The Smart Credit Experience

The 3 Numbers Every Business Owner Needs to Know to Grow

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:04:17 +0000

Your business can be making money and still be in financial trouble.

You can have strong sales, a packed client roster, and even show a profit on paper—while still struggling to cover payroll, expenses, or your next big move.

In this episode of The Smart Credit Experience, Jeri sits down with Sharlese Peoples, founder of Pathway to Profit Group, to break down the three numbers every business owner needs to understand to thrive.

You’ll discover:

Why A six-figure business isn't necessarily a financially healthy business.
Learn how to identify whether you have a sales problem, profitability problem, or cash-flow problems
How unpaid invoices, weak follow-up, unnecessary expenses, pricing, and missed opportunities could be quietly draining your business.
Why understanding these numbers can help you make smarter decisions about hiring, marketing, pricing, funding, and growth.

Listen now and learn the three numbers you need to know before you make your next big business decision.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Welcome to SMART Credit
(00:00:33) - How to Get Funding for Your Business
(00:01:27) - The 3 Numbers Every Business Owner Needs to Know
(00:02:37) - Sharlese Peoples on Revenue, Profit and Cash Flow
(00:03:45) - What is Revenue and Do Numbers Tell the Story?
(00:05:07) - Profit and Cash Flow
(00:09:43) - Why You Need To Track Cash Flow
(00:15:48) - Cash Flow Script Book

Why Profitable Businesses Still Go Bankrupt

Jeri Toliver — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:14:16 +0000

Your business is profitable. So why does it still feel like you're broke?

Making money and building a financially healthy business are two very different things—and I learned some of these lessons the hard way.

In this episode, I'm breaking down 5 reasons profitable businesses can still end up in serious financial trouble, including mistakes I've made in my own business.

You'll discover:

Why treating your business account like your personal account can quietly drain your company
How growing too fast can become a financial problem
Why reserves give you more than money—they give you options
When business debt goes from being a tool to becoming a burden
Why knowing how much you made isn't the same as knowing your numbers

If you're making sales but constantly wondering “Where did all the money go?”—this episode is for you.

Ready to build a more fundable business?

Get matched with a Smart Credit Certified Consultant at smartcreditcoach.com/help.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - 5 Rules for Managing Money in a Business
(00:05:10) - 3 Reasons Why Profound Businesses Go bankrupt
(00:11:19) - 3 Ways to Get Out of Debt
(00:16:32) - 3 Reasons Why Businesses Go Bankrupt

Pitch a Lender in 4 Easy Steps

Jeri Toliver — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:56:14 +0000

Getting business funding isn’t about filling out applications and hoping someone says yes.

If you want lenders to take your business seriously, you need to know how to present your business, target the right lenders, and create options before you accept an offer.

In this episode, Jeri breaks down a simple 4-step process for pitching lenders and approaching business funding like a financially savvy business owner.

Listen to learn:

Why you should create a complete funding package before approaching lenders
Why getting approved isn't enough—and how to determine whether an offer actually makes financial sense
How generating multiple offers can give you more leverage to compare and negotiate financing terms

Ready for help with your funding strategy?

Get matched with a Smart Credit Certified™ Consultant who can help you identify your fundability gaps and develop a strategy based on your financial and business profile.

www.smartcreditcoach.com/help

Or join Jeri for the FREE Fundable Life Webinar to learn how to move from financial survival to stability, business growth, and wealth building.

www.smartcreditcoach.com/fundable

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to Apply for Business Funding with Smart Credit
(00:02:26) - How to Create a Funding Package for Your Business
(00:10:32) - How to Get Funding for your Business
(00:14:12) - Step 3, You need to present your business to lenders
(00:20:14) - 4 Steps to Fund Your Business with Smart Credit

7 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Income Goals

Jeri Toliver — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:44:20 +0000

Are you working harder but not making more money?

The problem may not be your income—it may be the habits, beliefs, and decisions quietly holding you back.

In this episode, Jeri uncovers seven common ways people sabotage their income goals and shares practical mindset shifts that can help you think and act more like a wealth builder.

Why should you listen?

Feeling stuck financially? Discover the hidden behaviors that may be limiting your income without you realizing it.
Think all debt is bad? Learn the difference between debt that drains you and debt that helps you grow.
Wonder why success feels harder than it should? Find out how comfort, procrastination, and a lack of urgency can quietly stall your progress.
Looking for practical advice? Walk away with simple shifts you can start making today to build greater financial confidence and increase your earning potential.
Want a personalized game plan? If you're ready to stop guessing, get matched with a Smart Credit Certified Consultant who can help you build a strategy tailored to your goals.

Get matched today: https://smartcreditcoach.com/help

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Welcome Back to the Smart Credit Experience
(00:00:33) - 7 Ways That People Are Sabotaging Their Income Goals
(00:07:35) - How to Increase Your Capacity to Win
(00:13:29) - You Don't Want to Pay the Cost of Your Goals
(00:17:47) - The Cost of Making Mistakes
(00:21:16) - How to Make More Money by Thinking Smarter

6 Jobs Every Dollar Should Have

Jeri Toliver — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:24:43 +0000

Most entrepreneurs think they have a revenue problem.

In reality, many have a money management problem.

The truth is, the financial habits you developed in your personal life don't magically disappear when you start a business—they follow you. And if every paycheck seemed to disappear before you became an entrepreneur, there's a good chance your business revenue is disappearing the same way.

In this episode, Jeri Toliver shares a simple framework she calls The Six Jobs Every Dollar Should Have—a practical way to assign purpose to every dollar that comes into your business. You'll learn how financially literate business owners think differently about money, why lenders look beyond your revenue, and how intentional money management can make your business stronger, more profitable, and more fundable.

In This Episode:

Why more revenue won't fix poor money habits
How personal financial behaviors carry over into your business
The difference between spending and investing
How paying yourself the right way strengthens your business
Why financial literacy is one of the most overlooked keys to becoming fundable

Whether you're just starting your business or preparing to apply for funding, this episode will help you build the money habits that create long-term success.

Ready to become fundable?
Join the First Steps to Fundable Workshop and learn how to build a business that lenders trust.

Join here: https://smartcreditcoach.com/fstf/

Get matched with a Smart Credit Certified Consultant

Speak with a professional about your credit and funding goals: www.smartcreditcoach.com

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to Get a Loan for Your Business
(00:03:00) - Six Jobs Every Business Owner Should Have
(00:05:07) - Spending More Money
(00:07:05) - Business Survival: Preparing for the Worst
(00:11:13) - 4 Job #4 for Business Owners
(00:16:42) - Job 6: To Reduce Debt
(00:18:35) - How to Get Funding for Your Business?

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems: The Truth About Funding

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:27:12 +0000

Every entrepreneur wants more funding—but what happens after you get approved?

In this episode of The Smart Credit Experience, Jeri Toliver breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in entrepreneurship: that access to capital automatically solves business problems. The truth? Funding creates opportunity, but it's your ability to manage that opportunity that determines whether your business grows or struggles.

If you've ever wondered whether you should apply for a business loan, use business credit, or leverage other people's money to scale your company, this episode is a must-listen.

You'll learn:

Why growing a business requires more cash than most entrepreneurs expect
The difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow—and why cash flow keeps businesses alive
The biggest mistakes business owners make after getting funded
Five questions you should ask before borrowing another dollar
How lenders evaluate your business beyond your credit score
Why becoming fundable is about more than getting approved

Whether you're building a startup, preparing for business funding, or looking to scale your company responsibly, this episode will help you think differently about capital and cash flow.

Resources Mentioned:

Take the Free Fundable Quiz: https://smartcreditcoach.com/quiz.html
Register for the First Steps to Fundable Workshop: https://smartcreditcoach.com/fstf
️ Explore more episodes: https://smartcreditcoach.com/podcast

Connect with Smart Credit Coach
Website: https://smartcreditcoach.com

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another entrepreneur who's working to build a business that's not only fundable—but financially sustainable.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Smart Credit: How to Get Funding
(00:01:35) - Don't Let Funding Get You In Trouble
(00:09:13) - How to Get Funding for Your Business
(00:13:43) - How to Get Funded
(00:16:23) - How to Fund Your Business?
(00:17:42) - First Steps to Fundable

What Is the Fundable Life?

Jeri Toliver — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:25:40 +0000

89% of our community said knowledge is the #1 thing standing between them and the life they want. This episode closes the gap — starting with the 7 specific outcomes a good credit score unlocks. In this episode:

Why "better interest rates" is the wrong way to think about credit
How a family of 4 flew to Cancún for $212
The $63,000 most homebuyers lose without knowing it
Why your LLC doesn't automatically have business credit
The 3 moves that free up $400/month without earning more

Chapters

(00:00:01) - Having Good Credit = Building a Fundable Life
(00:05:57) - One Fundable Life Perk
(00:09:00) - Why You Should Buy a Home
(00:12:35) - 6 Things That You're Missing Out On
(00:20:08) - The 6 pillars of a fundable life
(00:22:05) - Smart Credit Coach: The Fundable Life

Why 60% of Business Owners Never Pay Themselves (And How to Be the Exception)

Jeri Toliver — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:05:15 +0000

In this episode of The Smart Credit Experience, Jeri Toliver breaks down a financial decision that changed everything in her entrepreneurial journey — what she calls “making the switch.”

Most entrepreneurs focus on revenue, believing higher income will eventually create stability.

But the truth is different.

Without proper financial structure and access to capital, many business owners remain stuck in survival mode — even when their business is generating income.

In this episode, Jeri explains:

• Why most business owners struggle to pay themselves consistently
• The difference between revenue, profit, and credit capacity
• How access to capital changes business decision making
• Why structure matters more than hustle

If you're a business owner looking to build real financial stability, this conversation will change the way you think about funding.

Learn more about business funding and get matched with a Smart Credit Certified Consultant:

https://www.smartcreditcoach.com/help

Chapters

(00:00:00) - The Business Switch
(00:01:19) - Making the Switch to Business Owners
(00:10:20) - The 4 benefits of a Social Security Plan
(00:11:00) - How to Stop Stuck on Money
(00:17:19) - Stop Stuck as an Employee and Become a Business Owner
(00:23:09) - How to Start Thinking Like a Business Owner
(00:25:51) - Dropping the Egos
(00:27:10) - How to Make the Switch to a Business Plan

Rejected? Do This Instead — 4 Steps to Turn No Into Yes

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:38:00 +0000

Fear of rejection might be the #1 thing stopping you from building the credit, funding, and financial life you deserve. In this episode, Jeri Toliver gets personal about her own journey through rejection — from being scammed out of $800, to getting denied for a home loan, to building Smart Credit Coach — and shares the mindset shifts that changed everything.

If you've ever not applied for that credit card, not pitched your business, or not asked the question you really needed to ask — all because you were afraid of hearing "no" — this episode is for you. Jeri walks through four practical steps to reduce rejection's power and start turning setbacks into setups for success.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why rejection is actually a sign you're doing something right
How to stop pre-rejecting yourself before anyone else gets the chance
The importance of normalizing low acceptance rates (think 10%, not 50%)
Why preparation is the antidote to fear
How to detach from outcomes so rejection stops feeling personal

A "no" is never a period... it's a comma. Something always comes after it.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - How to Reduce the Fear of Rejection
(00:01:48) - How to Stop Avoiding Rejection
(00:04:23) - The 4 Steps to Becoming Okay With Rejection
(00:05:42) - Don't Take Any Rejection Personally
(00:09:28) - Stop Pre-Rejecting Yourself
(00:15:18) - Preparing for Success: Tips for Getting Approved
(00:19:14) - 3 Tips on Never Attaching an End to a Rejection

3 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Helping 15,000+ People With Credit

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:01:51 +0000

In this episode of The Smart Credit Experience, Jeri Toliver shares the 3 things she wishes someone told her before helping 15,000+ people with credit—and what those lessons mean for anyone trying to fix their credit, build a 700+ score, buy a home, or become financially stable.

You’ll learn:

Why credit is a people business (and the emotional responsibility most people underestimate)
Why credit problems are often symptoms of deeper issues like cash flow, structure, and financial habits
Why some people say they want change—but aren’t ready to do what it takes (and how to set boundaries)

Whether you’re working on personal credit repair, trying to become funding-ready, or considering becoming a credit consultant, this episode will help you move with more clarity, compassion, and strategy.

✅ Need help with personal or business credit? Get matched with a Smart Credit Consultant: www.smartcreditcoach.com/help

✅ Want to become a certified credit consultant? Apply to get Smart Credit Certified.

#creditrepair #creditscore #financialliteracy #businesscredit #businessfunding #smartcredit #moneymindset #entrepreneurship

Chapters

(00:00:00) - My mistakes in the credit consulting industry
(00:10:18) - The 3 Rules of Leading With Real People

The Future of Credit Repair: What the Industry Will Look Like in 2026

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:20:35 +0000

Credit repair as we know it is changing—and fast.

By 2026, the industry will look very different. Automation, AI, stricter compliance, and smarter lenders are already reshaping how credit decisions are made. In this episode, Jeri breaks down what’s really happening behind the scenes and what it means for consumers, credit professionals, and business owners.

This isn’t about fear or hype. It’s about preparation.

You’ll learn why dispute-only credit repair models are fading, how AI is replacing low-skill tactics, what lenders will actually care about in the coming years, and why education and strategy—not quick fixes—will define the future of credit.

Whether you’re trying to improve your own credit or build a career in the credit space, this episode will help you understand where the industry is headed, and how to stay ahead of it.

Why Minority Business Owners Are Denied Funding at Higher Rates

Jeri Toliver — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:06:00 +0000

In today’s episode of The Smart Credit Experience, Jeri Toliver breaks down the uncomfortable truth most minority business owners already feel but rarely say out loud: getting approved for funding is harder for us — and the data proves it. From historic redlining to modern risk algorithms, minority entrepreneurs face systemic barriers that have NOTHING to do with talent, intelligence, or work ethic. This episode exposes the real reasons behind higher denial rates and gives you the tools, strategies, and mindset to build a business that lenders want to approve. You’ll learn: ✔ Why Black and Hispanic business owners are […]

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Why Minority Business Owners Are Being Denied Funding
(00:00:37) - Black and Brown Business Owners Get Denied Funding
(00:09:18) - Redlining still in a way exists
(00:14:04) - Black Business Owners and the Banking Relationship
(00:18:42) - Negro Entrepreneurs: Personal Credit
(00:25:12) - Business Loans: Bookkeeping and Documentation
(00:33:12) - How to Get Funding for your Business? by Smart Credit