Credit cards, or rather credit card debt, are something that has been a source of discussion for some time in both the main stream news and in homes across America. In this economic climate it’s something not to be taken lightly in both our personal or professional lives, but especially for the small business owner.

In Scott Shane’s recent You’re the Boss column in the New York Times, he mentions a number of studies and his thoughts on credit card debt. The main theme to these studies can be summed up in a Monmouth University study noting that “every $1,000 increase in credit card debt increases the probability a firm will close by 2.2 percent.” It also explains that “reliance on this type of financing may lead many businesses into a long-term liquidity drain that affects their financial stability — and thus survival.”

While on the surface, it may appear that these numbers spell doom and gloom for those looking for additional credit from what the banks can give, it is actually quite the opposite. As we all know, numbers can say anything that we want them to and while the statistics are alarming, they also mirror the larger credit card debt discussion, which Shane also touches upon.

Similar to our article last week on overrated businesses, credit card usage and debts is something that should be looked at on a micro level. Granted there are many business owners who live outside their means to get off the ground, but at the same time there are an equally proportioned number of companies managing their growth along with their revenues.

Starting and running your own business is not an easy venture, or else anyone would do it. The key is to keep your company’s head above water while minimizing additional debt.

Have you struggled with credit card debt? If so, how did you overcome it? Did you take additional routes like private loans or funding?