Leaf Opens Platform, Takes Agnostic Approach To Payments Acceptance

Leaf today is unveiling an “open approach to payments acceptance” granting businesses the ability to accept many types of payments from one single platform, and taking an agnostic approach to the future of payments. Why does Leaf believe it’s uniquely positioned in the market, and what are its goals for 2013? PYMNTS.com spoke with Aron Schwarzkopf, founder and CEO at Leaf, to find out.

Leaf Opens Platform, Takes Agnostic Approach To Payments Acceptance

From a merchant’s point of view, little is certain when it comes to the world of payment acceptance. With a mix of entrenched and disruptive companies and technologies all vying for their share of the market, it’s hard for merchants to predict which payments trend will come next. Plus, no two businesses are exactly alike, and so their needs differ on a case-by-case basis. 

Aron Schwarzkopf, founder and CEO of Leaf, says that’s why his company believes in one core philosophy: agnosticism. PYMNTS.com spoke with Schwarzkopf about his company’s recent announcement, why an open platform is so important and how Leaf stands out in a crowded space.

According to Schwarzkopf, Leaf classifies itself not as a payments company but rather as a commerce company. The main distinction there is that rather than simply facilitate payments, Leaf provides a solution that lets merchants run all aspects of their businesses through data and customer interaction.

“We’re unique because we’re removing the friction that is associated with merchants having to deal with legacy or new players, both in payments and in loyalty and extra services,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing that we’re doing. We pretty much mediate between all of these providers and the merchant itself, and it requires a lot of technology.”

Leaf’s position as a mediator – and one that’s open to many types of payments – is what makes it such a unique offering in Schwarzkopf’s eyes.

“Agnosticity is key, especially for small-to-medium businesses. The reason being is that every merchant is completely different. And you’ll never find a cookie cutter way or a close approach that will make sense for all the business,” he added. “So by opening our platform we’re actually allowing the merchant to start personalizing his tools and start fitting them in to the needs of his business.”

To hear more Schwarzkopf on Leaf’s open platform and his goals for 2013, listen to the full podcast here.

   

*If you have trouble with the audio player above, click here.


Aron Schwarzkopf

Founder & CEO, Leaf

Aron is the founder and CEO of Leaf, creators of the world’s first tablet specifically designed for commerce. Leaf’s online management and analytics platform helps small business owners run and grow their business and get more out of their everyday transactions. Aron started Leaf upon graduating from Babson College, where he now mentors students on how to bootstrap and finance new startup ideas. In the past year, he has led Leaf from an idea on a napkin to processing over $20 Million in payments through the platform. Mass High Tech recently named the company as one of five startups to watch.