Author: Maria Sparagis

Maria Sparagis is President of DirectPayNet, where she's spent over 20 years helping businesses scale to six-, seven-, and eight-figure revenue through optimized payment processing. She works hands-on with business owners to solve merchant account challenges, reduce processing costs, and implement payment strategies that support real growth. Maria is a regular speaker at fintech conferences and writes about practical approaches that help businesses break through revenue plateaus.

Applying for a Merchant Account? Here Are 8 Facts You Need to Know

Applying for a merchant account gives your business the opportunity to scale that’s incomparable to popular 3rd-party processors. This is especially true for high-risk merchants who are subject to higher rates, monthly processing volume caps, and the possibility of having their store shut down if using a standard merchant account. The merchant account application is […]

Delta-8 THC: Sell in These States ONLY

There’s a lot of controversy for sellers around Delta-8 THC. We’re going to clear up some of the biggest questions you have so you can protect your business, maintain sales, and stay legal. Most of the controversy surrounds the legality of Delta-8 products—whether it’s a controlled substance, falls under the protection of the 2018 Farm […]

The Business of Love: Maximize Profitability for Dating Coaching Businesses with Easy Payment Services

Finding true love, seeking connections, boredom – no matter the reason, dating apps and online dating coaching businesses are on the up and up. The convenience and advancements of technology as well as the unfortunate loneliness of being stuck at home during the pandemic triggered an economic boom for the dating market. Making a profit […]

Why Some Businesses Are Labeled High-Risk by Payment Processors

Not all businesses are treated equally by payment processors. High-risk businesses pay more in fees, need to keep chargebacks and fraud in check, and are subject to various requirements before merchant services are available to them. Even after meeting strict demands, they’re monitored closely to ease the concerns of acquiring banks and payment networks. Luckily, […]

Comparing a Payment Aggregator With a Payment Processor (Which Is Best?)

In the world of online e-commerce, every optimization counts. And so if you’re a business owner who is selling goods online, you should be thinking carefully about the best payment methodology for your business to maximize your margins and deliver a clean customer experience every time. One of the key decisions that need to be […]