Dreaming of a flexible career where you set your own hours and work with clients from around the globe? The rise of the gig economy has made this dream a reality for countless professionals. From graphic designers to writers and developers, freelancers are reshaping the traditional workplace.
Over the last decade, the gig economy boom has allowed professionals worldwide to switch to freelancing and build a network of international clients.&nbsp;
According to Upwork, <a href="https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2022" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">freelancers contributed $1.35 trillion to the U.S. economy in annual earnings in 2022, up $50 billion from 2021</a>.&nbsp;Some of the most successful freelancers earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year through platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal.
But what does it take to become a top-earning freelancer? In this post, we'll examine 10 successful individuals who have built thriving careers in the freelance world. By examining their portfolios and successes, we hope to give you a better idea of what's possible in the freelance world, and inspire you to take the leap should you decide that freelance is the right choice for you!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Does your company hire freelancers? How do you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">share passwords with freelancers</a>? TeamPassword is an affordable password management solution for small businesses, startups, and agencies to share credentials securely with team members and freelancers. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>10 Successful Freelancers</h2>
Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records&mdash;many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>1. Scott Luscombe - Graphic Designer / Shopify Expert / Website Developer / Copywriter&nbsp; - Canada</h3>
Scott Luscombe is a freelance graphic designer, Shopify expert, website developer, and copywriter from Uxbridge, Canada. He holds a degree in Illustration from Sheridan College and a degree in Marketing from the University of Toronto.
Scott has been a freelancer for most of his professional career and has earned over $500k on Upwork. He has completed over 311 jobs and worked&nbsp;10,956 hours!&nbsp;
Scott's work includes graphic design and branding, illustration and icons, copywriting, website design and development, UX/UI, and printing and packaging. He also provides freelance coaching and consulting. Scott is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer currently charging $99 per hour for various creative gigs.
Some of Scott's most notable work includes designs for Coca-Cola, the Canadian Cancer Society, Nickelodeon, and Wallet Ninja (to name a few).&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>2. Kathy Edens - Marketing Consultant / Freelance Copywriter - United States</h3>
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~016177d19f0624c1a7?viewMode=1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kathy Edens is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $300k platform earnings! Kathy has been self-employed as a marketing consultant and freelance copywriter for almost ten years from her home in Ohio, United States.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing and Psychology from Oregon State University, which she says "...helps me understand how to reach your target audience with words."&nbsp;
Kathy has ghost-written several non-fiction books on various topics, including social entrepreneurship, healthcare, real estate investing, and the cannabis industry, to name a few.
Kathy also writes web content, sales pages, email marketing content, case studies, white papers, brochures, press releases, and more. Kathy's rates start at $86 per hour for her writing and marketing services.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>3. Koen van Oeveren - UX designer - Netherlands</h3>
Koen van Oeveren is a freelance UI &amp; UX designer from North Brabant, Netherlands, with almost ten years of experience. Koen works with several design agencies in the Netherlands, designing apps, websites, and eCommerce experiences for many international brands.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Koen holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Communication and Multimedia Design from Avans University in the Netherlands. Koen's <a href="https://www.koenvo.com/index.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">portfolio website Koenvo</a> was nominated for a <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/koenvo-ui-ux-portfolio" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2021 awwwards Award</a>.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/IOmtrbdOQZev1mS8Jc33" alt="undefined" width="650" height="433">&nbsp;Image by Freepik&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>4. Pascal Strasche - Product / UX designer - Germany</h3>
Pascal Strasche is a product and UX designer with more than ten years of design experience from Germany. He holds a Master of Arts in Interaction Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, both from HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
For almost a year over 2020/2021, Pascal worked as the sole product designer to design Con Cubo's SaaS tool that helps complex organizations visualize and manage teams. He's also worked with German steel giant XOM Materials to find product solutions to digitalize&nbsp;Germany's steel industry.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
In 2019, Pascal founded Product Design Resources, a growing archive of 800+ design resources, weekly updated for the design community.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>5. Paul Hunkin - Developer - New Zealand</h3>
Paul Hunkin is a freelance software consultant and developer from Tauranga, New Zealand, but currently living in Portugal.&nbsp;
Paul has over ten years of experience as a software developer with an impressive work history, including Google, NASA, InfoSys, and the Chinese aerospace industry leader COMAC.
He's worked with several early-stage startups designing everything from high-performance big-data systems to complex web applications to 3D rendering engines. He's also built a lot of the foundational code for independent games on Android.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Paul is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. His rates start at $120 per hour for software development. <a href="https://paulh.consulting/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Check out Paul's website</a> for more about his impressive portfolio and work history.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>6. Jana Galat - Writer / Brand Strategist - Canada</h3>
Jana Galat is a freelance copywriter and brand strategist from Ontario, Canada. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management and Organizational Studies from King's University College and an Honors in Business Administration from Western University.
Jana has extensive experience writing landing pages, email campaigns, social media ads, and print materials and says, "I am obsessed with creating copy that sells..."
After several years of professional work experience, Jana went freelance in 2019 and has quickly built a reputation as a <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01bfa17a48301876dd" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $70k in platform earnings. Jana's rates start at $100 per hour for copywriting and brand consulting.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>7. Kate H. - Logo Designer / Branding Expert - United States</h3>
Kate is a freelance professional logo designer and branding expert from Maryland, United States. Kate&nbsp;ran her own green wedding brand which she sold to mywedding.com in 2014, allowing her to focus on helping small&nbsp;businesses figure out what they want (and who they are) and translate that into design.
She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Management from Yale School of The Environment, and a J.D. in environmental law from Pace Law School.&nbsp;
Kate's skillset includes redesigning and updating material to make it easier to understand, building a consistent brand from a simple starting point like a logo, and creating unique logos that guarantee results.
Kate is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer, and her rates start at $225 per hour. You can find out more about Kate on her <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~013ce73876c1c18126" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Upwork profile</a>.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>8. Marcos Rezende - UX designer - Canada</h3>
Marcos Rezende is a UX Designer from Ontario, Canada, with more than 13 years of experience. Marcos has worked in over 30 industry sectors for multinational organizations in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Brazil.&nbsp;
Some of Marcos' notable projects include apps for Ontario's COVID-19 dashboard, Urban Master Planning collaboration platform, and Reaction (kid's e-learning app), to name a few.&nbsp;
Marcos loves sharing his industry expertise with aspiring UX designers and regularly writes for the popular UX publication Career Foundry. Total recognizes Marcos as part of its "Top 3%" of global freelancer talent&mdash;a title given to elite freelancers in their given field.
We don't have access to Marcos' rates, but the best UX designers on Upwork earn upwards of $100 per hour. As a Toptal Top 3% freelancer, Marcos likely charges $200-$300 per hour.
<a href="https://www.marcosrezende.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Marcos Rezende's website</a> was nominated for the prestigious <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/ux-portfolio-marcos-rezende" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">awwwards.</a> in 2021.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>9. Tanya Litvinova - UX/UI Designer - United States</h3>
Tanya Litvinova is a freelance UX/UI designer from New York City, United States. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design / Communication Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Tanya specializes in product, mobile, and web design as well as user experience flow, research, and validation.
"I have a passion to make the complex simple, shape behavior, design, plan, and strategize. Aiming for the best user experience, all the while balancing the needs of business and technology to create engaging, habit-forming digital products."
Tanya has worked with Fortune 100 &amp; Fortune 500 companies and successfully delivered business-transforming data-driven analytics, responsive BI dashboards, enterprise web apps, and management systems. Some of Tanya's notable clients include KOCH Industries, BlackRock Financial, BCG Group, and FireEye, to name a few.
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0165035041b26e96df" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Tanya is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with more than $200k platform earnings. Her current rate starts at $162.50 per hour.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>10. Guangming Lang - Data Scientist - United States</h3>
Guangming Lang is a freelance data scientist from Michigan, United States. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from New College of Florida and a Master of Science in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan. Guangming has also completed several Coursera courses in data science and machine learning.
Guangming has been a freelancer since 2013 and has worked across several industries, including fintech, trading, medicine, biotech, advertising, and HR.&nbsp;
Guangming is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. He's completed 216 jobs on Upwork totaling 3,805 hours! Guangming's current rates start at $200 per hour.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>Secure Freelancer Workflows With TeamPassword</h2>
No matter how talented or reputable the freelancers and contractors you hire, your company must use secure workflows to protect your digital assets.
Freelancers often need access to shared accounts and tools. Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password manager</a> is the first step to securing these accounts and platforms. You can also use a password manager to share credentials with employees, clients, and other stakeholders to ensure you never expose raw passwords via email, spreadsheets, chat apps, and other non-secure methods.
On the Enterprise plan, you can even <a href="https://teampassword.com/one-time-secret?navbar=onetimesecret" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">share a one-time password link</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a> lets you create groups to share access with only those who need it. When they're done, revoke access with a single click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves the team.
If you do need to change a password, TeamPassword's built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password generator</a> lets you create secure passwords between 12-32 characters using numbers, letters (uppercase/lowercase), and symbols.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/tj8gEkSCTwiowMUAocHy" alt="Built-in password generator.gif" width="400" height="305"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Ready to onboard clients and freelancers securely with TeamPassword's robust password management solution? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a free trial</a> to secure your company's digital assets today!

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field.

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in ...

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records—many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!

Here’s what you need to know about cybersecurity threats for nonprofits, the top risks they face, and practical prevention strategies to protect your organization.

Here’s what you need to know about cybersecurity threats for nonprofits, the top risks they face, and practical ...

Top 10 cybersecurity threats for nonprofits (and how to prevent them)

If you manage employees, it’s crucial that you understand the risks they face and how you can protect them from cyber threats.

If you manage employees, it’s crucial that you understand the risks they face and how you can protect ...

5 Cybersecurity Mistakes Every Boss Should Be Aware Of

If you manage employees, it’s crucial that you understand the risks they face and how you can protect them from cyber threats. You’d be surprised how many businesses still haven’t updated their software or how many don’t have antivirus software installed on their computers.

5 Cybersecurity Mistakes Every Boss Should Be Aware Of In 2026

Cybersecurity is critical for all organizations, including nonprofits. Learn more in this guide about cybersecurity for nonprofits.

Cybersecurity for Nonprofits: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

What are magic links, and why would a company have its customers use magic links instead of passwords to sign in?

Learn about the mysterious Magic Links. What are they and how they are used? In today's blog post ...

What are Magic Links | A Guide to Passwordless Login

Learn about the mysterious Magic Links. What are they and how they are used? In today's blog post we talk about their applications for email logins.

Standard password tools fail at enterprise scale. Learn how to choose a password manager for security, compliance (SOC 2), and control. See our top 5 picks.

Standard password tools fail at enterprise scale. Learn how to choose a password manager for security, compliance (SOC ...

Securing Your Business with an Enterprise Password Vault

The 5 Best Enterprise Password Vaults (2026 Comparison)

Do you have an offboarding process ready to go?
Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be a significant challenge. What if the employee leaving has accounts created with their email address? What if they had access to sensitive data? What if they control the Starbucks rewards card?&nbsp;
While it might be easy to laugh about the company coffee budget, the reality of employee offboarding in today's remote and hybrid work environment is no joke. The complexity of modern tech stacks means that a departing employee's digital footprint is vastly larger than it was even a few years ago. Joking aside, recent 2024 and 2025 cybersecurity reports on SaaS sprawl indicate a growing crisis: over 65% of ex-employees admit to retaining access to at least one company system after their departure. Even more terrifying, a significant percentage of businesses have experienced data breaches, intellectual property theft, or compliance violations directly caused by former employees who slipped through the cracks of a messy offboarding process.
Don&rsquo;t stress! Your team can handle a smooth transition with the right plan. A structured, standardized approach will protect your assets and your reputation. Here&rsquo;s how to lock down your data when an employee moves on!
<h2>1. Develop Data Protection Policies</h2>
Protecting company data shouldn&rsquo;t be a step you take after an employee submits their resignation letter. The first step in securing your data is to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-create-a-cybersecurity-policy" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">create a policy</a>. Data protection policies should be in place for new hires and existing employees throughout their tenure.&nbsp;
Establish specific policies and procedures for employees who handle company data and clear penalties for those who do not abide by them. If you have a legal department, they should guide what the policy contains. If you don&rsquo;t, there are examples online that you can use, but be sure to read through them and make sure that the policy fits your business. Having set policies is more transparent and will protect your organization from the risks of data theft or loss when employees move on.
When developing data protection policies, it&rsquo;s essential to align them with <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-ensure-compliance-with-data-protection-regulations" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">broader government regulations</a> such as GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA, depending on your industry and location. These regulations often outline strict requirements for handling personal data and ensuring privacy, which can inform your internal procedures. For example, policies covering data access, storage, and disposal should reflect legal standards to avoid fines or legal repercussions. Clear documentation and employee training ensure that your company stays compliant with both internal policies and external laws, reducing the risk of breaches and enhancing security. Regulatory bodies do not accept "we forgot to revoke their access" as a valid excuse during a compliance audit.
<h3>Have employees sign technology policies and keep them informed</h3>
Once you have a policy, it&rsquo;s essential that all employees know the policy and, more importantly, abide by it. It may be worthwhile to create a "data security" <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-training-for-executives" rel="follow noopener">training program for all employees</a> at your company. Don&rsquo;t have the time or the resources to develop a program? Some companies will do it for you. Building a culture of security from day one sets the tone that data protection is taken seriously.
Technology policies shouldn&rsquo;t just be posted on the bulletin board or hidden in a massive employee handbook; they should be read and signed. The act of signing gives the policy more importance and encourages employees to read through them more closely. Consider requiring annual re-signatures to keep security top-of-mind.
<h2>2. Limit Employee Access to Company Data</h2>
While employees need data and logins to accomplish their work, too much access poses significant data security risks. Not every employee needs unrestricted access to all of your business or client information. Instead, employees should only have access to the information necessary to do their jobs. This is a fundamental security concept called the <a href="/blog/principle-of-least-privilege">Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)</a>.&nbsp;
A common way to implement access levels is with a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-password-manager" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password manager</a>. With a password manager, you can make groups such as marketing, accounting, and sales, and you can easily share and revoke access as needed. By isolating access to specific departments, you minimize the blast radius if an account is compromised.
<h3>Use a password manager to track activity and change logins</h3>
When an employee leaves, it will be essential to look out for significant download increases, strange access requests, and unusual file transfer loads. This is a common way to cause damage, and it can happen without you ever finding out if you aren&rsquo;t tracking it.&nbsp;
So how can you be sure that no one is using logins after they&rsquo;ve left or using data in strange amounts or weird times? You track it. One of the easiest ways is with a password manager. When you store all of your passwords with a password manager, an employee has to go through the password manager to log in, and when they do, it will show up on the activity log. This audit trail is critical for post-employment security verification.
To prevent data breaches from ex-employees, it is best practice to change company passwords immediately upon their departure. A password manager makes it easy to update passwords with new solid unique passwords for each account they had access to.&nbsp;
<img alt="Built-in password generator.gif" width="558" height="425" src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/tj8gEkSCTwiowMUAocHy">
<h3>Control user access in a central authenticated system</h3>
It is essential to ensure employees are removed from everything, not just the big stuff. Damage can still be done with social media accounts or with other services like customer service platforms. Regaining control of accounts created by employees that have already left can be difficult. In worse cases, an employee can hold company accounts hostage. There have even been extreme cases where employees that still had access to the company's social media used them to tarnish the company's reputation.&nbsp;
Today, this threat is compounded by the explosion of decentralized software and cloud tools, a massive vulnerability known as <a href="/blog/shadow-it">Shadow IT</a>. The biggest offboarding nightmare isn't just standard software; it's the proliferation of AI tools. You must ensure you are removing access to premium AI subscriptions (like ChatGPT Enterprise or GitHub Copilot), or custom AI agents trained on proprietary company data. If an ex-employee retains access to an AI tool fed with your source code or client lists, your intellectual property is highly vulnerable.
A <a href="/blog/single-sign-on">Single Sign-On (SSO)</a> system is one of the easiest ways to control access. When logins are controlled through one central account like Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) or Microsoft Entra ID, it is far easier to give and revoke access with the click of a few buttons. No more trying to think of every login the employee had access to. Instead, you can remove them from everything all at once through the central directory.&nbsp;
Set up accounts in a central location like Google SSO or Active Directory, and ensure all cloud applications are SAML authenticated. This makes it significantly easier to manage and de-provision employee accounts comprehensively.
<h2>3. Create and Use a Categorized Offboarding Checklist</h2>
To ensure data protection during an employee exit, you'll need a standardized list to cover your bases. These include simple things that may be obvious, but you don&rsquo;t want to push them off until the last possible second. By categorizing your offboarding checklist, you ensure that Human Resources, IT, and Management all know their specific responsibilities. Making sure every possible security breach is on this list ensures all loose ends are tied up.
<h3>HR &amp; Administrative Tasks</h3>
<ul>
<li>Prepare necessary paperwork: Ensure final paychecks, benefits documentation, and COBRA forms are ready.</li>
<li>Review Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs): Reiterate the importance of data confidentiality and review the company's data security policies signed at hiring with the departing employee.</li>
<li>Schedule an exit interview: Coordinate a final meeting between the employee and HR or management.</li>
</ul>
<h3>IT &amp; Security Tasks (Disable All Access)</h3>
Plug the holes immediately. Recent cybersecurity threat assessments highlight that disgruntled ex-employees deliberately using retained credentials to disrupt business operations or steal client lists is an escalating threat vector. Here are the steps IT must take to ensure every access point is closed:
<ul>
<li>Disable Directory Access: If your logins are stored in a centralized location like Google Workspace SSO or Active Directory, immediately disable access. After a standard retention period (like 30 days), delete the account entirely to free up licenses and close the vulnerability.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Update Shared Credentials: Change passwords, especially on shared accounts within your password manager, to ensure they can&rsquo;t access them with remembered or physically written-down passwords.</li>
<li>Redirect Communications: Reroute the departing employee's email inbox and phone extension to an appropriate active individual so no client communications are lost.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Revoke Network Privileges: Disable all access to the company VPN and internal network architecture.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Audit for Shadow IT &amp; AI Apps: Specifically check for unauthorized SaaS applications, premium AI accounts, or software they may have signed up for using their corporate email.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Hardware &amp; Asset Recovery</h3>
Physical assets are just as critical as digital ones. An employee walking out the door with a local hard drive full of data is a major breach.
<ul>
<li>Conduct a Thorough Inventory: Identify all projects, local files, and physical devices that the employee had access to. Ensure that all company materials, documents, and external drives are returned.</li>
<li>Recover Company Assets: Collect physical items such as company credit cards, security badges, fob access devices, or physical office keys.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Secure and Wipe Company Devices: Collect the employee's company-issued phones, tablets, or laptops and securely wipe them of any sensitive data before reissuing them.</li>
<li>Enforce BYOD Policies: If anyone is allowed to work on personal devices (Bring Your Own Device), establish a strict data recovery policy. If a remote corporate wipe isn&rsquo;t possible, there should be a legally binding policy that requires the departing employee to provide their personal device for IT to clean out corporate data.</li>
<li>Close Financial Accounts: Close out any corporate credit cards or expense accounts in that employee&rsquo;s name and process any outstanding fees or reimbursements.</li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Conduct a Meaningful Exit Interview</h2>
One of the most important things you can do when an employee leaves your company is to understand why they&rsquo;ve chosen to go. Exit interviews can be an invaluable tool to gain insight into your organization. The advantage of having these conversations is that departing employees are far more likely to give honest, unfiltered feedback. This feedback will help you identify areas that can help improve staff retention, fix toxic work environments, and highlight ways to improve as management.
Beyond gathering operational feedback, a final conversation allows the employee to leave on a good note whether they are choosing to leave themselves or being let go by the company. Striving for an amicable, respectful parting heavily reduces the psychological risk of disgruntled employees becoming malicious insider threats. An employee who feels heard and respected on their way out is significantly less likely to attempt data sabotage or reputational damage.
During this meeting, verbally confirm that all tasks on the offboarding checklist are complete. Even unintentional data breaches can have severe consequences. Departing employees may inadvertently take confidential information with them, leading to potential legal issues and reputational damage. While these general guidelines provide a solid foundation, your specific industry and company may require additional measures. For instance, if you handle highly sensitive financial or medical data, you might need to implement more stringent compliance protocols during this final sign-off.
<h2>Protect Company Passwords with TeamPassword</h2>
A secure, airtight offboarding process is ultimately a team effort. Bridging the gap between Human Resources handling the human element and IT handling the technical element ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
If you are tired of stressing over who knows your company passwords when an employee resigns, <a href="https://teampassword.com/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a> is your solution. Our intuitive platform streamlines password management, ensuring your company's sensitive data remains protected during every employee transition.
Key Benefits:
<ul>
<li>Effortless Access Revocation: Easily and instantly revoke access to company passwords for departing employees, preventing unauthorized post-employment access.</li>
<li>Strong Password Generation: Our built-in password generator creates complex, unique passwords to replace old credentials, enhancing your overall security posture.</li>
<li>Seamless Password Management: Our lightweight browser extension allows you to update and save passwords directly from your browser, saving your IT team valuable time and effort.</li>
<li>Enhanced Visibility: Our activity log provides a clear, immutable audit trail, showing exactly who has access to which passwords and when they were last used.</li>
<li>Unparalleled Security: TeamPassword employs industry-leading AES 256-bit encryption to safeguard your passwords and supports <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/2fa-vs-mfa" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">multi-factor authentication (MFA)</a> for added protection, which can be strictly enforced for your entire organization.</li>
</ul>
Don't take our word for it! Ensure your offboarding is secure by taking control of your credentials today. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Try TeamPassword FREE for 14 days</a>. Simplify your password management, strengthen your security, and empower your team.

Companies need a plan for employee departures to keep their data secure. Offboarding can be hard or it can be easy. These tips tell you how.

What’s the plan when an employee leaves? Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be ...

How to protect company info when an employee leaves

What’s the plan when an employee leaves? Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be a significant challenge. These tips help you navigate these departures.

The Ultimate Employee Offboarding Guide for Data Security

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames and give you the best username ideas out there.

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why ...

How to Make a Good Username | Create a Unique and Secure Username

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why secure usernames are important, and how to create them effectively!

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure you never forget a password again.

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure ...

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

While people often search for "password encryption," the correct technical practice for securely storing user credentials in a database is actually password hashing. Without hashing, anyone accessing a user database on a company's servers (including hackers) could easily view stored passwords in plain text.
Even a strong 32-character password created using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">secure password generator</a> is a massive liability if the database isn't secured properly. If someone can read your password on a server, they can use it simply by copy/pasting it&mdash;no matter how long or complicated the password might be!
Hashing scrambles your password before saving it on the server. So, if someone hacks the server, instead of finding password123, they find a random series of letters and numbers.
In this article, we're going to explore the world of password hashing and encryption, why <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">strong passwords matter</a>, and how you can practice better credential management!
<a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a> is the password management solution for small businesses! Create, store, and share login credentials safely with employees, contractors, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
<h2>Understanding Password Security: Hashing vs. Encryption</h2>
To explain database security effectively, we must first grasp the language and correct a common misconception. Encryption is a two-way street; hashing is a one-way street. Databases should hash passwords, while password managers encrypt your password vault.
<ul>
<li>Encryption: A reversible process. Data is scrambled using a cryptographic key and can be decrypted back to its original plaintext using the correct key (e.g., AES-256).</li>
<li>Hashing: A one-way mathematical algorithm that converts your password into a seemingly random, fixed-length string of characters. It cannot be mathematically reversed.</li>
<li>Key: Used to lock and unlock encrypted data using a random string of bits.</li>
<li>Hash: The random series of numbers and letters representing your password. The system uses your hash instead of the raw password for authentication.</li>
<li>Salt: Random data appended to your password before it goes through the hash function, making the resulting hash unique per user.</li>
<li>Pepper: A secret cryptographic key added to the password that is stored securely on the application server, completely separate from the database.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How Does Password Hashing Work?</h2>
When you create a new account, your chosen password undergoes a one-way transformation process to protect its integrity. The algorithm converts your password into a hash, which is stored on the server. For example:
<ul>
<li>Original password: MyCatLovesWalkingInTheRain!</li>
<li>Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340​FE71BDB914AD5357​E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
To authenticate your identity, the system recreates the hash of your entered password upon login. If this newly generated hash matches the stored hash, the system grants access. Because this is a one-way process, a hacker who steals the database only gets the hashes, not your original password.
<h3>How Salt and Pepper Work</h3>
While hashing provides a foundational layer of security, it's not infallible on its own. A standard hash function creates a unique hash for each password, but not each user. If two users have the exact same password, their hashes will be identical, making them vulnerable to pre-computed attacks like rainbow tables.
To overcome this, engineers use salting. A salt appends a unique, random value to the password before the hash function runs. This way, even identical passwords generate completely different hashes.
Modern systems also use a pepper. While a salt is stored in the database right next to the hash, a pepper is stored separately on the application server. If a hacker breaches the database but fails to compromise the application server, they cannot crack the hashes because they lack the secret pepper.
<h3>Advanced Password Protection: Argon2</h3>
Salting and peppering are essential, but modern security protocols employ advanced, computationally intensive algorithms to fortify protection. Argon2 is currently considered the gold standard for password hashing. As the winner of the Password Hashing Competition (PHC), Argon2 is specifically designed to be "memory-hard," meaning it actively resists brute-force attacks from massive, AI-powered GPU arrays.
<h2>5 Common Encryption and Cryptography Standards</h2>
While passwords should be hashed in databases, encryption is used to secure files, data in transit, and password manager vaults. Here are five standards you should know:
<h3>1. Data Encryption Standard (DES)</h3>
While applications no longer use DES, it's important to mention because of its historical influence. Developed by IBM in the 1970s, it was the original 56-bit encryption standard. However, hackers have been able to break DES keys since the late 90s, rendering it entirely obsolete.
<h3>2. Triple DES (3DES)</h3>
Triple DES was created to apply the DES algorithm three times to each data block. While many financial institutions historically used it to encrypt ATM PINs, the <a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)</a> officially retired 3DES in 2023. It is now considered fundamentally insecure and deprecated.
<h3>3. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)</h3>
AES is the modern gold standard for encryption&mdash;trusted by the United States Government and top-tier security organizations globally. While 128-bit AES is highly secure, modern businesses prefer heavy-duty 256-bit encryption.
At <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword</a>, we use AES 256-bit encryption to secure your password vault, ensuring the highest levels of security for our clients. (Note: Because this is a vault you need to retrieve passwords from, AES two-way encryption is used rather than one-way hashing).
<h3>4. Blowfish and bcrypt</h3>
American cryptographer Bruce Schneier designed Blowfish in 1993 as an antidote to weak DES encryption. While the original Blowfish cipher had vulnerabilities, it birthed bcrypt&mdash;a highly respected and widely used password hashing function that incorporates key stretching to slow down brute-force attacks.
<h3>5. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)</h3>
RSA is one of the oldest public-key cryptosystems and is widely used to transfer data securely across the internet (like securing HTTPS connections). The encryption works with a public key and a private key. Due to its mathematical complexity, RSA is excellent for data transfer, but it is not intended for database password storage.
<h2>Why Strong Passwords Matter</h2>
Robust database security can only prevent criminals from viewing saved credentials if the server is breached&mdash;it cannot prevent hackers from guessing weak, commonly used passwords on the login screen. If you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">reuse the same password for multiple accounts</a>, credential stuffing attacks will easily compromise your security!
Furthermore, if a database is stolen, hackers use AI-driven brute-force tools to crack the hashes. If your password is short, it will be cracked in seconds, regardless of the hash algorithm.
<h3>Improving Your Password Management</h3>
The <a href="https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/sp800-63b.html" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">NIST SP 800-63B Digital Identity Guidelines</a> have revolutionized how we approach password security. Criminals rely on people using weak, predictable patterns. Here are modern tips for securing your accounts:
<ol>
<li>Focus on Length: Forget the old "8-character minimum" rule. Modern GPUs can crack 8-character passwords instantly. NIST recommends using long passphrases of at least 15 characters (e.g., MyBlueCoffeeMugSpillsAlways!).</li>
<li>Never Reuse Passwords: Ensure every single account has a unique credential.</li>
<li>Stop Arbitrary Password Rotation: NIST advises against forcing users to change their passwords every 90 days. Forced rotation leads to predictable passwords. Only change a password if you suspect it has been breached.</li>
<li>Embrace Passkeys: As the industry moves toward passwordless authentication, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/passkey-technology" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">passkey technology</a> is becoming the new standard. Passkeys use device biometrics to authenticate you, eliminating the password entirely.</li>
<li>Use a Password Manager: Memorizing unique 15-character passphrases for dozens of accounts is impossible. A <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password manager like TeamPassword</a> generates, stores, and autofills your credentials securely.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Why You Need a Password Manager like TeamPassword</h2>
Instead of remembering the credentials for every account, you only need to memorize the one ultra-strong master passphrase to log into your password manager.
TeamPassword keeps all of your credentials safely stored and encrypted using AES-256. Instead of typing your credentials, you use one of TeamPassword's browser extensions to log into accounts seamlessly.
<h4>Built for Teams</h4>
TeamPassword's best feature is its ability to share credentials with team members securely. Instead of texting or emailing passwords, you provide access directly through TeamPassword.
You can create groups in TeamPassword to share access with employees, clients, contractors, and freelancers. When someone no longer needs access, simply remove them from the group with a single click. Adhering to the principle of least privilege has never been easier.
<h4>Built-In Password Generator</h4>
TeamPassword features a built-in secure password generator so you can instantly create robust 15+ character passphrases for every new account. TeamPassword ensures you never reuse the same credentials, protecting you from modern credential stuffing attacks.
<h4>Monitor Login Activity</h4>
TeamPassword's activity log keeps track of every action across all of your accounts&mdash;logins, updates, new team members, shared access, and more. You can also set up email notifications for specific actions so you can react quickly to any unauthorized changes.
<h4>Get Your Free TeamPassword Trial</h4>
Server-side hashing isn't enough to protect your business if your team uses weak passwords! You need a robust password manager like TeamPassword to create, store, and share credentials securely.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> and let TeamPassword secure your company's digital assets today.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep passwords safe.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep ...

TeamPassword Blog

Browse our carefully created articles about Information Security, Password Management, Product Information, and Modern Business, all written with your team's safety and success in mind.

Most popular articles

Business

August 22, 2024 ∙ 11 min read

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

How to Make a Good Username | Create a Unique and Secure Username

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

What is password encryption and how does it work?

Cybersecurity

June 1, 2026 ∙ 42 min read

Top 10 cybersecurity threats for nonprofits (and how to prevent them)

Business

May 31, 2026 ∙ 17 min read

5 Cybersecurity Mistakes Every Boss Should Be Aware Of In 2026

Cybersecurity

May 30, 2026 ∙ 18 min read

Cybersecurity for Nonprofits: Keeping Your Nonprofit Secure

Cybersecurity

May 29, 2026 ∙ 16 min read

What are Magic Links | A Guide to Passwordless Login

Business

May 12, 2026 ∙ 25 min read

The 5 Best Enterprise Password Vaults (2026 Comparison)

Business

May 5, 2026 ∙ 11 min read

The Ultimate Employee Offboarding Guide for Data Security

The Password Manager for Teams

Product

Support

Channels

Legal