Ryan Cabrera of Champion Payments: From Fitness Clubs to Fintech
Ryan Cabrera, founder of Champion Payments, made a bold leap from managing health clubs to revolutionizing the way businesses handle credit card processing. With a clear focus on transparency and savings, Ryan is cutting through the confusion of payment systems helping entrepreneurs keep more of their money. His passion for efficiency, innovation, and freedom makes his insights especially valuable for business owners navigating tight margins and rapid change.
After starting his career in the gym industry, Ryan saw firsthand how traditional business models weren’t making the cut. Inspired to own his future, he went all-in on payment processing, launching Champion Payments and helping clients nationwide eliminate unnecessary fees and improve cash flow.
This Episode's Highlights
- Built Champion Payments from scratch: After dabbling in the industry and getting “kicked from the nest,” Ryan went full-time and never looked back.
- Family-first risk taker: Left a nearly six-figure job to pursue entrepreneurship while supporting a wife and four kids.
- Time management is king: Stresses daily scheduling, batching tasks like email, and hiring support as soon as possible.
- Eliminates credit card fees: Offers merchants cash discount programs to offset processing costs and boost profitability.
- Eye on the future: Believes decentralized finance and Web 3.0 are set to reshape how we handle money, business, and privacy.
Memorable Quote:
You don’t need anybody’s permission—just start. You’ll figure out a path, I promise.