In today’s episode, Danielle Hayden, CPA and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., dives into a topic that every small business owner needs to take seriously: cybersecurity. As entrepreneurs, we’re focused on growth, profitability, and strategy, but all of that hard work can be put at risk in an instant if we fall victim to cyber threats. A single phishing email, password breach, or scam can lead to lost revenue, stolen data, and massive headaches (and let’s be real, none of us have time for that!).
But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Danielle breaks down the biggest cybersecurity threats facing small businesses and shares simple, practical steps to keep your business and finances safe.
Key Takeaways:
- Phishing Emails & Texts Are Everywhere: Be on the lookout for fake DocuSign requests, “unpaid” toll or shipping texts, gift card scams, and urgent wire transfer emails. If something feels off, don’t click! Verify directly with the sender outside of the potential scam text or email before doing anything and immediately report it.
- Scammers Want You to Act Fast: Cybercriminals rely on urgency to trick you into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information; slow down and verify before taking action.
- Strong Passwords & Two-Step Authentication Are Essential: Using unique passwords and enabling two-step authentication makes it harder for hackers to gain access to your accounts. Yes, it’s annoying but it’s worth it!
- Backup Your Data to the Cloud: Use Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for automatic backups so that if your device is compromised, your business documents are safe and easily recoverable.
- Trust Your Gut & Double-Check Everything: If you weren’t expecting an email, text, or request for money or information, take a moment to verify before you click or send anything! It’s always okay to say no and follow up through a secure method.
Topics Discussed:
Common Cyber Scams Targeting Small Businesses (00:01:06 – 00:03:24)
How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Emails and Text Scams (00:03:24 – 00:04:53)
Best Practices for Password Security and Two-Step Authentication (00:04:53 – 00:06:42)
Why Backing Up Your Business Data is Critical (00:06:42 – 00:07:43)
The Power of Slowing Down and Verifying Before You Click (00:07:43 – 00:09:18)
Recap of Cybersecurity Steps to Take (00:09:18 - 00:10:51)
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Episode Transcript
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:29:01
Danielle Hayden
Hello and welcome back to Business by the Books, the podcast that helps you understand your numbers and make smarter financial decisions. I'm Danielle Hayden, CPA and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. and your host. Today we're going to be talking about something critical for every single business, and that's cybersecurity as business owners. You know, we are laser focused on growth, profitability, strategy.
00:00:29:03 - 00:01:06:07
Danielle Hayden
We are visionaries, and it's hard to think about what will happen when there's cyber threats that put everything that we've built at risk. You guys, a single phishing email password breach or scam could mean lost revenue, stolen data, and most importantly, major, major headaches. And let's be real, none of us really have time for any of that. So today, I want to break down the biggest cybersecurity threats facing small business owners and the simple steps you can take to protect your business and your finances.
00:01:06:08 - 00:01:32:21
Danielle Hayden
Now, let's start with some of the biggest scams that we're seeing that target small business owners. We have the common text message scams. These are total scams. So if you've ever heard or received a text message saying you have it unpaid toll, click here to pay now to avoid penalties, stop! Don't click. This scam is designed to steal your payment information.
00:01:32:23 - 00:02:00:02
Danielle Hayden
So if you're unsure, go directly to your toll provider or the traditional snail mail that you've received to check your account. This can also happen with shipping. So there are text messages that say that your package has been rerouted, or there is a payment problem with your package and to update the payment information. So watch for the text message scams.
00:02:00:04 - 00:02:32:22
Danielle Hayden
Do not click on the link. Do not reply. Go and log in to that provider's website. Then we have the email scams, you guys. These phishing scams have gotten good over the years. These cybercriminals, they are getting more and more sophisticated with their emails. So some of the common traps that we see are fake DocuSign requests. I get this one, I want to say, almost every single week, where they are trying to send me a fake DocuSign request.
00:02:32:23 - 00:02:58:13
Danielle Hayden
So before clicking on anything, the key here, you guys, is do not click on anything. Always verify who sent the document before signing. If you weren't expecting anything, don't click on it or give that person a call or shoot them an email separately to verify if they sent you something before clicking on the link. Another oldie but goodie is the gift card request.
00:02:58:14 - 00:03:24:09
Danielle Hayden
So if someone on your team or a client or vendor is asking you to buy gift cards, you can always assume that this is a scam. So gift cards or any type of prepaid card, we can always assume that those requests are fake. Then we have our wire transfer request. Double check with a phone call before sending money to literally anyone.
00:03:24:11 - 00:03:58:22
Danielle Hayden
You know, these phishing emails are requesting that you send wire transfers, Zelle transfers, Cash App requests, and you can usually see somewhere in the email was something generic like “Dear Customer,” or you can tell by the tone of the request that it's urgent and they're really pressuring you to act fast. So whenever you receive any type of request for money, pick up the phone, call the individual before sending any money to anyone.
00:03:58:22 - 00:04:30:06
Danielle Hayden
Look for those generic greetings or grammar errors in that email. You'll be able to tell when you really read through it that this email was fake. You can also hover over the link before clicking it, and if the URL looks odd, don't click it. This is a big theme here in terms of the email scams, the phishing emails, is do not click on anything that doesn't look or feel right.
00:04:30:08 - 00:04:53:16
Danielle Hayden
If you were not expecting a link from that individual, do not click on it. Shoot them an email, text message or phone call. Double check that this is a real request before clicking on any links. What do we do to keep ourselves safe? Passwords are going to be your first line of defense. We need to use unique passwords for each account.
00:04:53:17 - 00:05:24:23
Danielle Hayden
Do not repeat them. Make sure that they are strong with a mix of upper lowercase numbers and symbols. You can use a password manager. And always, always, always enable the two-step authentication. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a one-time code that is sent to your phone. Now, it is really hard for me to tell you to always enable your two-step authentication, because needing codes is our number one barrier
00:05:24:23 - 00:05:51:01
Danielle Hayden
to receiving our client statements here at Kickstart Accounting. I know how annoying it is to receive these codes and have to deal with the code, but they are here to protect you. We need to have these codes. As a Kickstart Accounting, Inc. client, and this is really if you're working with any bookkeeping firm, we will never call you for a QuickBooks code.
00:05:51:03 - 00:05:57:16
Danielle Hayden
If you are receiving a phone call for QuickBooks code, please do not give it to them.
00:05:57:16 - 00:05:57:20
Danielle Hayden
If
00:05:57:20 - 00:06:14:03
Danielle Hayden
somebody calls you, hang up and call the number that you have for your Kickstart Accounting team member or send us a message through Financial Cents. Every single one of our clients has been set up within Financial Cents. It is a secure portal.
00:06:14:05 - 00:06:42:21
Danielle Hayden
You guys, the reason that we use Financial Cents is to focus on security, so you can send us a message in the portal to ensure that you are communicating with a Kickstart Accounting, Inc. employee. We will not call you for those QuickBooks codes. Please make sure that you're communicating through Financial Cents if you are not sure if it is a Kickstart Accounting, Inc. employee. Remember to keep your business data safe.
00:06:43:00 - 00:07:14:21
Danielle Hayden
We have heard of clients who have fallen a victim of having their entire computer actually held at ransom. So use Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive to store all your important documents securely so that if somebody does hold your computer ransom, that you have all of your important documents and pictures already saved in Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive so that you can go restore all of those documents.
00:07:14:23 - 00:07:43:03
Danielle Hayden
Set up your automatic backups so that you'll never lose that valuable data. So if a cyber attack happens, you will always know that you can recover your own information through OneDrive or through Google. Most importantly, again, think before you click. Your computer won't be held at ransom if you don't click on the links that feel off. You know, guys, this is going to sound like the most simple advice here.
00:07:43:04 - 00:08:14:08
Danielle Hayden
My father has been telling me since I was a little girl to slow down, and I know as business owners we are going a million miles a minute. We have a lot of responsibility. Clients calling, team members calling off, deadlines, taxes, and we have all of these different responsibilities pulling our attention. I want to encourage you to take a breath, slow down and verify before clicking anything.
00:08:14:09 - 00:08:51:20
Danielle Hayden
Do not click anything that feels off. Trust your gut. If you get any suspicious requests, right? If a text or an email feels suspicious, do not click call and verify the request to the sender directly and then report the scam. Remember, the cybercriminals, they want you to act fast, right? When you're acting fast, you're overlooking their errors. You're overlooking that the email doesn't look grammatically correct or that the time of day feels off.
00:08:51:23 - 00:09:18:19
Danielle Hayden
Take that time to really think about, you know, who am I sharing this code with? Why would they need it? What time of day are they calling? And it is always okay to say no and then read. Communicate to your bookkeeper, to your tax team, or to the individual who's making that request through the means of communication that feel secure to you.
00:09:18:23 - 00:09:51:19
Danielle Hayden
So quick recap: Be cautious with emails and texts. Don't click any links and do not share any personal information. Use strong, unique passwords. Never reuse them. Turn on the two-step authentication for extra protection wherever you possibly can. Backup all of your files to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Take your time and verify before acting. Scammers want you to rush.
00:09:51:21 - 00:10:21:13
Danielle Hayden
By taking these steps, you guys, we can protect our businesses. We can protect our families. We can protect our hard earned money. Remember, this cybersecurity thing? This isn't just for big companies. They are attacking us, these small business owners. And you work too hard to grow your business, to bring in cash and we need to keep your business safe from cyber threats.
00:10:21:17 - 00:10:51:06
Danielle Hayden
So from today's episode, I want you to be on alert. Take action. And remember, if you're sharing information with Kickstart Accounting, we will always request that information through Financial Cents or from Kickstart Accounting software and tools. If it ever feels uncomfortable, do not share. As always, we'd love to hear from you. You can connect with us on Instagram over at Kickstart Accounting.
00:10:51:08 - 00:11:14:19
Danielle Hayden
All right you guys, until next week. I hope you enjoyed today's episode of Business by the Books. Don't forget to hit like and subscribe! This is the number one way we can help other entrepreneurs find this podcast, because here at Kickstart Accounting, Inc., it is our mission to help entrepreneurs understand their numbers, get access to this information, and grow and thrive in their business.
00:11:14:19 - 00:11:39:07
Danielle Hayden
So please help me, help other entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can finally grow and thrive.