Building Business Credit

Most businesses want to be able to borrow money when they need it, without the owners having to guarantee the loans personally. This means less risk to the owners. But wanting to get credit for your business and actually getting it can be two different things.

One company recently approached us because over the past two years they had created a successful business, with over twenty employees. But they couldn't get a business loan because they hadn't taken the time to build a business credit profile and didn't know where to start.

You may have seen marketing hype about how a business credit profile can overcome a bad personal credit file. In most cases, however, it's important that small businesses have both good business credit, as well as solid personal credit on the part of the owners. This is especially true in the current environment where investors and venture capitalists aren't handing money out to just anyone who can breathe and has a business idea! Even established businesses will find it necessary in some cases to provide the business owner's personal guarantees on some loans or credit cards.

Building business credit is completely different from building personal credit, though your personal credit may be linked in some ways. For example, credit reporting giant Experian sells a business credit score that is based on both the risk of the business and the personal credit of the owner of the company.

In addition, you don't have the same credit protection laws with business credit that you do with personal credit. So you want to make sure you start out on the right foot, or it can be difficult to make corrections.

The key to properly establishing business credit is twofold:

1. Set up the proper business structure and take basic steps to ensure your business appears "real" and stable to the business credit bureaus. That means getting the proper occupational licenses, and a phone number that is listed with directory assistance in the businesses' name, among other things. Your business will generally need some form of corporate structure to effectively build a business credit rating.

2. Borrow or buy products and services from companies that will report your credit history to the major business credit reporting agencies such as Dunn & Bradstreet and Experian.

Unlike personal credit ratings, where you can have a small income yet get a top FICO credit score, the best business credit scores are reserved for large stable businesses, those with several million dollars in sales a year and 25-50 or more employees.

But don't let that stop you! By taking a few careful steps, you can start small and still build a decent business credit rating to get you the borrowing power your venture needs.

A few warnings:

1. Don't try to "buy" good credit! Some companies will offer to "sell" trade references for a large sum of money. This is a rip off and if the credit reporting agencies find out, they will purge those references.

2. Don't spend large sums of money on a shelf corporation from a company that "guarantees" you will be able to use it to get loans. More often than not, the company won't have the kind of credit rating you'll need to be successful.

3. Don't try to get business credit as a substitute for bad personal credit. If you have damaged personal credit, work on rebuilding it while you're building business credit.

Entrepreneurs are usually hard-working, creative and willing to get the job done. Fortunately, those are the same qualities that will help you through the process of building strong business credit. Get started now! For more information about building business credit, visit www.BusinessCreditSuccess.com

About The Author

Gerri Detweiler is considered one of the country's top credit experts. She has been interviewed for thousands of radio, television and print newstories including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dateline NBC and many others. She has testified before Congress several times and worked on reform of the national credit reporting laws.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Credit Information:

Related Articles

Credit Scores and Loan Applications
Keep Your Credit History Clean - Remove A Negative Credit Record From Your Credit ReportIt can make a difference of up to 18% in loan repayment costs.For example, on a 30-year, $150,000 fixed rate mortgage, a borrower with the best credit score, 760-850, will pay 5.
Clean Credit Report: Easily Raise Your Credit Score 100 points
Clean Credit Reports, your credit report contains information about where you work, live and how you pay your bills (On time or not). It also may show whether you've been sued, arrested or have filed for bankruptcy with in the last 10 years.
Is it Safe to Use Online Car Finance?
Online car finance is convenient. You can apply over the net and shop around for a good deal from the comfort of your home.
Learn The Truth About Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, according to a recently released FTC study. Did you know that the term "identity theft" did not exist until just a few years ago? It is a recent phenomenon that is causing a great furor around the world.
Bad Credit Credit Cards
Chances are you've gotten your share of offers like this in the mailBad Credit Credit Card, Bad Credit Visa Cards and Credit Cards for People With Bad Credit. Re-establish your credit with a bad credit credit card, credit cards for people with bad credit or pre-approved Visa cards regardless of your bad credit history, some with low introductory rates and other perks.
It Is In Your Best Interest To Do The Math On Your Credit Card Interest
If you begin foaming at the mouth once a month when you receive your credit card statement, join the millions of Americans that are foaming along with you. There is a growing outrage at the seemingly endless journey towards eliminating the balance on your credit card and that is due primarily to the extravagant interest rates charged by credit card companies.
Credit Report Secrets: Do You Know What They Reveal?
If you've ever applied for a credit card or loan, you've probably hadyour credit report reviewed by the lender. Your credit report has a huge impact on your financial future, so it's well worth your time to be sure that you understand what your credit report says about you.
Avoiding College Credit Card Traps
Congratulations college freshman! You're about to embark on one of the most exciting times of your life. By now your parents, siblings, and friends have offered you all kinds of advice on how to make your transition to college smoother - how to get along with your roommate, what classes to take and which ones to avoid, where to find the best off-campus food, and how to stay safe on campus.
Credit Repair Services vs. Do-It-Yourself Credit Repair
Millions of Americans suffer because of bad credit these days, and almost all of these people turn to the Internet for help. In the past 5 years hundreds of 'internet-based' credit repair services have sprung up, preying on consumers in need of real help.
What Does Your Credit Score Tell You?
When you apply for a loan or a mortgage, the first thing the lender does is to check your credit score. Based on your credit score, the lender decides the amount of finance you are eligible for and the interest rate at which you will be charged.
How to Improve Your Credit Rating
So you got into debt, had problems but you got yourself back on your feet through hard work and sacrifice and how are you rewarded? A Bad Credit Rating.You would be forgiven for thinking thats not fair and why did you bother sorting yourself out if your hands are still tied when it comes to applying for anything financial? There are ways to improve your credit rating and get back on track completely.
Credit Trap: What They Dont Tell You About Credit Cards In College
In industrialized nations, going into debt starts early. It's easy for an eighteen-year-old to get credit cards and fall into debt, especially if they're headed for college.
Two Things You Need To Know About Prepaid Debit Cards
According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report, around $588 billion dollars worth of debit cards were bought in the United States in 2003. By 2008 that volume is expected to grow to $1.
How To Use Your Credit Card For Ultimate Financial Advantage
Using a credit card wisely is an important step in building a great credit rating. If you're trying to re-build your credit or if you're young and just starting out, pay close attention the next time you receive a new card offer in the mail or online.
Fight Credit Card Fraud with Common Sense
By now, you have undoubtedly heard of credit card fraud, an alarming and damaging trend that is sweeping the country. Here's the bad news: It is disturbingly easy for thieves to obtain your credit card number--usually from discarded receipts or even directly from you.
Cash Back vs. Rewards Credit Cards
Ah, the sweet rewards of using credit!Not only do you get immediate gratification with the buy now-pay later plastic, but now, many credit cards offer rewards and incentives for using their card to make purchases. You can get cash back, or gift cards, or 'reward points' that you can spend on merchandise or services from various merchants.
How To Boost Your Credit Score
Years ago your credit score was a big secret, known only to a select few such as your mortgage and credit card companies. In 2000, Fair, Isaac Co.
Credit Repair: How To Deal With Your Creditors
If you are in danger of credit problems because you have more debts than you can handle, there are things you can do at least keep your creditors reasonably happy.First, prioritize your debts or rank them in terms of the ones that can give you the most trouble the quickest.
Minimum Credit Card Payments to Rise
For years, major credit card companies have allowed cardholders to make minimum payments of 2% of the outstanding balances on their credit cards. Having customers pay the minimum doesn't reduce the balance by very much, but when the 18-30% interest rates that many credit cards charge is applied, the result is a profitable ones for the banks that issue credit cards.
Free Credit Report - A Website Typo Could Be Costly
In 2003, Congress passed the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions act (FACT), which made it possible for consumers to obtain a copy of their credit report for free. In fact, the legislation makes it possible for consumers to obtain one free report from each of the three main credit bureaus - Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax, per year.