Passwords are the keys to your business. Unfortunately, many small businesses still rely on weak or reused passwords — or worse, keep them on sticky notes by the monitor. That’s like leaving the office door unlocked with the key under the mat.
At MaineBizPros, we recommend a smarter, safer approach: strong passwords combined with a password manager.
1. What Makes a Strong Password?
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Length over complexity: A password that’s 12–16 characters long is far stronger than a short one with random symbols.
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Mix it up: Use letters, numbers, and symbols.
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Avoid the obvious: Never use business names, birthdays, or “123456.”
Examples:
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Weak: Maine123
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Strong: harbor.coffee!road37
2. The Problem With Reuse
Using the same password across multiple accounts is dangerous. If one account is hacked, every other account using that password is exposed.
3. Enter Password Managers
A password manager stores all your logins securely and helps you generate strong, unique passwords for each account.
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Benefits:
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No more memorizing dozens of passwords.
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Access on desktop and mobile.
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Easy to share specific logins with employees without revealing the actual password.
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Popular options include LastPass, 1Password, and Bitwarden — we can help set up whichever works best for your team.
4. Add Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Whenever possible, enable MFA (also called 2FA). This adds a second layer of security, like a text code or authentication app, even if your password is stolen.
Final Thoughts
Weak or reused passwords are one of the biggest risks for small businesses — and one of the easiest to fix. With strong passwords, a good manager, and MFA, you can lock the door tight against most cyber threats.
At MaineBizPros, we help businesses roll out password managers across their team, set up MFA, and make security simple. Because the best security is the kind you’ll actually use.
