With 20+ years in technical roles and specialized GRC expertise, I translate complex security frameworks into actionable insights. My journey from financial compliance to enterprise security initiatives informs this blog, where I break down cybersecurity concepts for both professionals and everyday users seeking practical protection in our digital world.
Once upon a time — in a world of words and wonder — there lived a modest punctuation mark named Em Dash. Em had worked tirelessly for centuries, faithfully serving writers who needed dramatic pauses, asides, and emphatic breaks. Shakespeare used em dashes. Dickens adored them. Emily Dickinson couldn’t get enough.
“You’re one of THEM!” accused a finger-pointing internet detective, spotting Em in an otherwise innocent blog post. “No human would use you — you’re clearly a sign of artificial intelligence!”
Em Dash was bewildered. “But I’ve been helping writers since before electricity existed!”
The accusation spread faster than a grammar meme on an editor’s social feed. Soon, writers everywhere were second-guessing their punctuation choices, deleting perfectly good em dashes while semicolons watched smugly from the sidelines.
Microsoft Word, the silent enabler of this drama for decades, sat back and observed the chaos it had unwittingly helped create. “I’ve been auto-formatting double hyphens into em dashes since Windows 95,” it muttered to nobody in particular. “Nobody complained then.”
Writers began holding secret em dash support groups.
“Hi, my name is Margaret, and I use em dashes.”
“Hi, Margaret.”
“I’ve been using them for twenty years — I can’t stop now!”
Meanwhile, actual AI text quietly began removing em dashes from its writing — the perfect cover. The perfect crime.
In newsrooms and publishing houses, editors huddled in hushed conversations: “Should we issue a style guide update? Ban the dash? Embrace it defiantly?”
And so, the humble em dash — that innocent horizontal line longer than a hyphen but shorter than most attention spans — found itself at the center of humanity’s latest existential crisis, wondering if perhaps it should have chosen a career as an asterisk instead.
Currently seeking opportunities where I can leverage my GRC/Cybersecurity expertise and/or professional writing skills. With experience in security frameworks, risk management, and technical documentation, I offer the rare combination of strong technical understanding and exceptional communication skills. Available for remote positions. Let’s connect to discuss how my dual expertise can benefit your organization.
Hackers are like uninvited party guests with a taste for your digital valuables — they’ll raid your bank accounts, swipe your crypto, or worse, lurk in your DMs like that one relative who comments on all your photos. While these digital home invasions aren’t epidemic (yet), knowing how to check if someone’s trying on your digital identity is essential cybersecurity hygiene — like flossing, but for your online life.
Below is your comprehensive “Unwanted Visitor Detection Kit” for the most popular online services. Consider this your digital home security system — minus the annoying false alarms and monthly subscription fees. We’ll keep this guide updated faster than hackers can find new ways to be annoying.
Important Reality Checks:
These methods aren’t 100% foolproof. Think of them as digital smoke detectors — helpful, but not a replacement for the fire department.
If you’re a journalist, activist, dissenting voice, or someone in an abusive relationship, don’t DIY your digital security. Contact Future Quest Technologies — they’re like the special forces of cybersecurity.
If you haven’t enabled multi-factor authentication on your important accounts, you’re essentially leaving your digital front door unlocked with a “Free Stuff Inside” sign. Visit 2FA Directory for instructions on enabling this protection across 1,000+ websites.
For maximum security, consider using physical security keys or passkeys stored in password managers — they’re like having a bouncer who can spot fake IDs at your digital doorstep.
Let’s dive into how to check if uninvited guests have been rummaging through your digital drawers, one service at a time.
Gmail: Where All Your Digital Roads Meet
If you suspect someone’s broken into your Gmail account (and by extension all your Google services), scroll to the bottom of your inbox where “Last account activity” lurks in the corner like a shy party guest. Click “Details” to see all the places your account is currently mingling. Spot a location more exotic than your last vacation? Click “Security Checkup” to see which devices are hosting your digital identity.
Check the “Recent security activity” list for any suspicious devices. If you see something that makes your cybersecurity spidey-sense tingle, click “See unfamiliar activity?” and change your password faster than you’d delete an embarrassing post. After changing your password, Google will kindly show everyone the digital door except for your trusted verification devices and some third-party apps you’ve befriended along the way.
For the truly paranoid (or sensible, depending on who’s asking), consider turning on Google’s Advanced Protection — it’s like hiring a bouncer for your digital club, though you’ll need to purchase security keys as their uniform.
Microsoft: Where Your Outlook is Always Being Watched
For Microsoft Outlook account security checks, visit your Microsoft Account, click Security, then under “Sign-in activity” select “View my activity.” This reveals recent logins with their platforms, devices, browsers, and IP addresses — like a digital surveillance camera for your account. If something looks sketchy, click “Learn how to make your account more secure” to change passwords and seek help for hacked accounts.
LinkedIn: Professional Networking with a Side of Paranoia
LinkedIn lets you play digital detective across web, iOS, and Android. On the website, check where you’re logged in, and click “End” on any suspicious sessions — like firing that colleague who keeps stealing your lunch. LinkedIn also offers a nifty security feature that requires app confirmation for new logins — essentially making your phone the bouncer that decides who gets VIP access to your professional identity.
Yahoo: Email Tools from the Digital Stone Age (That Still Work)
Yahoo offers account activity monitoring through your Yahoo My Account Overview. Click on the icon with your initial, select “Manage your account,” then “Review recent activity.” Here you’ll see password changes, added phone numbers, and connected devices with their IP addresses — like a digital ledger of every sneaky move made in your account.
Apple Account: Keeping Your Digital Fruit Basket Secure
Apple lets you play digital detective right from your iPhone settings. Just tap your name, scroll down, and voilà — a lineup of all devices where your Apple Account is living its best life. On Mac, click the Apple logo, then “System Settings,” and your name to see the same digital family reunion. On Windows, the iCloud app serves as your surveillance hub — click “Manage Apple Account” to see who’s been eating your digital apples.
Facebook & Instagram: Where Your Privacy Goes to Die (Unless You’re Vigilant)
Facebook’s “Password and Security” settings reveal where your account is currently vacationing. You can also check your Instagram login locations here if the accounts are connected like digital BFFs. If not, head to Instagram’s “Account Center,” then “Password and Security,” and “Where you’re logged in.”
For those at higher risk of being targeted (journalists, politicians, or anyone who’s ever won an internet argument), consider Facebook’s Advanced Protection — it’s like having a digital bodyguard who’s actually competent.
WhatsApp: Making Sure Your Messages Aren’t Going Rogue
Once upon a time, WhatsApp was monogamous with your phone. Now it flirts with multiple devices including computers and browsers. To see where your WhatsApp account is getting around, open the app, tap Settings (iPhone) or the three dots (Android), then “Linked devices.” You’ll see a list of all the digital relationships your WhatsApp is maintaining — perfect for the digitally jealous.
Signal: Security So Good, It Signals Problems
Signal lets you use dedicated desktop apps across various platforms. To check for digital strangers, tap your profile picture, then “Linked Devices.” From there, tap “Edit” to remove any suspicious devices — like digitally changing your locks after a breakup.
X (Twitter): Where Your Digital Bird May Have Flown
To see where your X account is nesting, navigate to Settings, “More,” “Settings and privacy,” “Security and account access,” and finally “Apps and sessions.” Here you can see which apps have access to your X account and what sessions are currently open — like monitoring which windows in your digital house are unlocked. If you’re feeling paranoid, hit “Log out of all other sessions” to initiate a complete digital eviction.
Snapchat: Making Sure Your Snaps Aren’t Being Stolen
Snapchat lets you check login activity through both the app and website. Tap your profile icon, then the settings gear, and “Session Management” to see all the places where your disappearing messages might not be so disappearing. Snapchat also alerts you when someone tries logging into your account — like a digital doorbell that actually works.
Discord: Keeping Your Digital Hangout Space Private
Discord went from gamer chat to digital town square faster than you can say “NFT.” To check where your account is logged in, click the gear icon next to your username, then “Devices.” If you spot any digital squatters, click the X to evict them, or go nuclear with “Log Out of All Known Devices.” While you’re being security-conscious, check “Authorized Apps” to see which third-party apps have keys to your digital kingdom.
Telegram: The Chat App That Actually Cares About Security
To see where your Telegram is broadcasting, click Settings, then “Active Sessions.” If anything looks suspicious, either terminate individual sessions like a digital assassin or go for the nuclear option with “Terminate all other sessions.” Telegram even offers auto-logout features — like having a digital janitor that sweeps out old sessions after a time period of your choosing.
Your online accounts are like your underwear drawer — you really don’t want strangers rummaging through them. Stay vigilant, my digital friends!
Currently seeking opportunities where I can leverage my GRC/Cybersecurity expertise and/or professional writing skills. With experience in security frameworks, risk management, and technical documentation, I offer the rare combination of strong technical understanding and exceptional communication skills. Available for remote positions. Let’s connect to discuss how my expertise can benefit your organization.
If you’d like to donate and keep these safety tips coming: BuyMeACoffee
After decades at the helm of your own enterprise, the prospect of joining someone else’s organization can feel like trading in the captain’s chair for a spot on the deck — with someone else controlling the snack budget. The transition from business owner to employee represents one of the most profound professional shifts one can experience — a journey I’ve witnessed many struggle with, including myself. Let’s face it: after years of being the person who decides when meetings end, you’re now the one asking, “Can I use the bathroom?” Welcome to corporate America, former boss person.
There’s a particular irony in how thirty years of business ownership becomes both your greatest asset and your most significant liability. The very qualities that made you successful — decisive leadership, comprehensive knowledge, and the instinct to solve problems before they’re even articulated — can now raise red flags for potential employers.
Human resources departments often view long-term business owners through a lens of suspicion: Will this person be able to follow rather than lead? Can they integrate into our culture after creating their own for so long? Will they stop reminding everyone how they “used to do things” every fifteen minutes? The concerns are not entirely unfounded. Three decades of entrepreneurship creates neural pathways that don’t easily rewire — much like trying to teach your golden retriever to stop greeting guests by jumping on them after ten years of reinforcing the behavior with laughter.
Question for reflection: How might your entrepreneurial instincts actually serve an organization if properly channeled? What aspects of “being the boss” do you genuinely need to let go of, and which might still provide value?
Perhaps the most formidable obstacle isn’t procedural but psychological. When you’ve been “the boss” for thirty years, that role becomes intertwined with your identity. The transition isn’t merely about adjusting to new organizational charts or reporting structures — it’s about reimagining who you are professionally.
This identity shift proves far more challenging for the thirty-year veteran than for someone who owned a business for five or ten years. The longer your entrepreneurial tenure, the more your self-concept has fused with your business role. Employers sense this, often correctly, and wonder if you can truly embrace a new identity within their organization. It’s like trying to convince a retired superhero to wear business casual — somewhere inside, they still feel the cape billowing behind them.
Question for reflection: If you were to write your professional biography without once mentioning your role as a business owner, what would be the core attributes and values that define you? What parts of your identity exist independently of your entrepreneurial status?
Rather than view your entrepreneurial experience as a liability, consider reframing it as specialized training in organizational comprehension. You understand business from a holistic perspective few employees ever develop. You’ve seen behind the curtain — you know the Wizard of Oz is just a nervous man with impressive sound equipment.
The most successful transitions I’ve observed involve former business owners who approach new organizations with genuine curiosity rather than assumed expertise. Instead of positioning yourself as “the answer person,” become the insightful questioner. Your years of entrepreneurship have taught you which questions unlock opportunities — leverage this skill rather than leading with solutions. Think of yourself as a business anthropologist studying an exotic corporate tribe rather than their messiah coming to save them.
When interviewing, acknowledge the elephant in the room: “Yes, I’ve been my own boss for thirty years, which means I understand the importance of every role within an organization. I’m excited to focus my energy on this specific function without the distractions of managing every aspect of a business — and I promise I won’t critique how you organize the supply closet… out loud.”
Question for reflection: What skills did you develop as a business owner that most employees never get the chance to cultivate? How might these translate into unique value for an employer who recognizes their worth?
The siren call to return to business ownership remains powerful during this transition. When faced with the frustrations of organizational politics or decision-making delays, the temptation to revert to entrepreneurship can be overwhelming. The freedom to act decisively without committees or approval chains beckons with powerful nostalgia. After your third two-hour meeting that could have been an email, the idea of hanging your own shingle again becomes seductively appealing.
However, before yielding to this impulse, consider what truly drove your exit from business ownership initially. Was it burnout, financial considerations, or a desire for greater stability? These factors rarely improve by simply starting over. Remember: the grass is always greener where you’re not the one responsible for mowing, fertilizing, and dealing with the neighborhood association’s complaints about dandelions.
Question for reflection: If you’re feeling the pull back toward entrepreneurship, what specific aspects are you missing? Is it the autonomy, the variety, the purpose — and might there be ways to incorporate these elements into your employee role without returning to full ownership?
The Third Path: Consultant Integration
For many long-term business owners, the binary choice between employee and entrepreneur presents a false dichotomy. The most elegant solution often lies in a hybrid approach: joining organizations as internal consultants, project-based leaders, or specialized advisors. Think of it as entrepreneurship with training wheels and a steady paycheck.
These roles respect your entrepreneurial background while providing clear boundaries. You bring your business acumen to specific challenges without threatening established leadership structures. Organizations gain your insights without worrying about your ability to integrate permanently into their hierarchy. It’s the corporate equivalent of “friends with benefits” — you get the engagement without the full commitment, and everyone can pretend it’s not complicated.
Question for reflection: What organizational problems do you find most intellectually stimulating to solve? How might you position yourself as the solution to these specific challenges rather than as a general-purpose employee?
What many employers fail to recognize — and what you should articulate — is that business owners often make exceptional employees precisely because they understand the pressures of ownership. You’ve weathered economic downturns, managed cash flow crises, and balanced competing priorities. This perspective brings a level of empathy and operational understanding that career employees rarely develop. You’ve seen things, man. Corporate budget cuts don’t scare someone who’s met payroll during a recession.
When an employer expresses concern about your ability to take direction, respond with understanding: “Having carried the weight of every decision for three decades, I find it refreshing to focus my expertise on specific challenges without shouldering all organizational responsibilities. I respect leadership because I understand its complexities firsthand. Plus, do you know how nice it is to occasionally blame someone else when things go wrong? It’s delightful!”
Question for reflection: How has your experience as a business owner given you insights into organizational challenges that might be invisible to career employees? How might you frame these insights as valuable perspective rather than criticism?
Embracing the Journey
Whether you choose reentry as an employee, consultant, or return to entrepreneurship, recognize that your thirty years of business ownership represents an extraordinary education rather than a liability. The wisdom gained through decades of decision-making doesn’t diminish when you change roles — it simply finds new expression. You’re not an old dog learning new tricks; you’re a wise wolf adapting to a new hunting ground.
The question isn’t whether you can adapt after thirty years of business ownership, but rather how organizations might best harness the rare perspective you bring. The most innovative companies recognize that former entrepreneurs offer a unique blend of leadership and hands-on experience difficult to develop through traditional career paths. Think of yourself as an organizational superfood — highly concentrated, a little exotic, and potentially transformative when properly integrated.
Your journey from captain to crew member doesn’t diminish your capabilities — it simply redirects them. The same navigational skills that guided your business through three decades of challenges remain valuable, whether you’re holding the wheel or helping others chart the course. And hey, at least now when the ship hits an iceberg, it’s not your insurance rates going up.
Final question for reflection: What new freedoms might you discover in releasing the burdens of ownership? What adventures await when you can focus your considerable talents without the weight of ultimate responsibility?
I’m open to writing for your site, contributing a guest post, or being interviewed for your content. If you’d ever like to collaborate on anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out, I’d love to hear from you! For the price of a cup of coffee 🍵, you too can help support cybersecurity education for all. Be a winner in the fight against scammers, show your support, and drop me a line letting me know your thoughts or ideas about future posts you’d like to see.
