Samuel Schreiber

Samuel SchreiberOct 13, 2026

When I first entered payments, I thought Visa and Mastercard were the real mafia of the industry. The logic was simple: they control the card rails, set interchange rates, and hold total leverage. If they raise prices, everyone downstream absorbs the cost. Then I started working with high volume merchants in gaming and mobile apps, and I realized where the real toll booth sits. It is not on the card rails. It is the app store. Large gaming companies and app developers pay 15% to 30% in platform commissions. Standard card processing for the exact same transaction costs a fraction of that. Regulatory shifts are opening doors to web checkout options, but when you pitch alternative payment solutions that save millions, major developers still hesitate. The reason is simple: fear. Developers worry that routing buyers outside native app stores will trigger slower review times, lower algorithm rankings, or flagged accounts. Whether documented or industry folklore, that fear keeps them locked in. They cannot afford to risk their primary distribution pipeline. Visa and Mastercard control the card rails. Apple and Google control the storefront itself. In modern payments, distribution always holds more leverage than processing fees.

Samuel SchreiberSep 23, 2026

One of the largest accounts I ever closed at Revolut started with a single cold call. It was a classic alignment of right timing, right research, and right value pitch. Before picking up the phone, I researched the company thoroughly. They were a major business import exporting bananas from South America into Europe, which meant massive, ongoing foreign exchange and international clearing needs. When I first made contact, the decision maker was completely closed off. They had been using the exact same traditional bank for over 20 years and saw no reason to change. I did not push a heavy sales pitch. I simply asked: "Let’s jump on a 10 minute call. Give me a chance to do a direct pricing comparison for you. What do you have to lose?" They agreed. During the call, they refused to reveal what their current bank was charging them. Instead of playing games, I chose full transparency. I opened up our pricing model and showed them the exact math: "If you exchange 200k on this route, here is your exact cost with us." They were hiding their smiles on the call because our rates completely blew their legacy bank out of the water. They agreed to start onboarding immediately. In FinTech sales, winning the contract is only step one. Money requires deep trust, so we built the relationship in stages: 1)A structured onboarding kickoff meeting. 2)A hands on session to guide their very first live transfer. 3)A gradual ramp up strategy to build operational comfort. In payments and FX, you cannot aggressively force volume onto a client. If you push too hard, they panic and pull back. You have to walk a fine line between building total comfort and encouraging steady account ramp up. Later, when the Euro Dollar rate started fluctuating heavily, we tried to introduce FX Forwards to hedge their currency risk. An internal product specialist joined the call and pitched it way too aggressively. The client got spooked and shut the idea down instantly. It was a new financial product for them, and hard selling crossed their comfort line. I let the topic sit completely untouched for three months to let the trust rebuild. When I brought it back up myself, I did not sell the product. I simply used their own actual trading data from the past 90 days to show them the exact capital they lost to market volatility, and how hedging just 50% of their exposure would protect their margins. By keeping it compliant, education focused, and backed by clear math, they adopted the product and scaled their volume significantly. FinTech sales execution is not about aggressive closing. It is about deep preparation, complete pricing transparency, and having the patience to let trust build over time. What strategy do you use to re open conversations with a client after they previously shut down a new product idea?

Samuel SchreiberOct 12, 2026

Burn your small accounts first. When you start a new FinTech sales role, going after your biggest enterprise prospects in the first weeks is a massive gamble. Build confidence on smaller deals, make early mistakes where stakes are low, and learn how your compliance machine actually works. I learned this the hard way at Revolut. In my early days, I brought in a massive corporate account through a family friend. I was excited and thought I landed a huge win on day one. Then reality hit: compliance. Belgian entities required a specific notarized document that traditional banks rarely asked for. Because I was brand new, I did not know how to prep the client: - The client was caught off guard by the extra admin work. - The friction stalled onboarding completely. - The deal died. If I had practiced on 10 smaller accounts first, I would have anticipated that bottleneck and closed the deal. I adapted immediately: 1. Upfront transparency. I told every Belgian prospect about exact document requirements before signing. 2. Partner network. I built direct relationships with local notaries to refer clients instantly. 3. Zero surprises. What used to kill deals became a smooth, guided step in my process. Enterprise clients do not care if your rates are cheaper if onboarding is a headache. Train on small accounts, master compliance workflows, and get easy wins first. The big deals will still be there when your execution is bulletproof.