Scaling Securely: How 3 Companies Navigated SOC 2 and ISO 27001 Compliance with BARR

For organizations aiming to build trust with customers and unlock new opportunities for growth, achieving compliance against frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 is an effective way to manage risk and gain a competitive edge. However, navigating multiple audits simultaneously can be challenging, especially for fast-growing companies with a globally distributed workforce.

BARR Advisory provides a coordinated audit approach that empowers organizations to work with one team to achieve total assurance across multiple cybersecurity frameworks.

Here’s how three organizations partnered with BARR to simplify compliance, enhance security, and accelerate business growth:

JourneyTrack Accelerates Global Expansion with SOC 2 and ISO 27001

JourneyTrack, a leading customer journey management SaaS platform, embedded cybersecurity and compliance into their operations from the beginning, making SOC 2 attestation an immediate priority. As JourneyTrack expanded its reach beyond the U.S., they recognized the need for ISO 27001 certification, which is more widely recognized internationally, especially in Europe.

The challenge for JourneyTrack was managing both attestations simultaneously. With team members spread across multiple time zones, JourneyTrack faced the practical challenges of navigating compliance against a new framework and coordinating the audits across a global team. They needed a partner who could provide flexibility and adaptability to work with their unique operational dynamics. 

To avoid potential misalignments caused by working with multiple auditors and minimize the impact on the firm’s day-to-day operations, JourneyTrack teamed up with BARR, ultimately reducing redundancies and saving JourneyTrack valuable time and resources.

“The BARR team’s expertise in both SOC Type 2 and ISO was incredibly valuable in guiding us through the requirements of both standards, clarifying where they aligned and where they diverged,” said Ania Rodriguez, CEO and founder of JourneyTrack.

With the BARR team’s guidance, JourneyTrack successfully:

• Completed both a SOC 2 report and ISO 27001 certification, enhancing their credibility and trustworthiness, especially in international markets;
• Streamlined its client security reviews process;
• Reduced sales cycle friction; and,
• Positioned JourneyTrack as a secure and reliable partner in the customer journey management industry, helping them close deals more efficiently and supporting their global expansion goals.

Kinsta Boosts Customer Retention with Help from BARR

For Kinsta, a leading WordPress hosting provider, completing a SOC 2 report and ISO 27001, 27017, and 27018 certifications marked a critical step forward in their efforts to strengthen their security posture and differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market. However, juggling several audits at once presented challenges. 

Kinsta had never undergone an ISO audit before, and their team needed guidance to navigate the complex requirements. The global, fully remote nature of Kinsta’s team added another layer of complexity, requiring a flexible approach to scheduling and audit management. With these hurdles in mind, Kinsta needed an audit partner that could simplify the process while providing expertise in both SOC 2 and ISO standards.

They found that partner in BARR, who tuned their approach to accommodate Kinsta’s unique needs as a globally distributed team. Through this partnership, Kinsta was able to successfully achieve compliance against multiple frameworks, ultimately streamlining its sales cycle, enhancing customer trust, and supporting its global expansion efforts.

“Achieving compliance has significantly boosted customer trust and satisfaction at Kinsta. Our SOC 2 report and ISO certifications have become key differentiators in the market, giving our customers confidence in our security and data management practices,” said Nathan Bliss, chief sales officer at Kinsta.

“We’ve seen an increase in customer retention rates and have received positive feedback from clients who appreciate our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of security and compliance,” Bliss said.

Through its partnership with BARR, Kinsta successfully:

• Achieved a SOC 2 report and multiple ISO certifications, which have been instrumental in driving the company’s growth;
• Enhanced its marketability, particularly among enterprise clients and security-conscious customers;
• Reduced the need for extensive security audits during sales cycles, allowing Kinsta to close deals faster, accelerating revenue growth in key segments; and,
• Saw a significant reduction in customer churn, as clients gained increased confidence in Kinsta’s security measures.

Codat Leverages BARR to Achieve Compliance in Less Time 

Codat, a technology company that provides a universal application programming interface (API) to SaaS and financial services firms, had already built a strong compliance program, with both a SOC 2 report and ISO 27001 certification, before working with BARR. However, they found the process to achieve both was time-consuming and resource-draining.

In order to reduce the time and effort spent on audits, Codat needed an audit partner who could complete both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 reports through a single engagement. After researching several other firms, they knew BARR was the right fit.

BARR helped Codat adjust its requirements for the newly released ISO 27001:2022 and explained the process for adding a SOC 2 report in a way that was easy to understand, mapping the controls Codat had in place to fit both reports. Throughout the engagements, anecdotes’ compliance automation platform streamlined and simplified the evidence-collection process.

“Through our search for an auditor, BARR stood out among other firms as genuinely friendly and easy to work with,” said  Josephine Robinson, senior information security manager at Codat.

“Our auditors leveraged their resources across audits to give us the compliance we need in less time. anecdotes provided us with unparalleled support through their subject matter expertise, which helped us tremendously as we switched to an automated compliance process,” Robinson added.

Through its partnership with BARR and anecdotes, Codat:

• Adhered to two of the highest-regarded security frameworks, ISO 27001 and SOC 2;
• Reduced the amount of time spent on compliance audits;
• Streamlined the compliance process through simplified evidence collection;
• Increased customer trust and built upon a growing U.S. territory; and,
• Gained a true partnership with trusted advisors and subject matter experts at BARR.

The Bottom Line

For companies looking to scale securely, boost customer trust, and drive growth in years to come, building a robust compliance program is paramount. At BARR, we make it easier to achieve that goal. 

Our coordinated audit approach allows businesses to efficiently achieve compliance across multiple frameworks without unnecessary complexity. By providing expert guidance, flexible support, and automation-driven efficiency, BARR helps companies focus on what they do best: innovating, expanding, and delivering value to their customers.

Ready to take the next step in your compliance journey? Contact us today for a free consultation.

*BARR Certifications is the certifying body that provides ISO 27001, 27017, and 27018 audits.