Tips and Resources for Running Businesses in Ontario

As a celebration of Small Business Month, 2M7 Financial Solutions is proud to announce its team will be featuring its simple, flexible funding alternative at the 2022 Small Business Summit in Toronto to help more Canadian companies succeed. Since its inception, 2M7 has been dedicated to providing small business owners in Canada with a simpler and faster borrowing solution – providing the cashflow they need to run and grow their operations, even if they don’t qualify for traditional business loans.“

It’s getting exponentially harder for small business owners to qualify for loans from banks and other financial institutions, so 2M7 strives to provide the fastest and least complicated alternative to help support our Canadian entrepreneurs,” said Avi Bernstein, CEO of 2M7 Financial Solutions. “We believe it’s more important than ever to help small Canadian businesses grow, and our team is excited to take part in this year’s summit to meet the small business owners who are the true backbone of our economy.”

2M7 has helped thousands of businesses get funding to hire staff, buy inventory, repair equipment, expand to new locations, and more. Designed specifically for Canadian small business owners, 2M7’s merchant cash advance solution gets companies the funding they need – faster. Based around simple terms and flexible repayment structures, small businesses can easily get the cashflow they need, while having peace of mind that repayments are based on their month-to-month sales performance. Unlike banks, 2M7 provides its clients with fast funding, depositing funds directly into their bank accounts within 24-48 hours to invest almost immediately in their operations, however they see fit.“

In this fast-paced era, 2M7 has been proudly helping Canadian companies bring their businesses online to establish a global reach, as well as financing the digitalization of their processes in order to streamline operations, so our team is excited for this year’s summit theme of Embracing Digital Disruption,” said Avi. “With an increasingly competitive business landscape, and the ease of accessibility to a global market, we’re proud to give small businesses the competitive edge to grow even faster.”

To learn more about 2M7’s merchant cash advances for small businesses, please visit the 2M7 Financial team at booth #014 in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, on Wednesday, October 26^th, or to see how much funding your business qualifies for, click here.

About the 2022 Small Business Summit

The Small Business Summit is an annual event in Toronto that celebrates Small Business Month and focuses on helping entrepreneurs grow and succeed. The summit will bring together start-ups, business owners, and experienced professionals for a day of networking. Hosted in Toronto, the third-largest tech hub in North America, the 2022 event will be themed “Embracing Digital Disruption” and feature major keynote speakers.

The fourth quarter makes or breaks a lot of small businesses in Canada. Retailers and restaurants that get their staffing and inventory right in October and November tend to walk into January with healthy cash reserves. Those that wait until the first week of December to figure out their game plan usually spend the season scrambling, and scrambling costs money.

If you own a retail shop, a restaurant, or any business that lives and dies by foot traffic during the holidays, now is the time to lock in your plan. Here's how to think about staffing, stock, and cash flow so the next ten weeks work in your favour instead of against you.

‍

Start With Your Sales History, Not Your Gut

Too many owners plan the holiday season based on how busy last December felt rather than what the numbers actually showed. Pull your point-of-sale reports from the last two or three holiday seasons and look for patterns. Which products sold out early? Which days of the week saw the heaviest traffic? What time of day did your restaurant get slammed?

Analyzing past sales data to spot seasonal patterns is one of the most effective ways to avoid overstocking or running out of popular items. This isn't complicated analysis. Even a basic spreadsheet showing week-over-week sales from last November and December will tell you more than a gut feeling ever will.

For retailers specifically, this is also the moment to think seriously about how much inventory you actually need on hand versus how much cash you're willing to tie up in stock that might not move. If you've been turning down orders because you can't front the cost of holiday inventory, you might want to consider your options before you're forced to choose between restocking and making payroll.

‍

Staffing: The Problem Nobody Talks About Early Enough

Here's a fact that should change how you're thinking about hiring right now. The National Retail Federation recently predicted that holiday seasonal hiring would hit its lowest level in over 15 years, making early recruitment more critical than ever. That forecast is for the American market, but Canadian retailers and restaurants are competing for the same shrinking pool of available seasonal workers, and the labour crunch tends to move north with a short delay.

Practically, this means posting your seasonal job openings now, not in mid-November. It means offering shift flexibility and being upfront about pay. It also means having a real contingency plan if you can't fill every shift you need.

For restaurants, the stakes are a bit different but no less serious. Using past data to anticipate peak times helps restaurants build optimized schedules without over- or under-staffing. A kitchen that's short-staffed on a Friday night in December doesn't just lose sales, it loses customers who won't come back after a bad experience. If your restaurant's equipment is also aging and slowing down your kitchen's throughput during peak hours, that's a separate problem worth solving before the rush hits.

What Canadian Shoppers Are Actually Doing Differently

It's not enough to staff up and stock up the way you did last year. Consumer behaviour is shifting, and ignoring that shift means missing opportunities your competitors will catch. According to Retail Council of Canada's holiday shopping research, Canadian consumers are shopping earlier and comparing prices more carefully than in past years.

That earlier-shopping trend matters because it means your marketing and inventory need to be ready well before Black Friday, not scrambling to catch up to it. If your customers are comparison shopping more aggressively, your pricing, promotions, and in-store or online experience need to justify why they should buy from you instead of clicking over to a competitor's site.

Refreshing your online listings and promoting gift cards are easy, high-impact ways to prepare for the holiday shopping rush. Simple, low-cost moves like updating your Google Business listing, refreshing your website's holiday hours, and pushing gift card sales through email and social media can generate real revenue with almost no upfront cost.

‍

Give Shoppers a Reason to Walk Through Your Door

If customers are comparing prices and shopping online, your store has to earn the trip. Start with the basics: a slow checkout is one of the fastest ways to lose a holiday sale, so add a second register during peak hours and make sure your POS is ready for the volume. Then give people a reason to come in. A coupon, a limited-time discount, or a buy-one-get-one deal can do it. Costco has held its hot dog and soda combo at $1.50 since the mid-1980s because it draws people in, and they usually leave having bought a lot more than lunch.

Finally, walk your shop the way a customer would. A clean storefront, fresh signage, and a seasonal display cost far less than the sales they protect.

‍

Where Fast Funding Fits Into the Picture

Every piece of holiday prep costs money before it generates a dollar back. Inventory has to be purchased before it's sold. Staff have to be hired and trained before they're productive. Equipment repairs have to happen before the kitchen can handle a full house on a Saturday night.

This is where a lot of small business owners hit a wall, particularly if a bank has already turned them down or they don't have the time to wait six weeks for a traditional loan decision. A Merchant Cash Advance is built for exactly this kind of short-term, high-stakes timing problem. Rather than waiting on a lengthy approval process, you're leveraging future sales to access capital now, when you actually need it, not after the holiday window has already closed.

If your credit history isn't perfect, that shouldn't be the reason you miss the busiest quarter of your year. Many alternative lenders look past your credit score and focus on your recent revenue instead of your past setbacks. Fast business funding and small business loans through alternative lenders exist precisely because traditional banks move too slowly and too conservatively for the realities of running a seasonal business. 

Contractors and trades businesses often assume holiday funding conversations don't apply to them, but late Q4 and early Q1 are when many trades see a surge in emergency repair calls and pre-holiday renovation rushes. Having working capital on hand means you can staff up and stock materials without cash flow becoming the bottleneck.

‍

Get Ahead of It Now

Waiting until December to figure out staffing, inventory, and cash flow puts you behind before the season even starts. The businesses that come out of Q4 stronger are the ones making these decisions in October and November, while there's still time to act on them.

If you need capital to hire, stock up, or fix equipment before the rush hits, reach out to 2M7. We move fast, we understand Canadian small business realities, and we can get you funded well before you would have finished filling out bank paperwork.

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 2025 was a divided year for Canadian small business: while 37% of owners reported a good year in terms of revenues and profits, 35% reported a poor one. The smallest firms felt it most. Among businesses with fewer than five employees, only 35% described 2025 as a good year, compared to 42% of larger firms. Tariff pressures, high operating costs, and slowing business dynamism have left many owners caught in a difficult position.

For those who have turned to the bank for help, the options are often limited. The federal government's Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) issued just 6,409 loans totalling nearly $1.9 billion in 2024-25, a record in program history. But with approximately 1.2 million small businesses in Canada, the reach of traditional financing programs remains narrow. The average CSBFP loan size was $294,067, which is far more than what most small business owners need to solve a specific, immediate cash flow problem.

A Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) is one alternative worth understanding. It is not a bank loan. It is an advance on your future revenue, repaid as a percentage of daily sales, with a single fixed cost of capital disclosed upfront. There are no interest charges, no hidden fees, and no collateral requirements.

Some industries tend to benefit from this kind of flexible, short-term working capital more than others. Below are five industries which benefit from a merchant cash advance:

1. Restaurants and Food Service

Canada's foodservice sector added nearly 24,000 jobs between January and November 2025 according to Restaurants Canada, a sign that demand is holding up. Growth, however, requires capital, and restaurant revenue is inherently unpredictable. Equipment needs replacing without warning. A slow season can erode a cash position that looked healthy a few months earlier. Traditional lenders typically want two or more years of financial history and strong collateral before approving financing, which many independent restaurant owners cannot provide.

A merchant cash advance can provide working capital in the range of $5,000 to $300,000, with approval typically within one business day and funds deposited within 24 hours. Because repayments are tied to a percentage of daily sales, owners pay more when business is strong and less when it slows. This structure suits the seasonal and variable nature of restaurant revenue better than a fixed monthly payment.

One restaurant owner who used 2M7 funding for a kitchen equipment upgrade described the experience this way: "Highly recommend 2M7 if you are planning any big purchases. They helped us get funding for the new kitchen equipment and we continue to upgrade our facility."

2. Construction and Trades

Construction businesses routinely face a timing problem: materials, equipment, and labour costs arrive before client payments do. Payment terms of 30, 60, or even 90 days are common, which means contractors are often funding project costs out of their own cash flow while waiting for invoices to clear. Banks are generally reluctant to lend against this kind of irregular, project-based revenue, which leaves many contractors with limited options when they need capital quickly.

A merchant cash advance can help bridge the gap between project start and payment receipt, allowing contractors to cover immediate costs without waiting on a lengthy approval process or pledging personal assets.

Sean Morales, who needed funding for a demolition project, noted: "We need funds for a demolition project for our office. These guys got it done in less than 24 hrs."

More information on how working capital applies to the construction sector is available on 2M7's construction and trades funding page.

3. Retail and E-Commerce

Canadian e-commerce orders rose 20% in 2025 according to Omnisend, reflecting continued growth in both online and in-store retail. Sustaining that growth requires inventory investment well ahead of actual sales. Retailers need to order stock months before peak seasons, and suppliers often require payment before goods are delivered. A bank approval process that takes weeks is rarely compatible with those timelines.

Merchant cash advances allow retailers to access the capital they need for inventory, seasonal staffing, or store improvements without lengthy documentation requirements or the need to pledge collateral.

Morgan Lowe, a boutique retailer who used an MCA to expand her store, said: "I am a small business owner that just recently expanded and was struggling to find funding. 2M7 came through and has been wonderful to deal with."

For businesses where inventory is the core challenge, the impact can be ongoing. Visionary Hydroponics noted: "We are a small business and maintaining inventory can be a challenge. These types of [advances] help keep product on the shelf."

Details on how 2M7 works with retailers are available on the retail inventory and growth funding page.

4. Trucking and Transportation

BMO's Fall 2025 Canada Truck Transportation update describes the Canadian trucking industry as still in a fragile state, with trade barriers and tariff uncertainty continuing to weigh on domestic and cross-border freight volumes, rates, and fleet fundamentals. For owner-operators and small fleets, this means running lean while still needing to cover fuel, maintenance, and payroll between loads.

Traditional financing in this sector often requires an established credit history and years of documented revenue, which can be difficult to demonstrate during a period of industry-wide softness. A merchant cash advance offers a more accessible path to short-term working capital, with repayments that adjust alongside revenue rather than remaining fixed regardless of conditions.

More detail on how this applies to transportation businesses is available on 2M7's trucking funding page.

5. Landscaping and Seasonal Businesses

Seasonal businesses face a structural cash flow challenge that most financing products are not designed for. Revenue arrives in concentrated bursts, while costs related to insurance, equipment upkeep, and preparing for the next season continue year-round. A lender evaluating a landscaping company's winter financials will often see a picture that looks worse than the underlying business actually is.

The CFIB's December 2025 survey found that smaller firms are the most vulnerable to sudden cost pressures and disruptions. For seasonal operators, that kind of pressure is predictable and recurring rather than exceptional.

A merchant cash advance with flexible repayment can work with this pattern rather than against it. When revenue is strong in peak season, repayments reflect that. When it drops in the off-season, repayments decrease proportionally. Owners are not locked into a fixed payment schedule that ignores the realities of how their business operates.

Who Qualifies

Businesses interested in a merchant cash advance through 2M7 need to meet a straightforward set of criteria:

• The business is located in Canada
• The business has been operating for at least 3 months
• Monthly revenue is at least $15,000
• There are no open bankruptcies

No collateral is required. Approval decisions take into account overall revenue and business activity, not credit score alone.

How Repayment Works

2M7 offers two repayment structures. Fixed payments mean the same amount is debited on a regular schedule, with the option to request a reduction if revenue drops significantly. Flex payments are tied directly to a percentage of daily sales, so repayment amounts naturally rise and fall with business activity. The flex option is available to businesses that process daily credit and debit transactions.

Before signing, the total cost of capital is presented clearly. There are no origination fees, application fees, interest charges, brokerage fees, annual maintenance fees, or early repayment penalties. The cost disclosed upfront is the only cost.

Once a business is an existing client, requesting additional funding is straightforward. Clients can contact their dedicated representative directly by phone or text, and if approved, funds can be deposited within 30 minutes.

What Business Owners Have Said

"2M7 greatly guided us through the entire process of funding for our small business. We're extremely pleased with their clear explanations of what to expect and their steady commitment to helping us." -- Kotryna Zis

"Had the pleasure of dealing with 2M7 and Yakov, who helped our business get approved with funds in my account the next day. Greatly appreciate their help. Everything that we talked about was provided." -- Brady Douglas

"2M7 has been so wonderful to work with. Every employee I speak with is incredibly helpful and kind. I would never have been able to get back on my feet after COVID-19 if not for them." -- Jenny Watson

Is a Merchant Cash Advance Right for Your Business?

A merchant cash advance is not the right fit for every situation. It works best for businesses that have consistent revenue, need capital quickly, and want repayment terms that reflect how their business actually performs rather than a fixed schedule set by a lender.

Canada's government financing programs reached fewer than 6,500 businesses last year in a country with over a million small businesses. For many owners who fall outside the criteria those programs require, alternative working capital solutions are worth exploring.

If your business is based in Canada, has been operating for at least three months, and brings in at least $15,000 per month in revenue, you can check your eligibility with 2M7 without a lengthy application process.

Related reading: What is a Merchant Cash Advance? 2M7 vs. Other Merchant Cash Advance Options The Truth About Small Business Loans 5 Low-Cost Ways to Market Your Small Business in Canada

Sources: CFIB: A Divided Year, Small Business Performance in 2025 ISED: Canada Small Business Financing Program, Overview and Highlights 2024-25 Retail Insider / Restaurants Canada: Foodservice sector added nearly 24,000 jobs in 2025 BMO: Industry Update, Canada Truck Transportation, Fall 2025 Retail Insider / Omnisend: Canadian E-Commerce Orders Rose 20% in 2025

‍