Our Story and
Why We Focus on Transparency
We estimate that 90% of the business owners we speak to don’t realize how much they’re overpaying in card processing fees. Or that there’s a zero-fee option.
And that angers us.
Because we believe most providers in our industry aren’t transparent enough about fees and pricing. They try to distract you with slick technology and software features you really don’t need.
We’d rather teach you how to spot the bogus fees in your statement instead.
The Cost of “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
Choosing a merchant service provider sounds simple enough. Provide a few details about your business, get a few quotes and choose the one with the best rates, right?
But what looks like a good rate on the surface might have hidden fees. And in this industry, the things you don’t know to look for can cost you a tremendous amount over time—possibly thousands.
Even highly experienced business owners and CFOs have been surprised by the hidden fees we’ve found in their statements – extra fees they’ve been paying for years.
This Isn’t About Why You Should Choose Us
This is about why you need us. Because with us, you can:
- Avoid payment schemes that hide batch fees, equipment fees (even when it’s supposed to be “free”), and much, much more.
- Cut your processing costs dramatically.
- Add some predictability to your cash flow.
We’ve proven it works.
This transparent process is our vision for better merchant services overall. It’s been so from the beginning and is key to how we formed and grew the business.
How We Began
Our founder, Toby Guinn, Sr., created Global Merchant Partners in 2009 to offer something he felt was lacking in the industry: fair prices and transparency.
To reach his goal, he embraced an adage that entrepreneur Sy Syms used when running his clothing store chain: “An educated consumer is my best customer.”
This was (and still is) our strategy today: to educate first and sell last. We start by arming our clients with knowledge and showing them what they’ve been overpaying in processing fees—in many cases by surprising amounts.
We’re compelled to show businesses a better way.
Today, we pursue a shared vision to help businesses increase cash flow and earnings by cutting processing fees. We’ve been fortunate to help companies of all types throughout the tri-state area, including retail and e-commerce stores, professional service firms, multi-media publishing companies, hotels, auto dealerships, and others.
Our Vision for Better Merchant Services
We’ll show you how to increase cash flow and keep more of what you earn with smarter payment processing.
Toby Guinn Sr.
FOUNDER; Director of Sales and Business Development
“There are parallels in business and in life where the two intersect. People want to know who they are doing business with, because at the end of the day, the client is really buying you. Relationships matter. People matter.”
Toby is the kind of person who’ll ask how your kids are and talk about the latest high school basketball scores before getting down to business. His clients aren’t just clients. They’re friends.
This personal approach and strength in building relationships has been a part of Toby’s success throughout his career. It began with his first business, which he grew into one of the largest IBM equipment dealerships in the region (before the age of 30) and continued with the insurance agency he built later, which ranked in the top 10% of the industry for more than 25 years.
His success continues today in yet another industry with Global Merchant Partners, which he founded in 2009. During more than three decades in sales, he has stayed true to his core values: doing business with integrity, transparency and friendship.
When not working, Toby devotes time to fundraising for local groups and has served on boards for the Special Olympics, MADD, and for YMCAs in Delaware, Georgia and Florida. He also enjoys relaxing on the beach and watching his favorite high school basketball teams.
Aprile Parella
Director of Operations and Marketing
“Clients often don’t realize we have the ability to shop for the best rate for them since we deal with multiple payment providers. Most merchant service firms are locked in to one processor. By having various options, we put the power of choice back in the hands of the merchant. They decide which processor suits their business needs best. Not the other way around.”
Aprile joined Global Merchant Services after a personal view of how hidden payment processing fees affected not only her business, but those of friends and peers around her.
Having run an award-winning digital marketing firm for more than a decade, she knew the financial challenges of running a small business. After the last recession, it hit close to home as she watched several friends close their doors because of poor cash flow. These were marketers with great reputations in the industry.
Determined to avoid any missteps, Aprile took a closer look at credit card processing and met with Toby to review her merchant statements. It was an eye-opening experience. The padded fees and extra charges she had unwittingly paid for years amounted to tens of thousands of dollars—money she could have used to grow her business.
The more she talked to others, the more she realized just how many business owners were unaware of these practices. It was an epiphany, and it became important for her to help others avoid these pricing schemes. In fact, it became a mission. One she now shares with Toby.
In 2014, she joined forces with Toby and GMP and is now deeply committed to helping businesses cut processing costs and increase cash flow.
As the director of operations and marketing, she uses her background in digital and performance-based marketing to reach local and national businesses in pursuit of the team’s vision.
Clients and What They’re Saying
“We strongly recommend Global Merchant Partners as a merchant services partner for your business. He continues to deliver excellent service and processing rates that Increase our Gross Profit year after year.”
– Edward Capodanno, Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. Delaware Chapter
“Since bringing on GMP, we have seen a steep spike in our earned revenue and philanthropic support because we can secure said funding through the tools and services provided by GMP.”
– Logan Herring, Reach Riverside