1 00:00:00.425 --> 00:00:00.685 All right. 2 00:00:00.685 --> 00:00:03.405 It's been a busy day here at Broker for 2025, 3 00:00:03.425 --> 00:00:05.005 and I am here with Rocco. 4 00:00:05.485 --> 00:00:07.485 Rocco. Great seeing you again. Very nice to see you. 5 00:00:07.785 --> 00:00:10.685 So let's start with really quick basic questions. 6 00:00:10.715 --> 00:00:12.485 Introduce yourself to the people watching 7 00:00:12.485 --> 00:00:14.365 that don't know you and, uh, 8 00:00:14.365 --> 00:00:15.605 what company you're with. Sure. 9 00:00:15.865 --> 00:00:17.445 Uh, my name is Rocco Ti 10 00:00:17.785 --> 00:00:19.565 and I'm with Merit Business Funding. 11 00:00:19.975 --> 00:00:23.165 We're owned by Meridian Bank, a community bank 12 00:00:23.165 --> 00:00:24.285 outside of Philadelphia. 13 00:00:25.145 --> 00:00:27.565 So I've talked to, to a couple of your other colleagues. 14 00:00:27.985 --> 00:00:29.965 So one thing I want to ask you is, 15 00:00:30.565 --> 00:00:32.845 personal relationships in this industry is crucial. 16 00:00:34.075 --> 00:00:37.165 Talk to me about why, why is that important for your book 17 00:00:37.165 --> 00:00:39.965 of business and for this industry in general? 18 00:00:40.235 --> 00:00:43.365 Sure. We're, uh, pretty much an ISO driven shop. 19 00:00:43.665 --> 00:00:46.365 Uh, we wanna work with those select ISOs that wanna work 20 00:00:46.365 --> 00:00:49.165 with us, and to me, that's all about relationships. 21 00:00:49.585 --> 00:00:52.245 And the same thing. I also run our SBA lending group. 22 00:00:52.635 --> 00:00:54.725 It's the same thing there. We don't want 23 00:00:54.725 --> 00:00:55.765 to be a shotgun approach. 24 00:00:55.865 --> 00:00:58.205 We want to take those folks that wanna work with us, 25 00:00:58.505 --> 00:00:59.645 and we wanna work with them, 26 00:00:59.825 --> 00:01:01.685 and we want to give 'em the best service we can. 27 00:01:01.865 --> 00:01:03.805 But having a good relationship means 28 00:01:04.035 --> 00:01:05.565 that we can say no sometimes 29 00:01:06.665 --> 00:01:08.965 and we can say yes more if we all know 30 00:01:08.965 --> 00:01:10.165 each other and what we like to do. 31 00:01:10.945 --> 00:01:14.885 So for 2025, how have you seen business this year? 32 00:01:15.425 --> 00:01:17.885 Uh, we, from marriage standpoint, we, 33 00:01:17.935 --> 00:01:19.325 we've been having our best months. 34 00:01:19.865 --> 00:01:21.725 Uh, we just had another record month. 35 00:01:22.265 --> 00:01:24.005 Uh, we're looking to hire, I'm looking 36 00:01:24.005 --> 00:01:26.685 to hire some ISO managers, especially here in New York. 37 00:01:27.145 --> 00:01:29.885 Uh, so we're looking to grow as we have been growing. 38 00:01:30.345 --> 00:01:32.085 So for us, business has been pretty good. 39 00:01:32.545 --> 00:01:35.965 It was a low bark because we've started recently, right. 40 00:01:36.425 --> 00:01:39.445 Uh, but we think we have all the p uh, uh, you know, 41 00:01:39.945 --> 00:01:43.245 pieces in place to make it work, uh, for us. 42 00:01:43.665 --> 00:01:45.565 And we're starting to get known in the industry 43 00:01:46.105 --> 00:01:47.445 and that, and that's really the key. 44 00:01:47.485 --> 00:01:49.525 I think it's make, you can't come right out 45 00:01:50.025 --> 00:01:52.045 and just be everything to everyone. 46 00:01:52.665 --> 00:01:56.125 Um, so the fact that we have a less cost of capital 47 00:01:56.125 --> 00:01:59.125 because we're owned by a bank and we have the SBA 48 00:01:59.345 --> 00:02:00.965 and now we have merit, I think 49 00:02:00.965 --> 00:02:02.765 that's really resonating in the marketplace. 50 00:02:03.475 --> 00:02:04.685 What makes you guys different? 51 00:02:05.285 --> 00:02:06.325 I really think it's that, right? 52 00:02:06.445 --> 00:02:09.845 I think our cost of capital is a lot less than some others. 53 00:02:10.625 --> 00:02:13.005 Uh, I think our people are really dedicated, 54 00:02:13.705 --> 00:02:15.045 and I think the fact that we're owned 55 00:02:15.065 --> 00:02:16.565 by a bank really means a lot. 56 00:02:16.905 --> 00:02:19.725 It seems to connect with a lot of merchants 57 00:02:20.225 --> 00:02:22.005 and certainly some ISO managers. 58 00:02:23.505 --> 00:02:27.565 So, for this year coming up, uh, you know, 59 00:02:27.565 --> 00:02:29.565 you guys are having your best year ever. 60 00:02:30.345 --> 00:02:32.765 Um, and to continue that and, 61 00:02:32.765 --> 00:02:36.885 and to continue that momentum, uh, how can people reach out 62 00:02:36.885 --> 00:02:37.965 to you to connect 63 00:02:37.965 --> 00:02:39.565 with you if they want to do business with you? 64 00:02:39.835 --> 00:02:40.965 Yeah, that's a good question. 65 00:02:41.305 --> 00:02:43.245 Uh, certainly, uh, you know, 66 00:02:43.245 --> 00:02:45.485 you can look us up under Meridian Bank or, 67 00:02:45.865 --> 00:02:47.565 or, uh, merit business funding. 68 00:02:48.465 --> 00:02:50.645 We have a, we're, we're dedicated to this group 69 00:02:50.665 --> 00:02:51.725 and other groups like this. 70 00:02:52.065 --> 00:02:53.965 So we always have a table or a booth. 71 00:02:53.965 --> 00:02:56.805 We bring our people here. We have our credit guy here. 72 00:02:56.825 --> 00:02:59.325 So you can talk to 'em about what's our criteria 73 00:02:59.345 --> 00:03:00.485 and how to make a deal work. 74 00:03:00.905 --> 00:03:02.685 Uh, I think those are the important things. 75 00:03:02.705 --> 00:03:05.005 So come by and see us, of course, at these events. 76 00:03:05.505 --> 00:03:07.485 Uh, I'd love to have more opportunities 77 00:03:07.585 --> 00:03:09.085 to speak at these events as well. 78 00:03:09.205 --> 00:03:10.725 I think that would help us get our 79 00:03:10.725 --> 00:03:12.085 unique, uh, message out there. 80 00:03:12.465 --> 00:03:14.725 So I thank you for this too. This is really important to us. 81 00:03:15.545 --> 00:03:18.085 Is this your first time at, at, at at de banked event? 82 00:03:18.475 --> 00:03:20.605 It's my second, I believe. Yeah. 83 00:03:20.945 --> 00:03:23.685 In the past, were you able to build a relationship 84 00:03:23.715 --> 00:03:26.445 that started here and that helped your business grow? 85 00:03:27.115 --> 00:03:28.605 Abso Absolutely, definitely. 86 00:03:28.825 --> 00:03:31.485 Um, for me, I'm new to, I'm newer to the industry, 87 00:03:31.545 --> 00:03:33.285 but my colleagues have been in for a while. 88 00:03:33.665 --> 00:03:36.645 So for me, I, I, this is one of the only times you get 89 00:03:36.645 --> 00:03:39.765 to see some of the people that you don't get to see often, 90 00:03:40.265 --> 00:03:41.685 and maybe you talk other times. 91 00:03:42.145 --> 00:03:44.485 Uh, I've grown some great relationships here, really, 92 00:03:44.585 --> 00:03:47.045 and some people I can call on when I have questions 93 00:03:47.065 --> 00:03:49.525 or even mentoring, even though, you know, 94 00:03:49.585 --> 00:03:51.165 I'm an executive and should know things. 95 00:03:51.165 --> 00:03:54.165 There's things I don't know, and I know who to call. Yeah. 96 00:03:54.315 --> 00:03:55.885 Well, rah, thank you so much for your time. 97 00:03:55.995 --> 00:03:57.205 Much appreciate it so much. 98 00:03:57.205 --> 00:04:01.525 Again, we just heard it from Rocco, uh, with Merit Business. 99 00:04:01.985 --> 00:04:04.365 So again, throughout the day we have been talking 100 00:04:04.425 --> 00:04:07.045 to different people about their role, their company, 101 00:04:07.435 --> 00:04:08.845 what they do in this industry, 102 00:04:08.865 --> 00:04:11.605 and it's been interesting to hear from different people. 103 00:04:11.825 --> 00:04:13.325 So we have more coming up. 104 00:04:13.385 --> 00:04:14.565 So you're not gonna wanna miss out.