Industry Professional
Practical Protection
A security consulting firm provides companies with virtual security program
- By Lindsay Page
- Sep 01, 2016
For most startup companies, paying
for security management may
not be a possibility. Budget constraints,
business plans and other
factors can lead to security taking a
backseat to a company’s long list of other
priorities. But, there is a way startup companies can
hire security, and it doesn’t have to break the bank
nor does it have to be ongoing or intrusive.
Here’s where Strategic Design Services, an independent
security consulting firm based in Connecticut,
comes in with the solution and offers practical
protection for startups and small- to medium-sized
companies. Founded in 2001, the company provides
expertise in operational and physical security consulting
services, virtual security management and physical
(non-IT) penetration testing.
Strategic Design Services developed the Virtual
Security Manager, a program that provides affordable
security staff to businesses who don’t have the means
to obtain in-house security. The service reduces overhead
while also allowing the company to have an effective
security program in place.
Brian Gouin, the owner of Strategic Design Services,
is the man behind the program. He has been
in the industry for more than 25 years. In fact, his
entire career has been in the security industry, which
includes some work for the Department of Justice.
With his amount of experience and expertise, it’s no
wonder that he was able to develop such a program.
While doing work for a client—a medical marijuana
facility no less—he decided he needed to find a way
to provide security for the company even after he was
gone. Gouin had designed the facility’s systems, written
their policies and security program nearly from
scratch; he didn’t want to leave that company with no
protection, but it was a startup and funds were tight.
Thus, the Virtual Security Manager was born.
“For startups or small to medium businesses, the
Virtual Security Manager is a great way to obtain
security without paying for security employee salaries
or worrying about overhead costs,” said Gouin.
“Companies can have an effective security program
while also saving money and having access to other
services such as security risk assessment, workplace
violence training, security policies and procedures—
services that aren’t always offered with traditional inhouse
security.”
The security service is available on an as needed
basis, making it simple for companies to decide when
they may or may not need to use the service. Another
great feature about the Virtual Security Manager is
that it is not industry specific. There is no long-term
commitment and the program provides customized
services to each client based on their specific needs
and the type of business they’re in.
“This security program doesn’t have to be used for
one or a few industries,” said Gouin. “It only depends
on where you are as a company and what your individual
needs are. It’s available to anyone.”
For companies in need of some type of security
management, Strategic Design Services is a topnotch
choice. Since its inception, the firm has evolved with
the industry. Looking to the future, Gouin hopes that
more companies will start to realize how important
virtual security management can be for protecting
their businesses and employees. The Virtual Security
Manager will change as technology always does, but
in this case, it will change for the better.
This article originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Security Today.
About the Author
Lindsay Page is the editor for Campus Security & Life Safety magazine, and the senior editor for Security Today.