Rethinking the Agent Model for 2026

As the payments industry looks toward 2026, many …

An episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast podcast, hosted by Merchant Sales Podcast, titled "Rethinking the Agent Model for 2026" was published on December 19, 2025 and runs 41 minutes.

December 19, 2025 ·41m · Merchant Sales Podcast

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Summary

As the payments industry looks toward 2026, many agents and ISOs are realizing the traditional agent model is under pressure. In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with Keith Sampson for an honest conversation about burnout, goal setting, and why chasing high splits often leads to unsustainable businesses. Keith shares lessons from building and exiting companies, navigating personal and professional burnout, and rethinking how payments fits into a larger long-term strategy. Together, they break down why the agent model is changing, how to think differently about referral versus dealer structures, and what it really takes to build lasting wealth in today’s integrated payments landscape. The episode also includes a Today in Payments segment with Patti Murphy, covering timely industry news and updates not included in this interview.

Episode Description

As the payments industry looks toward 2026, many agents and ISOs are realizing the traditional agent model is under pressure. In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with Keith Sampson for an honest conversation about burnout, goal setting, and why chasing high splits often leads to unsustainable businesses. Keith shares lessons from building and exiting companies, navigating personal and professional burnout, and rethinking how payments fits into a larger long-term strategy. Together, they break down why the agent model is changing, how to think differently about referral versus dealer structures, and what it really takes to build lasting wealth in today’s integrated payments landscape. The episode also includes a Today in Payments segment with Patti Murphy, covering timely industry news and updates not included in this interview.

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