Tiffany Segura

When I started out, the industry was shifting from a paper trail to an electronic one. The biggest challenge was that people didn’t trust the change. They were hesitant to embrace the new technology because they were so used to using imprinters and walking merchant slips to the bank. Convincing them to step into this new world of merchant services was tough, especially since they had no immediate understanding of the benefits. But the change was ultimately positive. For example, they no longer had to wait 30 days to get paid, and they didn’t have to leave their locations to deposit funds at the bank. Overcoming that fear of the unknown and getting people comfortable with this more efficient system was a major hurdle, but it was worth it.

The most rewarding part of my work has been mentoring and training people to build confidence in their own abilities, especially financially. I’m passionate about helping people from all walks of life, especially those who come from tough backgrounds. For example, we’ve sponsored individuals who’ve needed a fresh start, providing them with hope, inspiration, and encouragement. It’s incredible to see people grow and even venture off into their own businesses after working with us. These experiences have shaped my approach to leadership by reinforcing the importance of empowering others and guiding them toward success.

One of the biggest challenges businesses face is a lack of education in the merchant services space. Many salespeople aren’t well-versed in the details, and that can lead to misinformation being passed on to merchants. This can create major problems down the line—misguiding the merchant and potentially damaging their business. At AVP Solutions, we focus on providing educated, accurate information to ensure merchants are making informed decisions. If there’s something we don’t know, we’ll find out. We pay attention to the details and ensure that our merchants are always set up for success with secure processing.

Business owners often don’t have the time to stay on top of changing card brand rules and regulations. It’s a complex landscape, and as technology advances, keeping up with those changes can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in. Our job is to stay informed about the evolving rules and regulations in the merchant services space so that our clients don’t have to. We ensure that any updates or changes are communicated to them, so they can stay compliant and competitive in the market.

My journey began when my sibling asked me for a loan to start a merchant services business. I had some savings, so I offered the loan and became his receptionist. However, the business didn’t take off as planned. He suggested I learn how to sell, and while he didn’t teach me much, I took it upon myself to educate myself on sales techniques. I went to school, took sales and business classes, and constantly worked on improving my communication skills.

I didn’t actively choose AVP Solutions—it chose me. I had a couple of partners, and we were brainstorming names for the company. We wanted something that would stand out in the Yellow Pages, so we chose “A” to be at the top of the list. We also wanted to reflect our American roots, so we came up with American Verification Processing Solutions.

Here’s what each word means to us:

• American: Represents our commitment to providing services that are grounded in American values—trust, integrity, and a focus on helping businesses thrive.
• Verification: Emphasizes our role in ensuring that merchants and their transactions are legitimate and secure. It’s about verifying the authenticity of every interaction in the payment process.
• Processing: Refers to the core of what we do—handling and facilitating all aspects of payment processing to ensure smooth, efficient transactions for our clients.
• Solutions: Highlights our dedication to offering comprehensive, customized solutions for every merchant’s needs, addressing challenges, and delivering results tailored to their unique requirements.