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.

Creating a Loyalty Program That Makes Customers Obsessed

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Loyalty programs have been around for a long time. Look at Macy’s and Sephora. These businesses are thriving, and you can thank—at least in part—their loyalty programs and customer service. Rewards programs are a money-making machine for online businesses. Loyal customers spend 67% more than new shoppers, and they’re 90% more likely to choose your […]

“Stripe Holding My Money!” — Simple Solution

The global recession and economic crisis. the complexities of economic, featuring individuals and businesses adapting, strategizing, and striving for stability.

“Help! Stripe is holding my money!” If you’ve just logged into your Stripe dashboard and noticed your payments aren’t available, take a deep breath. You’re not alone. Many new business owners face payment holds when they start accepting online payments. While it’s scary to see your money stuck, these holds are actually a normal part […]

X’s “Everything App” and Tik Tok Marketing in 2025

Blank screen of smartphone with like love and emotion icon for social media marketing concept by 3d render.

TikTok, with its 170 million American users, faces an uncertain future after its Supreme Court ban. Meanwhile, X partners with Visa to launch X Money, a comprehensive payment system rolling out across 41 U.S. states. Musk’s “everything app” combines social media, e-commerce, and financial services. But is it worthwhile for businesses? TikTok’s potential exit creates […]

How Online Retailers Can Win Gen Z in 2025

A man's hands holding a smart phone under the vivid color.

Think you know Gen Z’s shopping habits? You might be surprised. While this generation practically lives on their phones, they’re making a shift toward in-store shopping experiences, especially for beauty products and luxury items. Gen Z commands $360 billion in disposable income and influences an additional $600 billion in household spending. They’re not just digital […]

Bad Business Models That Didn’t Survive 2024

A business man visibly upset looking at a graph that is on decline.

Remember when everyone and their cousin wanted to start a dropshipping business in 2020? I cringe thinking about all those “guru” courses promising overnight millions. But here’s the thing, e-commerce has done a complete 180 since those early pandemic days. And some of those “can’t-fail” business models have, well… failed spectacularly. The e-commerce landscape has […]