5 Startups' Most Common Mistakes on the Road to Infosec Compliance—and How to Steer Clear
For high-growth startups, securing systems while pursuing growth is no trivial task. And yet, information security compliance—SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or GDPR—is fast becoming a requirement, not an afterthought. Alas, most startups trip up in ways that slow down audits, annoy teams, or worse—lose deals.
At Verusava, we've assisted early-stage and scaling firms to avoid these traps. Here are five traps we encounter most often—and how you can avoid them.
1. Compliance as a Last-Minute Task
Too many startups leave compliance until a major customer requires a compliance report or an investor queries risk management. Doing compliance under pressure in haste tends to create patchwork processes and stress.
How to avoid it:
Begin early. Even if you're not yet ready for complete certification, start with a readiness assessment and put in place baseline security controls. Compliance is a process, not a quick fix.
2. Over-Engineering the First Compliance Program
It's tempting to put every policy and control in place at once. But startups tend to end up with bloated documentation and workflows that don't actually match how the business runs.
How to avoid it:
Take a "minimum viable compliance" stance. Prioritize key risks, applicable trust criteria, and pragmatic policies that grow with you.
3. Relying Exclusively on Automation Tools
Automation tools such as Vanta, Drata, and Secureframe are wonderful—but they're not silver bullets. Without knowing the "why" behind each control, teams can lose sight of the larger picture.
How to avoid it:
Leverage automation tools to automate, not replace, strategy. Combine tools with expert support to customize your program and pass audits with confidence.
4. Lack of Assigning Ownership
If everyone is accountable, then no one is. Without roles, security tasks fall through the cracks, and deadlines pass.
How to avoid it:
Appoint a compliance lead—this may be your CTO, Head of Ops, or security-focused engineer. Empower them with the mandate and resources to orchestrate across teams.
5. Disregard for Culture and Buy-In
Security can't be something that only the "compliance team" is interested in. Without buy-in, policies are ignored and threats aren't recognized.
How to prevent it:
Bake security into your culture. Conduct training sessions, reward secure behavior, and make compliance a part of your team's daily mindset.
Final Thoughts
Compliance doesn't have to murder speed—it can establish trust, open doors, and create the foundation for a secure, scalable business. Steer clear of these five pitfalls and save your startup time, money, and momentum.
Need assistance avoiding the pitfalls? Verusava is here to guide you every step of the way.