I'm an entrepreneur and business expert - these are my top 5 tips on how to protect yourself from crime

• Crimes against businesses account for 20% of all recorded incidents
• Emma Jones, CBE, emphasizes the importance of safeguarding businesses against both online and offline threats
• Many entrepreneurs don’t expect to become victims of crime, yet it remains a concern
• Jones urges business owners to prioritise security, despite their busy schedules
• Training staff to recognise signs of fraud and data breaches is essential
• And there are accessible technological solutions available to enhance security measures

Research shows that crimes against businesses account for 20% of all recorded incidents.

It comes as we launch a new campaign amid an epidemic of violence, theft and anti-social behaviour that we’re calling ‘silent crime’.

We want you to tell us incidents that have happened to you, your family or your friends in your neighbourhood; how it impacted you and whether justice was served.

We are campaigning for the voices of victims to be heard and we will take your stories to Downing Street.

Most entrepreneurs don’t launch their ventures expecting to become victims of crime - and, in truth, many won’t. But when it does happen, it can be a serious issue.

While business owners often have packed schedules and security might seem like just another task on the list, it’s crucial to invest time in ensuring everything is safeguarded.

Emma Jones, CBE, founder and CEO of small business support platform and membership community Enterprise Nation, shares five steps you can take to protect yourself, your employees and your business from both online and offline threats.

1. Do a quick risk assessment

“Where are the vulnerable areas in your business? If you’re an independent store, it’s obvious that your stock is at risk as customers browse, but if you work from an office or home, it’s more likely to be cyber crime that is the biggest threat.”

2. Get some advice and get your premises secured

“It’s worth consulting a specialist on this but straight away you can consider things like good lighting, an alarm system and CCTV.

“There are some really affordable solutions available now that can do the job of a big installation like a burglar alarm with flashing lights and sirens. Technology like Ring cameras are easy to set up and use as well as monitor via your phone.

“These can also give peace of mind to staff and can act as a deterrent if they are customer-facing and may have to deal with sensitive disputes. You and your employees can’t be ‘on it’ every hour of the day, but technology can.

“We have peer-rated cyber security specialists on the Enterprise Nation adviser platform that understand small businesses well and can offer unbiased advice.”

3. Train staff to be data vigilant

“It sounds obvious, but give employees training on how to spot crime and in particular – online fraud. Often, it’s the tiniest of tweaks to an email address or subtle differences in the use of language in an email that make them stand out.

“For businesses that want to win high value contracts, having good cyber security is vital. Cyber criminals are honing their skills all the time – and businesses must stay one step ahead.”

4. Use technology to protect your work

“Use a firewall, anti-virus software and install password-regulated access to sensitive information relating to your clients and finance. Consider Two Factor Authentication as standard procedure using off the shelf software such as Okta or Authenticator.

“Review your security regularly. One premises can lead to others and staff need protecting every day. It’s worth doing a simple audit of your security. Is it still powerful enough for your system?”

5. Are you covered by insurance?

“There are lots of affordable solutions that cover not just public liability and theft, but it can also cover your staff if they get injured, protect you if data is breached and from legal action in case it comes to that.

“There are some great first steps to consider from the get go.”

Emma Jones, CBE, is founder and CEO of small business support platform and membership community Enterprise Nation.

To force change, we need to unite and remind ourselves that these 'silent crimes’ are not acceptable. You should be safe and feel safe at work, at home, in the park and in our own neighbourhoods. We need you to tell us your stories in this survey and we, on your behalf, will take them to Downing Street.