Cash flow volatility doesn’t have to steal your confidence.
Hi y’all,
Every small business owner I’ve talked to has a long list of ideas for where they want to grow. The question is never whether the ideas exist — it’s how to make them happen.
And a lot of the time, what gets in the way isn’t a lack of capital. It’s the volatility. The seasonality of this industry makes cash flow feel unpredictable, and that unpredictability chips away at the confidence you need to make bold decisions about your business.
So here’s what I’d actually do about it (keep in mind this isn’t financial advice).
Start with your payment policies.
This is the first place I look with any event rental business. In a busy season, you can often get away with a smaller deposit and final payment closer to the event. But in a slower season, if you’re booking a wedding a year out, that’s a very long time between collecting money and executing on it.
Consider collecting more along the way during slower booking periods — not just 50% up front and 50% at the event. It smooths out the peaks and valleys without requiring any outside capital at all.
Align your expenses with your seasons.
When you’re making investments — software, equipment, seasonal staff — time them on the heels of your busy season so you know the money’s there when the bill comes due. That way you’re not making big spending decisions during the months when cash is tightest.
Know your capital options.
A lot of Goodshuffle businesses have strong relationships with their local bank, and that’s worth building if you haven’t already. Small businesses tend to have more success accessing capital through a local branch or community bank than a major chain.
If you’re already a Goodshuffle Pro user, you also have access to Stripe Capital Loans* directly through the platform. Rates can be higher than what you’d get at a local bank — that’s worth knowing going in. But the benefit is that repayment matches your seasonality: a percentage of incoming revenue is collected as events are executed, so you’re paying more back during busy months and getting some relief when things slow down.
Neither option is universally better. The right one depends on where you are in your business and what your cash flow actually looks like right now.
See you next Monday,
Mallory Mullen
Goodshuffle
*Stripe Capital offers financing types that include loans and merchant cash advances. All financing applications are subject to review prior to approval. In the US, Stripe Capital loans are issued by Celtic Bank, and YouLend provides Stripe Capital merchant cash advances. See your Dashboard for the terms of your offer.
