5 Effective Ways to Solve Seasonal Cash Flow Business Challenges

Expanding your business is an exciting opportunity, but it can also present serious challenges. One of the most common is actually cash flow issues. How? If the business is growing, shouldn’t you have more money flowing in? Business may have increased, but you might need to pump money into equipment or hiring new staff so you can keep up with demand. Until you can get that new computer system or hire that extra person, your customers are experiencing a bumpy sort of service. Your income could be uneven as a result, as you might not have the products they want when they want them. You might have trouble getting invoices out on time. Does this sound like your business? A merchant cash advance could be just what the doctor ordered. The benefits of an MCA could help you manage the cash flow issues presented by an expanding business. Here’s how.

Merchant Cash Advances Help You Get the Cash You Need

A merchant cash advance, or MCA, gives you access to funding based on your future credit card or debit card sales. The lender will look at your past sales, then extend you an advance as a percent of estimated future sales. That means the more sales you’re likely to make, the bigger the advance can be. In turn, you can invest it into whatever you need it for. That’s because the MCA doesn’t have to be directed towards certain goals, unlike an equipment loan or a payroll loan. You can use the funds for what you need, when you need it.

MCA Repayment Terms Are More Flexible

Another bonus of a merchant cash advance for a growing business is that the repayment terms are more flexible. With a traditional loan, you’ll have a set payment that you have to make every month. With a growing business, income can be unpredictable. That, in turn, could lead to situations where you’re crunched for cash. You may feel squeezed needing to make your monthly loan payments. That could lead to bigger problems, such as a poor credit score or even defaulting on a loan. Since an MCA is made against your future sales, you pay it back as you make those sales. If your sales dip lower than expected, then your payment falls too. If you make more, then you can pay your loan back faster.

It’s Faster to Get a Merchant Cash Advance

If you find yourself in a pinch over payroll or other financial obligations, then you might wonder what choices you have to get the funding you need. A merchant cash advance is much faster than getting a traditional loan. That makes it the perfect stop-gap measure for a growing business. Whether an unexpected expense crops up or sales grew slower than you’d hoped, an MCA can help you make up the difference.

Need Some Cash?

If your growing business needs a quick influx of cash right away, then it’s time to get in touch with a merchant cash advance provider. With their help, you can keep your business growing the right way.

What is a business line of credit?

A business line of credit (LOC) is designed to meet the short-term financing needs of businesses. Basically, it is a revolving sum of money lent to a business owner. The borrower pays interest on the borrowed amount while the interest rate may be at a fixed or variable rate, depending on the borrower’s financial state. LOC is a type of debt financing, which is offered by traditional financial institutions in Canada. A business line of credit is often referred to as a “corporate line of credit”. As a debt instrument, they are both the same.LOC is very much like a credit card for your business. The business owner will be given a pre-approved credit amount from which he can draw capital as needed. Once the funds are used, the borrower will need to repay the amount including the interest over the repayment term as agreed. A business line of credit is one of the many options to fund your business or to get funds for a new business. It gives access to affordable credit if the borrower qualifies. The LOC provides ready cash flow, that could help solve the liquidity problems that small businesses tend to suffer the most.

What is a small business line of credit?

Lending providers offer a small business line of credits to small-sized businesses with different combinations of rates and qualifications. These may include the following:  

• An unsecured line of credit (up to $50,000)
• Secured credit (up to $1,250,000)
• Floating interest rates
• Business insurance
• Shorter approval/processing times
• Low monthly fees

A small line of credit under $300,000 can be approved online. For small business owners, a line of credit is one of the easiest ways to secure cash flow for their business operations. The application for a small business line of credit is typically short, and approval can be granted within one business day.

How to get a line of credit for your business?

Banks in Canada have a variety of LOC products for small and mid-sized businesses. You should consider applying for a business line of credit at a bank you’re already registered to. Make sure to apply for a line of credit ahead of time as, unlike loans, it can take up to a month to get approved. In order to apply for a line of credit, you should open a business bank account. Below is a list of documents that you would need to provide for your LOC application:

• Two pieces of government-issued IDs
• Proof of income
• Business financial statements, including income, expenses, assets, and liabilities
• Other personal- and business-specific information such as an address, license number (if applicable), and how long you’ve been in business

How to get approved for a business line of credit?

Whether or not your line of credit is approved depends on your credit score and your business qualifications. The higher your credit score and the more stable your business income, the more likely it is that you will be approved for a line of credit, and the larger it will be. It is very important to have a good credit score and to keep your business financial documents in order. If a bank is unable to adequately assess your business potential, it will lower the chance of receiving a line of credit. With a private lender, things are a bit easier as the lender may adopt different criteria and qualifications to advance the line of credit. Also, private lenders are more open to lending to businesses with lower credit scores. Remember, when looking for a small business loan line of credit, make sure to evaluate several options. The majority of small businesses prefer to choose private lenders as they are able to receive more flexible offers. Check out how merchant cash advance works to see if your business qualifies.

Why is a business line of credit better than a loan?

A business loan is typically obtained and disbursed only for a specific purpose. It is meant to provide access to capital for a one-time, major financial expenditure. Therefore, to manage your operating cash flow, you will have to apply for multiple business loans – each of which will negatively affect your credit score.However, a business line of credit allows you to improve your credit score. You only borrow the money you need and pay interest based on that amount. A business LOC allows for greater financial planning and resolves cash flow problems that small businesses often experience.

Why you may be denied a line of credit?

There are a number of reasons why you may be denied a business LOC. Most likely, your bad credit score will lead to a refusal, but that is not the only reason. The line of credit may be refused for a number of reasons, including:

• Purpose of LOC does not meet the required criteria
• Your industry is too risky
• The commercial bureau reports negative performance
• Business revenues indicate insufficient ability to handle monthly payments

Having a low credit score doesn't mean you can't take any type of loan. Check out some ways to get a business loan with a bad credit score.

Approaching a private lender for a small line of credit

If you require a moderate-sized line of credit, it is worth approaching a private lender. A small lender will not require as many documents as the bank, and the approval process will be faster as well. Also, private lenders accept applications for LOCs online and you can get request a quote online. Private lenders will help you understand why your line of credit has been denied by the bank and can provide the necessary funding in a shorter time with less hassle and stress and treated as bad credit debt help. If you are interested in an alternative solution made for small businesses, talk to one of our experts today for the best business cash advance loans.

2M7 Financial Solutions is proud to announce the recipient of the 2022 “Forward Thinkers” scholarship – the annual scholarship that recognizes distinguished and entrepreneurial students who encompass 2M7’s values and demonstrate a genuine desire to make progressive strides that help drive their desired industries forward.“We’re pleased to award this year’s Forward Thinkers scholarship to Beiya Xie, a Business student majoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, who challenges the status quo and thinks outside the box to find innovative solutions to improve her family’s small business,” said Avi Bernstein, CEO of 2M7 Financial Solutions. “Since its inception, 2M7 has been driven to support forward-thinking small businesses in their journey, and Beiya demonstrates a level of dedication and innovation that is at the core of our business values.”As a proudly Canadian owned company, 2M7 strives to stay at the forefront of its industry and offer an alternative lending solution that better fits the needs of small businesses in Canada – giving them quick access to the funding they need to expand and accelerate their growth in order to succeed in today’s competitive landscape.“Canadian entrepreneurs and small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and 2M7 has an unwavering commitment to helping them grow. Just as with our small business clients, we believe it’s important to give students the opportunity to excel in their fields,” said Avi Bernstein. “Beiya demonstrates a deep passion for improving the products her family business offers, a vision for expanding the services they provide, and a dedication to customer service excellence that 2M7 is proud to support.”Founded in 2008, 2M7 Financial Solutions has grown into one of Canada’s largest merchant cash advance providers – providing over $250 million in small business funding to date. With extensive expertise in Canada’s lending landscape, and a deep understanding of the challenges that small businesses face in getting approved for loans, 2M7 helps business owners get the financing they need.

About the “forward thinkers scholarship” by 2M7

The ”Forward Thinkers” scholarship is an annual scholarship program, established by 2M7 Financial Solutions to recognize outstanding students who are pursuing or entering full-time studies in Business, Finance, or an equivalent program. The scholarship is awarded to students that encompass 2M7’s core values and demonstrate a genuine desire to make innovative stride that drive their industries forward. For those interested in applying for the 2023 scholarship, please follow 2M7 on Facebook for updates on next year’s scholarship.