What is Privacy for Small Business?

Most small business owners are fully exposed — their home address on business filings, personal phone on the website, and no separation between personal and business identities.

The Exposure Problem

When you register a business, the following typically becomes public record:

• Your full legal name (and any partners)
• Home address (if used as business address)
• Phone number (if listed)
• Business type and purpose
• Registered agent name and address
• Annual reports with updated information

This information is then scraped by data brokers, people-search sites, and anyone who searches your state's business registry.

Privacy Infrastructure for Business

Entity Structure

1. Wyoming LLC — Wyoming doesn't require member names on public filings
2. Registered agent service — Uses the agent's address instead of yours
3. Nominee manager (where legal) — Further removes your name from public records
4. Separate EIN — Federal tax ID for the business, not your SSN

Contact Information

1. Business phone — Google Voice, MySudo, or VoIP number (not your personal cell)
2. Business email — Custom domain email, not personal Gmail
3. Business address — Virtual office, PO Box, or registered agent address
4. Business website — Private domain registration (WHOIS privacy)

Financial Separation

1. Business bank account — In the LLC's name, not yours
2. Business credit card — Builds business credit, separates expenses
3. Payment processor — Business account for receiving payments
4. Accounting — Separate books for clean legal and tax boundaries

Customer Data Responsibilities

As a business, you're also responsible for your customers' privacy:

• Minimize data collection — Only collect what you genuinely need
• Encrypt stored data — Customer databases, payment info, communications
• Privacy policy — Clear, honest policy about what you collect and why
• Breach notification plan — Know what to do if data is compromised
• Vendor due diligence — Ensure your vendors protect data too
• Data retention limits — Delete what you no longer need

Quick Wins

1. Form an anonymous LLC — Single biggest privacy improvement for a business owner
2. Get a virtual business address — Stop using your home address
3. Set up a business phone number — Stop giving out your personal cell
4. Register domains privately — WHOIS privacy on all business domains
5. Use encrypted communication — Signal for sensitive business discussions
6. Review public records — Search your state business registry and data broker sites for your information