Paul Alex
Former Oakland police officer turned entrepreneur, founder of Cash Swipe and host of The Level Up Podcast
Paul Alex (Former Oakland police officer turned entrepreneur, founder of Cash Swipe and host of The Level Up Podcast) hosts The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex. Topics they speak about most include Credit card processing, Law enforcement careers in the United States, Personal accountability.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Credit card processing
Alex says merchant accounts typically pay $300 to $1,000 in monthly residual income, with rare outliers far higher.
“On average, you guys can make in residual income $300 to about $1,000, okay?”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 55:30
Alex claims traditional processors charge small businesses tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in fees.
“the banks and the large credit card processing companies are charging them tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 54:09
Law enforcement careers in the United States
Alex says he earned about $250,000 a year as a police officer only by working 80 to 100 hour weeks.
“what I had to do to get to that number, which was 80 to 100 hour work weeks”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 42:21
Alex recommends that aspiring entrepreneurs spend a few years in policing to build leadership and people skills.
“if you want to get into business, you want to be a multimillionaire, go into policing for a couple of years”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 37:10
Personal accountability
Alex argues that people who claim to lack time are actually choosing not to make time.
“It's not that you don't have time. It's you choose not to have time”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 57:35
Entrepreneurship
Alex says he committed fully to entrepreneurship by selling his house and moving away, which brought his biggest growth.
“when I decided I was going to go full-time entrepreneur, I was burning the boats”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 48:36
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Alex says many officers do not realize they have PTSD until they are unable to sleep at home.
“you don't know that you have PTSD until you're at home, not being able to sleep”
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex: From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark Masa (Aug 5, 2025) · Listen from 6:37
Podcasts hosted
- The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex · 1 episode in TMT
Appearances
From Police Academy Reject to Building a Credit Card Processing Business ft. Mark MasaThe Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex · Aug 5, 2025 · 1 h 15 min
Host Paul Alex talks with police officer Mark Masa about his rejections, law enforcement career, Christian faith, and starting a credit card processing business.
Often appears with
- Mark Masa · 1 shared episode