Building business credit
How a business credit file starts, what feeds it and how long it takes to mean anything. Start with how business credit works, then the bureau-by-bureau articles.
- ArticleHow Business Credit Works, From First File to First LoanHow U.S. business credit files are created, what feeds them, how they differ from personal credit, and why lenders still look at the owner for young companies.
- ArticleBusiness Credit Scores Compared: D&B, Experian, Equifax and FICO SBSSThe main U.S. business credit scores side by side: what PAYDEX, Experian Intelliscore Plus, Equifax's risk scores and FICO SBSS measure, and their scales.
- ArticleThe PAYDEX Score Explained Without the HypeWhat Dun & Bradstreet's PAYDEX score measures, why 80 means paying on time, how many reporting accounts you need, and what does and doesn't move it.
- ArticleNet-30 Trade Lines: How Vendor Credit Builds a Business FileHow supplier trade credit (net-30 and similar terms) gets reported to business credit bureaus, how to tell if a vendor reports, and the traps to avoid.
- ArticlePersonal Guarantees on Business Loans: What You're SigningWhat a personal guarantee on a business loan or lease means, unlimited vs limited guarantees, SBA's 20% owner rule, and what you can realistically negotiate.
- ArticleHow to Check and Correct Your Business Credit ReportsHow to see what Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax report about your company, the errors worth fixing first, and how business disputes differ from consumer ones.