Monday, March 31, 2014

Join Trout at Cy Fair Wine Fair Saturday April 5th 5:30-8:30pm

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Weekly Newsletter from Trout Payment Systems
 

Cy Fair Wine Fair 2014 

Saturday April 5th 5:30-8:30pm

Cypress Village Station (290 and Skinner Rd)



Having volunteered at this event last year at the Karbach beer booth, I can say first hand that this is a great event and that you should buy your tickets immediately as they may be unavailable by Saturday.

There were dozens of booths sampling wine and food, and of course the beer garden. Proceeds benefit Reach Unlimited which focuses on servicing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For further information visit: http://www.winecyfair.com/Events.shtml

Last Week: 2014 Economic Outlook Forum

Last Friday the Houston NW Chamber put on a fantastic seminar addressing some of thek economic influences that will impact NW Houston. 

These issues included mobility, changing demographics, regulation, tax code, and of course our primary driver oil & gas. I will be sharing and analyzing some of these issues in the coming week on my blog so stay tuned.

Pro Networking Tips on Troutpays.blogspot.com

As many of you can see, I lean heavily on professional networking to grow my business. My latest entry explains why bringing a friend to a networking event will help get you better results in Pro Networking Tip #4: the Buddy System, Networking Teamwork.

This Week: Meet the Mentors with Houston Young Professionals

Meet some of Houston's most influential citizens such as Jamey Rootes, President of the Houston Texans, in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. 

Each mentor sits at a table with a dozen young professionals to give advice and answer questions about how they can position themselves for success.

Wanted: Business to Business Client Referrals


Know a B2B shop that takes credit cards or debit cards? Are they using Intuit merchant services? Do they have an online payment system? Contact Trout today and we can analyze their service plan to see if we can lower their costs and/or improve service.

Join Trout at this week's events:


4/2 Wednesday
Houston Young Professionals Meet the Mentors, RDG + Bar Annie
2:00-6:00 pm

4/5 Saturday
Cy Fair Wine Fair, Cypress Village Station
5:30-8:30 pm


 
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Mobility Panel Follow Up: Texas Central Railway Promo



As a follow up to this morning's post on the mobility forum, I have included a quick video from the Texas Central Railway website. I realize that this isn't about credit cards or merchant services, but understanding the local economic landscape is vital to uncovering business opportunities. You never know, if I can develop relationships with TCR this early, maybe Trout can negotiate the billing system RFP and take a cut of every ticket sale.




Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: The Mobility Panel at the 2014 Economic Outlook Forum


Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: The Mobility Panel at the 2014 Economic Outlook Forum

Trout Payment Systems - 3.31.2014

Houston is the energy capital of the world. With the rest of the nation stuck in the worst post WWII “recovery” thus far, while the energy markets enjoy $100/barrel oil prices and a domestic E&P renaissance, people are moving here in record numbers.

The Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical area added more residents last year than any other U.S. Metro area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Patrick Jankowsi, economist and VP of research at the Greater Houston Partnership, added that Harris County had the largest population increase, adding 82,890 residents and remains the nation’s third most populous county with just over 4.4 million residents.

As any native Houstonian or new residents can attest, traffic, congestion, and overall mobility is a major problem. Fortunately, plans are underway to alleviate these problems and panelists shared some of the highlights of impending improvements and insights into the planning process.

The first area addressed was the 290 corridor, a vital artery linking Northwest Houston to the loop 610. This project is a pure partnership between Harris County and TXDOT, in which they will share $1.8 billion in costs with the county shouldering $400 million of the burden. Precinct 4 Commisioner Jack Cagle indicated that as a major stakeholder and beneficiary to this improvement, the county showed great initiative through this partnership to accelerate the project timeline.  Another innovative feature that hastened construction has been the use of “design build” approach which consolidates oversight with one contractor overseeing the entire project.

This has allowed for greater flexibility and prioritization in segment build outs. For instance, the people of Tomball emphasized the importance of working on the segment of 290 closest to them which feeds into 2920, a major artery for the town, and not pushing the project off into the next decade. Why? Baker Hughes and many of their suppliers and vendors are in Tomball.

To address the traffic issues of Woodlands, Spring, and Klien residents, Harris county will be adding lanes and extending the Hardy Toll road to I-10. In some areas of Harris county, lane expansion and extension is not an option, and changeable lane assignments will be attempted. This means that during peak hours there will be multiple turning lanes in areas with frequent bottlenecks, beginning with N. Eldridge at W. Little York and Kuykendahl at Louetta.

In addition to intercity mobility, panelist Robert Eckels, President of Texas Central Railroad presented plans for a high speed rail between Houston and Dallas. Modeled on the Japanese system, which has been used for 50 years without a single train accident fatality, the idea is to travel between Houston and Dallas in 90 minutes or less at about three quarters of the cost of flying.

This 10 billion dollar project will be privately funded, with a major Japanese bank and other institutional investors backing it. They are currently analyzing several options of connecting routes, one which would run nearly parallel with I-45, another which would trace along 290 before connecting at College Station and heading north, and one that follow the old Teague line in between the two alternatives. A station would be place in Northwest Harris county, and the system would be built for expansion and integration with other modes of travel.

As the world’s energy capital, Ian Wadsworth, head of the Houston Airport system explained that the city is modernizing its airport system to facilitate it’s growth as an international city. With modern aircraft like the Lufthansa A 380, which has a composite body that is lighter and has greater range, Houston can service direct flights to international locations such as Tokyo, Munich, and Qatar. In fact, there are now daily flights to Munich whereas just a few years ago there were only several per week.


Houston is uniquely positioned to serve as a hub to middle America and Latin America, and over 150 million dollars will be spent in upgrading Hobby to add an international terminal. With nearly 50 million planning and deplaning each year at Bush Airport, and currently 10 million passing through Hobby each year, another 10 million additional annual customers may not be out of the question.

Having grown up in Houston, and remembering when the highway 290 was itself a construction project in Cypress, it is fascinating to think that these mobility options could be a reality. To think that a person could hypothetically take a bullet train from Dallas to Houston, hop off the train station and drive down 290 to Beltway 8, and then jump on an international flight from Hobby to a distant point in South America is amazing. Who would have thought the bayou city would one day become an international city.

Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems


Friday, March 28, 2014

Pro Networking Tip #4: The Buddy System: Networking Teamwork

It’s pretty easy to spot people who feel awkward about not knowing anybody at a networking event. They are usually standing around on their own, making extra trips to the bar or food line, or standing on the periphery of the action. They may even be on their phones scrolling through messages, reading news, or playing Angry Birds. Some may even start calling people to look busy. I should know, because I’ve done all of the above, especially when I was just starting out.  Even as a social person with more than decade of sales under my belt, I still feel a little bit coy when I am at an event where I really don’t know anyone.



One easy way to boost your networking success is to bring a networking buddy, preferably one who is  social and can bring talking points. A quick personal example in my case was that of a recent US Mexico Chamber of Commerce event.   I knew that many members would be Spanish speaking as this chamber focuses on Mexican businesses looking to expand, set up shop, or do business in one way shape or form in the US.  Aside from naughty words and ordering a beer, my Spanish is limited, so I invited a friend of mine who was fluent and also interested in the event. At the event I actually met a CPA who does lots of cross border business who also owns a number of local restaurants that was interested in my services.

With the buddy system you have to make yourselves approachable, and work as a team to meet people of interest.  If you and your buddy stand face to face talking with one another and ignoring the rest of the crowd, that does not invite conversation from others. If, however, you stand side by side in the middle of the crowd engaging in light banter but extend a handshake and a smile to those around you,  that could easily make you the life of the party.  Sometimes you will need to approach people of interest as a team, especially when a lot of other people are jockeying for their attention such as when a high ranking executive or a politician are in attendance.

If you are a bit more advanced, you and your networking buddy could work the room by splitting up to approach different groups and individuals. Then you and your buddy can introduce the people that you just met, and if appropriate introduce some more people to them thereby increasing your visibility at the venue. 


Working alone, you may only meet 5 people of interest, but working as a team you get a multiplier effect which can help you make a connection with 15 people. One last thing, if you are “rolling deep” and have an entire army of networking friends, it’s a good idea to split into smaller groups to maximize your coverage.
Networking, once again, is about expanding your sphere of influence, and what better way to demonstrate your capability as a social connector than actually demonstrating it at a networking function.


Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Pro Networking Tip #3: Identify Your Ideal Client for Better Referrals

Pro Networking Tip #3: Identify Your Ideal Client for Better Referrals

Trout Payment Systems 3.26.2014

Often times during networking functions I will hear people say that anyone is a good referral for their business. In the off chance that statement may be true, it is still not the most effective way to solicit referrals.

Many of the people I encounter are small business owners or are sales professionals that work in service and customer relationship oriented businesses which means they really should concentrate on higher pay off clients and not attempt to be everything to everyone. They are not Walmart or Best Buy, who by the way, have target markets and within those markets, market segments. One exercise that can help clarify your ideal client, and by extension help in defining to people who you want them to refer to you, is to look at customers on a grid of maintenance vs. profit margin.


In the grid above, you have low maintenance high profit margin clients. Wouldn’t that be your ideal client? They pay you a lot of money and your upkeep is minimal. Next, you have your high maintenance high profit margin. You make a lot of money off of them, but they make you work for it, which is fine because there is a very healthy margin. Next you have your low profit, low maintenance client. You don’t make much off of them but they don’t ask for a lot so it’s still a good client to have. Lastly, you have your high maintenance low profit margin account. These clients are difficult if impossible to please due to the type of service that they require, or perhaps because of their attitude and the way they do business. To top it off you are not making much if any money with this type of account, and in fact could be taking a loss.

When you ask for a client, do you really want people to send you high maintenance low profit accounts? Not if you want to stay in business for long. Whatever your business may be, figure out what type of clients tend to fit into these categories.

Maybe you only want to work on high profit margin clients, the next thing you want to determine is what kind of people tend to know those high profit margin clients. This is part trial and error as it never hurts to ask, but you also have to play it smart and focus on networking groups that have a greater chance of connecting you with your target clients.

For instance, I am interested in doing business with Mexican firms expanding into the US. Although I am in several local chambers of commerce, the chamber that puts me in the best position to meet those kinds of clients is the US Mexico Chamber of Commerce. That is why I am working on developing relationships with the chamber leadership, which is an ongoing effort.

Only you know what is best for your business. Figure out who your ideal clients and position yourself to ask the right people for those referrals. 

Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems

Monday, March 24, 2014

Pro Networking Tip #2: Have a Sandwich Introduction

Trout Payment Systems- 3.24.2014

Pro Networking Tip #2: Have a Sandwich Introduction



Most chamber of commerce functions or networking groups I am a part of have events where attendees take turns giving a quick 30 second to 1 minute introduction on their business. It is usually obvious which people are new to the game of networking and public speaking because they struggle to deliver an introduction. Some of these folks are highly qualified and have decades of experience in their vocation, but nonetheless, sales, marketing, and public speaking are new to them.

Fortunately, giving a short introduction that communicates the highlights of your business in a memorable way is a task that nearly anyone can accomplish if they follow a simple format known as the “Sandwich Introduction”.

Whether it is a club sandwich, a subway sandwich, or a bahn mi sandwich, which by the way is my favorite, the meal is typically defined by having a meat held in between two pieces of bread. Yes, there can be lettuce, pickles, onions, and other condiments to add flavor, but the substance, such as pastrami or shredded beef, is what fills you up and the bread is there as a convenient edible packaging.
A “Sandwich Introduction”, like it’s tasty namesake, has a similar format. The “bread” is your name and the name of your business. The “meat” is the description of your firm, product, services and target customer. The “flavor” or “condiments” is your hook, or some kind of memorable one liner that sticks in people’s heads. 
Example:

“My name is Napoleon Butic, and I am the owner of Trout Payment Systems. We hook Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on credit card and debit card processing services. We have competitive rates, free equipment, and month to month no termination fee service plans so if you don’t like what we do, you can cut us loose and throw us back. This week I’m looking to work with companies using Quickbooks to do their processing as they are overpaying for processing. Once again my name is Napoleon Butic with Trout Payment Systems.”

The most important part of that introduction is my name, followed by the name of my company. I gave a general description of what I do, and threw in some puns to help people remember me. Notice that I’m not trying to overload people with too much information or try and close the sale. All I am trying to do is get people to remember me, and at best case look to talk to me during the mix and mingle portion of the event.

Before going to a networking event, script and rehearse your sandwich introduction so that you can deliver it effortlessly. Try it out on some people and see what they think, and make adjustments as needed. Rehearse your intro a few times in the car before going to the event so the words will be loaded into your head, put a smile on your face, and you should be ready to go!

Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems

Friday, March 21, 2014

March Madness Buzzer Beater: Texas over ASU


3.21.2014

It's been reported that offices lose billions of dollars in productivity during the opening week of March Madness and with the excitement of close games like Texas' close win over Arizona State, one can see why.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400546930

It was great to see my alma mater win that buzzer beater, but it's also good to see the bar and restaurant friends of Trout picking up business during this great sports week.


Thursday, March 20, 2014

Pro Networking Tip #1: It's Called Networking Not Net-Sitting

Trout Payment Systems 3.20.2014

Today I kick of a series of posts that address my main avenue of generating business, professional networking. Although I did 10 years of sales and marketing back at my old job in New York, I never pressed the envelope as aggressively as I have in the past year when I got started in merchant services sales. Having launched my own business in mid January, I have taken my networking activities to yet another level.

I by no means profess to know everything about networking, but I have definitely picked up some very helpful bits of wisdom along the way that I would like to share in hopes of assisting others in getting the most out of their networking activities.

Professional networking tip #1 is "It's Called Networking Not Net Sitting!"




Just about every time I've visited a prospect or client's office it always begins with an offer for a coffee, soda, or a water. I prefer water for most meetings, unless we are out meeting at a Starbucks, but I digress. The point of business meetings, however, is not to drink the coffee, water or soda, but rather to discuss business matters whether they be a sales pitch, ways of working with one another, project and planning details, etc. The conversation and dialog among the meeting participants is primary and hopefully moves parties towards a mutually desirable objective.

Similar to a business meeting, professional networking events are meant to facilitate dialog and conversation among attendees. However, these events tend to have a broader scope, lean more towards the social networking end of the spectrum, and are often tied to breakfast, lunch, or some kind of happy hour. This is great to the extent that it sets the stage for people to introduce themselves to absolute strangers, or people that they may have seen around but just that familiar with. So, most people will be in agreement that the point of the networking function meet new people or get to know people a little better, and the more the merrier.

Nonetheless, rather than networking, I often see people make the mistake of "net sitting." They will find a table, a chair, or some peripheral area "out of the loop" and sit down, most often with people that they see at the office every day, or very frequently. This is often followed next by  "net eating" and "net drinking" which is fine, but once again what's the point of going to a networking event if you are just going to drink and eat with people you already know pretty well and can meet on your own time.

When I go to networking events, even the ones that I help manage, I am on my feet the entire time unless a sit down meal is part of the program like a formal luncheon with a speaker. Some people have commented that I am never in one place for long and am constantly moving around from person to person. That is a fair assessment, because my focus at networking events is on meeting people I don't know yet and finding out more about them. Sales and networking is a numbers game and the more people you speak with the better your odds of success. Even if I am talking with people I already know pretty well, I make it a point to remain standing and stay as approachable as possible.

If you sit down at a networking event, you make yourself less approachable. If you go to a networking event, sit at a table with friends, and order a meal, you are definitely not approaching people and you've made yourself unapproachable too all but the most presumptuous of strangers. When was the last time you introduced yourself to a person sitting down at a table with company chowing down on food, and how did that go?

The point of networking in general is to grow and enhance your sphere of influence. Networking functions like happy hours are the bread and butter of this activity, but it's not about the food, it's about the dialog. Stand up and be heard, as a closed mouth does not get fed and unless you expect business to be served to you on a silver platter you need to let your feet put you in the best position to succeed.

Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems




Monday, March 17, 2014

Trout CEO Awarded Ambassador of the Month by Houston NW Chamber

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Weekly Newsletter from Trout Payment Systems, Saint Patrick's Day Edition
 

Trout CEO Awarded Ambassador of the month by Houston NW Chamber



As a businessman focused the local community, I am honored to be awarded for my service in the esteemed Houston NW Chamber. I highly encourage businesses to join their local chamber.

Read more on my blog: http://troutpays.blogspot.com/

Last Week: Phone Banking with Houston PBS

I had the great pleasure of volunteering with fellow members in the Houston West Chamber of Commerce to help raise money for Houston PBS. In the several hours we were there phone banking, we raised over $16,000. That's at least a day's supply of food for Cookie Monster!

Key event this week: HYPE Happy Hour Wednesday 3/19

As a member of both the Houston NW Chamber and the Cy Fair Chamber, I greatly enjoy combined events such as this one. Houston Young Professionals Endeavor focuses on bringing out the young professionals in the area in a social atmosphere. It will be held at Baker St. Pub 25618 Northwest Freeway Cypress, TX 77429 from 5:30-7:30. 
 

Join Trout at this week's events:


3/19 Wednesday
HWCOC Business over Breakfast
7:00-9:30 am, Westside Cafe

HYPE Happy Hour
5:30-7:30, Baker St Pub

3/20 Thursday
Texas Young Professionals, 3rd Floor Bar
5:30-7:30

Texas Exes March Madness Happy Hour, Local Pour
7:00-10:30
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Friday, March 14, 2014

Sam Houston Race Park, the Case for Expanded Gaming in Texas

Sam Houston Race Park, the Case for Expanded Gaming  in Texas


Yesterday I attended the monthly Houston Northwest Chamber luncheon, which was held at the Sam Houston Race Park.  During high school, friends of mine used to valet cars at the park and had plenty of interesting stories to tell about customers flush with cash driving in with Corvettes, Cadillac’s, and lifted 4 X 4 trucks and giving 20 dollar tips. More recently, another friend was the executive chef at the Steamboat Steak House next door to the track, and had regulars who would tip big after a day of picking winning ponies.

Despite the proximity to the park I rarely visited, and had little interest in horse racing until I went to my first Belmont stakes while living in New York and won about 600 bucks fading Funnycide in 2003.
After moving back to the area in 2010, and understanding the fun of horse racing, I've realized that the race track had a lot of underutilized potential. During yesterday’s luncheon, Andrea Young, President and COO of Sam Houston Race Park talked to the chamber a bit about the need to push for legislative action to put expanded gaming to ballot. 

As it stands, the park is going to continue to face headwinds for growth if they have to rely exclusively on horse racing for revenue. To illustrate this point, in a show of hands in the room of roughly 100 people, only several people indicated they have been to the park in the past several years to see thoroughbred racing. Since 2002 there has been a 72% reduction in thoroughbred racing in the state of Texas, and with it a corresponding drop in revenue, as it just has not been able to gain interest. The park has had to adapt to this change through offering concerts, reducing the total number of races per year to increase the quality of races, and I have also seen them advertise ostrich and camel races.

However, all of these pale in comparison to the potential revenue that could occur with casino style gaming. Currently, 40 states have legalized casino gaming, but Texas is not one of them. This void in gaming is currently being filled by casinos in Oklahoma and Louisiana, with an estimated $3.1 billion in Texan gaming revenue being spent in those states. If casino style gaming were allowed in Texas, it is estimated that that when considering the gaming revenue, hotels, and associated entertainment, that there would be a roughly $8.5 billion annual economic benefit.

For instance, the Sam Houston Race Park only uses half of it’s 300 acre property. The commercial real estate development, hotels , restaurants, and other forms of entertainment businesses along the beltway 8 corridor would have a drastic economic impact. The stretch of Beltway 8 from 290 and I-45 has commercialized greatly in the last decade, and in the short time that I have been back in the area I continue to see numerous oil and gas related firms set up shop.

Less than 5 miles past I-45, is Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Having just listened to the plans for major airport system expansion earlier this week, I would imagine that as Houston becomes a major hub for international travel that business synergies abound . Having a world class entertainment option less than 10 minutes from IAH is yet another avenue in which revenue could compound.  After getting off a direct flight from Qatar, what better way to welcome a business traveler to Houston than a suite at a W hotel next to the Sam Houston Race Park and Casino?

One can only imagine the possibilities, which is why there is an effort to keep gaming off of the state ballot. Andrea indicated that nearly every poll shows roughly 80% support for expanded gaming within the state of Texas. So, who could be working to keep such a popular initiative from being considered by the voters?

Consider this, Landry’s purchased a casino and hotel in Lake Charles last year and has invested another 600 million dollars in development. WinStar Casino, the 2nd largest casino in the US is 1.6 miles north of the Red River in Oklahoma.  There is a vested interest in keeping casino style gaming out of Texas, and these folks play hardball.


As a local resident and business owner, I am for everything that is good for the local economy, and this one is a no brainer. Creating local jobs, keeping money in the neighborhood, and heck bringing international money in would be a rising tide that lifts all boats.  


Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems, a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Napoleon Butic Awarded Ambassador of the Month by the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce

Trout Payment Systems 3.13.2014 -

When I entered the merchant services industry in late 2012, I immediately understood the importance of being a trusted member of the local business community. Esteemed civic organizations such as the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce are a vital proving ground for not only one's business, but one's character. In this forum, the regard of your fellow members carries much more weight than a six figure ad campaign.

I am honored to accept this award, and will endeavor to uphold the spirit of commerce and community service through my dealings in the chamber and my company Trout Payment Systems.


Jim Ball, with Cruise One and head of the Ambassador Committee and Adrian Cadena of Frost Bank who is the Chamber Board Treasurer.



I am also thankful to have had my friends from JVPNG present. Rick Skinner, with Edward Jones, John Winans, with ReDirect Magazine, and Gilbert Castillo of Texas Flooring and Renovation.



Program from the luncheon. I'm looking forward to hearing what Douglas Stephens from Baker Hughes has to say later this month. 

Was Target Asleep at the Wheel During the Credit Card Data Breach?


Trout Payment Systems 3.13.2014 - Anyone who has a car alarm installed knows that sometimes the slightest thing can set it off. My favorite is when some kid rolls by in his dropped Impala with a trunk full of sub woofers and deafening blast of base that leaves a wake of blasted ear drums and alarm sirens ringing that people ignore.

I don't know if there were false alarms that desensitized the staff at Target to the warning systems but according to Bloomberg, they may have been asleep at the wheel.

"The story they tell is of an alert system, installed to protect the bond between retailer and customer, that worked beautifully. But then, Target stood by as 40 million credit card numbers—and 70 million addresses, phone numbers, and other pieces of personal information—gushed out of its mainframes."

via Bloomberg

Napoleon Butic is the CEO and founder of Trout Payment Systems,a merchant services provider focused on hooking Houston area businesses up with the best deals and service on debit/credit card processing. For more information visit troutpays.com  or like our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/TroutPaymentSystems