Strong Relationships Win Over Comic Book Store Owner

May 20, 2022

When Jesse Criscione started Jesse James Comics 13 years ago, his vision was to create a brick and mortar entertainment store. Today, his 8,000 square foot retail space in Arizona houses an impressive action figure and comic book collection, as well as one of the largest arcades in the nation. But that’s not all – after eight years in business, Jesse took a leap of faith and is now a leader in his industry for livestream sales.

Breaking the Norm

Five years ago, Jesse decided to stop purchasing his inventory from the one warehouse monopolizing the industry and move into ecommerce and eBay sales. It wasn’t long until his new business model shifted into the livestream space, and he began to sell his products live directly to consumers across the country. Although an unpopular decision at the time, others eventually recognized the value in his tactics and began to follow suit.

As livestream sales grew in popularity, “we realized that the only way to get to the next level was to seek financial help,” said Criscione. “The quality of livestreaming trumps everything,” he said, and he knew it was time that his business upped their game in the production of their video content to keep their competitive edge. Enter Forward Financing.

Working With Forward

“[Forward] really stepped up with the personal touch,” said Criscione. As he began conversations with his Independent Sales Organization (ISO) about his funding options, he really “synced with Forward.” He felt as though the team cared about his company, asking how he planned to use the funds to improve his business. He quickly realized that in order to accomplish his goals, securing a larger amount of  funding with Forward was in his best interest. With his revenue-based financing, Jesse was not only able to purchase new camera equipment as originally planned, he was also able to invest in a green screen and technical support that he wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

When it came time to renew his funding, it was a no brainer for Jesse to come back to Forward. Even when another funder offered him a higher approval, Jesse felt strongly that his relationship with his Forward contacts made renewing with us the right decision for his business. “It made sense for my brand,” he said. “If I do have an issue, I already know I can call you guys.” During COVID, Criscione took advantage of our built-in payment relief, which was a big factor in his decision to continue the relationship. Having just recently secured his second round of revenue-based financing, Jesse has purchased music to play during breaks in his live shows, and he has big plans for continuing to expand his business in the future

Interested in learning more about how Forward can help your business? Check out our product or submit your application today. Still have questions? Give us a call at 888-244-9099 or email us at, our team is available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.