A Founder's First SOC 2: What Actually Matters in the First 60 Days
You just heard "do you have SOC 2?" on a sales call. Here's what to do in the next two months — and what to ignore while you figure out whether you actually need it.
The first time a prospect asks for your SOC 2 report mid-call, the temptation is to panic. Don't. A SOC 2 is a six-to-twelve month undertaking when done properly, and the decisions you make in the first 60 days determine whether you spend that time productively or burn a quarter.
Days 1–7: Figure out if you actually need it
Before you sign anything, get clear on which buyers are asking and what they'll accept. A well-written security overview and a confident conversation clear 40% of early requests. Type I clears another 30%. Only the remaining third genuinely require a Type II report in hand.
Weeks 2–3: Pick Type I or Type II — and a framework scope
Type I is a point-in-time snapshot. Takes 4–8 weeks of prep, 2 weeks of audit, ships in under 3 months. Type II requires a 3-to-12 month observation period after controls are in place. Most seed-stage companies start with Type I to unblock deals, then Type II in year two. Your scope (Security only, or Security + Availability + Confidentiality?) should match what your buyers actually ask for. Don't pay for criteria you don't need.
Weeks 4–6: Write your core policies
Ten policies cover 80% of SOC 2. The ones that catch teams off-guard: access control, incident response, vendor management, change management, and business continuity. Templates aren't wrong to start from, but they are wrong to ship unchanged. Auditors spot generic policies instantly, and they flag the mismatch between policy and practice.
Weeks 7–8: Wire up evidence, not screenshots
Evidence collection is where SOC 2 programs usually go sideways. If your plan is "someone takes a screenshot every quarter," you're going to have a bad audit. Connect directly to AWS, GitHub, Okta, your HRIS. Evidence should refresh itself.
What to ignore
You don't need a dedicated GRC hire on day one. You don't need to hit every Trust Services Criterion. You definitely don't need to pay an auditor before you've closed gaps — they won't audit nothing.
Ship Type I, close the deals that need it, build the observation period for Type II in the background. That's how this works.
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