Antoine Sallis, the ‘Credit Genius,’ Teaches Others How to Maximize the Full Power of Credit

Credit is not high on the list of conversations growing up in the average Black household.

Making money and working to place food on the table is the general dialogue that’s not often elevated to the levels of obtaining and keeping good credit. Antoine Sallis is known to his clients as the “Credit Genius” and an author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. He founded his company Rapid Credit Boosters in 2015 to help educate others about credit. His business is reportedly valued at $8 million. He is also the founder of Pacc10 Enterprises and achieved his success by teaching himself the dynamics of credit management, then using those techniques to improve the lives of others.

BLACK ENTERPRISE connected with Sallis to discuss the false thinking of having good credit, what he does to motivate people, and how someone can have a successful career in credit management.

How important is having good credit, and why do you think it’s not a priority for people of color?

Having good credit is imperative. It’s life-changing! Good credit, leveraged correctly, is worth millions of dollars. This is why I coined the term, “change your credit, change your life.” It can be the determining factor in whether the bank will loan you the money to start that business you’ve dreamed about. It can determine credit card limits, the quality of the house you live in, the vehicle you drive, as well as the amount of down payment. The freedom that comes with having good credit is a feeling that is beyond anything in this world.

Good credit isn’t a priority for a lot of our people because of a lack of knowledge.

When dealing with people who don’t have great credit and have mismanaged money, how do you direct them in the right direction to correct their finances and do better financially for the future?

Too many individuals are pessimistic. They think good credit is too hard to attain. They make statements like “I’m broke” or “I won’t ever have good credit.” The first thing I let them know is that you have to believe. You have to speak it into existence. That is the first step of having good credit. In the words of one of my mentors Master P, “words have power, and we need to use them wisely.” Once that belief is made, then we proceed with the credit repair process.

After I find out what their goals are, I debunk any myths they have heard regarding credit building. These are prevalent in our community. Some of these myths are: having too many credit cards is a bad thing; it takes years to build credit, and good credit is only for people with a lot of money. All these beliefs are false. I then develop a personalized plan, and we begin.

What advice would you give someone who is looking to have a successful career in credit management?

I personally have mentored many individuals that own credit repair companies. It’s a life dedication because you are dealing with people’s livelihoods. Your customers’ ability to buy their dream home or a car to get to work depends on you. People’s lives are in your hands.

As a motivational speaker, what is the most important lesson that must come across to help people do better for themselves?

I want people to believe in what they are doing. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should someone else? Having a strong belief is so instrumental. The next message is to live your best life. I know it sounds dismal, but we only have a short time on this earth, and then we die. Sometimes I go all out and do things that others might consider extravagant. But I understand life is short, so I live the best life possible. I suggest others do the same.

You’ve written a book. What is it about, and what would people gain by purchasing it?

The book is called The Fiercely Resilient Credit Crackhead. It illustrates the story of a man that lost his wife to disease and was forced to send his daughter to live with his parents because he could not afford to raise her. Desperate to get custody of her again, he became addicted to learning the strategies of how to get good credit. He ended up building his credit and leveraging it to get a house as well as many other things that he needed to be a stable father in her life.

This book is great for those beginning to understand credit and how to use it.