in his very first week. This isn't just a story about sel…
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No Salary, No Limits (Guest: Misay Khoundara)
27:47
27:47
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27:47
This episode of the AgentFirst Podcast is a masterclass in sales, hustle, and learning to trust yourself. Justin welcomes PayCompass' very first agent, Misay Khoundara, who has sold just about everything—vacuum cleaners, cars, credit card processing services and, most importantly, himself as a trusted expert. Misay isn’t just another sales guy; he’…
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In this special episode of The AgentFirst Podcast, Justin sits down with his father, Mike Volrath, to discuss his unexpected path into the credit card processing industry. They dive into his career shift at 55, navigating life’s challenges while building a thriving business, and the key lessons he’s learned about customer retention, sales strategie…
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From Linebacker to Deal Closer: Andy Roth’s Playbook for Winning in Payments
25:43
25:43
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25:43
What do football, selling airplane engines, and closing deals in payments have in common? More than you think—just ask Andy Roth. In this episode of the AgentFirst Podcast, Justin Volrath sits down with Andy to unpack his journey from the gridiron to the boardroom, including lessons learned from wakeboarding wipeouts, working in aviation sales, and…
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Honoring the Past, Building the Future Part II
26:02
26:02
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26:02
In this continuation of our insightful conversation, Justin Volrath, founder and CEO of PayCompass, is joined once again by his wife and co-founder, Nini Volrath, and PayCompass agent Nick Goeman. They dive deeper into the evolution of PayCompass, reflecting on how the company has scaled rapidly through strategic partnerships, cutting-edge technolo…
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Honoring the Past, Building the Future Part 1
28:37
28:37
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28:37
In this heartfelt episode, Justin Volrath, founder and CEO of PayCompass, welcomes special guests Nini Volrath, co-founder and his wife of 28 years, and Nick Goeman, one of PayCompass’s founding agents. Together, they discuss the evolution of PayCompass over the past five years and share stories of perseverance, growth, and the unwavering commitmen…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin discuss different strategies for payment processing sales agents to find success and build their business. In this episode, they discuss: The importance of dedicating significant time to cold outreach and lead generation early on Becoming known as the local expert in your community through chamber memberships, Facebo…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin talk about the roles referrals play in building a growing and healthy payments portfolio. Along the way, they cover: Setting sales goals and reverse engineering the activities needed to achieve them (appointments, calls, etc.) Tracking ratios to understand your sales funnel performance The importance of networking an…
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Jon and Justin are hosting the Agent First podcast in a new studio and discussing the recent acquisition in the industry that has affected agents seeking new opportunities. The acquisition of Beyond by Global Payments has raised concerns about industry consolidation and stability. The conversation focuses on challenges in the payment processing ind…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin interview Larry Roberts (aka The Bear), a national sales executive at Dejavoo. Larry shares his origin story of sales and getting into payment sales over 15 years ago before working his way to sales manager and national sales roles. He discusses changes in the industry over time, advice for new sales agents, and keys…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin discuss the strategies and recent popularity of dual-pricing for merchant services - instances that allow merchants to charge different prices for cash/debit vs credit cards. They provide background on the history of these types of programs, explain the different options available, discuss compliance considerations, …
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In this episode, Jon and Justin continue their conversation with Chad Rapper, president of True North Payment Solutions. Chad shares some of the lessons learned from his competitive gymnast background and his experience with multiple merchant service firms. He talks about the pride and satisfaction of managing a team of sales agents and shares his …
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In this episode, Jon and Justin interview Chad Rapper, president of True North Payment Solutions. Chad shares how he got into sales at a young age as a waiter learning the impact of good customer service before transitioning into real estate, furniture sales, and eventually into the payments industry. Chad recounts his over 20 years of experience i…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin discuss the differences between W2 and 1099 sales agent models and why control is a key consideration for the agents and the organizations paying them. They compare the benefits of each, weighing factors like training, flexibility, earnings potential, and more from both the agent and owner perspectives.…
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In this episode, Jon and Justin continue their interview of Ira Cornelius, founder of Membership Merchant. Ira discusses the differences between being a W-2 employee and a 1099 contractor, highlighting the benefits of running your own business and building a scalable model. He shares how he has grown his business through social media and ISV partne…
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Jon and Justin interview Ira Cornelius, founder of Membership Merchant, about his journey in the merchant services sales industry. In Part 1 of this interview, Ira shares how he got his start selling shoes, transitioned to banking, and eventually found his way into the payments industry. He talks about the mentality he gained from being a competiti…
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In this episode, Justin Volrath and Jon Skelly, discuss what excites them in today's payments industry. They discuss why right now is an exciting time to be selling merchant services, how the industry has opened up to allow more diversity in successful sales agents, growth areas in integrated payments and e-commerce, how support and optimized offer…
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In this episode, Justin Volrath and Jon Skelly honestly discuss issues and gaps they see in merchant services and payments sales. They talk about predatory agent contracts, protecting residuals for agents and their families, offering a wide range of products and services, doing right by both agents and merchants, and a vision for the future where e…
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In this first episode, co-hosts Jon Skelly and Justin Volrath have a wide-ranging discussion about Justin's career journey in payment sales. Justin shares how he got his start in the family plumbing business before transitioning to real estate and eventually merchant services. He recounts pivotal moments like closing his first big deal and unique o…
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