When Jorge Rojas applied for a cell phone, he hoped that the contract provider wouldn’t check his credit historynot because it was bad, but because it didn’t exist! Like many people, Jorge paid for most purchases with cash and did not have a formal credit history. These days, it’s not just banks that are interested in your creditlandlords, insurance companies, cell phone providers, and even employers want proof that you can handle credit responsibly. However, if you’ve never borrowed money from a bank or used a credit card, you do not have an established credit history, and this can make getting a loan extremely difficult. Establishing a personal credit history is essential to long-term financial success, especially if you’re interested in starting a small business. It takes time to establish credit and build a record of timely repayments, so start building your credit today! Diana Dezso, credit expert at ACCION, a small business lender, offers the following tips to establish credit for the first time:

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