Just like in your personal life, your business life has passwords—and those passwords are your first line of defense in protecting sensitive company data, financial accounts, customer information, and proprietary assets. Yet, many people treat their business passwords with less care than they would a phone lock code. It’s time for that to change.
Why Password Hygiene Matters
Cyberattacks don’t just target big corporations. Small businesses are often the easiest targets because of outdated security practices—like using the same password for years or using something guessable like “CompanyName2023!” or “Password123”.
Think of your password like the front door to your digital life. Would you leave your office door unlocked at night with a Post-It note saying “The key’s under the mat”? Of course not. But using common passwords or reusing them across platforms is essentially the same thing.
Best Practices: Password Guidelines That Keep You Safe
Here’s what you should be doing, today, to protect yourself and your business:
✅ Change your passwords every 3 months.
Just like a good vehicle tune-up, this ensures any potentially compromised credentials get rotated out before damage can occur.
✅ Use 12 to 24 characters.
Longer passwords are exponentially harder to crack. And no, “correcthorsebatterystaple” isn’t good anymore—it’s too famous.
✅ Mix it up.
Use a combination of:
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Uppercase and lowercase letters
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Numbers
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*Symbols (! @ # $ % ^ & )
✅ Avoid the obvious.
Never use:
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Names of children, spouses, or pets
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Birthdays, anniversaries, or phone numbers
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Company names, slogans, or industry terms
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Common phrases or sequential keys like
12345678,qwerty, oradmin
✅ Make it random.
The goal is unpredictability. A secure password could look like:f$93B!aTzqLp12Vx#fMn7W
Use a Password Vault—It’s a No-Brainer
Nobody expects you to memorize dozens of complex, random strings of characters. That’s where password managers come in. These tools store your logins securely, sync them across your devices, and even generate strong passwords for you.
Some of the most trusted password managers include:
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LastPass
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NordPass
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1Password
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Bitwarden
What I Recommend Personally
I use Dashlane for all my password management needs—and I recommend it to everyone from small business owners to solo freelancers. With Dashlane, I store:
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Passwords
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Secret notes
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Lock combinations
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Credit card info
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Insurance policies
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And more
Everything is encrypted and secured under a master password. It’s like a digital vault that travels with me on any device.
Final Thoughts
Data breaches happen fast and without warning. A single compromised account can cost you thousands—or worse, your reputation. Protect your business the same way you’d protect your own home:
Use strong passwords. Change them often. Store them securely.
This isn’t paranoia. It’s smart business.
🔐 Start with Dashlane here and take control of your digital security today.
