Unlocking the Power of Corporate Credit with Erle Adams

Unlocking the Power of Corporate Credit with Erle Adams

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Welcome back to The Daily Mastermind, George Wright III with your daily dose of inspiration, motivation, and education. And I am excited to be in studio today with Erle Adams. Erle, how you doing, man?

I'm doing great, George. Doing great. How are you?

I'm great. I'm great. Thanks for being here. I know we had a little bit of coordinating, but guys, listen, today we're gonna be talking about corporate credit and ways that you can grow your business. So let me give you a little bit of an intro.

Erle's a co-founder and CEO of Tri Touring and he's an expert in business credit as well as corporate funding. He helps entrepreneurs build real corporate credit—stuff that’s tied to your EIN number, not your personal assets. He mentors emerging entrepreneurs and business leaders. And his background is one of the reasons I reached out, because many of you are struggling right now.

You're founders—trying to raise money, expand—and there’s a whole field here you may not fully understand. So I’m excited to have you here. With that being said, I’d love for you to give us a little bit of your background, because I think a lot of people jump into this space without personal experience. Could you share where you came from?

Sure. I was raised in a family business, like a lot of people were. When I was nine years old, I was in the warehouse during the summers sorting hydraulic fittings for my dad—25 cents an hour. George, I probably wasn’t worth that, just to be honest with you, but I was heavily indoctrinated into what it means to own a business.

My dad owned the company, so we were the first ones there, last ones to leave. Other kids were playing baseball. I was sorting fittings. When school came around, I was pulling a red wagon around the neighborhood with a lawnmower tied to the back and a bucket with some bleach, white and Joy soap—washing cars and mowing lawns.

So I spent that time learning and watching. The work ethic got instilled in me. Around the time I turned 18, my dad asked me, “What’s going to make you happy, son?” I said, “When I’ve done as well in business as you have.” And he goes, “Oh, that'll never happen.”

Oh great, thanks for the motivation.

He goes, “No, life and business is about timing.” When he got into his business, it was like Bill Gates getting into computers—right place, right time. And I said, “Well then, I quit.”

So for 37 years, I built businesses—small ones, large ones, seven-figure, eight-figure. And about five years ago, I figured out I’d been doing it all wrong.

So I'm curious—because you obviously grew up with hard work and entrepreneurship—what do you mean you were doing it wrong? What was your big kind of epiphany there?

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A Life-Altering Crash and Business Wake-Up Call

I built this company over the course of three years. I put $1.9 million of real money—not borrowed—into it between myself and my family. We built it up to eight figures, and I was thinking, “My gosh, I’m going to exit. This is it. This is that moment.” I was going to exit for five to ten times revenue. Everything was going to be great.

I jumped on one of my Harleys and went on a celebration ride from the West Coast to the East Coast, back to New York. On my way back, coming through Wyoming, I hit a mule deer at 4:40 in the morning at 85 miles an hour.

That ended up putting me in a coma. They had to induce the coma. They told everyone, “He’s probably not going to make it.” They shipped me off to a hospital, and people were coming in to say their goodbyes. I had a couple of business partners in that business who, like most business partners, said, “How can we help?”—except they threw in “ourselves” at the end of that sentence.

So while I was in the coma, they took out a bunch of merchant capital advance loans in my name and stripped and ripped the company. And ta-da—I lived.

But I found out the hard way that in Washington State—and I think this is true in a lot of other states—when you have partners on the cap table, even if they’re doing criminal things, breaches of fiduciary responsibility, or tortious interference, it becomes a civil matter, not a criminal one. So I had no real recourse. You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.

And to top it off, I had signed my name on the dotted line for everything in that company. Outside of putting up the money, I was heavily leveraged. My name was associated with every ounce of credit the company had.

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A Revelation in Recovery: Credit Without the Personal Risk

While I was sitting in a recovery chair—a mechanical chair, mind you—I was hit with a new reality. By pure happenstance, I saw this little blip online that said, “Use your EIN to build credit for your business.” I thought, “That’s hogwash.” Well, I probably didn’t say “hogwash” at the time, George, but close enough.

I had a lot of time on my hands, so I just started deep diving into it. And I had this moment where I went, “I’ve got to be the dumbest smart person I’ve ever met.” How did I not know this? I was raised around business. I’d been building businesses for decades. How did I not know this?

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I started The Daily Mastermind—mind, money, business, motivation, and lifestyle—because I think none of us are really taught these things. They’re not taught in school. And on one hand, the best lessons in life come from experience, but on the other hand, you don’t want to learn some of those lessons the hard way.

Here you were—living and building the American dream—and something unexpected happened. But you never had the education on how to properly structure your business, which is why I’m such a big believer in financial literacy and business education.

So let me ask you—after the crash and this experience, what was the turning point for you? How did you deal with all the fallout, and what was the “aha” moment that made you realize you should have used your EIN?

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Educating Through Immersion

I was really mad at myself, to be honest with you. I was ferreting out of all those issues. Fortunately, I came out of it for the most part unscathed. Obviously, the money was gone. The eight-figure company was gone. But compared to where most people would have been, I came out pretty well.

But the fact that I didn’t know this—how to use an EIN and build business credit—it drove me nuts. So I just dove into it. A massive, immersive, deep dive. And the more I researched, the more I realized how much I didn’t know.

And then I started asking, “What else don’t I know?” I started digging and pulling these things to the table. I said, you know what? Instead of going back to doing what I’ve always done—building companies—I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to bringing tools to the table that businesses like mine would otherwise be unaware of, not know where to source, or not be able to afford even if they could find them.

I wanted to know what the elite and affluent are doing. What are their loopholes? I started dragging all of this information in. And the most prevalent piece was really that initial separation of personal and business—and how to do it.

Every day, honestly, is an exercise in learning more and adding to these tools we've brought into our company.

Yeah, because tax laws change, market conditions change. But like you said—and I think it’s important for the listener to note—ultra-high-net-worth individuals and successful companies aren’t scaling their businesses with personal guarantees.

And not only is it about reducing personal liability—it’s also about leverage. With corporate credit, you can often get more flexible terms, higher limits, and the ability to expand without tying everything to your name.

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Separating Business From Personal

So help us understand—what’s the difference between corporate credit and personal credit? Why is it important for someone to make that shift, and when can they do it? Is there a certain point in the business lifecycle, or can it be done at any stage?

It doesn’t matter if you're just thinking about starting a business or you’ve been in business for 15–20 years. The end result is the same. I talk to businesses doing millions of dollars in top-line revenue, and we go and pull their business credit—and they qualify for maybe $1,500 or $2,000.

When you're 18, you start building personal credit. Maybe you get a cosigner—your dad, your mom—and they give you the speech: “Be a good steward of your finances.” But no one tells you that on the business side, you're supposed to do the same.

With business credit, you're being reported to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business. You’ve got to get registered with them first.

Here’s a critical distinction: on personal credit, you’re told to keep utilization low. But in business credit, the more you use, the more you demonstrate your ability to borrow and repay—and the more they give you. Sometimes 10 to 100 times more than you could ever get personally.

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The Myth About Revenue and Business Credit

So your cash flow or revenue doesn’t necessarily affect your ability to build corporate credit? What are the real factors that influence it?

Here’s the biggest misnomer—it has nothing to do with revenue. We have a company, an LLC, with a $100,000 credit line, a $100,000 truck in the company’s name, a $55,000 Jeep, about $60,000 in other credit cards—all without doing a single dollar in revenue.

What matters is usage. We buy toilet paper with the company card, then the company pays the bill. That’s how we build credit. It’s your demonstrated ability to borrow and repay that determines your growth—not your income.

People think they can’t build credit because they’re not generating revenue. That’s simply not the case. Revenue matters when you apply for big bank loans, where they use something called an SBSS score, which combines your personal and business credit. But that’s a different thing altogether.

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The Real Reason Founders Miss Out

Why do you think most founders and entrepreneurs don’t understand corporate credit? What’s the biggest hurdle? Is it the complexity or just a lack of education?

People think it’s way harder than it is. It’s actually easier and faster than building personal credit.

But the real issue is mindset. We’re taught from an early age through that “lemonade stand” metaphor—invest your money, sell your product, and reinvest your earnings. But the wealthy elite don’t operate that way. They use other people’s money.

That’s the difference. If most business owners understood one statistic—that around 600,000 businesses shut their doors each year in the U.S., and 83% of those closures happen due to lack of access to credit and capital—they would realize the risk they're taking.

People are leveraging their homes, their cars, their savings. And when things go sideways, they lose not just their business but their life. Because they’re personally guaranteeing everything.

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Building Credit to Clear the Slate

What are some of the biggest advantages business owners gain when they commit to building corporate credit? What kind of transformation have you seen in companies that finally take this seriously?

The real benefit? You can eliminate personal entanglements. You may be running a business for 10, 15, 20 years, and somewhere along the line, you’ve encumbered yourself—maybe with partners, or by personally guaranteeing loans.

When you build real corporate credit, it acts like a financial wall. Think of it as that corporate veil. Now imagine building a second credit profile on the other side of that wall, where you qualify for 10 to 100 times what you could personally.

You can then jump over that wall, pay off personal encumbrances—credit cards, loans, vendor debts—and then step right back behind the veil. Now you’re clean. You're free.

This frees up your personal credit to function the way it's meant to. A lot of business owners can’t even buy a car personally because their business has consumed every bit of their borrowing capacity.

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You're Not Out of Resources—You're Just Out of Options

So many business owners feel trapped. They’ve maxed out their resources and don't know where to turn. How does corporate credit play into freeing them from that bottleneck?

You’re absolutely right. Most businesses are held hostage by their resources. But the truth is, they aren’t out of options—they’re out of awareness.

Tony Robbins says it's not a lack of resources, it's a lack of resourcefulness. But resourcefulness depends on knowing what's available. And this is where corporate credit becomes a strategic asset.

With corporate credit in place, you can:

• Expand without dipping into your personal accounts.
• Grow beyond your comfort zone.
• Create separation between your identity and your business structure.

And remember, business is about scalability. You can’t scale if you're handcuffed to every transaction, every liability, and every line of credit. That's not a strategy. That’s survival mode.

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Tech, AI, and the Future of Credit Building

You've mentioned your platform, Tri Touring. I'm curious how AI is helping you deliver on your mission to democratize corporate credit. What have you done differently?

AI is here, and it’s not going away. You can either be the one who tells AI what to do, or you’ll be the one AI tells what to do. And in business, you want to be on the leading edge, not left behind.

That’s why we built a platform where all of the tools are housed under one roof. It’s a membership platform that lets you self-educate and self-implement. No high-pressure reps. No fluff. Just resources, education, and systems at your fingertips.

And because I genuinely believe the most important thing you can do to ensure longevity in your business is to build corporate credit before you need it, we made that part of the platform free with membership. No more $3,000–$5,000 paywalls. You just log in and get started.

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Redefining Simplicity

It’s amazing how AI is making it easier to access education and take real action. But what do you say to business owners who still hesitate because they think it’s too complicated or time-consuming?

It’s not a heavy lift. To establish your foundation for business credit, you might spend three to four hours total—cumulative. That’s it. Once you’re set, it’s just rinse and repeat.

Most people think it's going to be some massive undertaking. It's not. It's almost multiple-choice. You fill in the boxes. If you don’t understand something, just watch the video. The education is built in.

And you don’t need to figure out your business structure first. Whether you’re an LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or even a nonprofit, if you have an EIN, you can build business credit. The steps are all laid out for you.

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Change the Way You Spend

What’s the number one shift business owners need to make right now when it comes to credit?

Stop using your personal debit card or credit card for business expenses. You’re going to buy pens, paper, gas, software, food, and inventory anyway. Just change how you spend. Use the business. Use the corporate credit you’ve built.

This isn't about borrowing more. It’s about building a profile by demonstrating the ability to borrow and repay. So when you do need funding, you’re pre-positioned.

You’ve already shown the lenders you’re on the dance floor. So they’ll dance with you.

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Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

What’s the one thing you hope every founder or entrepreneur takes away from this conversation?

Once you know about this—about separating your personal liability and leveraging corporate credit—you have a responsibility to act. Most people don’t think about this until it’s too late. Like I said, I hit a deer on the highway, and it cost me everything because I didn’t structure my business right.

Don’t let that happen to you. Circumstances you can’t control—recessions, pandemics, accidents—they can destroy everything if you’re not protected. And now, with AI and tools like Tri Touring, there’s no excuse. It’s never been easier.

If you want to learn more, check out Tri Touring. You’ll find links to connect, book a call, or just explore the tools available to you. There’s no barrier—just an open door.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Daily Mastermind. Whether you’re just starting your business or scaling to eight figures, remember this:

It’s never too late to start building the structure, brand, and confidence you need to live the life you were meant to live. But you’ve got to take action.

Let’s get to work.

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About George Wright III:

George Wright is a Proven, Successful Entrepreneur- and he knows how to inspire entrepreneurs, companies, and individuals to achieve Massive Results. With more than 20 years of Executive Management experience and 25 years of Direct Marketing and Sales experience, George is responsible for starting and building several successful multimillion-dollar companies. He started at a very young age to network and build his experience and knowledge of what it takes to become a driven and well-known entrepreneur. George built a multi-million-dollar seminar business, promoting some of the biggest stars and brands in the world. He has accelerated the success and cash flow in each of his ventures through his network of resources and results driven strategies. George is now dedicated to teaching and sharing his Prosperity Principles and Strategies to every Driven and Passionate Entrepreneur he meets. His mission is to Empower Entrepreneurs Globally to create Massive Change and LIVE their Ultimate Destiny.

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ABOUT GUEST:

Erle Adams is a seasoned entrepreneur and the Co-Founder & CEO of tryTuring.ai, a platform empowering business owners to build real Corporate Credit tied to their EIN—without risking personal assets. With over 30 years of experience launching and scaling businesses, Erle is passionate about helping entrepreneurs unlock growth through structured, smart funding strategies.

Having navigated the challenges of building businesses from the ground up, Erle understands firsthand how critical access to capital and credibility are for sustainable success. His mission with tryTuring.ai is to remove the confusion and misinformation surrounding business credit and replace it with clear, actionable systems that allow entrepreneurs to protect their personal credit while fueling their business goals.

Under Erle’s leadership, tryTuring.ai has become a go-to resource for founders, small business owners, and operators seeking to build leverage, increase valuation, and scale with confidence.

When he’s not helping entrepreneurs grow, you can find Erle spending time with his family, exploring new business ideas, or mentoring the next generation of business leaders.

GUEST RESOURCES:

Website: https://tryturing.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erle-adams-a6162965/

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