Episode #428 - Payment Pioneers: How To Revolutionise Micro-Business Payments - with Roman Loban

Welcome to another episode of ScaleUp Radio! I’m your host, Granger Forson. You can learn more about my journey and mission at www.bizsmart-gloucestershire.co.uk or connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com).   Today, we dive into the inspiring entrepreneurial saga of Roman Loban, the dynamic founder behind two innovative fintech companies, Xiva and FMPay. Both businesses aim to reshape how micro-businesses handle their financial transactions, with a special focus on inclusivity and local community support in Cheltenham.   In this episode, Roman shares how he bootstrapped his way to fintech innovation, starting with FMPay and later introducing Xiva, each complementing the other’s services. Roman’s approach to building a local yet expansive company—currently boasting about 30 staff members, with a core team in Cheltenham—illustrates his commitment to community and accessible business practices.   We’ll explore the challenges he faced in recruitment, culture cultivation, and lead generation, and how these experiences shaped his business philosophy.   Roman also discusses his future plans for FMPay and Xiva, focusing on expanding services and solidifying their status as the go-to payment providers for Southwest England. He shares valuable lessons on the importance of balancing technological advancement with human interaction, ensuring that every client feels connected and supported.   Roman’s journey is not just about building successful businesses but also about empowering others, fostering a sense of ownership among his team, and maintaining a deep commitment to his vision despite the hurdles. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersections of technology, entrepreneurship, and community impact.   To ensure you don’t miss any inspirational future episodes do subscribe to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.   So, let’s now dive into the inspiring journey of innovation, leadership, and community with Roman Loban.   Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.   If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin   You can get in touch with Granger here: grangerf@biz-smart.co.uk     Kevin's Latest Book Is Available! Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up. More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/   Roman can be found here: https://fmpay.me/ https://xiva.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-loban/   Resources: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/extreme-ownership-how-u-s-navy-seals-lead-and-win-jocko-willink/651009?ean=9781250183866 Lex Fridman Podcast - https://lexfridman.com/podcast/ Chat GPT - https://chat.openai.com WhatsApp - https://web.whatsapp.com/