The holiday season brings a welcome surge in customers and sales for small businesses—but it also ushers in new challenges. Longer hours, larger crowds, and the addition of temporary staff can stretch resources thin, making it harder for owners to keep operations running smoothly while protecting their people, property, and profits. For many, the same conditions that drive revenue also increase risk—from shoplifting and internal theft to cyber scams designed to strike when attention is elsewhere.
To help small business owners stay one step ahead this season, I spoke with Nisheeth Gupta, Vice President of Product Management at ADT, about practical ways to strengthen safety and security without losing the welcoming atmosphere that defines the holidays.
Drawing on ADT’s work with thousands of small businesses nationwide, Gupta shared key insights on where risks spike, the most common mistakes owners make, and simple, affordable steps that can protect staff and customers during the busiest shopping months of the year.
Rieva Lesonsky: From your perspective, what makes the holiday season uniquely challenging for small businesses compared to the rest of the year?
Nisheeth Gupta: From our work with thousands of small business owners across the U.S., it’s clear that the holiday season heightens both opportunity and risk. Longer hours, heavier foot traffic, and added operational complexity put increased strain on owners and their teams.
Retailers, in particular, face added pressure to ensure smooth operations while keeping both their staff and customers safe. Seasonal hiring adds an additional layer of complexity as many are less familiar with procedures, store policies, or security practices. For owners with multiple locations, monitoring across sites becomes even more challenging as resources begin to stretch thin.
Lesonsky: Are there particular risks—such as theft, fraud, staffing, or cyber threats—that tend to spike during the holidays?
Gupta: Every year, as the holiday season ramps up, we hear similar stories from the small business owners we work with: crowded stores where it is harder to keep an eye on every aisle, back rooms filled with seasonal staff still learning the ropes, and late-night closings when managers feel stretched thin. The risks feel different this time of year because they are not isolated. They tend to pile on at once.
Retail theft and shoplifting often climb sharply in crowded stores. According to the National Retail Federation, businesses reported a 93% increase in annual shoplifting incidents and a 90% increase in dollar losses in 2023 compared to 2019. This trend remains a top concern heading into the 2025 holiday season. Internal theft or errors tied to temporary staff can also be an issue. And increasingly, many business owners struggle with fake emails or urgent payment requests that look legitimate in the rush of the season. A single click can expose systems when staff are focused on getting through long lines or closing up quickly.
Lesonsky: What are some common mistakes you see small business owners make when preparing for the holiday rush?
Gupta: Two stand out:
- Waiting until the rush begins to check cameras, alarms, or locks, leaving them vulnerable. We often find owners discover equipment issues only after something has already gone wrong.
- Not training seasonal hires on basic security protocols and what to do if they see suspicious behavior.
Both can be addressed proactively months in advance, yet many owners underestimate how much planning pays off once doors get busy.
Lesonsky: Beyond financial loss, what other impacts can a holiday-season incident have on a small business?
Gupta: The effects extend beyond dollars. A single incident can erode customer trust, unsettle employees, and even drive staff turnover if workers no longer feel safe. Businesses may also face downtime during critical sales days, higher insurance premiums, and reputational harm.
Lesonsky: What are some affordable first steps a small business can take to improve safety during the holidays?
Gupta: Improving safety doesn’t always require a big investment. Business owners can start with simple measures like checking locks, upgrading lighting, and keeping high-value items secure. Our teams often recommend low-cost steps such as repositioning cameras or adjusting lighting schedules to reduce dark spots. Affordable upgrades, such as connected cameras, security sensors, and mobile app access control, give owners visibility and peace of mind without large upfront costs. From there, layering in professional monitoring adds an extra level of protection.
Lesonsky: How can small businesses balance creating a welcoming, festive atmosphere with the need for tighter security?
Gupta: The right technology can support both. Well-placed cameras and sensors act as a deterrent without disrupting the customer experience. We often see small retailers use smart lighting to pull double duty: festive and inviting during business hours but programmed to deter intruders after closing.
Lesonsky: What role can staff training play in preventing incidents—and how can owners do it without taking too much time away from the busy season?
Gupta: Even a short 15-minute briefing before the season starts can make a big difference. Owners should set expectations, review key policies, and empower employees to act confidently if they notice risks. When paired with a professional security system, training gives staff peace of mind knowing they are supported by technology.
Lesonsky: For businesses with limited budgets, where should they prioritize spending to get the biggest return in safety and peace of mind?
Gupta: If I had to recommend one area, it would be professional monitoring combined with smart video surveillance. That pairing provides real-time visibility, deters theft, and ensures help is on the way if an incident occurs. Owners can prioritize protecting high-risk areas, such as cash registers or stock rooms, and expand over time. For those with multiple sites, centralized remote monitoring allows managers to oversee all locations from a single platform.
At ADT, we understand how devastating even a single burglary can be for a small business. Beyond the financial loss, it can cause trauma for employees and force costly downtime. That’s why we emphasize taking proactive steps early, from training seasonal hires to implementing connected security systems, so owners can focus on serving customers and growing their business during the busiest time of the year.
Rieva Lesonsky is President of Small Business Currents, LLC, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. You can find her on Twitter @Rieva, Bluesky @Rieva.bsky.social, and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Photo courtesy Emre Akyol via pexels
