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.