STEP 1: Lay The Security Groundwork
Compliance Setup and Audit Prep
Begin Your Security Journey
Why setting the foundation is critical
Before you build a program that leads to a successful audit, you need the right foundation.
A strong foundation sets the tone for everything that follows: clear scope, aligned teams, and processes & tools that enable scale.
Miss this step, and you run the risk of miscommunication, duplicate effort, and lost momentum down the road.
- Define success. Is it a report? Certification? A buyer-ready security profile?
- Assign user roles and permissions that mirror your org chart
- Organize key documentation (policies, procedures, org structure)
- Set notification preferences to ensure tasks don’t fall through the cracks
Kicking Off Your Security & Compliance Journey
Use this playbook to scale your security & risk management plan:
Map Your Compliance Goals
Clarity in your goals enables smarter prioritization and reduces wasted effort later in the process.
Your action steps
Establish Your Compliance Scope
A well-defined scope helps you avoid last-minute surprises—and better predict workload and timeframes
Your action steps
Mobilize Your Departments & Teams
Don’t just assign tasks—explain why. When team members understand the “why,” they’ll own the “how.”
Your action steps
Align Messaging & Expectations
Compliance success requires storytelling—not just reporting. Draft a one-pager to keep everyone grounded.
Your action steps
Mobilize Your Departments & Teams
Don’t just assign tasks—explain why. When team members understand the “why,” they’ll own the “how.”
Your action steps
Set Compliance Program Expectations
You’ve aligned your team, scoped your work, configured your platform, and defined success.
Now, set the tone, cadence, and consistency that will carry your program from kickoff to audit—and beyond.
People Also Ask Us...
Kevin Brown
ISO & Director of Professional Services
How early should we build a cybersecurity compliance foundation?
Immediately. Skip this step at your own risk!
A strong foundation prevents missteps and delays, and will help guide you throughout the audit process.
What policies do I need to begin a compliance program?
Specific policies depend on your industry or framework, but most programs start with a few foundational documents.
These include an Information Security Policy, Acceptable Use Policy, Access Control Policy, and Incident Response Plan.
From there, you might expand into more specialized policies like Vendor Risk Management or Data Retention.
The key is to start with clear, practical policies that reflect how your organization actually operates. Scale from there as your program matures.
How do I choose a compliance framework to follow?
It often comes down to your industry and the demands of your customers.
For example, HIPAA is required for healthcare, while SOC 2 is common for SaaS companies serving other businesses.
ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security, and frameworks like NIST CSF or CMMC may apply to federal contractors.
If you're still unsure, a good starting point is to ask: What are my customers or partners expecting? Are there legal requirements based on the data I handle?
From there, you can choose a framework that aligns with both customer obligations and your business goals.