Deadly Security Mistakes Made by First-Time Business Owners

There are approximately 28-million small businesses in the United States. Along with this, thousands upon thousands of new companies are formed every year.

While many of these businesses have security in mind from day one, others overlook this important detail. For this reason, they’re more prone to a security breach in the future.

As a first-time business owner, it goes without saying that you’ll have plenty of responsibilities on your plate. Some tasks are more important than others, but you can’t afford to overlook something that could have a major impact on your company in the future. This is where security comes into play.

This doesn’t mean you have to focus all your time, money, and resources on security. However, you definitely need to know what you’re doing in regards to keeping your company safe and secure at all times.

Here are some of the most common security mistakes made by first-time business owners.

1. No Guidelines for Employees

It’s important that your employees are on board with your security strategy. For example, have you discussed what it means to create a strong password? Have you discussed the steps that employees should take if they notice something out of the ordinary?

As a general rule of thumb, discuss these matters with every employee you hire. Along with this, don’t hesitate to include security related details in your employee handbook.

2. Nowhere to Turn for Help

In a perfect world, you’d never need to turn to an outside source for security related assistance. Unfortunately, you never know what the future will bring. There could come a point when you are unable to solve a problem on your own. If this happens, you have no choice but to consult with an IT solutions provider.

Rather than find yourself confused and searching for answers at the worst possible time, make a list of providers who may be able to assist you in the future. This way, if a security issue moves to the forefront, you’ll know exactly who to call.

3. Denial 

“It won’t happen to me!” 

This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a first-time business owner. Don’t talk yourself into believing that nothing bad can happen to your company. Even if you do everything right, a security concern could impact your business at some point.

If you avoid this line of thinking, you’ll be prepared for anything that could come your way —and there is nothing more important than that.

4. Letting a Problem Grow

It doesn’t matter what type of security concern you’re facing, you should never let it linger. Even if an issue appears small, such as malware on one computer in your network, you need to take immediate action.

It’s easy to believe that a minor problem is just that. However, something small can turn into something big if you don’t take the right steps at the right time.

Conclusion

There is nothing more exciting than starting a business. The future is bright and you’re looking forward to making progress, day in and day out.

Just remember this: it only takes one security concern to throw a wrench into your plans. If you want to protect your company against this, don’t fall prey to the four common mistakes detailed above.

What steps have you taken as a business owner to prevent security challenges? Share your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.