By Henry Brown
When it comes to starting your own business, doing so from the comfort of your home can be the best of both worlds. You work the hours that you choose, save money and, if you want to, can even do business wearing your favorite pajamas. That being said, owning a home business does have its drawbacks, including unique security risks. To protect yourself and your business, here are six security measures you should take.
– Hide your personal address
You may run your business from home, but that doesn’t mean that you should advertise your personal address as your business address. This could make your property a target, as criminals will assume you have expensive equipment and products stored somewhere in there. Using a PO box or virtual address is much safer and appears more professional to others.
– Install a security system
All homes can benefit from security equipment, but, when you’re protecting your livelihood, as well as your personal property, it’s even more important. With that in mind, you should consider installing surveillance cameras, burglar alarms, and an intercom system. If you can’t afford a system like this, then you should at least try using dummy cameras as a burglar deterrent.
– Lock down your network
When you conduct and store most of your work online, you need to protect your network from potential hackers. To do this, your first line of defense is a firewall. If you’re not very computer savvy, you should consider paying for professional small business computer services to handle your IT security. This way, you know that you’re doing everything that you can to keep your business data secure.
– Safely store your valuables
As well as personal items, your home may have important and expensive business property within it, including confidential files, products, and office equipment. For items small enough to be stored away, you should consider locking them inside a safe or filing cabinet. Larger valuables, like computers and printers, can be tagged and secured to your desk or wall.
– Know your employees well
Whatever the size of your business, there’s always the chance that you’re going to need some help now and then. If this involves inviting employees into your personal space, you need to make sure that you know them well. Make sure you invest time in the hiring process and always check references. You won’t know why they left their previous employment until you do, after all.
– Get the right insurance coverage
Despite common belief, a home business is very rarely protected by home insurance. This means that, if anything belonging to your business is damaged or stolen, even along with personal property, it’s unlikely to be covered. To save from having to shell out later, you should make sure that you shop around for the best insurance policy for your home and business.
Home businesses face a number of unique threats, but, hopefully, with this advice, you can protect yours.
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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.
