Ad Disclosure

Launching a New Business? These Loans Were Built for Bold Moves

Written by:

Christie Petersen

Edited by:

Kristin Marino

Updated on September 4, 2025

empty business office Starting a business can be a dream come true, especially if you have high hopes of expanding your business into a profitable corporation. Funding a start up business is one of the first steps an entrepreneur takes — unfortunately that first step might be the most difficult.

A start-up business loan may be the best option for you, but what if you have bad credit? Finding any type of loan with bad credit is difficult, so let’s find out how you might go about getting approved for a business loan if you have bad credit.

First, know what your costs are going to be. It’s better to know how much you have to ask for than overestimate and be denied because you asked for too much. Part of this involves breaking down how much the loan will be and what you plan on using it for.

Secondly, shop around; you don’t necessarily need to go with the first lender that approves you. AmONE® is a free service that can assist you in finding the right start-up business loan at an interest rate within your means.

Planning on opening a business with a partner, spouse, or family member? It might be a good idea to have them co-sign the loan. If you or your business partner decides to co-sign a loan, find out the risks. Co-signing a loan could affect a person’s credit, the signer may have to pay the debt is the borrower defaults, and if you provide collateral those items may be taken. Know the risks and your rights if you co-sign a loan or plan to have a co-signer.

If your credit isn’t in good standing, maybe it’s time for a fresh start. Credit repair services can help you improve your credit scores and, in time, you might be able to get the loan you need with a better interest rate. Although the process may take a bit of time, you can use that timee it to prepare and plan your business strategy.

Secured loans are another option. Start-up business loans may be available secured or unsecured, but a secured loan means you will put collateral up to ensure you will pay off your debts. Borrowers might use their home, car, boat or other items to secure the loan. Keep in mind that if you fail to pay back the loan the collateral will be seized.

The Takeaway

There are over 25 million small businesses in the United States. Each day many entrepreneurs take another step into opening their own small business, some with good credit and some with bad. Having bad credit doesn’t have to mean the end of a dream; you just have to know how to go about getting approved for a loan if you have a bad credit. AmONE® can assist you in achieving your small business dream by finding a lender that is right for you. If credit repair or credit counseling is an option, AmONE can also assist you in getting connected with the right services. Contact us today to learn more.

Ad Disclosure

Advertiser Disclosure*. The financial products and services on this site are from advertisers from which AmONE receives compensation. Compensation may be based upon whether you click on certain links on this site or buy products or services from those advertisers. We do not receive compensation from consumers. The placement of advertisements on this site are based in part upon the compensation AmONE has or expects to receive from those advertisers. Placement of advertisements does not reflect our recommendation of any advertisers' products or services. Please consult a financial services professional before making any financial decisions. Our advertisers do not include all the financial products and service providers available in the marketplace.

Loan availability, rates, APRs (Annual Percentage Rate), and other terms vary by advertiser and borrower attributes, including borrower location. Lenders have a range of available APRs; only borrowers with excellent credit will qualify for the lower rates. As of 01/11/2024, our advertisers were offering loans to some consumers for as little as a 6.40% APR on a three-year $100,000 loan.

We do not provide financial products or services. Rather, AmONE provides administrative and marketplace services by attempting to connect consumers with service providers offering products and services such as debt settlement and personal loans. We do not take applications or make credit decisions. We may not be able to match you with any of our advertisers. Credit and other decisions and terms are determined by our advertisers based upon the consumer's submission of an application to the advertiser, which may obtain other information about the consumer from third parties. Approval for financial products and services by an advertiser is not guaranteed.

Get matched to your perfect loan and level up your money game.

Find My Loan

Ready to up your money game?

See my loan options

Why AmONE is Trusted By Millions for Their Loan Needs

Anyone can put together a group of lenders in a marketplace to offer people loans. We go beyond that. We not only partner with some of the best lenders around (like Citi, Rocket Loans, SoFi and so many more), we also work with partners who can help people like you go beyond a one-time loan. We connect you with the money programs you need to help you get real financial solutions in place that allow you to tackle your debt and money problems so you can move forward. Getting out from under debt to financial freedom is daunting and we're ready to help you every step of the way.

AI is the hottest thing around right now, but we know from our decades of experience in the personal finance space that the last thing someone wants to do is talk to a robot when they need real answers. Solving money problems can be stressful and daunting, so don't settle for generic responses and information that offers little real financial insights. Speak to one of our many support specialists who all work from an AmONE office right here in the U.S. and get the answers you really need to make better financial decisions.

We work hard to find loan offers for even the most challenging financial situations. With our large lender marketplace, we know we give everyone the best shot at getting the loan, debt and credit help they're hoping to find. Even when someone's credit is clearly poor or they hold a large amount of debt, we still get our customers in front of lenders to give them the best shot at securing the funds they need. When the unexpected happens and customers are rejected for loans, we still work with them to find other financial solutions that put them on the path to financial recovery so they can keep moving forward toward their money goals.