Pictured: Arman Eshraghi, Qrvey
Real American Express customer who was aware his testimonial may be featured by American Express.
Arman Eshraghi still remembers his thrilling first encounter with a home desktop in the 1980s. “Before that, when somebody said ‘computer,’ you were thinking of these big building sized machines,” he recalls. “But this – this was something I could actually train, and it would get better.”
That moment in high school sparked a lifelong affinity for systems and the power of software to solve problems faster than humans ever could. Originally from Iran, Eshraghi came to the U.S. with a deep curiosity about technology and a drive to build. Over the years, the serial entrepreneur has launched four B2B software companies, each one riding the next wave of innovation – from MS-DOS to the cloud. Today, he leads his latest venture, Qrvey, an embedded analytics platform for SaaS companies, from Austin, Texas, where he lives with his family and tends to his sprawling private collection of board games in his spare time.
As Qrvey has grown into a 90-person company, Eshraghi has learned that even the best technology needs a solid financial foundation. “At the end of the day, if you can’t manage cash flow, you can’t build the business – no matter how good the product is,” he says. He has used American Express business tools to help facilitate his business growth. From his Business Cards1 to the American Express® Business Checking account2 and American Express® Business Line of Credit3 that his business depends on, Eshraghi has looked to American Express for help navigating growth with confidence. “That kind of flexibility, when you need it, is really important.”
Payment solutions for a growing business
From the very beginning, American Express has represented a valuable business toolkit for Eshraghi. Today at Qrvey, Eshraghi has earned Membership Rewards® points4 on purchases with both his American Express® Business Gold Card and The Business Platinum Card®. The benefits of Card Membership have played an important role in helping him scale business activity.
Empowering teams with responsible spending tools
As Qrvey has scaled, so has the need to equip employees with spending power while keeping stringent oversight of their spending. Eshraghi uses the American Express® Corporate Card Program5 to issue Cards to team members that applied and were approved. “You can see the statement separated by each person very easily, so that's a big plus,” he says.
With digital products like American Express @ Work6 (enrollment required), he has increased visibility into employee spending while earning Membership Rewards points5 on his team’s eligible business purchases.
Strategic cash flow management
When software clients hit economic headwinds a few years ago, Eshraghi didn't hesitate to adapt. Some customers asked to shift from annual payments to quarterly ones – a move that could strain Qrvey’s own cash flow. With extra support from the American Express® Business Line of Credit, Eshraghi had the flexibility to say yes. “If Amex could approve us for a line of credit, why not use it?” he says. “It helps them, helps us.”
An integrated approach to business banking
While not Qrvey’s primary account, the American Express® Business Checking account supports the company's financial operations in important ways. “We'd had a great experience with American Express,” Eshraghi remembers. “So, when it appeared on my radar, I passed it to our accountant who handles our financial operations and said, ‘Maybe we should try this.’” The Business Checking account has since become a valuable tool, he says, offering benefits like earning Membership Rewards® points on eligible Business Debit Card purchases
As technology has evolved, so too have the tools that support it. And for Eshraghi, American Express has been there throughout his journey. “Companies that invest in customer service are the ones thinking long term,” he says. “That's who I want to work with and that's the kind of company I want to build.”
Story Footnotes
¹Application and approval required.
Deposit Accounts offered by American Express Bank. Member FDIC.
2We are currently accepting applications from eligible U.S. businesses. Not all applicants will be approved for a Business Checking account. To learn more about Business Checking, including eligibility, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/checking/.
³American Express® Business Line of Credit offers access to a commercial line of credit ranging from $2,000 to $250,000, although some customers may have access to a larger line of credit. Decisions regarding the line of credit amount, loan fees and available installment term options are based on a review of your and your business’s overall financial profile, which may include your credit history, your relationship with American Express and other financial institutions, and other factors. The line of credit amount, loan fees, and installment term options are each subject to review and may change for future loan activity. A review of the line of credit may result in a suspension at any time, accompanied with or without a closure of the line of credit. Not all customers will be eligible for the lowest loan fees or all installment options, and not all industries are eligible. All loans are subject to credit approval, are secured by assets of the borrower, require a personal guarantee, and may be subject to late fees. Loans are issued by American Express National Bank.
Each draw on the line of credit results in a separate installment loan with monthly installments which may include 6, 12, 18, or 24 months, subject to eligibility. When you request a loan, you will be presented with the available installment option(s) and the monthly loan fee for that loan amount. The monthly loan fee is calculated as a percentage of the original principal amount of the loan and is charged monthly during the term of the loan along with a portion of the principal. Currently, the monthly loan fees may range from [0.55% to 1.55%] of the original principal amount, but the loan fee offered to you for future loans may change at any time. You will be charged monthly loan fees only for months in which the loan has an outstanding balance.
If you repay the total principal of a loan early, you will not be required to pay the loan fees that have not posted for subsequent months. American Express may offer promotions and may reduce or waive loan fees from time to time.
4Enrollment in the Membership Rewards® program is required. The American Express® Corporate Green Card and the Global Dollar Card - American Express® Corporate Green Card is charged a $55 annual Reward Program enrollment fee. If you pay an annual enrollment fee for the Rewards Program, we will bill your Card Account for the fee on the anniversary of your enrollment date (the day American Express finishes processing your enrollment). You will continue to be charged the annual enrollment fee for the Rewards Program each year until you unenroll from the Rewards Program by calling the number on the back of your Card. A program fee is not applied for the American Express® Corporate Gold Card, American Express Corporate Platinum Card®, Global Dollar Card - American Express Corporate Platinum Card®, and Global Dollar Card - American Express® Corporate Executive Gold Card. Some Corporate Cards are not eligible for enrollment. For a full list of eligible Corporate Cards, please see the full Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions. Card Member eligibility for enrollment is based upon the company’s participation in the Membership Rewards program. Employees with Corporate Green Cards selected to earn individual Membership Rewards® points must call the number on the back of their Card to complete enrollment. Enrolled Corporate Card Members earn one Membership Rewards point for every dollar of eligible purchases charged on enrolled Corporate Green Cards, Corporate Gold Cards, and Corporate Platinum Cards®. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents.
Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.
The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.
5Enrollment in the Corporate Membership Rewards program is required. Only the American Express® Corporate Green Card, American Express® Corporate Gold Card, and American Express Corporate Platinum Card® are eligible to enroll in the Corporate Membership Rewards program. The Program Administrator is charged a $90 annual enrollment fee for each enrolled Corporate Green Card. A program fee is not applied for the Corporate Gold Card and Corporate Platinum Card®. Get one Corporate Membership Rewards point for every dollar of eligible purchases charged on enrolled American Express® Corporate Cards. Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. If the Corporate Card Member is transferring from an existing Membership Rewards program to the Corporate Membership Rewards program, the Card Member will have 30 days to use any existing Membership Rewards points before they are forfeited.
The redemption value of Corporate Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them.
For the full terms and conditions for the Corporate Membership Rewards® program please visit americanexpress.com/corporatemrterms for more information. Participating Corporate Membership Rewards partners, available rewards, and point levels are subject to change without notice.
6Use of American Express @ Work® is restricted to employees, contractors and/or agents that the Company, and its representatives designate for the sole purpose of performing online account queries and maintenance, including accessing and/or creating reports relating to the Company's American Express® Corporate Card programs. @ Work is available to all companies with an American Express Corporate Card program.
Enrollment is required. To enroll in @ Work please contact your American Express Representative or call 1-888-800-8564.
