Why your Payment Processor is Costing You More than you Think

Howdy, Austin.

Here are 3 good ways to get out of the house this weekend, followed by this week’s Founder Friday: how United Solutions helps Austin businesses keep more of what they earn.

Let’s get to it.

— Ken & Warren

This edition is sponsored by United Solutions & Wishbone Advisory.

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This week’s Founder Friday is about a part of business most owners ignore until it starts quietly eating their margins.

United Solutions helps business owners cut through confusing payment processing costs, and in one recent case, helped an Austin restaurant save over $14,000 in a month.

Why should founders care?

Because this story is about more than payments. It’s about protecting your margins, building trust through education, and realizing that sometimes the fastest way to grow is not just making more money, it’s keeping more of what you already earn.

Here’s what Luis shared…

A lot of business owners don’t realize that most often then not, they’re signing two agreements—one for processing, and another for equipment.

That equipment agreement? It can be a 3- to 4-year lease or rental agreement program that can cost way more than the system is worth and at times be left stuck in that agreement even if you leave.

That’s where a lot of people in Austin get burned.

We don’t do that, no contracts, no confusing agreements, just straightforward pricing.

Another major misconception is the following: hardware determines the rates.

I’ll walk into a business using something like Clover, and they’ll tell me, ‘We already have that system, so our rates are fixed.’ But that’s not how it works.

The POS system is just the tool—it’s the processor behind the scenes that sets the rates and fees.

So two businesses can be using the exact same system, right next door to each other, and be paying completely different rates.

The moments that stand out most are when a business owner gains real clarity and sees the impact right away.

We’ve had clients realize they’ve been overpaying for years and after making a change, they’re saving thousands while finally understanding their costs. For example, we worked with a local restaurant off I-35 here in Austin, that wasn’t getting clear transparency from their previous processor, and within one month, we helped them save over $14,000.

But what really means a lot is when they thank me for staying persistent—pushing them, in the right way, to take a closer look—and then tell me they wish they had made the switch sooner. That’s when you know you made a real difference.

United Solutions is a merchant services company built to bring clarity, transparency, and control back to business owners when it comes to how they accept payments.

Our focus is simple: eliminate confusion, remove unnecessary costs, and provide solutions that are tailored, not one-size-fits-all. That means transparent pricing, modern technology, and direct access to real expertise.

What made it impossible for me to ignore was not just one bad contract or one frustrated business owner, it was seeing the same pattern over and over again.

I had already spent years in the merchant services industry, so I knew how the business worked from the inside. I understood the pricing models, the equipment side, the contracts, the lease structures, and the way a lot of business owners were being sold solutions that sounded simple on the front end but were anything but simple once the paperwork was signed and equipment was installed.

The more experience I got, the more I realized there was a major disconnect between what business owners thought they were signing up for and what they were actually getting.

I kept meeting hardworking owners who were doing everything right in their business showing up early, staying late, managing employees, serving customers, trying to grow and yet when it came to payment processing, many of them were operating in the dark. 

They were signing confusing agreements, sometimes two without realizing it. Processing contracts and separate equipment leases. No clear explanation of their fees, no training, and no real support just call centers, out-of-state reps, or chatbots.

That confusion was costing people real money.

Honestly, it’s the Austin small business community itself.

This city runs on relationships, owners talk, share experiences, and support each other. When you do right by one business, it naturally opens the door to others.

That trust-driven, community mindset has really been the foundation of our growth.

Our unfair advantage is simplicity, access, accountability, and alignment.

Our clients don’t get passed around, they work directly with someone who understands their business and takes ownership. We bring transparent pricing, tailored solutions, and real support, all backed by a local presence.

When you combine that with a genuine focus on helping business owners keep more of what they earn, it creates a level of trust and execution that’s hard to match.

Our biggest growth lever has been trust, earned through education and results.

We take the time to walk business owners through their statements, explain how pricing actually works, and show them where they can improve. 

There’s no pressure just clarity.

When people see the savings, understand their numbers, and experience real support, they naturally share that with others.

Word-of-mouth carries a lot of weight and it’s been the foundation of our growth.

Focus just as much on what you keep as what you make.

Growth isn’t only about increasing sales. It’s about protecting your margins and understanding where your money is going. Small inefficiencies, especially in areas like payment processing, can quietly add up over time.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask better questions and revisit the systems you’ve had in place for years. The businesses that grow the smartest are the ones that stay informed, stay adaptable, and surround themselves with the right partners.

Luis is looking to connect with:

Want to learn more? Luis partnered with us to write a full guide on merchant services.

Read it here.

Start your day right and join Wishbone Advisory for real founder fuel (breakfast tacos).

ATX Marketing Innovators Series is a casual, in-person networking event for Austin founders, operators, eCommerce leaders, investors, and marketers.

Join some of Austin’s most forward thinking operators and swap notes on what’s actually working (and what isn’t): GEO strategies, eCommerce listing automation, workflow acceleration, AI-powered marketing operations.

Walk away with actionable tactics you can put to work the very next day.

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