Don Raleigh III: Event Speaker
Evolve Payment
11 years inside the payment ecosystem helping merchants, operators, and financial professionals understand the complexities of payment processing and compliance.
FinTech · Accounts Receivable · Cannabis Compliance
Why Don for Your Event
Don Raleigh III is an award-winning payments professional and recognized industry leader, recently named a “Top Payments Leader” at the PBC Conference. Don has a unique position in the payment ecosystem, translating payment jargon and regulations into digestible takeaways stakeholders can walk away with.
Backed by Evolve Payment’s 24 years of merchant services experience, Don brings a depth of institutional knowledge that most speakers in this space simply don’t have access to. When he walks into a room, he’s not working from theory.
Audiences consistently leave his sessions surprised by the complexity of payments and how many players are involved in a single transaction. And perhaps most importantly, many are surprised to learn that they, not their service provider, are responsible for their own compliance.
Speaking Topics
FinTech & PCI Compliance Understanding the payment ecosystem
A clear-eyed look at what actually happens when a payment is made, including the players, the data, and the liability. Most business owners assume the system just works. Don breaks down why that assumption is a risk, covering PCI compliance as a practical framework rather than a checkbox exercise. Attendees leave knowing what questions to ask their processors and what answers to expect.
Key takeaway: Confidence in process, confidence in payments.
Accounts Receivable Optimization
A practical look at how businesses can strengthen cash flow by modernizing accounts receivable processes. Don explores the hidden inefficiencies in invoicing, collections, payment acceptance, and reconciliation that quietly slow down revenue and create unnecessary administrative burden.
Rather than focusing on theory, he shares actionable strategies to accelerate payments, reduce friction for customers, and improve visibility into cash flow. Attendees leave with a clearer understanding of how to optimize receivables, ask better questions of their financial partners, and turn payment operations into a strategic advantage.
Key take away: Accounts receivable is more than collections — it is a cash flow strategy. Small payment process improvements can create measurable business impact.
Cannabis Compliance: The legal vs. non-compliant landscape
Cannabis operators face one of the most complex payments environments in any industry. The rules are nuanced, the consequences of getting it wrong are real, and the liability lands on the business owner.
Drawing on firsthand experience working within regulated payment systems, Don breaks down what cannabis operators need to understand before they sign anything, and what a compliant payments setup actually looks like in practice.
Key takeaway: Know the landscape. Own your operation.
Don’s Past Events & Associations
Formats & Availability
Preferred formats: Panels · Workshops
Available for: In-person and travel engagements
Book Don for Your Next Event
Whether you’re organizing a fintech summit, a cannabis industry conference, or a financial professionals event, Don brings specialized knowledge your attendees won’t find anywhere else. And he has the real-world experience to back it up.