30 Day Business Credit Building Plan

30 Day Business Credit Building Plan (Step-By-Step)

Week 1: Set the Foundation (Days 1–7)

The goal this week is legitimacy and separation. Nothing fancy yet.

Day 1: Register and Organize

Make sure your business is legally registered as an LLC or corporation. If it already is, pull your formation documents and keep them handy in a digital folder.

Create a simple business info document with:

• Business name

• Business address

• Business phone number

• Business email

• Industry

• Website if you have one

Consistency matters. This exact information must match everywhere.

Day 2: Get Your EIN

Apply for your EIN directly from the IRS website. It is free and instant.

Save the confirmation letter as a PDF. You will use this a lot.

Day 3: Open a Business Bank Account

Open an online business checking account using your EIN.

Deposit a small amount of money. Even $50–$100 is fine. This establishes active business banking.

From this day forward, all business income goes here and all business expenses come out of here.

Day 4: Open a Business Credit Card

Apply for one business credit card that reports to business bureaus.

Do not worry about a high limit. You are building history, not chasing spending power.

Make one small purchase when approved. Think software, domain renewal, or office supplies.

Day 5: Create a Payment System

Set up reminders for every bill and card.

Use Google Calendar or Notion to add:

• Card due date

• Statement close date

• Vendor due dates

Set reminders at least three days before each due date.

Day 6: Create a Credit Tracking Sheet

Use Google Sheets or Airtable.

Track:

• Vendor name

• Credit type

• Due date

• Payment date

• Reports to which bureau

This keeps you in control instead of guessing.

Day 7: Apply for Your D-U-N-S Number

Go to Dun & Bradstreet and apply for a free D-U-N-S number.

Once approved, verify your business information is accurate.

Week 2: Start Building Credit History (Days 8–14)

This week is about creating positive payment activity.

Day 8: Open a Nav Account

Create a free Nav account.

Connect your business bank account if prompted.

Review your current business credit status. Most new businesses will show limited or no data. That is normal.

Day 9: Apply for Your First Trade Line

Choose one starter vendor that reports.

Order something small. $30–$75 is perfect.

Select net-30 terms if available.

Day 10: Apply for a Second Trade Line

Apply for a different vendor than Day 9.

Again, a small purchase. This is about reporting, not inventory.

Day 11: Update Business Profiles

Log into:
Nav
Dun & Bradstreet

Confirm your address, phone number, and industry match your records exactly.

Day 12: Pay One Vendor Early

If an invoice allows early payment, pay it now.

Early payments help scores faster than on-time payments.

Day 13: Light Business Activity

Run a few legitimate transactions through your business account.

Pay a subscription. Buy supplies. Send an invoice if applicable.

Lenders want to see activity, not dormant accounts.

Day 14: Review and Adjust

Check your tracking sheet.

Confirm all due dates are correct.

Nothing should be overdue. Ever.

Week 3: Strengthen and Expand (Days 15–21)

Now you build momentum.

Day 15: Apply for One More Trade Line

Add a third vendor if approved.

Same rules. Small purchase. Net-30. On-time or early payment.

Day 16: Use Your Business Credit Card Again

Make a second small purchase.

Keep utilization under 30 percent of the limit.

Day 17: Set Auto-Pay

Enable auto-pay for:
Business credit card minimum payment
Any recurring vendors

You can still pay early manually, but this protects you.

Day 18: Request Vendor Reporting Confirmation

Email or chat with your vendors and ask:
“Do you report payment history to business credit bureaus?”

Make a note of which bureaus they report to.

Day 19: Create a Business Credit Folder

Store:
EIN letter
Bank statements
Invoices
Payment confirmations

This helps later with funding applications.

Day 20: Check Nav Dashboard

Look for early reporting signals.

Some trade lines report within 15–30 days.

Do not panic if nothing shows yet. This is still normal.

Day 21: Learn, Do Not Apply

Spend this day learning, not applying.

Review SBA and SCORE resources about credit readiness.

No new applications today.

Week 4: Position for Growth (Days 22–30)

This week sets you up beyond day 30.

Day 22: Pay All Outstanding Invoices

Clear anything due within the next two weeks.

Early payments strengthen your profile.

Day 23: Update Credit Tracking

Log all payments made.

Confirm balances are correct.

Day 24: Build Lender Awareness

Research:
One local credit union
One community bank

You are not applying yet. Just identifying future partners.

Day 25: Evaluate Credit Utilization

Check your business card balance.

If it is above 30 percent, pay it down.

Lower utilization improves scores.

Day 26: Ask for Trade References

Reach out to vendors you paid on time and ask if they provide trade references.

Log their responses.

Day 27: Review Business Identity Consistency

Double-check that your: Business name, Address, Phone, Email match everywhere online.

Day 28: Prepare for Month Two

Plan:
One new trade line next month
One credit increase request after 90 days

Write this down.

Day 29: Pull Updated Reports

Check Nav and Dun & Bradstreet again.

Look for:
New trade lines
Payment history
Score movement

Even small progress counts.

Day 30: Lock the Habit

Business credit is not a sprint.

Your new habits are:
Separate finances
On-time payments
Monthly monitoring
Controlled credit use

That is how business credit compounds.

What You Should Have After 30 Days

• A registered, legitimate business

• An EIN and D-U-N-S number

• A business bank account with activity

• A business credit card in good standing

• Two to three reporting trade lines

• A system that prevents late payments

This basic 30 day plan will get you set up for success. After you have followed this plan, grab the new book I wrote with the Editor-In-Chief of Christianpreneur Magazine, D. Brandon Campbell. The book is entitled: The 90 Day Scale-Up Plan For Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs. You can buy it now on Amazon.