Over the years, more and more small business founders are turning to credit cards as a viable source for为新业务提供资金。而且不难看出为什么startup business credit cards变得如此受欢迎。
Thanks to the 2008 financial crisis, banks have become much more risk-averse, preferring to lend mostly to established businesses with a track record of success rather than new and untested enterprises.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses reports that nearly44% of business loan applicants got some (or none) of their target loan from banks。而且，其他创业资金的来源（例如风险投资家，替代贷方和发展赠款）仍然非常挑剔。
As a result, nearly 79% of founders have turned to credit cards to fund their businesses in some capacity.
业务启动信用卡作为资金的问题
的确credit cards can be a great source of capital for startup founders, offering the convenience of a revolving line of credit, lack of risky collateral, the possibility of rewards and low interest rates, and the chance to establish good business credit.
But all these perks obscure one fact: if you rely on your credit card as the primary source of funding for your startup, there is no room for error.
Consider the story ofPhilip Lindblom, CEO and founder of 1000 designers，他经历了一个极其困难和艰难的时光，他仅用信用卡为创业公司提供资金。由于一系列不可预见的挫折扼杀了收入，Lindblom无法及时还清他的信用卡，因此必须在一年中一年中最大程度地将他们最大化。
不幸的是，对于Lindblom而言，信用卡（类似于小型企业贷款，免税债券和其他形式的企业循环信用额度）的信用卡具有极大的宽容条款。Personal and business credit cards have an average interest rate of 15%, though this rate can be raised by card issuers due to factors such as exceeding payment deadlines by 30 days, defaulting on another account, or exceeding your credit limit. Note that annual percentage rates (APR) top out at a maximum of 30%, a rather large burden for overstretched entrepreneurs to bear.
Startup credit cards for small business may contain repossession clauses
还，while credit cards are technically unsecured loans(not backed with collateral), some cards contain repossession clauses. In other words, if a cardholder defaults on payments, both personal and business property can be seized for the credit card issuer to recoup its losses. Thanks to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), however,很容易在线研究收回条款。
But there’s another, more troubling statistic:for every $1,000 of credit card debt, a startup’s chance of surviving decreases by 2.2%。While researchers found that credit card debt wasn’t the only factor that determined whether a firm would survive its first three years of operation, it was nonetheless a statistically significant one.
至于Lindblom，他面对了试图收回自己物品的收债员，信用评分破碎，压力，焦虑和沮丧的水平不高。
How credit cards should be used to fund your business
这并不是说信用卡不能成为您企业的资金来源。您什么时候应该使用信用卡为您的业务提供资金？
When using a business credit card to grow your startup, it’s best to stick with limited, low-risk amounts, such as using a charge card for a quick infusion of capital to pull off a business deal. This is only a stopgap measure, and the cardholder expects to pay off the charge when the deal is finalized.
Of course, each situation and startup is different. Credit cards offer startup founders a host of benefits for those who know how to use them wisely. Prudent use means researching the business credit cards on offer and choosing the one best suited for your needs.
请记住，使用信用卡所带来的所有好处和津贴，从提高信用评分到频繁的传单里程，通常取决于及时及时偿还余额。
So if you’re a startup founder who wants to retain equity while growing your company, it may make sense to turn to alternate lenders, and not business cards, as your primary source of capital.
These views are made solely by the author.
