Written by Janet Gershen-Siegel

We Review Pearl Financing and Pearl Capital Business Financing: Check Out Our Bankable Reviews

Pearl Financing is a lender in the online space. However, there are two players with similar names. This blog post will cover both: Pearl Capital Business Financing and Pearl Financing.

Review of Pearl Financing

Pearl Financing is a lending company in the online space. They provide various loans and forms of financing to businesses.

Background

Pearl Financing is located online here: http://www.pearlfinancing.com/.

Their physical address is:
11010 Lake Grove Blvd
Suite 100 PMB 119
Morrisville, NC 27560.

You can also call them at: (866) 865-0121. Their contact page is here: http://www.pearlfinancing.com/contact-us/. Also, you can email them at: info@pearlfinancing.com.

Small Business Working Capital

This offering includes SBA loans and MCAs.

Your company has to be a retail business with less than $6 million in sales. Or it can be a manufacturing company with fewer than 500 workers. Another option is to be a service business with fewer than 100 employees.

Fees

There is no application fee.

Asset Based Lending

This working capital financing is secured by your company’s accounts receivable and inventory. Their product offerings run from $250,000 to $50 million.

Fees

Their advance rates on accounts receivable go up to 90%. Also, there are up to 75% advance rates on certain inventory finished goods or raw materials.

Unsecured Lines of Credit

The amount depends on business size and profitability. It also depends on the owner’s personal credit. There is a 10-minute prequalification process.

Fees

The rate is 1 – 5 percent over prime for large lines of credit. There is a 0% introductory rate on business credit cards. Pearl Financing also offers credit checks for less than $45.

Pearl Financing Advantages

Advantages include the very high loan amounts available. Also, a 0% introductory rate is available for business credit cards. For businesses which need a lot of funds, this could be a viable option.

Pearl Financing Disadvantages

So the chief disadvantage is the company needs to distinguish themselves better from a similar company with a nearly identical name. As a result, borrowers can easily end up on the wrong site.

Pearl Capital Business Financing

Pearl Capital Business Financing is a lending company in the online space. So it is evidently unrelated to Pearl Financing.

They work with Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) and merchants only. This online lender helps ISOs find more merchants to sign on. So these are with credit card payments or to create merchant cash advances. There is no listing for their fees on their website.

Background

Pearl Capital Business Financing is located online here: https://pearlcapital.com/. Their physical address is in New York, NY. You can also call them at: (800) 888-9959.

An Alternative? Building Business Credit!

Since business credit is distinct from individual, it helps to secure a business owner’s personal assets, in case of court action or business insolvency. Also, with two separate credit scores, a business owner can get two different cards from the same merchant.

So this effectively doubles buying power.

Another advantage is that even new ventures can do this. Going to a bank for a business loan can be a recipe for disappointment. But building company credit, when done properly, is a plan for success.

Individual credit scores depend upon payments but also additional components like credit use percentages. But for corporate credit, the scores really just depend on if a corporation pays its invoices in a timely manner.

The Process

Establishing company credit is a process, and it does not occur automatically. A company has to actively work to establish company credit. That being said, it can be done easily and quickly, and it is much more rapid than developing individual credit scores.

And merchants are a big aspect of this process.

Accomplishing the steps out of order will result in repetitive rejections. No one can start at the top with business credit. For instance, you can’t start with store or cash credit from your bank. If you do you’ll get a rejection 100% of the time.

Business Credibility

A company needs to be bona fide to loan providers and merchants. As a result, a corporation will need a professional-looking web site and e-mail address, with site hosting from a supplier such as GoDaddy.

In addition company phone and fax numbers need to have a listing on 411.com.

Additionally the company phone number should be toll-free (800 exchange or similar).

A business will also need a bank account devoted purely to it, and it needs to have all of the licenses essential for running. These licenses all have to be in the accurate, accurate name of the business, with the same small business address and telephone numbers.

So keep in mind that this means not just state licenses, but potentially also city licenses.

Working with the IRS

Visit the IRS web site and obtain an EIN for the business. They’re free. Pick a business entity like corporation, LLC, etc. A company can start off as a sole proprietor but will most likely wish to switch to a sort of corporation or partnership to diminish risk and maximize tax benefits.

A business entity will matter when it pertains to taxes and liability in case of litigation. A sole proprietorship means the entrepreneur is it when it comes to liability and taxes. Nobody else is responsible.

If you run a company as a sole proprietor, then at the very least be sure to file for a DBA (‘doing business as’) status.

If you do not, then your personal name is the same as the company name. As a result, you can wind up being personally liable for all corporate debts.

Plus, per the IRS, with this structure there is a 1 in 7 possibility of an IRS audit. There is a 1 in 50 possibility for corporations! Avoid confusion and dramatically lower the odds of an IRS audit at the same time.

Instigating the Business Credit Reporting Process

Begin at the D&B website and obtain a totally free DUNS number. A DUNS number is how D&B gets a business into their system, to generate a PAYDEX score. If there is no DUNS number, then there is no record and no PAYDEX score.

Once in D&B’s system, search Equifax and Experian’s web sites for the company. You can do this here. If there is a record with them, check it for accuracy and completeness. If there are no records with them, go to the next step in the process. This way, Experian and Equifax will have something to report on.

Trade Lines

First you need to establish trade lines that report. This is also referred to as vendor accounts. Then you’ll have an established credit profile, and you’ll get a business credit score.

And with an established business credit profile and score you can start getting revolving store and cash credit.

These sorts of accounts often tend to be for the things bought all the time, like coffee, shipping boxes, outdoor work wear, ink and toner, and office furniture.

But first off, what is trade credit? These trade lines are credit issuers who will give you starter credit when you have none now. Terms are in most cases Net 30, instead of revolving.

Hence if you get approval for $1,000 in vendor credit and use all of it, you will need to pay that money back in a set term, like within 30 days on a Net 30 account.

Details

Net 30 accounts have to be paid in full within 30 days. 60 accounts must be paid completely within 60 days. Compared to with revolving accounts, you have a set time when you have to pay back what you borrowed or the credit you made use of.

To begin your business credit profile the proper way, you should get approval for vendor accounts that report to the business credit reporting agencies. When that’s done, you can then use the credit.

Then repay what you used, and the account is on report to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, or Equifax.

Not every vendor can help in the same way true starter credit can. These are vendors that will grant an approval with minimal effort. You also want them to be reporting to one or more of the big three CRAs: Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian.

But you may have to apply more than one time to these vendors, and you may have to buy some things you do not really need, to validate you are reliable and will pay in a timely manner. Consider donating unwanted items to charitable organizations.

Revolving Store Credit

Once there are 5 to 8 or more vendor trade accounts reporting to at least one of the CRAs, move onto revolving store credit. These are service providers like Office Depot and Staples. These companies are more likely to have goods you need.

Use the company’s EIN on these credit applications.

One instance is Lowe’s. They report to D&B, Equifax and Business Experian. They want to see a DUNS and a PAYDEX score of 78 or better.

Fleet Credit

Are there 8 to 10 accounts reporting? Then move onto fleet credit. These are service providers like BP and Conoco. Use this credit to buy, repair, and take care of vehicles. Make sure to apply using the small business’s EIN.

Cash Credit

Have you been responsibly handling the credit you’ve gotten up to this point? Then move onto cash credit. These are service providers like Visa and MasterCard. Keep your SSN off these applications; use your EIN instead.

These are service providers such as Walmart and Dell, and also Home Depot, BP, and Racetrac. These are typically MasterCard credit cards. If you have 14 trade accounts reporting, then these are in reach.

Monitor Your Business Credit

Know what is happening with your credit. Make certain it is being reported and attend to any errors ASAP. Get in the practice of taking a look at credit reports and digging into the details, and not just the scores.

We can help you monitor business credit at Experian and D&B for only $24/month, here. Update the info if there are mistakes or the details is incomplete.

Challenging Mistakes

So, what’s all this monitoring for? It’s to challenge any errors in your records. Mistakes in your credit report(s) can be fixed. But the CRAs normally want you to dispute in a particular way.

Disputing credit report mistakes generally means you send a paper letter with copies of any proof of payment with it. These are documents like receipts and cancelled checks. Never mail the original copies. Always send copies and keep the original copies.

Disputing credit report mistakes also means you specifically itemize any charges you dispute. Make your dispute letter as understandable as possible. Be specific about the issues with your report. Use certified mail so that you will have proof that you mailed in your dispute.

A Word about Building Business Credit

Always use credit sensibly! Never borrow beyond what you can pay back. Monitor balances and deadlines for payments. Paying promptly and completely will do more to raise business credit scores than pretty much anything else.

So building corporate credit pays. And great business credit scores help a corporation get loans. Your lender knows the business can pay its financial obligations.

They recognize the company is authentic. The company’s EIN attaches to high scores. And lenders won’t feel the need to call for a personal guarantee.

Pearl Financing Review: Takeaways

The businesses which will do the best with Pearl Financing are the ones with high financing needs but the companies are currently small. Therefore, these are companies which are expected to grow quickly and meteorically.

But companies which need less funding have other options. And they should make sure to compare offerings closely.

And finally, as with every other lending program, read the fine print and do the math. Also, go over the details with a degree of care.

So only you can decide if this option will be good for you and your company. In addition, consider alternative financing options that go beyond lending. And these include building business credit. Business credit building is useful as it becomes a company asset.

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