Why Passive Income Is REAL in 2025: Seve Ortale Breaks Down the Payment Processing Gold Rush
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this high-energy episode of The Level Up Podcast, host Paul Alex sits down with 25-year-old entrepreneur Seve Ortale, who transformed from receiving 600 consecutive rejections to building a multi-six-figure passive income stream in credit card processing. (02:12) Ortale shares his journey from a failed e-commerce venture to becoming an ISO owner in just two years, demonstrating the power of persistence and strategic pivoting in entrepreneurship. (23:05) The conversation explores the massive opportunity in payment processing as one of 2025's biggest blue-ocean markets, with practical insights on building $20K-$50K monthly in truly passive income. (01:00)
- Main themes include overcoming rejection, building passive income through payment processing, transitioning from employee mindset to CEO mentality, and leveraging sales skills for long-term wealth creation
Speakers
Paul Alex
Host of The Level Up Podcast, which recently achieved #1 ranking in business on Apple Podcasts with over 4 million downloads. Paul is a serial entrepreneur who transitioned from corporate sales to building multiple successful ventures including ATM businesses and digital marketing companies.
Seve Ortale
A 25-year-old entrepreneur from Nashville, Tennessee who went from 600 consecutive business rejections to building a multi-six-figure residual income stream in payment processing. He transitioned from failed e-commerce ventures to owning his own ISO (Independent Sales Organization) in under two years, now generating $25-30K monthly in passive income while mentoring others through his coaching program.
Key Takeaways
Persistence Through Rejection Is Non-Negotiable
Seve Ortale experienced 600 consecutive rejections when starting in payment processing, but this rejection became his foundation for success. (16:50) His wrestling background taught him mental toughness, and he realized that if a peer could make $25-30K monthly, so could he. The key insight is that rejection isn't personal failure—it's market education. Each "no" taught him what didn't work until he discovered that providing value beyond just cost savings was the breakthrough. Practical Application: Track your rejections as data points rather than failures, and use each one to refine your approach until you find what resonates with your target market.
Value-First Selling Trumps Price-Only Pitches
Ortale's initial approach of simply offering to "save money" failed repeatedly because every competitor used the same pitch. (17:53) His breakthrough came when he shifted to identifying specific operational improvements, like replacing handwritten tickets with handheld devices and kitchen printers. This approach demonstrated tangible value before discussing pricing. The lesson is that businesses care more about efficiency and improvement than just cost reduction. Practical Application: Before pitching any service, spend time understanding the prospect's specific operational challenges and lead with solutions that improve their daily processes.
Residual Income Requires Strategic Consistency
Building passive income isn't about massive wins—it's about consistent, small victories that compound. (25:01) Ortale emphasized that even securing three deals per month creates a $10K annual raise in perpetuity. His first residual check of $355 became the foundation for eventually reaching $25-30K monthly. (18:31) The power lies in understanding that each client adds lifetime value, not just one-time revenue. Practical Application: Focus on securing 2-3 new recurring revenue clients monthly rather than chasing large one-time deals, as the compounding effect creates true wealth over time.
Network Leverage Accelerates Massive Opportunities
Ortale's biggest deals, including a $500 million processing opportunity, came through strategic networking rather than cold outreach. (02:30) A former D1 basketball player in their program connected them with a massive enterprise client. This demonstrates that building relationships within your industry creates exponential opportunities that individual effort alone cannot achieve. Practical Application: Invest 20% of your business development time in nurturing relationships with existing clients and industry connections, as they often become your best source of high-value referrals.
Action Over Perfection Drives Real Results
Ortale's payment processing logo is still a modified Canva template, proving that execution matters more than perfect branding. (34:48) He advocates for "shut up and work" mentality over spending months perfecting logos, LLCs, and other administrative tasks. His success came from immediately hitting the streets after minimal training rather than over-preparing. Practical Application: Launch your business idea with 80% readiness rather than waiting for 100% perfection—use basic tools like Canva templates and focus your energy on customer acquisition and value delivery.
Statistics & Facts
- Ortale received 600 consecutive rejections when starting in payment processing before closing his first deal. (16:50) This statistic demonstrates the extreme persistence required in sales-driven industries and shows that even experienced wrestlers and college graduates face massive initial rejection.
- His first residual check was $355 in October 2023, which he donated entirely. (18:31) This milestone represents the transition from zero passive income to proven recurring revenue that would eventually scale to $25-30K monthly.
- Payment processing agents can build $20K-$50K monthly income streams working just 1-2 hours per week once established. (01:00) This statistic highlights the true passive nature of residual income in payment processing once the initial book of business is built.
