MRG Helped Deluxe Pivot from Checks to Payments and Data Growth
MRG Helped Deluxe Pivot from Checks to Payments and Data Growth
MRG unlocked P&L flexibility, landed multimillion-dollar contracts, and activated shopper data monetization, enabling Deluxe to fund digital growth, reframe its brand, and scale payments into a $600M revenue engine.
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Years Modernized
Transformed Checks Into Digital Revenue
Unlocked P&L to Fund Huge Growth
Data + Payments Became the Engine
The Assignment
The assignment was to take a legacy check-printing business and turn it into a digital payments and data company — unlocking new revenue without breaking the P&L, overextending capex, or stalling the core print engine in the process.
The Challenge
TransFirst was a strong merchant acquirer - but lacked e-commerce distribution and channel partnerships, weakening its strategic value to large buyers who prioritized omnichannel reach and scalable SMB acquisition.
TransFirst was a strong merchant acquirer - but lacked e-commerce distribution and channel partnerships, weakening its strategic value to large buyers who prioritized omnichannel reach and scalable SMB acquisition.
MRG’s Solution
Activating executive-level distribution partnerships (GoDaddy, Bluehost, Web.com), engineering commercial terms to unblock selling, and embedding operators to drive activation and KPI traction - turning a strategic weakness into a valuation driver.
Activating executive-level distribution partnerships (GoDaddy, Bluehost, Web.com), engineering commercial terms to unblock selling, and embedding operators to drive activation and KPI traction - turning a strategic weakness into a valuation driver.
The Shift
Deluxe wasn’t just selling checks anymore - but the market still saw them that way. Their biggest constraint wasn’t technology - it was financial framing.
Milestones That Followed
Board hires Barry C. McCarthy (ex-First Data) as CEO to lean into payments and data.
Deluxe completes its largest deal: First American Payment Systems for $960M, immediately scaling Merchant Services and doubling Payments revenue run-rate to $600M.
Company narrative shifts from check printer to “trusted payments and data company,” with ongoing moves in direct-biller and embedded payments.
Why It Mattered
Strategic buyers pay premiums for three things:
Predictable recurring revenue
Proven channel reach
Low execution risk post-acquisition
TransFirst’s under-leveraged e-commerce channel was the Achilles’ heel in its valuation story.
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“MRG created revenue channels and margin where none existed. They turned cost centers into growth levers — and helped us generate millions straight to the bottom line.”
Damon Fieldgate
President & GM, Small Business Services
CASE-STUDIES
See our partnership success stories
Every partnership tells a story. From Microsoft to Deluxe, Endurance, and beyond, Merchant Resource Group has helped leading companies unlock new revenue, scale faster, and capture greater enterprise value. Explore how our strategies, playbooks, and precision execution have turned complex challenges into measurable results across payments, and ecommerce.
CASE-STUDIES
See our partnership success stories
Every partnership tells a story. From Microsoft to Deluxe, Endurance, and beyond, Merchant Resource Group has helped leading companies unlock new revenue, scale faster, and capture greater enterprise value. Explore how our strategies, playbooks, and precision execution have turned complex challenges into measurable results across payments, and ecommerce.
CASE-STUDIES
See our partnership success stories
Every partnership tells a story. From Microsoft to Deluxe, Endurance, and beyond, Merchant Resource Group has helped leading companies unlock new revenue, scale faster, and capture greater enterprise value. Explore how our strategies, playbooks, and precision execution have turned complex challenges into measurable results across payments, and ecommerce.
Our Awesome Journey
Our Awesome Journey
Our Story
To date, we have sold over 50,000 merchant accounts and worked with some of the most credible brands.
1998
Founded on Microsoft Roots, Built for Small Business
Spawned from Peter's days at Microsoft, Merchant Resource Group (MRG) was founded on the simple principle that small businesses should be able to leverage tech without having to learn it.
1998
Founded on Microsoft Roots, Built for Small Business
Spawned from Peter's days at Microsoft, Merchant Resource Group (MRG) was founded on the simple principle that small businesses should be able to leverage tech without having to learn it.
1998
Co-Founder, Cardservice NetCommerce (Acquired 2002)
Co-Founded Cardservice international NetCommerce, acquired by iPayment in 2002.
1998
Co-Founder, Cardservice NetCommerce (Acquired 2002)
Co-Founded Cardservice international NetCommerce, acquired by iPayment in 2002.
1999
Co-Founder, AmeriMerchant (Acquired by Capify, 2003)
Co-Founded AmeriMerchant, the larget cash adcancec payments company lending over $1B to small business since its inception. Acquired by Capify in 2003.
1999
Co-Founder, AmeriMerchant (Acquired by Capify, 2003)
Co-Founded AmeriMerchant, the larget cash adcancec payments company lending over $1B to small business since its inception. Acquired by Capify in 2003.
2004
Founder, InternetMerchant.com (Acquired by PowerPay/EVO, 2009)
Founded InternetMerchant.com, acquired by PowerPay/EVO in 2009
2004
Founder, InternetMerchant.com (Acquired by PowerPay/EVO, 2009)
Founded InternetMerchant.com, acquired by PowerPay/EVO in 2009
2007
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
2007
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
2018
Joint Venture with Deluxe Corporation
Joint venture with Deluxe Corporation building a $10M+ book of business within 2 years
2018
Joint Venture with Deluxe Corporation
Joint venture with Deluxe Corporation building a $10M+ book of business within 2 years
2020
MRG Launches Persistent.ID
MRG acquires PersonLink and launches Persistent.ID to address digital marketing that our merchants need to succeed, increasing sales and average ticket per sale with email marketing.
2020
MRG Launches Persistent.ID
MRG acquires PersonLink and launches Persistent.ID to address digital marketing that our merchants need to succeed, increasing sales and average ticket per sale with email marketing.
2021
MRG Invests in Convesio & Klickly
MRG strategically invested in Convesio and Klickly to fuel a dynamic, high-performing martech ecosystem with advanced auto-scaling infrastructure and AI-driven commerce solutions
2021
MRG Invests in Convesio & Klickly
MRG strategically invested in Convesio and Klickly to fuel a dynamic, high-performing martech ecosystem with advanced auto-scaling infrastructure and AI-driven commerce solutions
2024
Developed & Optimizing IntentWave Platform
Developed and actively optimizing Intentwave, our all-in-one SaaS MarTech platform to integrate full-funnel sales and marketing tools. We provide top-tier automation, real-time insights, and a revenue-driven ecosystem, driving conversions and scaling with precision.
2024
Developed & Optimizing IntentWave Platform
Developed and actively optimizing Intentwave, our all-in-one SaaS MarTech platform to integrate full-funnel sales and marketing tools. We provide top-tier automation, real-time insights, and a revenue-driven ecosystem, driving conversions and scaling with precision.
Our Awesome Journey
Our Story
To date, we have sold over 50,000 merchant accounts and worked with some of the most credible brands.
1998
Founded on Microsoft Roots, Built for Small Business
Spawned from Peter's days at Microsoft, Merchant Resource Group (MRG) was founded on the simple principle that small businesses should be able to leverage tech without having to learn it.
1998
Co-Founder, Cardservice NetCommerce (Acquired 2002)
Co-Founded Cardservice international NetCommerce, acquired by iPayment in 2002.
1999
Co-Founder, AmeriMerchant (Acquired by Capify, 2003)
Co-Founded AmeriMerchant, the larget cash adcancec payments company lending over $1B to small business since its inception. Acquired by Capify in 2003.
2004
Founder, InternetMerchant.com (Acquired by PowerPay/EVO, 2009)
Founded InternetMerchant.com, acquired by PowerPay/EVO in 2009
2007
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
Founded iPayment USA, acquired by PaySafe
2018
Joint Venture with Deluxe Corporation
Joint venture with Deluxe Corporation building a $10M+ book of business within 2 years
2020
MRG Launches Persistent.ID
MRG acquires PersonLink and launches Persistent.ID to address digital marketing that our merchants need to succeed, increasing sales and average ticket per sale with email marketing.
2021
MRG Invests in Convesio & Klickly
MRG strategically invested in Convesio and Klickly to fuel a dynamic, high-performing martech ecosystem with advanced auto-scaling infrastructure and AI-driven commerce solutions
2024
Developed & Optimizing IntentWave Platform
Developed and actively optimizing Intentwave, our all-in-one SaaS MarTech platform to integrate full-funnel sales and marketing tools. We provide top-tier automation, real-time insights, and a revenue-driven ecosystem, driving conversions and scaling with precision.