You lie in bed in a cold sweat, listening to heavy footsteps slowly creeping down the hall.  It can’t be seen, but you can tell it is big. You know it’s coming, and you know you can’t stop it. The door creaks on its hinges as your worst nightmare comes true. You let out a bloodcurdling scream. Your lack of business credit is catching up to you! If only knew how the vendor credit tier of business financing could help. You could save yourself from the bloody massacre that ensues.

Bad business credit is the boogeyman under the bed, the monster in the closet, the werewolf in the woods, and the vampire that will not let go until it sucks you dry. It haunts you until it drives you mad, if you let it. Not only does it haunt your dreams, but it can actually catch up to you in real life and make running your business a living nightmare.

There is no way around it. You cannot run a business without business credit. But you have to start somewhere, right? Where? How? Is there a hunter or slayer out there that can kills such a beast as this?  

It’s the Vendor Credit Tier to the Rescue – Your Hero 

Yes, there is.  The vendor credit tier of business financing. These heroes offer terms that count as credit, and report payments to credit agencies, so that you can establish and build business credit that will keep you massacre free for years to come.

To fully understand the vendor credit tier however, you need to know what it is, and how it fits in to the other business financing tiers.

Don’t Run Upstairs!

In all the great, cheesy horror movies the damsel in distress runs straight up the stairs at the first sign of trouble. While that may be the dumbest move ever, right up there with running away from the road and into the woods without shoes, in this situation, working your way up is the way to go.

Tier 1: The Vendor Credit Tier

This is definitely the starting point for building business credit. You do not have business credit when you first start, and no credit is the same as bad credit. It is easily remedied on the front end, but do so before the plot thickens.

Also known as starter vendors, these are the businesses from which you purchase the things you use day to day in your own business. It may be inventory, raw materials, office supplies, or any number of things. They offer terms such as net 30, meaning you get 30 days from the date of purchase to pay for the items purchased.  Some vendors offer net 15, net 60, or even net 90.

In the end, they report your payments, or lack thereof, to credit agencies. The beauty is they do not require a credit check typically, meaning if you handle things properly, they offer an opportunity to build business credit from the ground up.

Tier 2: Alternative Lenders

A step below traditional financing, these lenders require more than the vendor credit tier, but less than traditional lending institutions. When your credit builds just a little, you may be eligible for financing from an alternative lender.

These types of lenders are also an option for those that have been in business long enough to have open invoices and substantial credit card sales, as invoice factoring and merchant cash advances fall into this tier. An example of a nontraditional lender is Fundation.

Tier 3: Traditional Financing

Bank loans are the most common in this tier. They require excellent credit and often some sort of security. They may also ask for other information like income statements and tax returns. The goal is to make it to this tier so that the option is there if needed.

How to Make the Vendor Credit Tier Work for Your Business 

The really scary thing is, using the vendor credit tier doesn’t help you at all if you are operating under your personal credit. You have to establish your business as its own entity before it can build its own credit. Much like a vampire slayer must train and prepare for battle, so must a business owner prepare to fight a credit void.

• Incorporate your business (or at least begin operating under a DBA)

• List separate business contact information in directories

• Obtain an EIN and a DUNS number

• Open a bank account in your business’s name and run all business expenses through that account.

These steps will help you establish your business as an entity with finances separate from your own. That means vendors will report credit information in your business name. Thus, your business credit will be born.

Now, who are these vendors that can save you from your nightmares? We picked a few of the best, but the list isn’t exhaustive.

Discover this new way to slaughter the bad business credit monster and work with the vendor credit tier.

Grainger Industrial Supply 

Grainger sells power tools, pumps, hardware and other things. In addition, they can handle maintenance of your auto fleet. You need a business license and EIN number to quality, as well as a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet.

You can apply by fax or over the phone. If you need less than $1,000 in credit, you only need a business license for approval. For over $1,000, you will need trade and bank references.

If you are just starting out and do not have references, the $1,000 is plenty to get you started building your business credit. Get started here.

Quill Office Supplies

Quill is the ultimate starter vendor and a mainstay in the vender credit tier. They sell office supplies as well as cleaning and packaging supplies. Products range from office furniture and printer ink to snacks and coffee. They sell coffee makers too!

They report to D&B. If you do not already have a PAYDEX score, you will have to place an initial order first. Generally speaking, they establish a 90-day prepay schedule, and if you order each month for three months, they will most often approve you for a Net 30 account. 

Go here to get started with Quill.

Discover this new way to slaughter the bad business credit monster and work with the vendor credit tier.

Uline Shipping Supplies

Uline reports to Dun & Bradstreet and carries shipping boxes, trucks, dollies, janitorial supplies, and more. Since they report to D&B, you have to have a DUNS number before you get started with them. They will also ask you for a bank reference and two other references. Initially, you may need to prepay. After that, they are likely to approve you for Net 30 terms.

Find out more about Uline here.

Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card

The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card works with business owners that do not have great personal credit. It allows them to build business credit, and will only report to personal credit bureaus if you get behind or default.

The APR can go as low as 13.15%. There is a credit limit range of $500 to $25,000 and an annual fee of $25. They report to Experian.

Behalf.com 

Behalf is way of getting paid through an app, but they also offer funding. The more you have your customers pay you through Behalf, the more likely Behalf is to offer you favorable terms when it comes to funding.

Funding can be through purchase financing or a virtual Mastercard option. Terms run from Net 30 to 180 days, and they report to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax. This fact alone, that they report to all the major credit reporting agencies, makes them an extremely valuable tool in building business credit.

Check them out here.

Stay out of the Deep Dark Woods

Once you are out of the nightmare and safe from harm, don’t invite the business murderer back in. Don’t run back into the woods, and definitely avoid another massacre by staying on top of your business credit.

If you are working in the vendor credit tier, be certain to make payments on time or early. Then, monitor your credit. When you see things moving in the right direction, move up the stairs to continue building strong credit.

Don’t become a victim of credit agency mistakes. If you see a problem on your report, yell for help. Let them know about the mistake in writing, give them the correct information, and provide documentation. Don’t send originals though. Be sure to make copies and keep the originals for yourself.

Don’t Let Bad Business Credit Massacre your Business Dreams

Ghosts and goblins, ghouls and vampires, these are the things that should scare you. Bad business credit is avoidable and fixable. It may take some time, but you can establish and build great business credit by working through the tiers.

Starting with the vendor credit tier and working your way all the way up to traditional financing, your business can thrive. A word of caution however. Don’t move too fast. Start slow. If you run up the stairs our out into the woods too quickly you could trip. That gives the bad guys a chance to catch up. You don’t want that. When it comes to building business credit, slow and steady wins the race.

What does this mean? Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Do not take on more credit than you can handle. Know your limits, and pay attention to the market. Imagine trying to escape from danger by hiding long enough to get out of the house. You don’t have to move quickly. In fact, if you move too fast they may see you and run your way. You only have to keep moving in the right direction without them seeing you until you are out of harm’s way.

The same is true of building a business. You don’t have to move quickly, you just have to keep moving in the right direction.

Discover this new way to slaughter the bad business credit monster and work with the vendor credit tier.