[HDF]

Desperation is spiking. Smoke from the bonfire of marketing dollars can be seen from Miami to Staten Island. Exciting time though for professionals with entrenched plans.

[FUNd]

Exciting time though for professionals with entrenched plans.

Like the plan the big houses are currently executing by flooding media channels with mega marketing dollars and huge inside sales forces to finally crush all the laptop ISOs?

[HDF]

Like the plan the big houses are currently executing by flooding media channels with mega marketing dollars and huge inside sales forces to finally crush all the laptop ISOs?

Yes, but I was really referring to the smaller guys/gals who came in with an actual plan that differentiates them. But you are right, there is a lot going on right now:

1- Big funders filing to go public who are defending their portfolio and at the same time trying desperately to get their default rate at 5% or better so they get a better valuation should they ever manage to list in this environment.
2-Bigger funders realizing that the better ISOs big or small are not only their meal ticket but need some support. (but actually provide very little value through their outside biz dev efforts)
3- Lead sources drying up by the nano-second
4- Media stiffs and political types spending more time looking behind the curtain and opining about things.
5- Outright theft, deception, back-dooring (and sometimes bragging about it behind closed doors)
6- Yes, media buying and digital domination by large funders that all but eliminates the small guy.
7- Larger C/D paper shops who are slowly realizing that by essentially buying deals on their way towards the top they are plateauing and are pseudo collection agencies going forward.
8- "Know your client" rules and best practices are coming faster and faster.
9- Jay Ballentine sells shoes

Feel free to add on....

[TheShitzuofMCA]

Like the plan the big houses are currently executing by flooding media channels with mega marketing dollars and huge inside sales forces to finally crush all the laptop ISOs?

Its a reality the day the funding companies can cut out the ISO they will. Its business 12-14% goes to a broker with no risk to them. Funding companies hate this fact even if they don't tell you. They are all hiring in house sales teams in order to generate their own leads to eventually cut out the outside submissions, paying in-house guys 2-3% on deals. This is the time of the brokers they have the leverage until they don't anymore. That's what will happen first I think.

[BigIz]

Its a reality the day the funding companies can cut out the ISO they will. Its business 12-14% goes to a broker with no risk to them. Funding companies hate this fact even if they don't tell you. They are all hiring in house sales teams in order to generate their own leads to eventually cut out the outside submissions, paying in-house guys 2-3% on deals. This is the time of the brokers they have the leverage until they don't anymore. That's what will happen first I think.

I disagree.

The big funders can either spend 12-14% on each deal to pay the brokers and the brokers spend their own money for marketing OR they can spend 20-30% of their own money for marketing for the same deal and still have to pay their inside sales reps the 2-3%.

Either way, the risk factor stays with the Funder.

The big Funders would not get rid of their ISOs because we are really just another one of their less expensive marketing arms.

[FUNd]

I disagree.

The big funders can either spend 12-14% on each deal to pay the brokers and the brokers spend their own money for marketing OR they can spend 20-30% of their own money for marketing for the same deal and still have to pay their inside sales reps the 2-3%.

Either way, the risk factor stays with the Funder.

The big Funders would not get rid of their ISOs because we are really just another one of their less expensive marketing arms.

By driving out little ISOs, they create less competition, and therefore lower the overall cost of marketing in the long term, even though it may cost more in the short run.

Even operating at a loss for a couple of quarters in exchange for establishing brand recognition, bringing in better quality deals, reducing fraud, and eliminating high broker commissions, all while having complete control over the process from A to Z and crushing 70% of the competition seems like a fair trade strategy wise.

Not to mention eliminating the need for entire ISO support divisions which are big dollar liabilities.