Why 85% of SaaS payment offerings underperform -- and how to get it right with Brian Abernethy

Payments Strategy Show

#MBA #Business #Rainforest #Embedded Payments #Vertical SaaS #Payments Strategy #Integrated Payment #Embedded Fintech #Financial Technology #Software As Service

36:16

DANMMMMM…Have I got a show for you! First, a lot of Sister Wives tea - new rumors have surfaced Janelle Brown is leaving the show. Plus, Gabe Brown gives a life update after losing and tragically finding his brother Garrison dead. Sadly, Garrison took his own life in March 2024. Then we head over to discuss the new Welcome To Plathville tea. The first pictures of Micah Plath have surfaced after being beat up by his brother Issac and it doesn’t look good for the future of his modeling career. Lastly, we discuss the latest in the Justin Baldoni v Blake Lively case, Justin is back on social media and it was the perfect social media return. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Open and new Sister Wives news 00:05:43 - Janelle Brown leaving the show? Sister Wives Closet is officially closed 00:12:45 - A new pic of Micah Plath’s broken nose has surfaced 00:18:18 - Justin Baldoni back on social media and Taylor Swifts team is pissed at Justin Baldoni MY Go Big Podcasting Courses Are Here! Purchase Go Big Podcasting and learn to start, monetize, and grow your own podcast. USE CODE: MOM15 for 15% OFF (code expires May 11th, 2025) **SHOP my Amazon Marketplace - especially if you're looking to get geared-up to start your own Podcast!!!** https://www.amazon.com/shop/thesarahfrasershow Show is sponsored by: Download Cash App & sign up! Use our exclusive referral code TSFS in your profile, send $5 to a friend within 14 days, and you’ll get $10 dropped right into your account. Terms apply Horizonfibroids.com get rid of those nasty fibroids Gopurebeauty.com science backed skincare from head to toe, use code TSFS at checkout for 25% OFF your order Nutrafol.com use code TSFS for FREE shipping and $10 off your subscription Rula.com/tsfs to get started today. That’s R-U-L-A dot com slash tsfs for convenient therapy that’s covered by insurance. SkylightCal.com/tsfs for $30 OFF your 15 inch calendar Quince.com/tsfs for FREE shipping on your order and 365 day returns Warbyparker.com/tsfs make an appointment at one of their 270 store locations and head to the website to try on endless pairs of glasses virtually and buy your perfect pair Follow me on Instagram/Tiktok: @thesarahfrasershow ***Visit our Sub-Reddit: reddit.com/r/thesarahfrasershow for ALL things The Sarah Fraser Show!!!*** Advertise on The Sarah Fraser Show: thesarahfrasershow@gmail.com Got a juicy gossip TIP from your favorite TLC or Bravo show? Email: thesarahfrasershow@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

about a year ago 24:52

MP3•Episode home

One huge mistake SaaS companies make when choosing a payments provider, and how to avoid it
Specific contract terms to demand, and terms to reject, when negotiating with your payments provider
The essential tension between take rate and adoption, and when to prioritize each
How to boost attach rates by positioning on-platform payments as the default choice
Why the most successful SaaS companies don't bury payments under finance or product, and how to structure the org for success

Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-004-brian-abernethy/

The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS.

Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches.

Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay

Chapters

1. Introduction and Guest Overview (00:00:00)

2. Brian’s Journey into Payments (00:10:00)

3. Current Trends in the Payments Ecosystem (01:00:00)

4. Navigating RFPs: What Software Companies Miss (01:40:00)

5. Negotiating Contracts: Tips for Success (03:20:00)

6. Final Thoughts on Payment Strategies for SaaS (05:00:00)

15 episodes

Why 85% of SaaS payment offerings underperform -- and how to get it right with Brian Abernethy

Payments Strategy Show

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

One huge mistake SaaS companies make when choosing a payments provider, and how to avoid it
Specific contract terms to demand, and terms to reject, when negotiating with your payments provider
The essential tension between take rate and adoption, and when to prioritize each
How to boost attach rates by positioning on-platform payments as the default choice
Why the most successful SaaS companies don't bury payments under finance or product, and how to structure the org for success

Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-004-brian-abernethy/

The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS.

Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches.

Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay

Chapters

1. Introduction and Guest Overview (00:00:00)

2. Brian’s Journey into Payments (00:10:00)

3. Current Trends in the Payments Ecosystem (01:00:00)

4. Navigating RFPs: What Software Companies Miss (01:40:00)

5. Negotiating Contracts: Tips for Success (03:20:00)

6. Final Thoughts on Payment Strategies for SaaS (05:00:00)

15 episodes

#MBA #Business #Rainforest #Embedded Payments #Vertical SaaS #Payments Strategy #Integrated Payment #Embedded Fintech #Financial Technology #Software As Service

All episodes

Payments Strategy Show

1
Agentic commerce with Colin Luce and Joshua Silver 15:24

5 days ago15:24

15:24

Basis Theory Co-Founder and CEO Colin Luce joins Rainforest Founder and CEO Joshua Silver to discuss the future of agentic commerce. They covered: Shopping in an AI-enabled ecosystem vs true agentic commerce How certain categories of shopping are likely to adopt AI Will agentic commerce drive more shopping (and payments volume) or make shopping more efficient? Data and infrastructure needed to power agentic commerce Risk management implications of empowering AI agents to make buying decisions The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
The future of payments will be tokenized (and what it means for software companies) with Colin Luce 29:00

12 days ago29:00

29:00

In this episode, Basis Theory Co-Founder and CEO Colin Luce joins Rainforest Founder and CEO Joshua Silver for a deep dive on payments orchestration, tokenization, and vaulting. They discussed: The number one reason to invest in payment orchestration (hint: it's not least-cost routing) How software companies can protect their merchant onboarding data and get more control over their payment processing The sneaky retention tactic some legacy payment providers still use -- and how data vaulting can help software platforms break free Why the promise of "use network tokens and save 10 bps" has yet to be realized Exactly what is Payments 3.0, and the capability it is unlocking for software platform The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Questions every software company should answer before investing in payments with Andrew Mosawi 24:11

19 days ago24:11

24:11

Payments pundits tend to say things like “every software company will be a payments company”... but how should software companies really evaluate the payments opportunity? Andrew Mosawi has helped hundreds of software companies set up and scale their payments businesses, and on this episode he joins host Joshua Silver to share his key insights. They covered: When to bring in a dedicated payments leader (hint: it’s not a certain ARR or processing volume) Specific questions to help you decide if payments should be a priority right now Why payment provider selection should NOT be the first milestone, and what SaaS leaders need to do before that 3 ways to create value in your software business with payments (and none of them involve being the lowest cost option) The next big embedded fintech opportunity for vertical software companies, and how to prepare for it The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Build a winning payments product by solving your customers' most painful problem with Matthew Goldman 35:16

26 days ago35:16

35:16

How do you build and launch an embedded payments product that delights your customers, boosts retention, and grows your core business? The answer might surprise you. Product and strategy consultant Matthew Goldman of Totavi joins host Becky Kopplin to share product strategy for software companies adding or optimizing embedded fintech. They explore: 3 essential questions SaaS leaders need to ask before getting started with payments Why department stores have store-brand credit cards – and how software companies should think beyond revenue to build winning products How to sell embedded payments to small and large businesses, without competing on price The biggest risk in embedded payments implementation (hint: it’s not technical) Specific product details that delight your customers and create more value with embedded payments The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
The fight against fraud starts with mindset (not technology) with Dwayne Gefferie 32:34

5 weeks ago32:34

32:34

Fraudsters are evolving fast. How can software platforms and payments providers stay ahead? On the latest episode of The Payments Strategy Show, Dwayne Gefferie and Joshua Silver discussed the answers to this question and many more. Dwayne is known for his contrarian perspectives and deep expertise in payments data and risk management, so this episode goes into the weeds on auth rates, risk management, payments orchestration, and the state of the industry. Dwayne and Joshua covered: The most important payments metric for software platforms to optimize at each stage of growth How scammers are evolving, and what platforms and payments providers need to do to stay ahead Legacy mindset challenges that the payments industry needs to overcome in order to fight fraud The optimal approach to payments orchestration and at what stage platforms should start experimenting Honest assessment of Stripe, Adyen, and Fiserv – both strengths and competitive challenges The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
How vertical SaaS platforms are reducing embedded payments cost by 30 bps (or more!) with Max Jewell 24:57

6 weeks ago24:57

24:57

The biggest opportunity for SaaS companies to reduce embedded payments cost usually isn’t negotiating a lower fee with the payment provider. It’s optimizing interchange. In this episode, payments supply chain expert Max Jewell explains how interchange fees are determined, where SaaS companies might be able to qualify for better rates, and what to look for in your processing statements to uncover potential savings. Max shares: The most frequent causes of transaction downgrades and how to avoid them Common mistakes that prevent platforms from getting Level 2/3 data rates Little-known interchange optimization methods that almost no one is talking about 3 steps to size up your potential interchange optimization savings An easy way to spot hidden payment processor fees Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-010-max-jewell The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
How modern vSaaS companies are eating incumbents for lunch with Ari Myers 21:06

7 weeks ago21:06

21:06

Vertical SaaS is bifurcating into two distinct approaches – and one approach will dominate. Joshua Silver (Founder & CEO of Rainforest ) is joined by Ari Myers , Head of Commercial Strategy at Kanmon , to talk about the synergy between embedded payments and embedded lending, why the next generation of SaaS platforms will need to be fintech-first to stay competitive, and how to avoid the most common fintech fails. They covered: Two types of SaaS companies that are emerging, and how to be on the winning side. The non-negotiable prerequisite for embedded fintech success (hint: it’s not the product) How to activate your GTM org with sales incentives, quota retirement, new demo patterns, and more The "trifecta" of execution: executive sponsorship, cross-functional ownership, and departmental accountability Why aligned incentives between fintech providers and platforms create a win-win-win for SaaS companies, partners, and their end users Full transcript: https://rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-009-ari-myers The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
3 secrets to a successful merchant migration with Becky Kopplin 22:51

8 weeks ago22:51

22:51

Merchant migrations can be a significant barrier for SaaS companies changing payment providers -- especially if there's concern about merchant pushback or churn. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get advice from someone who has led dozens of successful migrations impacting many thousands of merchants? This person is Becky Kopplin (VP of Payments at Rainforest ). In this episode of the Payments Strategy Show, she sits down with host Joshua Silver to share her battle-tested merchant migration playbook. They covered: How Ministry Brands evaluated acquisition targets based on payments, and what drove up (or tanked) valuation The hidden cultural gap between “integrated” and “embedded” payments that stalls adoption How to reduce migration risk and improve outcomes with merchant segmentation and a test-measure-learn approach Why lowering your processing rate won’t win over merchants… but better product value will Real-world strategies for reducing support volume, increasing attach rate, and making payments a strategic differentiator Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-008-becky-kopplin The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Increase payments adoption and reduce churn by optimizing for user experience with Joseph Solomon 25:09

9 weeks ago25:09

25:09

As customers, why do we enjoy interacting with some software and dread others? And how can SaaS companies create that feeling of joy in an embedded payments product? Payments UX expert Joseph Solomon of WDIR joins us on the Payments Strategy Show to answer these questions and more. We covered: One critical UX touchpoint with a disproportionate impact on payments adoption (SaaS companies don’t want to miss this) How to boost merchant onboarding completion rates with progress indicators and other UX best practices The critical importance of trust in payments, and how to build it through UX design How to innovate on a payments product that demands reliability and stability Small words that make a big difference in confirmation pages, status emails, and other payments touchpoints Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-007-joseph-solomon The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Managing complexity and risk to create a successful payments strategy with Nikita Skitev 30:06

10 weeks ago30:06

30:06

With payments technology getting more and more complicated -- and fraud evolving at a similar rate -- how can SaaS companies build a winning payments strategy in a rapidly changing payments industry? Nikita Skitev of Payments Strategist joins host Joshua Silver to discuss this question and much more. They covered: The best way to learn about payments and fintech quickly when you’re just starting out Hidden costs of an all-in-one “walled garden” solution, and when to choose open ecosystem providers instead 6 key components to payments strategy, and why platforms must proactively manage their own fintech roadmap Two common types of fraud, and how SaaS platforms can grow volume without taking on excessive risk How to holistically evaluate a payment solution from both the payer and payee perspective – and why software companies need to consider both Episode transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-006-nikita-skitev The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Instant onboarding, long-tail payment methods, and other shiny objects to avoid with Joshua Silver 23:55

11 weeks ago23:55

23:55

One of the biggest mistakes for vertical SaaS companies when it comes to payments is taking on too much. Too much risk and compliance responsibility, too much technical complexity, or too many features that add more confusion than value. In this episode, Becky Kopplin interviews Joshua Silver about exactly what SaaS companies must prioritize in a high-value embedded payments offering... and which shiny objects just cause problems. They covered: Why adoption is the ultimate payments KPI (focus on this if you want to drive massive revenue with embedded payments). A counterintuitive merchant onboarding flow to avoid unexpected funding holds, additional verification requests, and service interruptions. How a cluttered checkout experience with too many choices can lead to decision paralysis and abandoned carts. The trendy pricing strategy that hurts adoption and margin, and why a simple pricing model wins every single time. What software companies can learn from Uber to make embedded payments an obvious “yes”. Episode transcript: https://rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-005-joshua-silver The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Why 85% of SaaS payment offerings underperform -- and how to get it right with Brian Abernethy 24:52

12 weeks ago24:52

24:52

With so many SaaS companies embracing payments, why do only 10-15% achieve the expected financial results? Brian Abernethy of Utopaya joins host Joshua Silver on this episode to examine what separates the winners from the rest of the pack. They explore: One huge mistake SaaS companies make when choosing a payments provider, and how to avoid it Specific contract terms to demand, and terms to reject, when negotiating with your payments provider The essential tension between take rate and adoption, and when to prioritize each How to boost attach rates by positioning on-platform payments as the default choice Why the most successful SaaS companies don't bury payments under finance or product, and how to structure the org for success Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-004-brian-abernethy/ The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Matt Brown's journey from SaaS operator to VC and the rise of embedded financial products in SaaS 25:32

13 weeks ago25:32

25:32

Why are some SaaS companies able to generate more than half of their revenue from payments, while others struggle to get customers to use the payments feature? Matt Brown of Matrix Partners shares his lessons learned from building fintech into the vertical SaaS platform at Bonsai and working closely with top SaaS and fintech leaders as a VC investor. He covers: Why payments should be the first embedded fintech product for almost every vSaaS (hint: customers love to get paid). How SaaS platforms can become the system of record by managing workflows, data, and financial transactions all in one place. Where platforms can find additional growth beyond the typical scope of vSaaS and embedded fintech How nuanced details in pricing and risk management can make or break an embedded fintech offering The critical importance of prioritizing customers and vertical-specific needs over one-size-fits-all playbooks Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-003-matt-brown/ The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Maximizing revenue at the intersection of SaaS and payments with Ali Mast 24:03

14 weeks ago24:03

24:03

How do software companies transform payments from a bolt-on feature to a thriving profit center? In today's episode of The Payments Strategy Show, Ali Mast of Parachute Advisory shares her experience from a career at the intersection of SaaS and payments, and what she learned from embedding payments in 40+ software platforms. Why SaaS and payments companies often "speak different languages" and how to bridge the gap. How evolving banking and regulatory conditions have made it harder for SaaS companies to become payfacs and the growing role of modern payfac-as-a-service providers. Revenue-maximizing best practices for sales enablement, customer success, and more. What mid-market SaaS companies need to consider before taking on payments risk. Why SaaS leaders need to own their payments strategy—or risk losing revenue to third parties. Full transcript: https://www.rainforestpay.com/blog/payments-strategy-show-002-ali-mast/ The Payments Strategy Show is brought to you by Rainforest, embedded payments purpose-built for vertical SaaS. Grow revenue with the only payfac-as-a-service provider optimized to help you drive more payments volume at higher margins, without risk or compliance headaches. Learn more: https://rainforestpay.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/rainforestpay…

Payments Strategy Show

1
Tony Caudill's lessons from two vertical SaaS companies and an acquisition 27:40

15 weeks ago27:40