As the acquiring industry continues to rapidly reinvent itself, birthing a variety of new, technology-centric business models to better service the demands of the modern day merchant, many long time merchant level salespersons (“MLS’s”) and agents are faced with the increased pressure of having to decide how best to position their companies for a successful future. The sheer velocity of this “reinvention” of the acquiring industry has forced many agents to re-evaluate the upside of continuing their agent status versus registering directly with MasterCard and VISA and becoming an ISO. As a “successful future” for a business is oft measured by sustainability, growth, and value creation, 2017 will be a determinative year for many agents who will be forced to reconcile themselves to one or the other of these two pathways forward. Read more...