Laura Pourinski 
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December 27, 2017 
In the wild world of finances, it can be tough to get access to credit. For students who are starting out and having a hard time getting their first credit card, it’s hard to know where to turn. A company called Deserve helps make credit access possible. RewardExpert spoke with Deserve’s Chief Marketing Officer, Pat Nicholson, who said, “The company was founded on a mission to give deserving and underserved people access to credit.” He talks about how Deserve can help a customer build their credit history and how individuals are so much more than just their FICO scores.
Giving People Credit
The company was founded two years ago with the name SelfScore, which provided international students access to fair credit. Through serving this particular group, the leaders realized that they wanted to serve a wider audience and they developed technology to serve college students nationwide, in addition to the general market. “We make credit products available to anyone, with a particular focus on the 18-29 year-old age group,” noted Nicholson. “We provide many attractive financial options for young people.”
One of those products is the Deserve Edu card, which is specifically designed for college students. “If you’re starting out or early in your credit history, we’re going to give you more credit and take a more complete picture of you to get you in your prime level product,” said Nicholson. With the Deserve Edu card, you get 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases, benefits such as a car rental collision damage waiver, roadside assistance, ID theft protection and more.
“Students can get access to this card and get a fair credit product with no annual fees, no deposits, and you also don’t need a co-signer – and we pay for the first year of Amazon Prime for students,” stated Nicholson. “It’s all about doing something good for people, understanding how to manage their credit and what it takes to build a credit score.”
Some other credit cards offered by Deserve are the Deserve Classic, which is for people who are new to credit and want to build a credit history and the Deserve Pro Mastercard, for those who already have a credit history. The Pro card offers higher credit limits and more cash back. Nicholson says the company calls it the 3-2-1:
- 3% cash back on travel and entertainment,
- 2% cash back on restaurants,
- and 1% cash back on all other products.
On the Road to Financial Independence
Deserve is more than a place for people to turn to in getting new credit cards. It’s also a great resource for financial advice. A whole section on the website is dedicated to “Credit Education,” a one-stop-shop to help you build a good credit history and manage your personal finances. It’s a perfect place for anyone who wants to learn about credit scores, credit cards, budgeting and more.
“Most people don’t understand how the credit system works,” explained Nicholson. “We’re trying to lead with access and credit education – building blocks of people who are financially independent and can basically have a successful financial life.”
In October of this year, SelfScore became Deserve and it is now available to everyone in the US. “Deserve is a better word to describe why we do what we do,” stated Nicholson. The company is continuing to launch new products to serve a broader audience of people who are deserving but underserved by traditional banking. As CEO and Co-Founder of Deserve, Kalpesh Kapadia, says on the company website, “Deserve is measuring potential, not just risk.” So if you’re looking for ways to get started with your credit or looking for something more in your credit card world, head on over to www.deserve.com to find out what you deserve.