As the payments landscape continues to evolve, how should ISOs, agents, and software providers approach 2026—by going all-in on vertical-specific solutions or by refining generalized offerings that can serve a wider market?

In this solo episode, James Shepherd shares hard-earned insights from his experience running both CCStorage, a vertical-specific solution, and Stackably, a more generalized tech platform. He breaks down the advantages and challenges of each approach and offers practical advice on how to align your strategy for growth, innovation, and long-term success in the coming year.

Whether you’re building software, growing an ISO, or rethinking your 2026 roadmap, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This week on the Merchant Sales Podcast, James Shepherd revisits a topic many thought was long gone — leasing. With today’s advanced and often expensive POS hardware, leasing is once again becoming a smart tool for ISOs and agents to close deals and increase adoption.

James sits down with Robert Ensminger to discuss modern leasing strategies, real-world use cases, and how to position leasing as part of a profitable merchant services offering. They break down what’s changed, what still works, and how agents can use leasing to drive portfolio growth.

After the interview, James and Patti Murphy tackle this week’s top headlines in their Today in Payments segment.