Credit is not just for consumers. If you are a small business owner, you probably understand the importance of credit for the purposes of getting a loan or line of credit, or even a credit card. However, using your personal credit for business purposes could set you up for personal liability. That’s where business credit can be an important resource to not only build a positive reputation for your business, but to separate your personal and business liabilities.
National credit education months and awareness events are designed to give both consumers and businesses the resources they need to strengthen their credit and, by extension, their opportunities. Though credit seems complicated, the truth is there are small things you can do that can not only positively impact your own credit but help to spread awareness and educate others as well. Below are some tips and resources that can help you make the most of National Credit Education Month.
How Small Businesses Can Get Started with Business Credit
If you are new to building your business credit, National Credit Education Month is a great time to get started. If they haven’t yet established any credit for their business, new business owners may feel it necessary to use their personal credit and personal guarantees to cover business expenses. However, using business credit can help improve your business’s reputation with its vendors and suppliers, while simultaneously reducing personal risk. In honor of National Credit Education Month, here are some resources to help you get started with business credit:
- Learn the difference between personal and business credit.
- Learn what creditworthiness means.
- Learn how to begin building your business credit.
- Learn what is in your Dun & Bradstreet business credit file.
How to Build and Maintain Your Business’s Credit File
Now that you’ve created a business credit file for your business, it’s important to continually update and work to improve your business credit file so that it can continue to be a valuable asset to your business when securing funding, vendor relationships, and other important business use cases. The resources below can help you on your journey to build and maintain strong business credit for your company:
- Learn what inquiries on your business credit file mean.
- Learn how Trade References can impact your business credit scores and ratings.
- Learn how to complete your Dun & Bradstreet business credit profile.
- Learn about the top 5 mistakes companies make when building business credit.
The Impacts of Credit for Small Business
Business credit can open doors for many small businesses to get the capital and assistance they need to grow. You may not even be aware of all the opportunities available to your business when you leverage your business credit properly. Browse the articles below to learn about some ways you can use business credit report to your advantage:
- Learn about leasing versus buying equipment.
- Learn about how to get funding through a line of credit.
- Learn about how to apply for grant funding.
- Learn about business credit for each stage over the life of your business.
Learn More
To learn how your personal credit can impact your business, read more from Intuit.
To learn more about building, maintaining, and using your business credit, visit our Business Credit Resources.