Football players have the Super Bowl. Hockey players have the Stanley Cup. Baseball players have the World Series. Restaurant owners have The CRFA Show.

The ultimate annual event for members of the food and foodservice industries returns to Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre between March 7th and 9th this year. An absolutely fantastic display of the many amazing entrepreneurs who are also members of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, this event is a major highlight of the year.

As explained by the CRFA’s website: “The CRFA Show 2010 is the leading foodservice and hospitality event in Canada. A comprehensive forum of industry products, the CRFA Show attracts 12,000 industry professionals and puts them face to face with exhibitors showcasing all their latest products.”

We often discuss the importance of building your brand, networking and increasing your customer base here at Synergy Merchant Services. With the many clients that we have developed relationships with over the past few years, we have become very well aware that the constant growth of contacts is a key factor in the success of many businesses. The CRFA Show provides the ultimate opportunity to network with so many other members of the food industry, making it a must-take-part-in annual event.

Business owners literally come from all over the world to attend this spectacular show. As recommended members of the CRFA, Synergy Merchant Services could not be any more excited to be returning to the CRFA show for the third consecutive year. Be sure to come visit us at Booth #1009 as we’d be happy to discuss with you the wonderful options we provide business owners looking to seek extra capital to grow their businesses.

Restaurauters and other members of the food industry could not pick a better place to network. As it says on the CRFA website: “From new trends in foodservice through to the latest in energy efficient equipment, restaurant owners, operators and buyers will find everything they are looking for at this convenient, one-stop marketplace.”

In addition to the ability to greatly increase your connections and market your brand to others in your field, visitors to the show will also have the pleasure of partaking in a number of seminars and demonstrations from leaders in the industry. Superstar chefs, notable celebrities and other knowledgeable speakers will all be on hand.

As the CRFA encourages you: “Don’t miss this must see, hands-on opportunity to discover that perfect new idea that is just right for your business…Find the most comprehensive collection of products and services for your restaurant, hotel, or catering business. The CRFA Show offers more of the latest foods, beverages, equipment, services and technology than any other event in the country.”

If that doesn’t convince to get down to the Direct Energy Centre between March 7th and 9th, then perhaps this will. You will most certainly not leave hungry. The number of complimentary foodstuffs that you will be encouraged to sample is incredible. There is no question that you will stuffed and satisfied, in addition to knowing you made the right move for your business. We hope to see you there!

Last year, daily news about the nation’s financial status was consistently bleak. In 2010, stories about Canada’s economic recovery appear to be more frequent. A welcome sound to the ears of entrepreneurs across the country, the idea that the economy is on its way back to a level of strength and stability is becoming more and more widespread. Or is it?

Some Canadian business owners are not so quick to jump for joy about the rise in the Canada’s economic status. Many believe that recovery will take longer than expected, as reported by the QMI Agency on website today. Says the report: “The majority of small and medium-sized businesses in Canada don’t believe the economic recovery will fully get underway until the second half of this year, or next, a survey found.”

According to a poll conducted by Grant Thornton, 35% of 300 executives say that they do not expect a turnaround to take place until the latter half of 2010. 22% actually don’t see recovery taking place until next year. Nevertheless, most executives polled felt positively about the direction of Canada’s financial situation and that recovery was still on its way.

One area that those polled were not so optimistic about, however, was the job market. More than half forsee no change to their hiring projections this year, even though they may forecast an increase in their company’s profits. Investment in research and development, new buildings and exports are all areas in which executives also predict will not experience much growth this year.

There were varying opinions, however, based on where in the country these executives were. Those with businesses in Western provinces seemed to be the most optimistic as 84% of poll respondents from that part of the country replied with optimistic responses. Compared to 78% positive outlook replies in Ontario and 68% in Quebec and the Maritimes, the West Coast looks to be in the best mood as it relates to the nation’s financial future.

Perhaps the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver are making their projections more rosy. Then again, it could be because their hardest hit sectors are likely to experience the greatest recoveries.

Says Bill Brushett, Grant Thornton’s national leader of privately held business in Canada: “Those sectors that were the hardest hit will experience the strongest recovery in the coming months…Because of this, the Western provinces have good reason to be optimistic because the resources and energy sectors were greatly affected during the recession.”

The owners of small to medium-sized businesses across Canada are generally concerned about the outlook of the nation’s economic status. This only makes Synergy Merchant Services that much more concerned about these owners. We, therefore, make it our mission to assist such owners in the growth of their businesses in an effort to have Canada’s financial future looking brighter and brighter each day.

Back on December 3rd, 2009, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog discussed the impending implementation of Harmonized Sales Tax in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. Already in effect in other parts of Canada including Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the new HST proposes to combine the current Provincial Sales Tax (PST) of 8% and the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) taxes into one combined 13% tax on all purchases.

Set to commence in Ontario and B.C. on Canada Day this year, this new tax has been confronted with great criticism as it is forecasted that taxes will be increased on products and services that did not before include both the PST and GST. In yesterday’s edition of The Toronto Sun, Antonella Artuso confirmed the fears of many residents of Ontario and B.C. by revealing the many different ways in which the new HST will bring about increased costs for residents of each province.

Among the most interesting items up for an increase thanks to the new tax is breast augmentations. Yep, you read it right. Women who are looking into cosmetic breast surgery will have the prices for the procedures increased by $400 to $800, writes Artuso. The price for the surgery, along with other types of cosmetic surgeries, did not previously incorporate the 8% PST. With HST the new norm as of July 1st, these surgeries will evidently be getting larger along with the body parts going under the knife.

More importantly, however, both Ontario and British Columbia residents are most likely still unaware of just how drastically the new HST will be affecting their regular spending. Services that were previously exempt from PST will become noticeably more expensive. This includes gas, heating and electricity bills which, of course, will affect just about everyone with a home.

Dr. David Ellis, of The Art of Facial Surgery in Toronto believes this will only hinder the nation’s progress in recovering from the recession. He shared his opinion of what is to come: “I think it’ll be catastrophic and everyone in July will buckle in their straps and stop spending money…And we need people to spend money for the economy.”

Many other services will be affected as well, Artuso points out. As she writes, “gasoline, haircuts, lawyer bills and accountant fees: All on the way up. And just this week Toronto City Council passed a motion to recalibrate taxi metres to include the additional 8% tax on cab fares.”

Said Ellis: “It’s going to cause further hardship. So people who go to their hairdresser, say once a month or once every six weeks, may have to do it once every two months or three months. And someone who has their botox three or four times a year, they may have to stretch it out twice a year.”

The 13% HST will generally apply to procedures that are considered cosmetic. As a result, skin grafts for a burn victim or laser eye surgery may not incur HST charges while botox or laser hair removal will. Artuso notes that a face lift currently costs around $15,000 to $20,000. With HST, patients can expect to tack on another $1,200 to $1,600 to their final bills.

It is not yet known if Ontario and B.C. residents are flocking to their cosmetic surgeons in an effort to get their procedures in before July hits. When it does hit, however, it is safe to say that the new Harmonized Sales Tax will not be a hit.

Yesterday, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog discussed the positive impact that the 2010 Winter Olympic Games is having on the Canadian economy. Helping with the boost of a number of industries throughout the nation, hosting the Winter Games is proving to be a lucrative investment for Canada.

Today, there is further evidence that the Olympics, specifically the Winter Games, provide a great opportunity for financial gain for Canada’s winter Olympians. As reported by QMI Agency’s Stefania Moretti, “Canada’s winter Olympians typically fare better than their summer counterparts when it comes to scoring lucrative sponsorship contracts.”

Sam Galet, vice president at global sports management firm IMG’s Canadian division, believes that the Winter Games seem to be more profitable for Canadians over the Summer Games as sports like snowboarding, skating and of course, hockey are so popular in Canada. Furthermore, there is also a history of Canadian athletes faring better at the Winter Games than the Summer Olympics as the nation’s gold medal record haul has shown.

Meanwhile, the opposite is true for our American counterparts. According to Jim Andrews, sports marketing agency IEG’s senior vice president, American summer athletes make approximately 50% more than their winter athletes.

U.S. swimmer and eight-time gold medal winner, Michael Phelps is a prime example of the American summer athlete who has profited greatly due to his success at the Olympics. Word has it that he accumulated over $100 million after his dominant performance in Beijing at the last Summer Games.

By comparison, gold medal winning snowboarder, Shaun White scored approximately $7.5 million last year by attaining sponsorships from such companies as Burton, Red Bull, Target, Oakley, Ubisoft and AT&T. Meanwhile, White finds himself among the highest paid Olympic athletes at this year’s Winter Games. The list of top-earning Winter Olympic athletes, in fact, have no Canadians, according to Forbes.com – NHL hockey players excluded.

As Moretti reveals: “Canadian athletes training for the Olympics receive $1,500 a month from Sport Canada to help subsidize their income and pay for coaching, equipment and nutrition. Still, many Canadian Olympians are forced to hold down day jobs while training for the Olympics.”

Skeleton racer Jon Montgomery, she writes, will very likely have to return to his part-time job as a sales consultant and automobile auctioneer, even after winning a gold medal in Vancouver. However, let’s not forget that the Canadian Olympic Committee does award bonuses of $20,000 to gold medalists, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

Alexandre Bilodeau, the first Canadian ever to win gold on home turf, is expected to take in at least $1 million in endorsement deals while Olympic speed skater Cindy Klassen is reported to have signed a $1 million deal with Manitoba phone company, MTS Allstream Inc. This would be one of the biggest deals ever for a Canadian amateur athlete.

So even though Canadian winter athletes may not make as much as their competitors in the United States, they do seem to make out better than the summer athletes of the nation. If only the Winter Olympics happened more frequently in this country, perhaps it would rid itself of financial hardship for good!

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in full swing, most Canadians are reveling in the fact that much unlike the 1988 Games held in Calgary, Team Canada is achieving impressive results. As of this writing, Canada sits fourth, behind only France, Germany and the United States in the medal standings with five in total. With a bronze, two silvers and two spectacular gold medals, Canada is poised to have one of its best Olympic showings yet.

Other Canadians, however – especially British Columbia residents – are concerned about the impact that the Olympic Games will have on the local economy. Many point to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal that forced the city into financial hardship, as a reason to believe that this year’s Winter Games will spell economic doom for Vancouver.

In November of 2009, a press release from the province worked to quell any fear of financial strain brought on by the Olympics. Issued by The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and B.C. Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNow BC, Mary McNeil, the release announced the results of a Socio-economic Impact Study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It reported numerous positive impacts that the Games would have on the province’s economy.

Covering the period between 2003 and 2008, the report found that one of the greatest impacts that the Games have is the creation of jobs. Said the release: “More than 22,000 jobs were created; sport development, where our athletes have improved tremendously; environmental sustainability; and arts and culture.”

As well, it was revealed that the Games generated between $684 million and $884 million in real gross domestic product to British Columbia and an additional $170 million in real GDP to Canada.

Said Lunn: “While this is just a snapshot of what has already happened, the report provides concrete evidence that the Games have given the B.C. and Canadian economies a boost…Our investments are achieving their intended results, including improved athlete performance in international competition, made-in-Canada innovations in building design, and unprecedented Aboriginal participation.”

The November release also revealed that the nation’s investments in sport were paying off as Canada’s winter athletes were “reaching new heights in performance and medal finishes.” A bold prediction, perhaps, but the recent results at the Games are showing signs that the nation’s athletic programs are indeed, improving.

Said McNeil: “We’ve always believed that the Games would provide the catalyst for economic, social, and athletic development provincially and nationally…These results are just the beginning, and we know that once we start to measure 2009 and 2010, we’ll see that British Columbia is continuing to get a powerful economic lift from the Games just when we need it most.”

Surprisingly, some team members at Synergy were informed today that a few businesses in Vancouver had closed their doors for the duration of the Olympic Games to avoid the “havoc”. Time will soon tell what the actual impact the 2010 Winter Olympics will have on both the provincial and national economy. Of course, as with the athletes themselves, the nation is hoping for a golden outcome.

On February 10th, we blogged about the benefits of buying a franchise. With notes from Business.com’s Nate Waymire, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog worked to highlight some of the attributes that make purchasing a franchise a wise choice for entrepreneurs in this new decade.  QMI Agency’s Stefania Moretti strengthens our view in today’s edition of The Toronto Sun.

She points out that starting your own business requires the raising of a fair bit of capital. Opening a franchise, however, helps for upstart business owners to have the advantage of running a business with a proven track record as a means to secure profits.

Explains Moretti: “Franchising is a business model whereby a company or individual (franchisor) licenses the right to use a trademark, brand and operating system for a fee to a franchisee. Franchised business accounts for 40% of all retail sales, or $90 billion per year, and 10% of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product, according to the Canadian Franchise Association.”

Evidently, franchises throughout Canada are proving to be lucrative ventures for many franchisees. This is especially true for owners of Tim Hortons locations throughout the nation. According to Moretti, the Canadian coffee and donut shop is “arguably Canada’s most famous franchise.” The cost to open one, in fact, is close to the half a million dollars mark.

Nevertheless, the pressures associated with a recession-laden economy over the past year has encouraged more entrepreneurs to buy into franchises as a way to better determine their future economic successes. According to Lorraine McLachlan, CFA president and chief executive, the “demand for franchises remained strong even through the height of the financial meltdown.”

Said McLachlan: “The recession created the desire within people to control their own future…their own finances.” For would-be business owners, it is important to know what types of industries are the best to become involved in. Moretti points out that the CFA’s annual directory listed the top five franchise growth categories as seniors and home, business consulting, retail, health/fitness and nutrition and food.

This weekend, the CFA is hosting a Franchise Show at the Toronto Congress Centre to further assimilate entrepreneurs with the concept of buying into a franchise. If you haven’t yet started up your own business, attending this show may be the very first step you need to finding yourself in a more profitable business situation.

It is important to act quickly though. As Moretti advises: “Waiting lists for the most popular franchises can be long, but you can bump yourself up on that list if you are willing to relocate to areas the company has outlined as desirable.”

Over the past year or so, Canada has dealt with a struggling economy that saw the loss of many jobs and the downsizing and closing of many businesses. With the nation now seeing the beginnings of an economic recovery, there are many citizens of the country who feel as if more should be done by the government to supply new jobs.

And even though the recession has greatly affected the spending habits of Canadians, many of them still have found ways to enjoy themselves. Among the many sources of entertainment that has becoming increasingly popular in recent years is mixed martial arts, or MMA. Popularized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, MMA is becoming one of the most watched sports in the world.

With a nation still looking to overcome its financial hardships, one would think that perhaps having Canada host more of these increasingly successful MMA events would only help the economy. This is the mindset of UFC president Dana White who has been very successful with presenting a couple of UFC pay-per-view events in Montreal, Quebec over the past few years.

Mixed martial arts, however, is still not legalized in the province of Ontario. Many have still not become accustomed to what they consider the “barbarity” of the sport. The most significant of those who oppose the legalization of MMA in Ontario is the man who matters most, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

As sports reporter, Morgan Campbell reports in today’s edition of The Toronto Star, McGuinty does not see it as a priority to legalize the sport in his province. “It’s just not a priority for us,” said McGuinty, “We have other things on the go right now, and we’ll stay focused on those.”

And while the obvious entertainment value for Ontario fight fans may be a reason to bring MMA to Ontario, the bigger issue of the major economic impact it could have for the province should not be overlooked. Sports related websites have been buzzing recently about the millions of dollars that UFC events have helped to pump into the Canadian economy since it ran its UFC 87 and UFC 93 events in Montreal.

Writes Campbell: “Last year, the UFC hired the law firm of Cassels Brock and Blackwell to lobby the provincial government, and the organization estimates a UFC event in Toronto would generate $4 million in revenue for the provincial government.”

According to SportsTalkBuzz.com, Dana White believes that Canada could easily host two UFC events per year based on the success of the previous two. The events in Montreal were two of UFC’s best attended events. Part of the reason for MMA’s success in Canada comes at the hands of the many competitors who are Canadian, most notably UFC’s Welterweight Champion, Georges St-Pierre.

Even with all of this, McGuinty still does not yet see a need for Ontario to host a mixed martial arts event. Said UFC’s vice-president of government and regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner: “We respect the fact the Premier has indicated that MMA regulation is not a top priority, however, we are confident that our efforts in educating Canadian officials including members of the provincial cabinet will eventually result in regulation of the sport in Ontario.”

Ontario and New York are the two remaining major North American markets where the sport has not yet been legalized. Entertainment value aside, the legalization of the sport in Ontario may provide the province with the economic boost it so sorely needs. UFC is not discouraged though. White contends that Ontario will legalize MMA in 2010. The fight to have this happen is apparently still on.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in full swing, most Canadians are reveling in the fact that much unlike the 1988 Games held in Calgary, Team Canada is achieving impressive results. As of this writing, Canada sits fourth, behind only France, Germany and the United States in the medal standings with five in total. With a bronze, two silvers and two spectacular gold medals, Canada is poised to have one of its best Olympic showings yet.

Other Canadians, however – especially British Columbia residents – are concerned about the impact that the Olympic Games will have on the local economy. Many point to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal that forced the city into financial hardship, as a reason to believe that this year’s Winter Games will spell economic doom for Vancouver.

In November of 2009, a press release from the province worked to quell any fear of financial strain brought on by the Olympics. Issued by The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and B.C. Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNow BC, Mary McNeil, the release announced the results of a Socio-economic Impact Study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It reported numerous positive impacts that the Games would have on the province’s economy.

Covering the period between 2003 and 2008, the report found that one of the greatest impacts that the Games have is the creation of jobs. Said the release: “More than 22,000 jobs were created; sport development, where our athletes have improved tremendously; environmental sustainability; and arts and culture.”

As well, it was revealed that the Games generated between $684 million and $884 million in real gross domestic product to British Columbia and an additional $170 million in real GDP to Canada.

Said Lunn: “While this is just a snapshot of what has already happened, the report provides concrete evidence that the Games have given the B.C. and Canadian economies a boost…Our investments are achieving their intended results, including improved athlete performance in international competition, made-in-Canada innovations in building design, and unprecedented Aboriginal participation.”

The November release also revealed that the nation’s investments in sport were paying off as Canada’s winter athletes were “reaching new heights in performance and medal finishes.” A bold prediction, perhaps, but the recent results at the Games are showing signs that the nation’s athletic programs are indeed, improving.

Said McNeil: “We’ve always believed that the Games would provide the catalyst for economic, social, and athletic development provincially and nationally…These results are just the beginning, and we know that once we start to measure 2009 and 2010, we’ll see that British Columbia is continuing to get a powerful economic lift from the Games just when we need it most.”

Surprisingly, some team members at Synergy were informed today that a few businesses in Vancouver had closed their doors for the duration of the Olympic Games to avoid the “havoc”. Time will soon tell what the actual impact the 2010 Winter Olympics will have on both the provincial and national economy. Of course, as with the athletes themselves, the nation is hoping for a golden outcome.

One of the most popular stories that our licensed funding specialists hear on a regular basis here at Synergy Merchant Services involves the nightmare that Canadian business owners go through in order to secure loans from their banks. Even though many of them have longstanding relationships with these banks, they apparently are still forced to go through a laundry list of requirements in order to even be approved for any money.

Especially in today’s economy, with it still searching for recovery from a global recession, banks have become less likely to approve Canadian businesses for loans than ever before. This has been documented a number of times on this blog, but it still seems to be something that business owners struggle with understanding.

They feel that if they have developed working relationships with banks, that they should count for something in their times of need. The truth is, however, banks are even less likely to provide money to those who actually need it. Instead, the more a business owner can prove that he or she doesn’t need the money, the better the chances are that he or she will be approved to get some. Weird, right?

NewYorkLife.com, the website of a New York-based insurance company, puts it this way: “Want to feel stupid, incompetent, and a bit foolish? That’s how some business owners describe themselves after meetings with lending institution loan officers. Like beggars, they complain, they must plead their cases, jump through hoops and just about put up their first-born child as collateral.”

Needless to say, it is difficult for business owners to get bank loans on both sides of the border. Securing a line of credit is becoming more and more commonly known to be a “frustrating ordeal”. As the site notes, it is often “hard for lenders and business owners to see eye to eye.”

As they say, “the only thing lenders care about is your ability to repay the money”. This is why collateral is often requested of a business owner trying to secure a loan. It is a bank’s way of saying that if you have any trouble paying them back, they will own something that belongs to you. The risk is placed on the shoulders of the business owner, not the lending institution.

This is why Synergy is so proud of its policy to receive a payment only once a business makes a sale. The numbers that matter to us the most are the ones that represent your average monthly credit and debit sales volume.

As NewYorkLife.com mentions however, “most lenders are number crunchers. They’ll want to study the figures. Put together a balance sheet or income statement and a summary business plan (description of why you want the money).” We still can’t understand why so many entrepreneurs go through all of this hassle.

Thankfully, many of our clients have the opportunity to add another story to their portfolio once they have received a quote for a merchant cash advance from Synergy. That, of course, being how simple and easy the process was and the fact that they are relieved that there are other options to attain working capital out there.

Who doesn’t love a long weekend? Especially with Valentine’s Day taking place on a Sunday this year, there is no doubt that romantic couples across some provinces in Canada are relishing the ability to sleep in today as Family Day is upon them. A statutory holiday in Alberta, Saskatchewan and most recently, Ontario, today commemorates a recognition of the importance of family.

According to Wikipedia.org, Family Day was first celebrated in 1990 in Alberta. Proposed by the province’s premier Don Getty, the holiday was originally met with criticism. Although Getty insisted that the day was to emphasize family values, some employers felt that the day would become a “fiscal burden”.

Saskatchewan did not begin observing Family Day until 2007. The province’s premier Lorne Calvert proposed for the day to be acknowledged as a statutory holiday but was met with business owners suggesting that it would cost them as much as $140 million a year. They requested tax breaks in an effort to soften the impact of lost sales due to another day with their doors being closed to the public.

Family Day was established as a statutory holiday in Ontario in 2008 so today, in fact, represents Ontario’s third ever observation of the holiday. Proposed by premier Dalton McGuinty, the creation of Family Day in Ontario raised the province’s number of public holidays to nine per year.

Residents in Manitoba are observing a holiday today as well. However, the day is known as Louis Riel Day, in honour of Louis Riel, the Métis leader who is recognized as having a major influence on the formation of Manitoba as a province. Like Ontario, the holiday was first observed in 2008.

It is Islander Day, today in Prince Edward Island. It began last year due to the “rising trend” of holidays celebrated in February throughout Canada. Originally held on the second Monday of February last year, many business owners were opposed to the idea of having a holiday that was out of sync with the rest of the provinces who would be taking a day off for Family Day one week later.

Says Wikipedia: “Provincial Attorney General Gerard Greenan introduced a change to mark the holiday on the third Monday in February in April of that year.”

Unfortunately for British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and the territories, the third Monday in February is still a regular working day. Sorry guys.

Chances are, over the next few years, the entire nation will be celebrating a long weekend in unison.  For those who are off work today, we hope that you will take this day to relax, reflect and rejuvenate, as it’s back to business tomorrow.

This weekend, many Canadians will get to enjoy their first long weekend of the year. And while the weekend will be extended by Family Day on Monday, couples throughout the country are preparing for a romantic Valentine’s Day on Sunday. If previous sales figures are any indication, Valentine’s Day is a popular reason for shopping.

Merchants throughout Canada likely fall in love with consumers at this time of year as the special day commemorating love relationships bring in a lot of business. As the QMI Agency’s Sharon Singleton reports today, Valentine’s Day is a surefire booster of sales for “flowers, chocolates, champagnes and lingerie, not to mention providing a boost to restaurants, which often feature special menus at special prices.”

According to Singleton, consumers in the United States spend up to $14 billion on Valentine’s Day. And while last year’s recession impacted sales somewhat, retail groups are expecting for sales in both Canada and the U.S. to pick up this year. However, sales of larger scale items like diamonds are not expected to see much of a boost.

For florists, on the other hand, Valentine’s Day is easily the most important day of the year. As Singleton reports, citing Aboutflowers.com as a reference, 20 per cent of all flowers sold during the year take place during Valentine’s Day.

According to the U.S. National Retail Federation,s 2010 Consumer Intention & Actions survey, says Singleton, “about 29% of adults purchased flowers last year as a Valentine’s Day gift, with almost two-thirds of those being men. This year about 36% of consumers plan to celebrate with flowers.”

As popular a gift as flowers are, chocolate and candy sales also see a spike during this time of year. In the U.S., reports Singleton, upwards of $935 million a year is spent on the sweet stuff. Of that amount, one-third is spent on Valentine’s Day purchases. Only Halloween and Easter see greater sales of chocolate than February 14th.

A Wal-Mart Canada survey reports that 60 per cent of Canadians buy Valentine’s Day gifts, with most of them spending under $50. Interestingly, the survey also found that men and Ontario residents are last minute shoppers while Quebecers are usually the first to begin shopping.

As well, “in Western Canada, roses are popular, while in Eastern Canada teddy bears dominate gift choices.” Our American counterparts, however, generally spend $103 on Valentine’s Day gifts….men will spend nearly twice the amount women spend on the holiday. The average man plans to shell out $135.35 to impress the people in his life while women only expect to spend $72.28.

Take that ladies! Nevertheless, business owners selling gifts that are right for the occasion are in for a great weekend. The love relationships that are being honored this weekend are sure to help garner love from merchants who will be only too happy to supply the gifts being purchased. How romantic.

We accuse Synergy Merchant Services’ Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche every now and again of being a “gentle giant”. At 6′ 7″, John is obviously a big guy, but he loves to have a good time, often joking around with members of his staff and other associates at Synergy. But, you wouldn’t want to get him angry!

Apparently, Toronto’s Wildfire Steakhouse & Wine Bar didn’t get that memo. Getting a head start on Valentine’s Day last night, John decided to take his fiancée Kathryn out for a romantic dinner. In order to make sure that everything went smoothly for the couple’s plans for the evening, John called ahead to book an 8:00pm reservation for the swank eatery.

He was sure that he and Kathryn were in for a treat. Why wouldn’t he? The restaurant’s website provided a vivid description of what their patrons would be in store for: “At Wildfire Steakhouse & Wine Bar, we bring you the very best of hardwood charcoal-inspired cooking to offer exquisite food and exceptional service in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We are committed to providing a memorable dining experience to each guest and we make your satisfaction our top priority.”

To John’s dismay, when he and his soon-to-be-bride arrived promptly by 8 for their reservation, they were told that they would have to wait by the bar while their table was being prepared.  A full twenty minutes later, John and Kathryn were finally seated. In an attempt to not let the minor setback in satisfaction ruin the evening, the couple went ahead and began to order their appetizers, drinks and main courses.

If you know John, you know that he’s hungry…a lot. So keeping the big man waiting while he salivates in anticipation of his meal is not exactly a wise choice. Someone should have mentioned that to the staff at Wildfire Steakhouse & Wine Bar. A more than perturbed John didn’t take his first bite of food until minutes past 9:00pm. We’re talking about his appetizer, by the way!

As Kathryn excused herself from the table for a moment, John couldn’t help but stop his waiter, who barely even made an attempt to attend to the couple as they waited patiently to be served for over half an hour. When asked where his food was, the waiter simply replied that the restaurant was having a busy night. Still without food, John questioned when it would be arriving at his table.

The waiter promptly presented an opportunity to speak to a manager. This manager, however, wasn’t much help. A meager “sorry” was offered, but nothing more. Thankfully, the food found its way to the table soon after. But by 9:30pm, John and Kathryn had already spent over 90 minutes in a restaurant that purports to offer “unparalleled service and breathtakingly intimate ambiance (that) set the stage for an unforgettable evening.”

Well, the evening was unforgettable alright. John wholeheartedly admits that the food was “absolutely fantastic”, but the wait to receive it was “ridiculous”. Worse, however, was the indifferent service that was offered to the couple. When your customer service is advertised as “exceptional” and “unparalleled”, it really better live up to its billing. If not, chances  are your customers will not return.

It cannot be stressed enough that excellent customer service is the key to running a good restaurant. That being said, John is more than open to accept the invite of any restaurant owner in the Greater Toronto Area for dining at their establishments.

He will only be too happy to offer his honest opinion about your restaurant’s food and service. He has the belly to prove it!

Synergy Merchant Services provides merchant cash advances to small and medium-sized businesses all over Canada. We take great pride in developing relationships with business owners who have put their time and energy into growing their companies. Some owners, however, did not necessarily begin their own businesses. Many buy their already-established businesses in an effort to take them to new levels within their respective marketplaces.

As Freelance Writer, Nate Waymire writes on Business.com, many business owners find great success in purchasing an existing franchise. He writes that this endeavor can be very beneficial and may come with many advantages. One of them, says Waymire, is the fact “that the franchise owner has an invested interest in your success.”

As a result, help is generally offered to those who purchase franchises as the company selling them prospers when the franchise owner succeeds. Often, tips for business plans and marketing strategies are provided. Not to mention, by purchasing the franchise, you also have the established and respected name of the company helping for you to grow your already developed customer base.

Waymire also notes that, as always, being dedicated to marketing your business effectively is of great importance. Actively promoting your company should be a constant practice so that you can bring in new customers on a regular basis. He offers up a number of ways in which this goal can be accomplished.

The first, says Waymire, is to “hire seasoned professionals who can devise a specific marketing plan for your business franchise.” Of course, utilizing the skills of talented and experienced workers within your selected field will only add to the stability of your business. It is important to ensure that they are knowledgeable about your brand and are dedicated to the success of the company overall.

The second tip offered is to “send direct mail postcards to advertise your business when you open a franchise.” By today’s standards, a lot of advertising is done online, and this, of course, is still a cost-efficient and effective option. However, the good old mailer is still a popular source of plugging a company as it provides a tangible piece of advertising that potential customers can keep and remember.

Waymire also suggests that those who buy franchises “work with direct mail marketers who know how to advertise your franchise opportunity.” That way, you may focus on a specific target of clients in a certain demographic. Ensuring that you secure great contacts is a surefire way to develop a strong and constantly growing consumer base.

Advises Waymire: “Hire an advertising agency to promote your small business franchise opportunities.” He writes that they “will examine what your business has to offer and what your target customer base is. Once they have established the key group to market to, they will devise a plan to reach them and make sure they are aware of who you are and what you have to offer.”

Evidently, one can always use help to be successful. When you buy a franchise, you have already afforded yourself the opportunity to profit from an already-popular brand. Getting those extra helping hands to assist in the further development of your franchise will only increase your popularity and success. Not to mention, it will also make you eligible to get that extra capital to grow the business through a merchant cash advance from you-know-who!

Back on December 8th, 2009, we posted a blog entitled “Here Comes The Snow”. Based on weather reports at the time, the Greater Toronto Area was given the impression that it was to gear up for quite the white winter. And while a snowfall did hit the GTA, the heavily-populated Southern-Ontario area has experienced a mild winter season thus far.

Well into the second week of February now, most of the ground is completely without snow. That is, until tonight, says the current weather forecast. According to 680News.com, “Some snow is about to land on the GTA. Although Toronto won’t be facing a ‘snowmaggedon,’ there will be enough to shovel and cause commuter hassles.”

We suppose that we can’t do too much complaining. For the most part, Torontonians are used to having “shovel back” by this time of year. Yes, we just made up that term. You know, the lower-back soreness that comes with daily shoveling of snow from driveways and sidewalks? Well, most people around the Synergy Merchant Services offices today admitted that they have only shoveled once or twice for the season so far.

It looks like the shovels will be coming out tomorrow though. Weather reports predict that later tonight, the snowfall will begin to leave approximately seven centimetres of snow on the ground for tomorrow afternoon. More importantly than worrying about a minor case of “shovel back”, however, commuters are cautioned to be very careful on their way to work tomorrow morning.

It goes without saying that with snowfall comes more slippery road conditions. In an article on Edmunds.com, Neil Dunlop offers up tips on how drivers can keep safe while driving their cars through the snow. He advises that driving too fast is the number one error of driving in winter conditions.

Says Dunlop, “Slippery roads make every mistake happen faster and more dramatically. And don’t think antilock brakes, stability systems or other vehicle control mechanisms will help you if you’re sliding.”

Quoting Jerry Pearl, general manager of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs, Colorado who has been teaching people how to drive safely in the snow for 18 years, Dunlop also advises drivers to look ahead and be aware of the road ice and slippery conditions. Drivers should be leaving double the space between themselves and other cars in front of them.

Writes Dunlop: “An easy calculation for this distance is four car lengths for every 10 mph you are traveling. That means if you are doing 40 mph, you should leave 16 car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead.”

Of course, there are a number of other tips that will keep you and other drivers safe behind the wheel, but ensuring that you are mastering control of your vehicle is the main point. Go slow, be alert and stay safe. Or as Dunlop suggests, “stay home and make hot chocolate”.

One thing that we are always mindful of at Synergy Merchant Services is to never make the bold mistake of claiming that we are “better” than a bank. We leave it up to each and every one of our clients to make that determination for themselves. “Better”, of course, is an opinion.

We do, however, happily assure our clients that the process of attaining additional working capital through our merchant cash advance program is quicker, easier and more convenient than a bank. And once they go through the simple steps to get their cash advances, they often are the ones telling us that it was a “better” experience than what they were used to.

In addition, many of our clients find that not only is the process of securing a bank loan a long and laborious one, but it is much more difficult to be approved in the wake of the recent recession. That being said, it is not uncommon for us to develop new client relationships with disgruntled Canadian business owners who were turned away from their banks last year.

In 2010, it seems as if the reins are not getting any looser. The QMI Agency reports today that The Bank of Canada “has no plans to further ease up credit, even though small business owners face a tighter lending environment as the recovery progresses.”

In fact, Canadian business owners will face “some modest further tightening” in available credit according to Bank of Canada Deputy Governor, Pierre Duguay in a speech to the Levis Chamber of Commerce in Quebec earlier today. This revelation comes in spite of the fact that in the second half of 2009, it appeared as if lending policies towards Canadian businesses were loosening up.

According to the QMI Agency report, “Duguay also said the strength of the loonie and the low absolute level of U.S. demand will also continue to act as significant drags on economic activity.”

Synergy, on the other hand, looks forward to continuing to develop even more relationships with Canadian business owners throughout 2010. We believe that a merchant’s Visa, MasterCard and Interac sales should most certainly count for something. When a business shows its ability to process credit and debit transactions, we acknowledge that as significant sign that the business can succeed in the marketplace.

Basing our cash advance amount on a business’ average monthly volume of credit and debit sales, means that no credit check is even necessary. As a result, there is no need to put any restrictions on one’s available credit. And although we are not in the business of giving out credit, we certainly give credit where credit is due.

If you are a Canadian business owner seeking additional working capital, stop waiting for the bank to get back to you in order to decline your application for a business loan. Call Synergy today, allow us to review your monthly merchant statements, and get yourself on the “quicker, easier and more convenient” path to getting the money you need for your business.