As a vCSO, this is your moment of truth. Because compliance isn’t about checking a regulatory box. It’s about proving the organization wasn’t negligent. And if your client’s security decisions aren’t mapped to a recognized standard, you’re not building a defense—you’re handing ammunition to regulators, insurers, and attorneys. 

There’s a dangerous assumption lurking inside many boardrooms today: If nothing bad has happened, nothing bad is coming. For vCSOs, that’s the most perilous mindset you can allow your clients to fall into. And it happens faster than you think. If you’re not actively telling the story of the risks you’re managing, the value you’re delivering, and the dangers you’re helping your clients avoid, you’ll wake up one day to find your budgets slashed and your influence gone. 

Executive communication is your lifeline.  If you’re not regularly in front of the executive team, they’ll assume you’re not doing anything at all. And when budgets tighten or a competitor whispers in their ear, guess who’s first on the chopping block?