Cosmos McShirley: Shaping the Future of Digital Payments
Cosmos McShirley is a name becoming synonymous with innovation in the payment processing industry. As a key part and visionary behind Linked2Pay, Cosmos has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in digital payment solutions. Cosmos has built a team with a deep understanding of both the technical and strategic aspects of the industry. They helped lead the development of a platform that not only simplifies complex payment processes but also adapts to the ever-changing needs of businesses in today’s digital economy.
In this interview, we’ll explore Cosmos McShirley’s journey in helping grow Linked2Pay, discuss the current landscape of payment processing, and discover how the company is positioning itself for future success. The Linked2Pay team’s leadership, focus, and communication skills have been key in innovating the way businesses manage and process payments.
Welcome to WealthDefined magazine! Can you tell us what exactly is Linked2Pay, and what it offers to businesses in the payment processing space?
Cosmos McShirley: Linked2Pay is a comprehensive payment processing platform designed to help businesses accept and manage various forms of payments, including ACH transactions, credit card payments, and other electronic methods. Our platform simplifies the entire payment process, covering everything from payment acceptance and client onboarding to risk management and the sales process itself. We aim to provide a seamless and efficient solution for businesses looking to streamline their payment operations.
Welcome to WealthDefined magazine! Can you tell us what exactly is Linked2Pay, and what it offers to businesses in the payment processing space?
Cosmos McShirley: Linked2Pay is a comprehensive payment processing platform designed to help businesses accept and manage various forms of payments, including ACH transactions, credit card payments, and other electronic methods. Our platform simplifies the entire payment process, covering everything from payment acceptance and client onboarding to risk management and the sales process itself. We aim to provide a seamless and efficient solution for businesses looking to streamline their payment operations.
How did you get started in the payment industry, and what inspired the creation of Linked2Pay?
Cosmos McShirley: Linked2Pay was established in response to the growing need for more efficient and streamlined payment processing solutions, especially for nontraditional brick-and-mortar businesses. We noticed a significant gap in the market for a unified platform that could securely handle multiple types of payments, such as ACH and credit card transactions, while being user-friendly. At the time, businesses were struggling with managing various payment methods and adhering to industry regulations. Our goal was to simplify the payment process by creating a comprehensive solution that could be easily integrated into existing systems. Since then, we’ve expanded our services and now offer a payment orchestration system that manages every aspect of payment processing.
Given the rapid evolution of the payment processing industry, how do you assess the current market landscape, and what differentiates Linked2Pay from its competitors?
Cosmos McShirley: The payment processing industry has undergone a significant transformation due to digitalization, with a growing preference for digital payments over traditional methods like cash and checks. This shift has pushed the market towards more advanced, digital-first solutions. However, simply being digital isn’t enough anymore. What truly sets Linked2Pay apart is our in-house technology, which allows us to continuously update our services and quickly adapt to the ever-changing market. This control over our platform gives us a unique edge, ensuring that we stay ahead of industry trends and meet the evolving needs of our clients.
As the payment landscape continues to evolve, what trends do you see shaping the future, and how is Linked2Pay positioning itself to capitalize on these trends?
Cosmos McShirley: The future of payment processing is leaning heavily towards more integrated and customizable solutions. Traditional brick-and-mortar methods are becoming obsolete, and businesses are looking for more than just low prices—they want seamless integration with their software vendors and the ability to offer dual pricing options, among other features. Companies that can’t provide these will find it challenging to stay competitive. At Linked2Pay, we’ve positioned ourselves as a highly flexible solution by offering an open API library for ISV (Independent Software Vendor) integrations, supporting both credit card and ACH processing. Additionally, we provide innovative solutions like pairing ACH and card transactions for dual pricing and offering dual MID options. This flexibility ensures that we can meet the diverse and evolving needs of our clients.
What do you consider the biggest advantage for businesses that choose to partner with Linked2Pay?
Cosmos McShirley: The biggest advantage of partnering with Linked2Pay is that we truly are a one-stop shop. In our industry, many businesses have to work with multiple providers—one for credit card processing, another for ACH, and yet another for gateway solutions. This can complicate the process and create inefficiencies. Linked2Pay eliminates these complexities by managing all approvals for both ACH and credit card processing in-house. We also provide a payment gateway that powers merchant accounts and offer a CRM system for sales agents to track every step of the underwriting process. Additionally, all these services can be white-labeled for our resellers, creating a seamless and integrated solution that simplifies operations for our partners.
How does Linked2Pay encourage innovation within the company, particularly when it comes to developing new features and services?
Cosmos McShirley: Innovation at Linked2Pay is largely driven by our commitment to listening to our users, agents, and integrators. By maintaining open channels of communication, we gather valuable feedback that informs our development processes. This collaborative approach ensures that our solutions are not only cutting-edge but also practical and user-friendly. Moreover, this continuous dialogue fosters a sense of community and partnership, making every stakeholder feel valued. Ultimately, this synergy leads to the creation of products and services that truly make a difference in the lives and businesses of those we serve.
Can you share an example of a time when you had to pivot or change a significant strategic initiative, and what the outcome was?
Cosmos McShirley: A few years ago, we were at a crossroads, deciding whether to build an internal sales team to onboard merchants directly or focus on attracting and supporting resellers. While direct business would have offered the highest margins, we ultimately decided that becoming a hub and providing backend support for resellers would be more sustainable and offer greater growth potential. This decision proved to be the right one, as it allowed us to scale effectively and build stronger partnerships in the industry.
What is the long-term vision for Linked2Pay, and how do you see the company evolving in the coming years?
Cosmos McShirley: Our long-term vision for Linked2Pay is to become the go-to platform for resellers and integrators. We aim to create a seamless and innovative payment solution that empowers businesses of all sizes to thrive in the digital economy. By continuously enhancing our platform with cutting-edge technology and user-centric features, we plan to foster a community of forward-thinking professionals who can leverage our tools to provide unparalleled value to their clients. Our mission is built on collaboration, transparency, and efficiency, ensuring that every partner and user experiences the highest standards of service and support. Together, we are building a future where secure, fast, and flexible payment options are the norm, driving growth and success for everyone involved.
How do you balance short-term objectives with the pursuit of long-term strategic goals at Linked2Pay?
Cosmos McShirley: Balancing short-term objectives with long-term strategic goals is a delicate process that our team constantly navigates. On the development side, we typically have team members dedicated to smaller projects that address immediate needs, while our architects focus on long-term initiatives like system migrations. This dual approach allows us to maintain momentum on current projects without losing sight of our broader vision. By achieving quick wins and steady progress, we keep morale high and stakeholders satisfied, while also laying the groundwork for sustained growth and competitiveness in the future.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to WealthDefined and the host of this interview would like to thank Cosmos McShirley for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Cosmos McShirley or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
