Entrepreneurship 101 in its first season features Ali badi talking about Credit Scores Don’t Get You Approved — Institutional Readiness Does.

Today’s guest is Ali Badi, founder of The Score Machine and a credit & funding strategist who helps entrepreneurs optimize their credit profiles, get approved for funding, and build real financial leverage. Ali breaks down how the credit and banking system actually works, common mistakes business owners make, and the simple steps people can take right now to improve approvals and access more capital. I’ve been in the credit and funding industry for over 15 years. I started right after college when I didn’t get into law school and took a different path into the credit repair world. That early experience gave me a front-row seat to how the industry really works — the good, the bad, and the parts most people never see. Over the years, I learned directly from top operators in the space, worked alongside high-level performers, and saw firsthand how many people are given surface-level advice that doesn’t actually prepare them for real approvals. Eventually, I transitioned deeper into funding, where I saw the biggest gap: people were being sent to institutions before they were ready. In 2020, during the early days of COVID, I experienced my first major breakthrough month in funding — and that’s when it fully clicked. The real opportunity wasn’t just helping people apply for funding. It was preparing them to meet institutional standards before they ever walked into a bank or lender conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices