Any Georgia company can benefit from good business credit. You can use your personal credit, but eventually you’ll want a separate line. There are steps you can take to do so.
Register
You can use your own name as your business name. But for business law purposes, you might want to register your business under its own name. This can help in matters concerning taxes and liability. Having an official business name can also make it easier to get a business loan, credit card or bank account.
DUNS
A Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number helps your business credit score. Creditors and suppliers often use Dun & Bradstreet to check the creditworthiness of a business. According to the World Economic Forum, Dun & Bradstreet has the most business-credit information in the world.
Alternate forms of credit
Some business suppliers or vendors might extend credit. This is a way to build business credit, similar to using a credit card. Just make your payments get reported to the credit reporting agencies.
Business credit card
A business credit card is specifically for business owners. This type of credit card often has lower interest rates than personal cards. Your payment history is also reported to Dun & Bradstreet and other credit bureaus.
Pay on time
A history of on-time payments looks good on your credit report. A good payment history will make it easier for you to get business loans and credit.
Low credit utilization
Never max out your business credit cards. Lenders look at how much of your credit you’re using. If you’re using more than 30% of your available credit, it can hurt your credit score.
Check your business credit report
Check your business credit report to make sure it’s correct. This will allow you to spot and correct errors on the report. This is important because errors can cause you to have a lower score.
