Making Waves in the Payments Space
Founded in 2006 by John Morris (CEO) and his partner Shaler Alias (President), REPAY is a leading omni-channel payment technology provider modernizing three diverse and underserved verticals – personal loans, automotive loans and receivables management. These verticals represent a market projected to grow to approximately $535 billion of annual total payment volume by 2020, and in an effort to grow the company in this competitive market, REPAY sought a majority recapitalization transaction in 2013.
James Outland, who led the investment process for New Capital Partners, helped position NCP as the preferred partner for growing REPAY. Along with Outland, Ryan Berg joined the newly reorganized REPAY Board of Directors, and a partnership between the two companies was born. Morris said, “James and Ryan provided tactical advice and direction as we began to scale the company, balancing our product offerings with additional infrastructure and executive leadership, allowing us to expand and build out our overall technology stratagem.”
NCP recruited a CFO and helped recruit a CTO to build out a proprietary payment gateway for REPAY. In addition, NCP was able to create a critical sponsor-bank relationship with National Bank of Commerce, another NCP portfolio company, to accelerate growth.
“Resourcing NCP’s invaluable advice, REPAY began executing on our acquisition strategy, allowing us to expand our value proposition. Beginning to execute on our technology strategy, REPAY bought and developed our own gateway. Bringing on fresh talent in conjunction with building and developing our own technology led REPAY to create significant long-term shareholder value,” Morris said. In just three years, REPAY grew its profitability more than 325%.
REPAY’s incredible growth and profitability resulted in significant interest from other companies hoping to acquire REPAY. NCP worked with the management team to exit the business in late 2016, and REPAY has continued to grow. Morris said, “The wisdom and advice NCP presented REPAY afforded us the opportunity to build our business while creating a camaraderie that has developed over time into lasting friendships between our companies and our executives.”