Harlow Payments Launches Personal Pledge for Discipline-First Growth

Payments company commits to restoring trust by prioritizing operational stability over speed.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 9:18am

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Harlow Payments, a New York-based payments company founded by leaders who previously helped build and scale EVO Payments, has launched a personal pledge focused on restoring trust in the payments industry. The pledge outlines seven commitments the company has chosen to practice, including pausing decisions when alignment is unclear, prioritizing long-term stability over short-term momentum, and measuring success beyond just outcomes.

Why it matters

As payments platforms adopt new technologies like embedded finance and rapid onboarding, the cost of weak operational discipline is rising. Industry research shows chargebacks are expected to exceed $40 billion globally by 2030, with a small percentage of poorly vetted accounts driving the majority of operational losses. Harlow believes that "speed without structure creates drag" and that APIs alone don't fix broken operations, they just expose them faster.

The details

Harlow Payments was founded in 2024 by leaders who previously helped build and scale EVO Payments through its $4 billion acquisition by Global Payments. The company's goal was to "build the one we wish existed when we were on the other side of the table." Harlow's pledge outlines seven commitments the company has chosen to practice, including pausing decisions when alignment is unclear, prioritizing long-term stability over short-term momentum, empowering teams to say no without fear, and measuring success beyond just outcomes.

  • Harlow Payments was founded in 2024.
  • Harlow Payments launched its personal pledge on March 14, 2026.

The players

Harlow Payments

A payments company based in Melville, New York, that was founded in 2024 by leaders who previously helped build and scale EVO Payments.

EVO Payments

A payments company that was acquired by Global Payments for $4 billion.

Global Payments

A global payments technology company that acquired EVO Payments for $4 billion.

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What’s next

Harlow Payments invites founders, operators, and professionals to take this pledge personally, use the toolkit, and share it with others. Building durable systems starts with individual discipline and deliberate choices.

The takeaway

Harlow Payments' personal pledge highlights the importance of operational discipline and long-term stability in the payments industry, where the cost of weak discipline is rising. By prioritizing structure over speed, the company aims to restore trust and build businesses that last.