A payment industry professional with more than two decades of experience, Leo Daboub joined Fountain Valley, California’s Atlantic Pacific Processing Systems (APPS) in 2012, a provider of merchant payment tools and related services. As the chief revenue officer, he drives all organic growth initiatives at APPS. Leo Daboub oversees financial forecasting and various initiatives aimed at generating new revenue.
Earlier in his career, Leo Daboub worked as a sales agent with Payment Resources International (PRI) in Orange County. During his time in this role, he oversaw new client acquisitions. He received the company’s Sales Representative of the Year award in his first year and soon managed most of the PRI marquee clients. Between 2004 and 2012, he served as the senior vice president of business development at TransFirst Merchant Services. In 2005, he earned the TranFirst Merchant Services MVP award in recognition.
Leo Daboub has worked in all areas of the payment industry, including credit card processing, ACH processing, and other sectors. His professional affiliations include the California Municipal Treasurers Association, the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers, and the Government Finance Officers Association.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
A typical day is structured around clear priorities and efficient time management. I begin by reviewing objectives and identifying the most important tasks that require focused attention. Larger responsibilities are broken down into actionable steps to ensure steady progress throughout the day.
To remain productive, I work in planned blocks of time, minimize distractions, and regularly track progress against goals. I also allow time for brief breaks to maintain concentration and avoid fatigue. When priorities shift, I reassess and adjust accordingly to stay aligned with overall objectives.
At the end of the day, I review completed tasks and prepare a plan for the following day. This routine supports consistent productivity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I bring ideas to life by first clearly defining the goal and understanding what problem the idea is meant to solve. Once that’s clear, I break the idea down into practical steps and focus on execution rather than perfection.
I like to test ideas early, gather feedback, and make adjustments along the way. Staying flexible and open to collaboration helps refine the idea and turn it into something tangible. By staying organized and following through, I’m able to move ideas from concept to real, usable outcomes.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The trend that excites me most in the merchant processing industry is the rapid expansion of embedded finance, along with continued innovation in AI-driven fraud prevention, digital wallets, and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) solutions. These technologies are fundamentally changing how merchants integrate payments into their operations, making transactions more seamless, intelligent, and customer-centric. Embedded finance allows businesses to offer payment and financial services exactly where customers need them, while AI-powered fraud tools enhance security without adding friction. At the same time, digital wallets and BNPL options are giving consumers greater flexibility and convenience, which directly impacts conversion and customer satisfaction. Together, these trends are not only improving the payment experience but also creating new revenue opportunities and helping merchants scale more efficiently in an increasingly digital marketplace.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
One habit that really boosts productivity for me is building my day around energy, not just tasks. That means taking care of health and leaving room for hobbies, instead of treating them like rewards you only earn after burnout.
Health-wise:
I treat the basics as non-negotiable. Sleeping enough, drinking water, eating real food, and moving my body a bit every day. Nothing extreme—just consistency. Even a short walk or light stretch resets your brain, improves focus, and keeps you from hitting that midday mental wall. When your body feels okay, your mind stops fighting you.
Work-wise:
I break work into focused chunks and start with something small and achievable. Momentum matters more than motivation. I also stop before I’m completely drained—ending on a “I could do a bit more” note makes it easier to come back the next day.
Hobbies-wise:
This is the secret weapon. I protect time for hobbies during the week, not just on weekends. Creative or fun activities—writing just for fun, music, games, learning something random—refill mental energy in a way scrolling never does. Hobbies remind you that your brain is allowed to play, which actually makes it sharper when it’s time to work.
The big picture:
Productivity isn’t about squeezing more out of yourself. It’s about creating a life where your mind and body actually want to show up. When health and hobbies are part of the system, work stops feeling like a constant uphill climb.
What advice would you give your younger self?
You don’t need to rush becoming “someone.” You already are someone. The pressure to define yourself early will tempt you into shrinking—into choosing labels, paths, or versions of yourself that feel safe or impressive. Resist that. Leave room. You’re allowed to be unfinished for a long time.
Pay attention to what drains you and what gives you energy. Not what looks good on paper. Not what earns approval. Energy is the most honest feedback system you have. Protect it like it’s nonrenewable—because some days, it is.
You will mistake intensity for love, urgency for importance, and noise for meaning. Slow down enough to notice the difference. The things that last usually feel steady, not dramatic.
Be careful with the way you talk to yourself. That inner voice becomes the narrator of your life. If you make it cruel, the world will always feel hostile—even when it isn’t. Practice fairness there before you expect it from others.
Learn to sit with discomfort instead of immediately trying to escape it. Not every bad feeling needs a solution, a distraction, or a story. Sometimes it just needs space. Growth often feels like confusion before it feels like clarity.
You will lose people. Some by choice, some by circumstance, some without ever really understanding why. It doesn’t always mean you failed. Relationships can be meaningful even if they’re not permanent. Let them be chapters, not verdicts.
Don’t wait for permission. No one is coming to tap you on the shoulder and say, “Now you’re ready.” Most people are improvising. Start before you feel confident. Confidence is usually the result, not the prerequisite.
Take care of your body in boring ways. Sleep. Move. Eat. Drink water. Future-you will be deeply grateful for the unglamorous consistency.
Keep evidence of your progress. Your memory will lie to you on hard days and tell you you’ve always been this lost. You haven’t. You’re just between versions.
And when you feel behind—because you will—remember this: life is not a race with a single route. You’re not late. You’re just on a path that requires different timing.
Above all, trust that you’re learning, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Especially then.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I think being “brutally honest” is usually just laziness dressed up as courage.
Most people who pride themselves on “telling it like it is” aren’t actually committed to truth—they’re committed to not doing the extra work of saying something truthfully and kindly. Real honesty takes effort: timing, empathy, context, and restraint. Brutal honesty just skips all that and calls it authenticity.
Almost nobody likes hearing this because we’ve romanticized bluntness as strength. But quietly considering how your words land? That’s the harder flex.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Pause and actually ask: “what problem am I really trying to solve right now?” I do it constantly—and I recommend it to everyone because it’s weirdly life-changing.
So many things we stress over are solutions masquerading as problems:
• Arguing –> really wanting to feel heard.
• Procrastinating –> really avoiding uncertainty.
• Chasing productivity –> really craving clarity or rest.
That one question:
• Cuts through noise.
• Stops unnecessary overthinking.
• Saves time, energy, and a LOT of emotional chaos.
It works for work, relationships, decisions, even dumb spirals at 2 am.
If I had a close second: write things down. Your brain is a terrible storage device but a great processor.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
1. I zoom out before I zoom in.
If my thoughts are tangled, I pause and ask: “What’s actually the problem right now?” Not the whole life pile—just the next 10 minutes.
2. I shrink the task on purpose.
Overwhelm loves big, vague goals. I turn them into something almost laughably small:
• “Open the document.”
• “Write one sentence.”
Momentum usually follows.
3. I dump everything out of my head.
Notes app, paper, messy bullet list—no organizing. Just getting thoughts out lowers the mental noise instantly.
4. I change my body to change my brain.
Stand up. Stretch. Drink water. Take five slow breaths. Even a 2-minute reset can flip the switch.
5. I remove choices.
Too many options = paralysis. I pick one thing and tell myself, “You’re not deciding anything else until this is done.”
6. I give myself permission to not be perfect.
Overwhelm often hides perfectionism. I remind myself: done > perfect > imagined.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that has had the biggest impact on growth—both in business and career advancement—is intentional, long-term relationship building.
This goes far beyond traditional networking or collecting contacts. It’s about consistently showing up, adding value, and building genuine trust with people over time—even when there’s nothing to gain immediately. That might look like sharing useful insights, making introductions, offering help without being asked, or simply staying in touch in a meaningful way.
What makes this strategy so powerful is compounding. Skills, talent, and hard work matter, but relationships multiply their impact. The more people who trust your work and your character, the more opportunities naturally come your way—referrals, collaborations, promotions, and leadership roles often happen because someone believes in you enough to open a door.
In business, strong relationships lead to repeat clients, partnerships, and word-of-mouth growth that no ad budget can replace. In a career, they lead to mentors, sponsors, and advocates who speak your name when decisions are being made behind closed doors.
The key is consistency and authenticity. When people feel that your interest in them isn’t transactional, they’re far more likely to invest in you long-term. Over time, those relationships become one of your most valuable assets—and often the quiet force behind sustainable success.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
One failure in my career as a leader was moving too quickly to solve a problem myself instead of empowering my team and seeking broader input. I believed I was being efficient, but in doing so, I limited collaboration and missed perspectives that could have strengthened the outcome. The initiative moved forward, but the team wasn’t as aligned or invested as they could have been.
To overcome this, I openly acknowledged the misstep, invited my team into the decision-making process, and shifted my leadership style to focus more on facilitation than control. I began setting clearer expectations, encouraging open dialogue, and creating space for team members to take ownership.
The lesson I took away was that effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about enabling others to contribute their best work. Since making that shift, I’ve seen higher engagement, stronger results, and more resilient teams.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Here’s a solid, no-fluff leadership truth that actually works in the real world: your job as a leader is not to have all the answers—it’s to create clarity and trust so other people can do their best work.
A few ways that plays out in practice:
• Clarity beats charisma. People don’t need inspiration speeches every day; they need to know what matters, why it matters, and what “good” looks like.
• Consistency builds authority. Say what you’ll do. Do what you say. Over and over. That’s how trust compounds.
• Listen more than you talk. The best leaders steal ideas shamelessly from their team and give the credit loudly.
• Decisions > perfection. A decent decision made on time is better than a perfect one made too late.
• Lead people, manage work. When someone’s struggling, fix the system before blaming the person.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Notion—an all-in-one workspace where you can take notes, manage tasks, build databases, track projects, and organize virtually anything in your life or work. Its flexibility lets you tailor workflows to your needs, from simple to-do lists to complex team dashboards.
Why it’s productive:
• Combines notes, tasks, and planning in one place.
• Templates for projects, habit tracking, journals, wikis.
• Works on desktop and mobile with real-time sync.
• Great for both personal use and team collaboration.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
The best $100 I’ve spent recently was on charity—because it helped someone else more than it ever could’ve helped me.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
“Think and Grow Rich” is a great book, highly recommend.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
“Succesion” TV show.
Key learnings
- Energy is the body’s most honest feedback system; pay attention to what replenishes and drains your energy and protect your energy reserves.
- Relationships are the most valuable asset for professional growth and career advancement—trust in your character can open doors to new opportunities like collaborations, promotions, and referrals.
- Execution and follow-through matter more than perfection.
- Meeting your body’s basic needs and protecting time for hobbies, as opposed to treating hobbies as rewards, are the foundation of sustained productivity.
- Effective leadership is rooted in consistency, authenticity, empathy, and two-way communication.