How to Build a Security and Compliance Posture Before You Can Afford SOC 2
When building a company, security and compliance are probably not at the top of your to-do list. You are shipping product, talking to customers, and trying to keep the lights on.
Here is the reality: investors, enterprise prospects, and even some partners will ask how you handle security long before you are ready for SOC 2.
If you wait until that moment to get your house in order, you risk slowing deals down or worse, losing them entirely.
The good news is that you can build a credible, lightweight compliance posture without the six-figure SOC 2 bill. Here is how.
1. Understand What They Want to See
When a partner or investor asks about security, they are usually not expecting a full audit. They want reassurance that you have thought about risk.
The most common requests are:
A list of your vendors and the software you use
Basic policies such as security, privacy, acceptable use, and data retention
Documentation on who has access to what
A clear statement of how you protect customer data
If you have these on hand, you are already ahead of most early-stage companies.
2. Centralize Your Documentation
The fastest way to lose credibility is to send a scattered mess of Google Docs and Slack messages.
Instead:
Store all policies in one shared folder or, better yet, a single dashboard
Keep it organized by category, such as Policies, Vendors, Security Measures, and Certifications
Make sure the latest versions are dated
3. Create a Minimal Set of Written Policies
Even a two-page security policy is better than saying you do not have one yet.
Start with:
Security Policy: How you handle passwords, encryption, and access control
Privacy Policy: What data you collect, how you use it, and how people can opt out
Acceptable Use Policy: What is allowed on your systems and what is not
You can adapt templates online, but make sure they reflect your actual practices.
4. Track Vendors and Licenses
Keep an up-to-date list of:
All software your team uses, including free tools
The license type, such as free, paid, or open-source
Security relevance, for example, whether it stores customer data or is for internal use only
This shows you have visibility into your supply chain, and that is a big plus for due diligence.
5. Make It Shareable
Having the information is one thing. Being able to hand it over instantly is another.
The ideal is a secure, read-only dashboard you can share with partners, investors, or customers. It should:
Look professional
Require minimal explanation
Show you are serious about security, even without SOC 2
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Waiting for SOC 2. The process takes months. Start building trust now.
Over-engineering. You do not need a GRC consultant yet.
Hiding gaps. If you do not have something, say so and explain how you are addressing it.
The Payoff
With a lightweight compliance posture:
You remove friction from deals and fundraising
You signal maturity to investors
You make the eventual SOC 2 process faster and cheaper
If you want to skip the spreadsheets and scattered documents, Vertris helps you create a clean, shareable compliance dashboard in days, not months. Perfect for the pre-SOC 2 stage.