How Sherpa Saves $50 per Payment Using Venn's Free Local Transfers

Company: Sherpa

Interviewee: Thuvaraka, VP of Finance

Location: Toronto, Canada

About Sherpa

Sherpa makes it easier for people to cross borders. The company partners with airlines, travel management companies, and online travel agencies to create an integrated travel document experience, giving travellers access to their visa and entry documents throughout their entire journey. Sherpa also helps reduce the operational headaches that come with managing travel compliance for its partners.

The company has about 40 people distributed worldwide, with most of the team based in Toronto. After securing $8.5M in Series A funding, Sherpa has continued to grow its partnerships and expand its platform across the travel industry.

The Problem

Slow wires, high fees, and a finance process that required trips to the branch

Before Venn, Sherpa relied on traditional providers and corporate cards to manage business expenses and international payments. As a company with partners around the world, sending commission payments and vendor payouts was a core part of the finance team's work, and the process was not keeping up.

"We were finding that it was taking up a lot of time. The processes were very slow, especially to transfer money. We have a global business, so we have a lot of payments that need to be made internationally. And the wires could take three to five days."
- Thuvaraka, VP of Finance at Sherpa

Wire fees added up quickly. Sherpa was paying steep fees on every outbound transfer, and even when a payment was sent incorrectly by the provider, the company had to absorb costs while waiting weeks for funds to be returned. On top of that, sending wires often meant the CEO or Thuvaraka had to physically go to a branch, pulling leadership away from higher-value work.

The Solution

A single platform that replaced branch visits with same-day global payments

Venn replaced the manual, costly processes Sherpa had been dealing with. International payments that used to take days and require in-person visits now go out from a single platform, with full visibility and control.

Here is what changed once Sherpa switched to Venn:

- Multi-currency accounts to hold and send funds in different currencies

- Fast international payments that reach partners in their local currency

- Transfer rules and approval workflows for stronger internal controls

- QuickBooks integration to streamline bookkeeping and accounts payable

- Virtual cards for flexible team spending as the company grows

Why Venn

Days saved every month and a finance workflow that finally scales

For Sherpa, the impact went beyond lower fees. The entire accounts payable process got faster. Commission payments to airline partners and international vendors that used to eat up days of work each month now go out in a fraction of the time.

Venn's multi-currency accounts mean Sherpa can hold funds in the currencies they need and pay partners in their local currency without unnecessary conversions. The transfer rules feature gives Thuvaraka the ability to step back from day-to-day payment processing while maintaining oversight. Her bookkeeping team sets up payments, and she reviews and approves them directly in the platform.

As Sherpa's needs have evolved, so has the platform. Thuvaraka sees Venn as a long-term fit, not just a short-term fix.

"I don't think I can go back to traditional solutions, honestly. As we grow, Venn provides us with new and innovative products. As our business changes, I've found that you guys have also changed your business to match some of the needs that we have."
- Thuvaraka, VP of Finance at Sherpa

Who Venn is for

Canadian companies with international operations that need less friction in their finances

Venn works best for Canadian companies that send and receive payments across borders and need a simpler way to manage it all as they scale. This includes businesses with global partners, international vendors, or growing teams that need better controls without added complexity.

For companies like Sherpa, financial operations cannot depend on branch visits and manual wire transfers. Paying partners worldwide, holding multiple currencies, and keeping the accounts payable process efficient need to work without eating up leadership time or adding unnecessary costs. Venn replaces fragmented, slow processes with a single platform that supports day-to-day operations as the business grows.

For Sherpa, that meant fewer branch visits, lower fees on every payment, and a finance workflow that finally keeps pace with their global business.

Join the companies that use Venn to manage global payments, reduce costs, and operate with confidence. Try Venn today!

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How does Sherpa use Venn to pay international partners?

Sherpa sends commission payments to airlines and travel companies worldwide through Venn's platform. Partners receive funds in their local currency, even when Sherpa sends from a USD or other currency account. This removes the need for partners to absorb conversion fees on their end.

Can Venn replace in-branch wire transfers for international payments?

Yes. Before Venn, Sherpa's leadership had to visit a branch in person to send large wire transfers. Venn handles international payments entirely online, with no branch visits, no size restrictions that force payment splitting, and processing times measured in hours rather than days.

How do approval workflows work on Venn?

Venn's transfer rules feature lets administrators set up approval requirements for outgoing payments. At Sherpa, the bookkeeping team prepares payments and the VP of Finance reviews and approves them before they go out. This adds internal controls without slowing the process down.

What types of Canadian businesses does Venn work best for?

Venn is built for Canadian companies that regularly send or receive payments across borders. It fits teams that need multi-currency accounts, lower fees on international transfers, and tools like virtual cards and accounting integrations, without the overhead and wait times that come with traditional providers.

How much can a business save by switching from wire transfers to Venn?

Wire fees at traditional providers typically run $40 to $50 per outbound transfer, and many also charge for incoming wires. Venn's local transfer network eliminates those fees entirely for supported corridors. For a company like Sherpa that sends a high volume of international payments, the savings add up to hundreds each month.

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