Spotlight on an ETA CPP: Amanda Beam, Humboldt Merchant Services

Amanda Beam, Director, Partner Relations, Humboldt Merchant Services

Since 2018, Amanda Beam has been an ETA Certified Payments Professional (ETA CPP) when her desire to cultivate her knowledge of the payments industry led to her to pursue the designation. She is a volunteer leader on the ETA CPP Credentialing Committee and is always looking for opportunities to expand the program’s reach. Amanda’s involvement in the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA) and Women’s Network in Electronic Transactions (Wnet) allows her to speak with up-and-coming payments professionals on the benefits of the ETA CPP designation.

We asked Amanda if she could share with the Transaction Trends audience why she has supported the ETA CPP program.

Q. Can you describe an instance when being a ETA CPP gave you the competitive edge over another individual or organization?
A. My ETA CPP designation gave me a competitive edge when applying for positions within the payments industry. I’ve been with Humboldt Merchant Services for more than 14 years; I started my career on the customer support/service side and moved to the sales side of payments. My desire to continue cultivating my knowledge of the payments industry pushed me to pursue the ETA CPP certification. I believe it gave me a competitive edge to be promoted into the director role since my certification as an ETA CPP demonstrates an extra layer of dedication and passion for the payments industry.

Q. Why does certification matter?
A. Being certified demonstrates a commitment to the industry and increases your ability to identify your merchant’s needs and help your customer. I firmly believe anyone and everyone in the payments industry should work towards getting certified.

Q. In what ways has the ETA CPP challenged your knowledge of the payments ecosystem?
A. The ETA CPP certification has challenged me. It has allowed me to become well-rounded in different aspects of the industry that are not part of my day-to-day responsibilities and stay current on what is happening in the ever-changing payments ecosystem.

Q. In what ways have you been able to market yourself as a ETA CPP?
A. I love adding my ETA CPP designation to my email signature line and LinkedIn profile to show my commitment to the industry.

Q. What advice would you give someone beginning their career in the payments industry?
A. Learn, learn, learn! Soak up as much knowledge as you can will prepare you for success in the industry.