Merchant Cash Advance Blog

The holiday season is famously depicted as a time of rest, relaxation, and cozying up by the fire. But if you own a small business, your reality probably looks a little different. For entrepreneurs, December often signals a frantic rush to close out the fiscal year, manage holiday sales, and prepare for January, all while trying to squeeze in family time.

Just when you feel you have a handle on interchange rates and compliance standards, the major card networks shift the goalposts. Visa has signaled upcoming changes to transaction processing regulations, specifically targeting Level 1 and Level 2 processing protocols, with full implementation expected by 2026.

Preparing for the New Year isn't about radically reinventing your business overnight. It's about taking small, deliberate steps to ensure your foundation is solid. Here are six actionable tips to help you hit the ground running in the new year.

The holidays are the Super Bowl for liquor retailers. For store owners, getting the inventory mix right is crucial. Miss out on the trending items, and you leave money on the table. Stock too heavily on last year's fad, and you’re stuck with dead inventory in January. To maximize your revenue, you need a strategy that balances timeless classics with modern consumer preferences.

Transforming a chaotic travel day into a smooth journey requires more than just tossing a leash in your suitcase. Traveling with animals introduces a layer of complexity to holiday logistics that can quickly become overwhelming without a solid plan. From navigating strict airline regulations to keeping a nervous dog calm on a six-hour drive, the challenges are real.