As a small business owner having access to capital continues to be a growing concern as we start off the New Year. The majority of business owners prefer small business credit lines because it allows a business to establish a significant amount of cash on demand to make purchases that are too large for a credit card and too small for a loan.

I always advise my clients and members to plan applying for a business line of credit during times of growth and cash flow. Banks are more likely to approve a credit line when it doesn’t need the funds compared to one that is financially strapped.

You can improve your chances for securing a business line of credit by listening to my podcast titled How to Secure a Business Line of Credit.

If you think you’re business is just making it fine despite the current economic times and you don’t need the credit line think again! The reality is that your business will at one point require an influx of cash in order to cover unforeseen operating expenses, development, expansion, legal fees, inventory or a range of other items that a business may require in order to grow.

To access business credit insider secrets, premium vendors, leasing companies, business credit cards, and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus become a member of my Business Credit Insider’s Circle. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) =>

To Your Success!

Marco Carbajo

About the Author

Marco Carbajo is a business credit specialist, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insider’s Circle. He is a weekly columnist for Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions, a business credit blogger for All Business & American Express Small Business and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in The Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.  

For small business owners, gaining access to capital continues to be a concern as we start off the New Year. The majority of my clients prefer business credit lines because it allows them to establish a significant amount of cash on demand to make purchases that are too large for a credit card and too small for a loan. However, when it comes to qualifying there are specific steps that I advise my clients to establish in order to improve their chances of approval.

First of all, the best time to apply for business credit lines is during times of growth and cash flow. Banks are more likely to approve a credit line to a business when it doesn’t need the funds than when it’s financially strapped. I would strongly encourage you to adopt a “dig your well before you get thirsty” philosophy.

If you think your business is doing just fine despite the current economic times and you don’t need a credit line, think again. The reality is that your business will at one point require an influx of cash in order to cover unforeseen operating expenses, development, expansion, legal fees, inventory, or a range of other issues that a business may face in order to grow.

So when you apply for a credit line and your business is coming from a position of financial strength — if you have a strong bank rating, business credit scores, good cash flow, and so on — your chance of getting approved is much greater than if you apply from a position of weakness.

Second, keep in mind that it’s much easier to get approved for, say, a $50,000 line of credit than a $100,000 line, simply because of the documentation and number of financials required for larger credit lines. Most banks only require a low 5 bank rating, a favorable business credit rating, and personal credit scores of 680 or greater to approve a $50,000 line of credit.

If you’re applying for a credit line greater than $50,000, you’ll also be asked to provide two years of personal and business tax returns, profit and loss statements, and financial statements. The difference in documentation is substantial when it comes to the amount of credit you apply for.

These are the five steps that I review with my clients in order to qualify for a business credit line:

1. Bank balance rating: This is the average minimum balance maintained in your account over a three-month period. A $10,000 balance will rate as low 5, a $5,000 rate is mid 4, $999 is high 3 and so on. You should maintain a minimum low 5 for at least three months. If you don’t have at least a low 5, most banks will assume your business has little ability to repay.
2. Bank rating cycle: You’ll want to maintain at least a low 5 for the three months prior to applying for a line of credit or larger loan.
3. Account management: NSF (bounced) checks destroy your bank rating. From this point forward, NSF checks are something you can’t let happen. I suggest you add overdraft protection to your account as soon as possible.
4. Business credit reports: Dun & Bradstreet reports, Small Business Equifax, and Corporate Experian should reflect your solid business credit history and scores.
5. Personal credit score: Your score should be 680 or higher.

Maximize these five factors and you can greatly improve your chance of getting approved for a business credit line. The important point to remember is that banks are in business to lend money and they make money from the interest they charge. But when they extend a line of credit they want to minimize the risk as much as possible.

To access business credit insider secrets, premium vendors, leasing companies, business credit cards, and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus become a member of my Business Credit Insider’s Circle. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) =>

To Your Success!

Marco Carbajo

About the Author

Marco Carbajo is a business credit specialist, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insider’s Circle. He is a weekly columnist for Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions, a business credit blogger for All Business & American Express Small Business and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in The Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.