[Guest Post] I Analyzed 17 Small Businesses (86% Made These Privacy Mistakes)
GP #1: A simple list of don'ts to keep your business and reputation secure.
Hello Bootstrappers!
In this Guest Post (the first of many), I’d like to introduce who runs the Substack community Beyond the Firewall.
Jason believes that cybersecurity and AI are more than just technical fields—they’re shaping the way we live, work, and connect in the digital age. Through his numerous and timely posts, videos, and notes, his mission is to help everyday people and businesses understand the risks they face online, and—more importantly—how to protect themselves.
In this guest post, Jason will explain the 5 business-killing data leaks you might be ignoring and what you can do to protect your business from hackers.
Without further ado…
As a business owner I understand the struggles.
You’ve put your blood, sweat and tears into building your dream. All those late nights when your friends were partying.
The early mornings slowly making strides so you can quit your full time job and be your own boss.
You finally made, there’s just one problem…
All of that work can be wiped out with one bad decision.
This isn’t a hypothetical.
A few months ago, a small e-commerce brand—let’s call them GenZGoods—woke up to a disaster.
Their customers were getting phishing emails that looked legit.
The emails had the right branding, customer names, and even past purchase history.
Customers clicked. They entered their credit card details. And just like that, thousands of dollars were drained from accounts.
Who got blamed? GenZGoods.
Even though they didn’t send those emails. Even though they never touched the stolen credit cards.
Because it was their customer data that got leaked.
The worst part? They didn’t even know they’d been hacked.
Small Businesses Get Attacked Differently
When people think about cybercrime, they picture dramatic Hollywood-style hacks—hooded figures, endless lines of code, high-tech espionage.
But small businesses don’t get attacked like that.
They get hit by stupid-simple breaches—weak passwords, stolen logins, outdated plugins.
They get targeted because they use cheap or free tools that leak data like a sieve.
And worst of all? Most don’t even realize they’ve been compromised until it’s too late.
Here’s what’s even scarier:
GenZGoods didn’t make some massive, reckless mistake.
They just made five small ones—the same ones 99% of entrepreneurs are making right now.
And you might be making them too.
The 5 Business-Killing Data Leaks You Might Be Ignoring
These aren’t theoretical security tips.
This is the real stuff hackers look for when they go after businesses like yours.
If you fix nothing else this year, fix these.
📌 1. The Customer Data ‘Trap’ You Probably Fell Into
You know how every business guru tells you to collect customer data?
"Build an email list!"
"Track user behavior!"
"Personalize your marketing!"
That’s all great. Until you realize you’re sitting on a goldmine—for hackers.
✔ If you’re collecting customer data without encrypting it, it’s a ticking time bomb.
✔ If you’re storing passwords or credit card info in Google Drive, you’re an easy target.
✔ If you don’t know where your customer data is actually stored, you’re already in trouble.
GenZGoods’ mistake? They stored customer email addresses and purchase details in an unsecured spreadsheet.
A freelancer’s account got hacked, and boom—thousands of customer records stolen.
Fix It: If you store customer data, use a CRM with built-in encryption (Zoho, HubSpot). If you store files, Google Drive isn’t enough—use Tresorit or ProtonDrive.
And while were on the subject of customers, if you don’t want to ensure you aren’t losing them do to poor data keeping practices I’ve got a quick article that will show you the write way to do it:
📌 2. Your Team (Or That Freelancer You Hired) Could Be Your Biggest Risk
Let’s be real:
You’ve probably shared a password over email or Slack at some point.
You’ve let a freelancer access your Shopify, Stripe, or business email without much thought.
You don’t always remove access when someone leaves.
GenZGoods’ mistake? They hired a VA, gave them full access to customer orders, then forgot to revoke access when they left.
That VA’s email got hacked. Now hackers had a direct line to their customer database.
Fix It: Use role-based access. Employees and freelancers should only get access to what they need (not full admin rights). Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) so you never have to share passwords over Slack.
📌 3. Your Website Is a Hacker’s Playground
Your website isn’t just a storefront—it’s the front door to your business.
But most entrepreneurs treat security like an afterthought.
✔ 50,000+ small business websites get hacked every day.
✔ Outdated plugins are an open invitation for malware.
✔ If your site doesn’t have HTTPS, Google literally tells people not to trust you.
GenZGoods’ mistake? They used a cheap website theme with outdated code—which had a vulnerability.
A hacker found it, injected malware, and redirected customers to a fake checkout page.
Fix It:
If you use WordPress, install Wordfence or Sucuri for security.
Keep all plugins updated or delete the ones you don’t use.
If you don’t have HTTPS encryption, fix it now.
📌 4. ‘Free’ Business Tools Are Selling Your Customer Data
This one is brutal.
You’re using tools like:
✔ Free email platforms (Gmail, Outlook)
✔ Free form builders (Google Forms, Jotform)
✔ Free CRM tools
What they don’t tell you?
You’re not the customer. You’re the product.
Most free platforms scan, store, and sell user data for advertising and analytics.
GenZGoods’ mistake? They used a free CRM to collect customer inquiries.
The CRM got hacked. All those stored customer emails? Leaked.
Fix It: If you run a business, pay for privacy-focused tools. ProtonMail for email. Formsite for secure forms. Sync.com for cloud storage.
📌 5. You Think It Won’t Happen to You (Until It Does)
This is the real killer.
Most business owners don’t act until after they’ve been hacked.
By then, the damage is done.
✔ Customers lose trust.
✔ Your revenue takes a hit.
✔ You spend weeks cleaning up the mess instead of running your business.
GenZGoods learned this the hard way.
By the time they fixed their mistakes, the damage was irreversible.
You don’t have to wait until it happens to you.
Every Business Needs a Playbook
Let’s imagine for a minute something like this does happen (I hope that after today you will be in a better position but threats evolve everyday). Maybe you missed one setting, and a hacker gets access to your tools, or your system.
Do you have a plan?
I’m guessing you think: “It could happen to me”
right?
Well having that mindset is exactly how businesses get taken down.
You plan for other occurrences in your business right?
You’re talented,
You’re smart,
You’ve built this thing from the ground up.
So don’t be like the rest of those entrepreneurs and small business owners who don’t take this seriously. You’re a professional so you need to do what professionals do, which is plan for the worst.
That’s why I’ve created The Incident Response Playbook.
I’ve taken all the guess work out and given you an easy to follow step-by-step guide that will help you:
1. How to detect the early warning signs of an attack.
2. What to do in the first 24 hours of a breach.
3. How to recover your systems and prevent future attacks.
I have every step detailed for you to follow as well as a printable checklist that will help guide you during an incident.
I even give you templates for Emergency Contact Lists and Post Incident Review.
You’re completely covered.
So don’t hesitate, grab your copy today: Get Your Copy
🚀 What’s Your Next Move?
This is where 99% of business owners stop reading and do nothing.
The other 1%? They take action.
Are you like everyone else or are you a winner?
I wanna hear from you
✔ What’s one security step you’re implementing today?
✔ Have you ever had a security scare in your business?
✔ Are you sure your customer data is safe?
Drop a comment—I want to hear how you’re protecting your business.
And if this post made you rethink security, restack it—because most entrepreneurs have no idea how at-risk they really are.
I hope you found value in this and your business is that much more secure because of it. If you have any questions feel free to get in-touch through direct message and consider subscribing.
Stay Secure. Stay Informed. Stay Curious.
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Thanks, for sharing this excellent advice on protecting your small business from cybersecurity threats and hackers.
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