Starting your own business can be a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience. In fact, many Americans were able to rebound from the financial and emotional aftermath of the Great Recession of the mid-2000’s by digging deep within themselves and finding their own niche which lead to the creation of their very own business. Being able to be your very own boss while doing something you love and are passionate about is a cornerstone of the American dream.

As exciting and satisfying as starting your own business venture can be, it can also be pretty expensive. Very few business ventures require little or start up costs, also known as an initial investment. How are you supposed to pursue the opportunity you’ve always dreamed of and wanted if you can’t afford to?

Well, there’s an loan for that.

Small business lending has become big business — no pun intended — in recent years despite the initial wariness of cautious funding experts who still had the effects of the Recession fresh on their minds. Fast forward to today and much of the lender anxiety surrounding both secured and unsecured business loans — including small business loans — has all but been forgotten as eager entrepreneurs continue to experience success in varying degrees.

But wait. What’s the difference between a secured and an unsecured business loan? Well, it has to do with a three digit numbers that helps lenders determine how financially trustworthy you are: your credit score. Depending on where you are on this spectrum, lenders will determine whether or not you’re worth the risk. Think about, would you just fork over a bunch of money to someone you didn’t really know but knew they rarely — if ever — paid anyone back?

Yeah…probably not.

People who have good to excellent credit stand a better chance at getting unsecured business loans, meaning that don’t have to put up any kind of collateral, such as property in order to receive the funds. If you’re credit is okay but could use a little work, consider having someone cosign your applications for unsecured business loans or work with a financial adviser to repair your credit. You might also be eligible for a secured business loan but loaner beware; whatever collateral you put in order to receive the loan technically belongs to the lender, so if you don’t pay up you might be put out!

Not sure what credit score even is? Luckily there are apps for that too. There are a variety of free — emphasis on the word free — credit monitoring apps and software programs that take the guesswork out of tracking and understanding your credit score.