Digital Ownership for Small Businesses: What Do You Control?

In this post, David Martin of David Martin Design looks at a question most business owners never pause to ask: if a platform, vendor, or former employee disappeared tomorrow, what could you still get into, move, and keep running? He draws a practical line between the parts of your digital presence you genuinely control and the parts you are only borrowing.

The guidance sorts these pieces into two categories: the foundation worth protecting (including your domain, website, customer records, and backups) and the outside channels you use for reach (such as social media, search, and reviews). His rule of thumb is to own the foundation and rent the reach, so no single change to a platform or provider can risk the whole operation. He also touches on a newer concern: understanding where your business information goes once your team starts using AI tools.

For members who want a starting point, the article includes a simple digital ownership audit and a downloadable worksheet for recording who controls each account and how it could be recovered. Read the full post: https://davidmartindesign.com/resources/digital-ownership-for-small-businesses/