ATM Talks

What if you could build a 600-machine ATM portfolio while keeping your full-time job? Mario Rosa of Familia ATM in McAllen, Texas did exactly that. Mario's story is pure organic growth: no deep pockets, no Facebook ads. Just a trucking yard, a curious mind, and seven years of grinding. His first machine did 75 transactions in its first partial month. He watched it on a camera from bed, telling...

What if you could park an ATM at a county fair for one week and watch $200,000 flow through it? Eric from My ATM Guys has done exactly that. But he'll also tell you—the next year, that same fair dropped to $100,000. In this episode of ATM TALKS, host Franco sits down with  Eric , a second-generation ATM operator who grew up in the business when ATMs were deregulated in 1999. His father bought...

Tax season is here.  Business taxes were due March 15th. Personal taxes are due April 15th. If you're an ATM operator, you're leaving money on the table if you don't know the specific deductions available to you. In this solo episode of ATM TALKS, host  Franco  breaks down the tax strategies he uses to maximize returns, minimize liabilities, and create legitimate deductions for his ATM...

What if you could stop guessing which ATMs to hit first, stop wasting gas on inefficient routes, and see every terminal's cash level, error codes, and transaction trends in one place—updated every 30 minutes? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with  David Barefield , a retired police captain turned software developer and owner of Savannah Vending Solutions. After years of managing his o...

6What if you could add a second revenue stream to your existing ATM locations—with zero inventory management, no restocking headaches, and a 12-month ROI on hardware? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with  Nick Duckwall , CEO and co-founder of  Cargo , a battery rental technology company that's bringing the portable charging revolution from Asia to the United States. Nick pulls back t...

What if a simple software switch—with no new hardware, no keypads, and no installation costs—could turn your international ATM transactions from a money loser into a profit center? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with  Chris Green , a 20-year payments industry veteran who has worked with Global Payments, Worldpay, and Planet Payment. Chris pulls back the curtain on  Dynamic Currency Conv...

What if the worst day of your life became the spark that built a 25-year career? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with  Glen Lyons , owner of ATM Florida and a true veteran of the independent ATM industry. Glen's story is not just about machines and transactions—it's about survival, vision, and knowing when to walk away. It started with a thriving gift shop and wholesale business. Then Se...

The PAI Conference is more than just a trade show, it's a celebration of the ATM industry. In this solo episode of ATM TALKS, host Franco shares his personal takeaways and what he's most excited to explore at this year's event in Las Vegas. From the future of tap-to-pay with major banks to the lingering uncertainty around keypad replacement deadlines, Franco breaks down the critical conversations...

What if your ATM could tell you a card reader was about to fail, diagnose a down machine instantly, and even prospect new locations for you—all before your phone even rings? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with  Vince Mosca , co-founder of Highly Analytical. We move far beyond simply "placing boxes" and dive into the data-driven, AI-powered future of the ATM industry. Vince reveals how h...

Welcome back to another episode of ATM TALKS. After a few weeks away, I’m sitting down to share my raw, unfiltered takeaways from this year’s ATMIA conference in Las Vegas. I went there to see if the rumors of our industry's death were true and I came back with the opposite conclusion. This isn't a corporate press release; it's a boots-on-the-ground recap of the sessions I sat in, the...

Welcome to ATM TALKS, the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this urgent episode, we sit down with Ed Cramer, former Vice-Chair of the National ATM Council (NAC). With deep roots in industry advocacy, Ed breaks down the single most critical piece of legislation for operators today:...

New to the ATM business and drowning in industry jargon? This episode is your essential decoder ring. We break down the critical lingo every operator MUST know—from IAD (Independent ATM Deployer) and off-prem vs. on-prem, to surcharge splits, vault cash, and cash turn. We go beyond definitions and dive into the real-world math that determines your profit. We answer the biggest question:  "Wha...

What if the real money isn't in the cash your ATM dispenses,but in the toys the kid next to it wins? In this episode of ATM TALKS, we sit down with Andy Denton, owner & CEO of Candy Machines, the nation's top distributor of amusement machines. We pull back the curtain on a parallel, high-margin vending world that operates right alongside your ATM route.   Discover: • The surprising uni...

Welcome to ATM TALKS, the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Sal Salpietro, the nationally recognized "ATM CEO." With over 8,000 ATMs and 27 years in business, Sal shares the pivotal moment he stopped being  just  an operator. After 15 years...

Welcome to ATM TALKS, the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Nick, founder of ATM Geeks. After selling his ATM ISO of 12 years, Nick transformed the retained service division into a nationwide field service powerhouse covering the entire US and Canada...

Welcome to ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Yonas Markos of Gold Star Financial. Based in Maryland with over 18 years in the industry, Yonas has scaled his operation from a single, foundational gas station deal to managing several hu...

Welcome to ATM TALKS. The show where we break down the real strategies, numbers, and mindsets behind building a profitable ATM business from the ground up. In this episode, Franco from Max Cash ATM dives deep into the critical practice of annual goal-setting. Moving beyond simple "get more machines" ambitions, Franco shares his exact framework for setting measurable, impactful goals that...

Welcome to ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Franco from Max Cash ATM. What started 15 years ago as a simple gamble—a first phone call that led to his first machine—has grown into a nationwide network of over 700 ATMs. Franco walks us...

Welcome to ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Bruce Renard, the Executive Director of the National ATM Council (NAC). With over 15 years of experience leading the industry's premier advocacy group, Bruce provides an essential insid...

Welcome to ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we are joined by Lonnie Talbert, CEO of the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA). With a 35-year career in banking and financial services, Lonnie now leads the largest global association representing the entire...

Welcome to ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business. In this episode, we sit down with Todd McEwan, the founder and president of New England ATM LLC. With a background at major financial institutions like J.P. Morgan Chase, Todd made the "leap" in 2012 to build his...

Welcome to the very first episode of ATM TALKS — the show where we interview real ATM operators, processors, and industry pros to bring you unfiltered, practical knowledge about running an ATM business . To launch our series, we’re joined by Ed Cramer , the founder of Pro Solv Solutions (ATM processing & support) and Cash In The Spot (his own ATM deployment company). Ed brings valuable insight...