Thanks. This may be a silly question, but are there any additional requirements around US Amex Business cards (similar to the requirement to provide an ABN etc in Australia) or are they labelled 'Business' for marketing purposes only, and can be opened by an individual?
Unlike Australia where they're basically inaccessible unless you have an ABN, US business cards are wide open to everyone.
They also come with considerable benefits. Most importantly, most banks (incl Amex and Chase) don't report to your personal credit file, so they don't count towards 5/24 status for Chase. The only 'mark' on your personal credit file will be an inquiry, and with Amex they only do a hard pull for your first personal and first business — after that there will be no marks on your credit file at all! But you do need to be under 5/24 to be eligible for Chase business cards. And just remember Amex's rules (eg no more than 4/5 credit cards, which includes business cards).
Essentially, you apply as a sole proprietor using your legal name as your business name. And there's no need to lie. Have you ever done consulting work? You're a business. Have you ever sold items on Ebay? You're a business. Have you ever performed odd jobs for cash? You're a business. Etc etc.
You can report your business income as low. It doesn't affect your approval chances. Indeed, plenty of people get approved by putting $0, though I think it is better to put a small figure (eg $5K) as an estimated income. If you need to recon, you simply tell the operator it is a new business.
I would stick with Amex and Chase as they are the easiest business credit providers. Barclays, Citi, etc can be a bit more finicky, and it is not necessary when you're starting out as Amex and Chase have more than enough cards for the beginner.
If you already have the Aspire, the Hilton Business is a no brainer for the sign up bonus. Though I would recommend waiting if you have no desperate need because the SUB has been traditionally higher. I only applied recently because I am looking for extra points for an upcoming redemption. If you have a partner with a US Hilton Amex, make sure to use their referral link for an extra 10-20K points. Referral links work within the entire Hilton family of cards (eg you can refer a person to the Business card from the Aspire card).
