Here is how it works. When you decide you need a loan, you head to the bank and complete an application. If your business is in the earliest stages of development, the bank will check your personal credit.

For businesses that have a more complicated corporate structure or have been in existence for an extended period time, banks will check other sources. One of the most important is the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) file. D&B is the best-known company for compiling a credit history on businesses.

Along with your business credit history, the bank will want to examine your books and likely complete other due diligence.