As a business owner, you’re juggling a million things at one – that’s what Cyber Criminals count on!
Let’s bust a myth right away: cybercriminals don’t just go after the big guys.
In fact, small businesses are often the easier target. Why? Because Small Business owners are so busy and often don’t have the visibility they need to reduce the risk of being hacked. That’s why you need a Cyber Security Plan.
But here’s the good news: keeping your business safe online doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. You just need a smart, well-thought-out plan.
What’s the biggest risk to your business right now? Why Cybersecurity Should Be On Your Radar [and discussed at board level]
As an SMB, we get it—there’s always something more urgent to deal with. But ignoring cybersecurity is like leaving your front door wide open and hoping no one burgles you.
Here’s the reality:
- Most attacks on small businesses start with something as simple as an email, or message leading to an infected website.
- The average cost of a cyberattack on an SMB? Around £25,000, plus loss of trust, reputational damage and loss of business.
- And over half of small businesses never recover from a major breach.
As an example of this, in May 2023, a 160-year old SMB in Kettering closed down after a ransomware attack, just when they thought they were covered.
What can you do? Start discussing it, put Cyber Security on the Agenda for your next board meeting. If you want some discussion points, take a look at our article here which is a great place to start.
Budgets are tight, profits are low, security isn’t my main problem
There’s a big difference between being secure and overspending. These days, there are lots of great tools built just for small businesses—affordable, easy to use, and incredibly effective.
You don’t need to fork out for enterprise-level software. What you do need is a few smart moves, like:
- Turning on two-factor authentication for your apps and logins
- Setting up automatic data backups (ideally offsite and encrypted)
- Using a password manager like Keeper, so your team doesn’t reuse “password123”
- Making sure your team knows how to spot dodgy emails
- Installing basic endpoint protection (yes, even for remote workers)
Hackers are looking for low hanging fruit, up your business’s game and make sure you’re not caught out. Get started today and minimise your risk.
Budgeting for Cybersecurity: Think Smart, Not Big
This is where the strategic part comes in. Cybersecurity isn’t just “tech stuff”—it’s a business decision. It belongs in your budget right alongside marketing, operations, and growth planning.
Start by asking questions like:
- What systems do we use?
- How much damage would they cause if we couldn’t use them?
- What data do we hold in the systems – is it personal?
- What the potential cost be of a breach of the system?
- How much could we spend to protect it?
When you budget proactively, you’re not reacting to problems—you’re preventing them. And honestly, the cost of doing nothing can be much, much higher than a monthly security subscription.
Our advice is to start with a risk register (a spread sheet will do), catalogue your risks around the questions above, assign owners and costs, plan and execute.
Bottom Line: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Small businesses are the backbone of the economy—but that also makes them a tempting target. Fortunately, you’ve got options. You can protect your business without needing a huge IT department or sky-high costs.
✅ Be proactive.
✅ Start small.
✅ Build a plan that fits your business (and your budget).
✅ Get Cyber Essentials certified
Need help figuring out what’s worth investing in, or where your gaps might be? That’s what we’re here for.
Let’s build a cybersecurity strategy that’s right for you—affordable, effective, and designed for the way small businesses actually work.