30 Days to Compliance: A Beginner’s Roadmap for SMBs

Compliance can feel overwhelming for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS may seem built for large corporations with big budgets and full-time compliance teams. But the reality is that SMBs face the same legal responsibilities and the same cybersecurity threats.

Week 1: Assess and Plan

• Identify which regulations apply to your industry. For example, HIPAA applies to healthcare, PCI DSS applies to businesses handling credit card data, and GDPR applies to companies serving EU customers.
• Conduct a quick self-audit to see where you stand. Many industry associations provide free checklists.
• List all the systems, vendors, and employees that handle sensitive data.

• Data Classification Policy – Defines what counts as sensitive data (customer information, payment details, medical records) and how it must be handled.

• Assign a compliance lead, even if it is a part-time responsibility.
• Document your current processes for handling data.

Week 2: Build Core Policies and Controls

• Draft or update your privacy policy so it clearly states how you collect, use, store, and delete customer data.
• Create an access control policy that limits sensitive information to only those who need it.
• Require strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication for all business accounts.

• Acceptable Use Policy – Defines what employees can and cannot do on company devices.
• Incident Response Plan – Outlines what to do if there is a data breach.

• Turn on MFA for email and cloud accounts today.
• Remove inactive user accounts from systems.

Week 3: Train and Test

• Host a 30-minute training on phishing, safe password habits, and handling sensitive data.
• Use real examples from your industry to make the risks relatable.
• Test your team with a simulated phishing email to see who clicks.

• Security Awareness Training Policy – Requires all employees to complete regular training and acknowledges their understanding in writing.

• Post a “Report Suspicious Email” guide in your company chat or break room.
• Have managers review data handling procedures with their teams.

Week 4: Review and Document

• Keep a record of all your policies, training sessions, and system changes.
• Review your self-audit from Week 1 to check progress and identify gaps.
• Schedule a quarterly compliance review to keep momentum.

• Compliance Documentation Policy – States how and where compliance records are stored and who has access to them.

• Create a compliance binder or shared folder for all documents.
• Set calendar reminders for policy updates and training sessions.