Hello South Novato Living neighbors,
My name is Steven Schaefer, founder of CHIPP. As a longtime Novato resident, I care deeply about the success of our local businesses— the restaurants, shops, service providers, and professionals who make our community vibrant. My mission with CHIPP is simple: help businesses in Novato, Marin County, and the Bay Area keep more of their own hard-earned money.
Over the years, I’ve seen just how much local businesses quietly pay in credit card and payment processing fees. These fees often go unnoticed because they’re buried in statements or bundled into complex pricing structures. But when we take a close look, the numbers can be eye-opening. It’s incredibly satisfying to help a local business discover they can save $10,000, $30,000, $60,000—or even more—every year simply by restructuring how their payment processing works.
Those savings go straight back into the business. That might mean hiring another employee, upgrading equipment, investing in marketing, sending your kid to college, or simply improving profitability. Instead of sending those dollars to large processing companies, our goal is to help keep that money circulating right here in our local economy.
One of the biggest reasons we’re able to provide such significant savings is that payment processing has changed dramatically in just the past few years. Technology has simplified what used to be a confusing and opaque system. Today’s modern platforms allow for far more transparency and efficiency in how payments are handled, tracked, and processed.
Unfortunately, many businesses are still using setups they established five, ten, or even fifteen years ago. At the time, those systems may have been the best option available. But the industry has evolved rapidly—new pricing models, better technology, and more streamlined solutions are now available that simply didn’t exist back then.
When we review a business’s current processing, we often find unnecessary markups, outdated equipment, or fee structures that no longer make sense. By modernizing the system and aligning it with today’s technology, we’re often able to dramatically reduce those costs while making the payment experience smoother for both the business and their customers.
What I enjoy most about this work is the reaction from business owners when they see the potential savings. Running a business is hard enough—especially in today’s economic climate. If we can help owners keep tens of thousands of dollars each year that they’re currently paying in unnecessary fees, that’s a win for them and a win for our community.
If you own a business in Novato or anywhere in Marin County, I’d love to connect. I offer a completely free consultation where we review your current processing setup and identify opportunities to save. There’s no pressure—just a straightforward conversation about how much you might be able to reduce in payment processing costs.
You may be surprised by what we find.
If you’d like to see how much your business could save, reach out to me directly. Let’s make sure more of your hard-earned money stays exactly where it belongs— right in your business.
Steven Schaefer, founder of CHIPP Payment Processing and longtime Novato resident, helps Marin businesses reduce costly credit card processing fees and keep more of their hard-earned revenue. There isn’t a local business we haven’t been able to save money for. Call 415-246-2988 for a free consultation.
