Growth Stage by FastSpring

In this episode of Growth Stage, we interview payments industry legend and VP of Payments at FastSpring, Jeremy Waxman about his thoughts on what the most common payment stack attacks are, why bad actors choose those particular types of attacks, and what you can do to make your payment stack more secure regardless of who your payment provider is. With 25+ years of experience spanning Comcast, Fiserv, and Digital River, Jeremy has seen it all — from brazen carding attacks to operationally overwhelming waves of chargebacks. In this discussion, he breaks down how fraudsters operate, the costly mistakes companies make, and what you can do to stay ahead. Listen for the full insights into: * Why carding and account takeover attacks remain the most common (and expensive) threats to payment systems. * How overlooking small data anomalies — like approval rates by BIN — can cost companies hundreds of thousands in decline fees. * Why payment fraud isn’t just about fines, but also reputational risk, operational overload, and long-term damage to approval rates. Transcript available on the FastSpring blog. [https://fastspring.com/blog/payment-horror-stories-the-how-and-why-behind-the-most-vicious-attacks-on-your-payment-stack/] This podcast is brought to you by FastSpring [https://fastspring.com/]. As the leading merchant of record payment platform for digital products, FastSpring delivers an all-in-one solution for payments, subscriptions, and automated tax compliance — enabling digital businesses to expand globally with reduced complexity and lower costs.

Building a lasting business isn’t easy.  Knowing what really makes a company succeed long term can be even harder. That’s why it can be helpful to learn from companies that have stood the test of time. In this episode of Growth Stage, we celebrate FastSpring’s 20th anniversary with insights from its first CEO, Dan Engel, and current CEO, David Nachman. They share: * What has helped FastSpring thrive for two decades. * What mistakes to avoid when building your own business. * What it really takes to build something that lasts. Whether you’re planning to exit in two years or fifty, take a moment to step back and think about the long term future of your business. Watch or listen now! Transcript available on the FastSpring blog. [https://fastspring.com/blog/what-it-takes-to-build-an-enduring-business-celebrating-20-years-of-fastspring/] This podcast is brought to you by FastSpring [https://bit.ly/3ldGp2I]. As the leading merchant of record payment platform for SaaS and software, FastSpring lets you reduce your payments, subscriptions, entitlements, fulfillment, and tax management stack down to one. We manage all the hard parts of transacting globally, allowing you to focus on moving your business farther, faster.

Conversation with Equalize Digital CEO Amber Hinds about making the web more accessible for people with disabilities. Amber Hinds is the founder and CEO of Equalize Digital, a mission-driven agency focused on digital accessibility. As the creator of the Accessibility Checker plugin for WordPress and lead organizer of the WordPress Accessibility Meetup, Amber is at the forefront of helping companies make their websites and SaaS products usable for everyone — including people who are blind, deaf, or have mobility or cognitive impairments. In this episode, Amber shares the real-world implications of accessibility, how it intersects with SEO and compliance, and what companies can do right now to improve usability for all. To learn more about how accessibility impacts business growth, listen for the full insights into: *  Why accessibility improvements often lead to better SEO, lower bounce rates, and higher conversions *  What global regulations like the European Accessibility Act mean for SaaS and ecommerce companies *  How to start testing your website or product today — using free tools, real users, or expert audits To hear all this and more about making the web work for everyone, listen now! Transcript available on the FastSpring blog. [https://fastspring.com/blog/why-web-accessibility-is-good-for-business/] 00:00 Introduction to Accessibility and Equalize Digital 03:05 Understanding Website Accessibility 05:58 The Importance of Accessibility 08:56 Legal Implications of Accessibility 11:45 Barriers to Implementing Accessibility 14:55 Human Testing vs. Machine Testing 17:48 User Testing and Accessibility Feedback 24:57 Effective User Testing for Accessibility 28:32 The Importance of Accessibility in Software Development 32:29 Examples of Accessibility Best Practices 38:42 Getting Started With Accessibility Improvements This podcast is brought to you by FastSpring [https://fastspring.com/]. As the leading merchant of record payment platform for digital products, FastSpring delivers an all-in-one solution for payments, subscriptions, and automated tax compliance—enabling digital businesses to expand globally with reduced complexity and lower costs.

Conversation with brandiD’s Founder and CEO Rachel Gogos about how SaaS leaders can build personal brands that drive connection, credibility, and growth. Your personal brand is more than a polished LinkedIn profile — it’s how you stand out, connect with customers, and build long-term credibility as a founder or executive. But how do you create an authentic personal brand that actually works? In this episode of Growth Stage, we talk with Rachel Gogos — Founder and CEO of brandiD — about her SOULiD framework and how digital business leaders can craft a brand that reflects who they truly are, while supporting their business goals. Rachel shares: * What makes up a strong personal brand (and why every founder already has one). * How personal branding boosts clarity, confidence, and even company resilience. * Practical ways SaaS leaders can uncover and express their unique identity. * Mistakes to avoid (like overusing AI or oversharing on social media). * Why consistency matters more than perfection. If you're a founder, executive, or thought leader looking to stand out and connect with the right audience — without turning into a personal branding cliché — this episode is for you. Listen now! Transcript available on the FastSpring blog. [https://fastspring.com/blog/how-digital-founders-can-build-authentic-personal-brands-with-rachel-gogos/] This podcast is brought to you by FastSpring [https://fastspring.com/]. As the leading merchant of record payment platform for digital products, FastSpring delivers an all-in-one solution for payments, subscriptions, and automated tax compliance—enabling digital businesses to expand globally with reduced complexity and lower costs.

Conversation with Nexus CEO Justin Sacks introducing the FastSpring and Nexus web shop integration. If you're looking for one of the fastest ways to launch your D2C channel, you may be interested in hearing more about the incredibly easy-to-implement solution offered through a partnership with D2C payment platform FastSpring and creator program in a box provider Nexus. In this episode of Growth Stage, we interview CEO of Nexus Justin Sacks about his thoughts on: * The core challenges the partnership was established to address. * How the integration works. * Exactly how publishers can use FastSpring + Nexus to quickly launch a successful D2C channel. If you're sitting on your hands worried that launching D2C has to be a massively disruptive project, you may be surprised what is possible for you and your players. Listen now! Transcript available on the FastSpring blog. [https://fastspring.com/blog/introducing-the-fastspring-nexus-web-shop-integration/] This podcast is brought to you by FastSpring [https://fastspring.com/]. As the leading merchant of record payment platform for digital products, FastSpring delivers an all-in-one solution for payments, subscriptions, and automated tax compliance—enabling digital businesses to expand globally with reduced complexity and lower costs.