Starting a sole proprietorship business to get a DUNS number for Apple Business Manager

One of the requirements for getting an Apple Business Manager (ABM) instance (which also provides Automated Device Enrollment and Volume Purchase Program access) is a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, which are issued to businesses by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). This is usually seen as an obstacle for the individual Mac admin who wants to set up an ABM instance, but it doesn’t need to be for the following reasons:

1. Setting up a business does not need to cost anything in terms of money.
2. Getting a DUNS number does not need to cost anything in terms of money.
3. Getting an ABM instance does not cost anything in terms of money.

All three will take time and some effort, and your time always has a money value, but overall you shouldn’t get charged for anything.

Note: What I’m about to discuss applies solely to states which are part of the United States of America. If you are outside the United States, please check your own nation’s laws as what I’m about to discuss may have zero applicability to you. For more details, please see below the jump.