Most business owners understand the importance of a good credit score, but how do you start building your business credit when you don’t quite understand the process? Learn best practices to build a positive business credit profile from Tim Graczewski, our Creditera partner.
Tim reviews the major differences between personal and business credit scores and how to understand your business credit report.
2. •Why business credit matters
•Where do credit scores come from
•What are your credit factors?
•Business credit and getting financing
•How to build your credit profile
Meet the speakers…
Andres Thomas
Customer Success
Kabbage, Inc.
MODERATOR
• Q&A session
Tim Graczewski
Vice President
Strategy & Business Development
Creditera
6. Where do credit scores come from
The National Credit Bureaus
COMMERCIAL BUREAU
SCORE
PROVIDER
Personal & Business
7. Many different scores. (Too many?)
0
-‐ 49
50
-‐ 79
80
-‐ 100
Low
Medium
High
Personal Credit
0 - 100
Business Credit
0 - 300
350 - 850
VantageScore
Intelliscore
SBSS
Paydex
350 - 850
8. Reporting lines - How bureaus populate
business reports
Register your business
as a legal entity
R
Public records Info is sent by lenders
and business creditors
9. What are your
credit factors?
Business Credit Score
Utilization
Business Data
Payment History
Length of History
Debt to Income
13. Major differences between personal and
business credit
Difference in scores
1
No FCRA protection for
business credit2
3 Business reports are more
likely to have errors
4 Payments
15. How is business credit used
Business Credit
Government & Enterprise
ContractsBusiness Financing
Insurance Rates
Potential Business
Partners
Business Credit Cards
Customer Trust
Equipment
Leasing
Commercial
Real Estate
Trade Credit
(Suppliers & Vendors)
16. Business credit and getting financing
Insufficient financing: 2nd
most common reason for
business failure
- SBA
Most small business
owners rely solely on
personal funds and
credit for financing
72%
GET DENIED!
18. Business credit and
getting financing
A business can access
10 to 100 times
more credit
than a consumer
A business will use credit at
10 times the rate of a
consumer
21. How to build your credit profile
3
1
2
4
5
Get Set Up Correctly:
Get your current business and
personal scores (2 min)
Incorporate your company
(2 days)
Establish EIN (1 hour)
Open a business bank account
• Open business credit card
• Get your key
vendors/suppliers reporting
Get a DUNS number (optional)
Establish credit lines for your
Business
6
22. 3
1
2
4
Separate business from personal
Business bank account - ensure contact
details match business reports
Charge business expenses to your
business
• Company credit cards
• Use accounting software
Business insurance
Build business credit
How to build your credit profile
23. 3
1
2
4
5
Check regularly
No thin files!
• Dispute if necessary
Make sure credit and trade lines are
reported
• Get at least 4
Pay early if you can. Never be late
Plan your future
Business credit and
getting financing