What Types Of Seasonal Businesses Commonly Use MCAs?

Walk a February beach town and you notice it everywhere: the locked ice cream shops, the shuttered surf-rental outlets, the "See You In Spring!" signs taped to restaurant windows. Cruise through ski country in August and you see the same cycle in reverse: closed ski shops, dormant lodges, and empty gondolas swaying in the summer breeze.

These aren't failed ventures. They're seasonal operations doing precisely what they're supposed to do: making money when the customers come and hibernating when they don't.

The catch? Banks don’t comprehend hibernation. They see February beach-shop revenue-about $4,200 for the month-and hit the decline button well before they read about the $78,000 July that’s headed their way.

That's why merchant cash advances have become the informal financing lifeline of America's seasonal businesses. Not because they are cheap, but because they're the only option that actually works when your revenue looks like a heart monitor instead of a straight line.

Let's delve into which seasonal businesses rely on MCAs to survive—and at times, to thrive.

Summer Tourism Businesses

Beach Equipment Rentals: Bobby operates three beach equipment locations on the Carolina coast. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, he runs about $240,000 in credit card sales renting umbrellas, chairs, kayaks, and paddleboards. September through May? About $28,000 total.

In March of every year, Bobby takes a $50,000 MCA to buy new equipment, repair his existing inventory, hire seasonal staff, and cover pre-season marketing. This summer processing easily covers the 13% holdback-some $31,200 in payments-during his four peak months. By September, he’s paid off the advance and enters the off-season debt-free.

Coastal Restaurants and Ice Cream Shops: These establishments funnel 70–85% of their annual revenue into a 12–16 week window. They need capital in April to stock inventory and prep facilities, but won’t generate revenue to repay until June. MCAs bridge this gap perfectly with repayments concentrated during the weeks when revenue surges.

Tourist attractions and tour operators: Boat tours, escorted tours, theme park activities-all produce summer revenues that demand spring investment. A charter fishing operation could require $30,000 in March for refitting its vessels, advertising, and initial inventory, yet it will not take customers before May.

Winter Sports Industry

Ski and Snowboard Shops: The mirror image of summer tourism. They need capital in September and October to stock inventory for November through March sales. Revenue nearly vanishes May through August.

Michelle's Vermont ski shop does $420,000 in sales from November through March and $35,000 from April through October. She takes a $60,000 MCA each September, buys winter inventory, and repays entirely during the ski season. Off-season payments average about $700 monthly with light summer processing.

Winter Sports Resorts and Lodging Smaller ski lodges and mountain accommodations follow the same pattern, capital before the season, revenue in season, hibernation after.

Holiday-dependent retail

Halloween and Costume Shops: Perhaps one of the most extreme seasonal models. A Halloween superstore could make 75% of its yearly revenue in the months of September and October. Two months of high activity, ten months of quiet.

These stores take MCAs in July and August to stock inventory, knowing September and October will pay back the advance in its entirety. Some costume shops will take a second MCA in January for Valentine's Day, then again in March for Easter, creating multiple seasonal cycles.

Christmas and Holiday Decoration Stores: Revenue is focused in the months of October, November, and early December. A holiday store generating $380,000 per year may realize $290,000 in revenue between October 1 and December 24.

The MCAs in August and September finance the inventory purchases; the October-through-December surge covers the repayment. By January, when revenue has fallen to around $8,000 a month, the MCA is gone.

Fireworks Retailers: Seasonal to the core-nearly all revenue comes in the two weeks before July 4, plus a smaller bump before New Year's. They take spring MCAs to stock inventory, repay during July processing, and survive the rest of the year's low sales.

Outdoor and Recreational Services

Landscaping and Lawn Care: Revenue runs April through October in most climates, with November through March barely paying for storage and lean staffing.

Carlos operates a landscaping company generating nearly $340,000 in revenue annually; $310,000 generated April–October and $30,000 in winter. He takes a $45,000 MCA every February to prepare for the spring contracts by ordering equipment, hiring crews, and securing supplies in advance. Seven months of strong revenue fully repay the advance.

Pool Services and Installation: Peak season is April–September. Capital is needed in March for supplies, equipment, and hiring in advance of the season.

Pest Control (Seasonal Focus): While some pest control is year-round, those focusing on seasonal issues-mosquito control, outdoor pest treatment-see summer revenue concentrated and require spring capital.

Event and Entertainment Businesses

Wedding-related Services: For venues, caterers, photographers, and planners, the demand for services is highly seasonal. May–October represents 75–80% of the annual wedding revenue generated. Spring MCAs fund the equipment, staffing, and supplies required for summer weddings.

A wedding photographer might take a $20,000 MCA in March to upgrade equipment and market aggressively before May's season begins. June-October processing then retires the advance.

Festival and Fair Vendors: The vendors touring the summer festival circuit require capital in April for inventory of stock, truck and equipment repairs, as well as other early-season expenses before revenue hits.

Agricultural-related businesses

Farmers Markets and Produce Stands: Income peaks during summer/early fall; spring is a capital-intensive time due to supplies, renovations, and initial inventory prior to harvest.

Christmas Tree Farms: All revenue is generated in November and December, while the year's expenses are paid from 6-8 weeks of sales. Spring and summer MCAs serve to manage cash flow gaps.

Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes: Revenue in September and October sustains the year. Summer MCAs fund infrastructure, marketing, and preparation.

Tax & Seasonal Services

Tax Preparation Services: 85–90% of annual revenue falls between January–April. Some tax preparers take fall MCAs to cover the cost of marketing, software, and staffing in advance of filing season.

Snow Removal Services: Winter revenue supports the business through summer. Fall MCAs buy equipment and hire crews before the first snowfall.

Why These Businesses Choose MCAs

The pattern follows: capital before the season, revenue concentrated in the season, and hibernation during the off-season. This sets up three problems that MCAs solve:

Timing - capital is required months before revenue arrives.

Payment Flexibility: small payments during slow months, larger ones during peak months.

Bank Rejection: traditional lenders consider "inconsistent revenue" as risk, not as a normal seasonal pattern.

The Seasonal MCA Strategy

Successful seasonal businesses use MCAs strategically:

• Take the advance 6-8 weeks before season starts
• Deploy capital for inventory, equipment, marketing, and staffing
• Generate season revenue while MCA payments naturally concentrate during high-processing months
• Fully repay by end of season
• Enter off-season debt-free
• Repeat annually

The cost, typically 30-40% of the advance amount, becomes an acceptable annual expense for financing that actually works with seasonal cash flow rather than against it.

The Seasonal Reality 

For businesses where 70–85% of annual revenue comes in 3–4 months, traditional financing with fixed monthly payments simply doesn’t work. MCAs, with their payments that rise and fall with processing volume, remain the only financing mechanism designed for how seasonal businesses actually operate. These businesses are not taking MCAs because they love high fees; they are taking MCAs because if your peak season is July and August, you need financing that understands what those months mean - and banks do not.