The Business Blueprint: 10 Lessons We Learned on the Road to CMMC
When Kahua began our CMMC journey, we thought we were taking on a compliance initiative. What we ended up with was something much bigger: a shift in the way we operate, collaborate and deliver value to our customers.
Achieving FedRAMP Authorization gave us the foundation. Aligning with CMMC built on it and what we learned in the process continues to shape our business for the better. From culture shifts to operational upgrades, here are ten business lessons we learned that any organization pursuing CMMC can benefit from.
1. The investment is real but so is the return.
Getting FedRAMP Authorized took serious time, money and energy. But the payoff has been worth it. We’ve opened the door to new opportunities, earned trust with federal clients and built a competitive advantage rooted in transparency and security. Compliance did more than just help us check a box, it helped us grow.
2. Compliance doesn’t stop at certification.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned? CMMC isn’t a one-and-done event. You need a sustainable system to manage evidence and controls over time. That’s why we developed a dedicated Kahua app for tracking CMMC compliance. It’s about building ongoing resilience, not scrambling every time someone asks for proof.
3. Security is no longer optional, it’s foundational.
When Kahua launched, cybersecurity was a background concern. Today, it’s a central pillar of our business. And it’s not just about meeting government standards. We believe the entire construction industry should adopt these practices. Security is now baked into our culture and that mindset shift has changed everything.
4. Assume nothing, question everything.
The SolarWinds breach was a wake-up call. It reminded us that even trusted tools can become vulnerabilities. That event pushed us to dig deeper and re-evaluate assumptions. We stopped taking “that’s how we’ve always done it” as an answer and started making security part of every decision.
5. Visibility changes how you lead.
The sheer volume of security threats we face daily is eye-opening. Without enterprise-wide visibility and real-time reporting, we had no idea how much was happening behind the scenes. Once the right tools were in place, we saw the full threat landscape and that clarity changed how we made decisions at every level of the business.
6. Data protection is a business continuity strategy.
We knew data was important. But it wasn’t until we heard real-world breach stories (companies going dark, projects lost, contracts revoked) that we truly understood the stakes. Protecting data isn’t just IT’s job. It’s how we protect our customers, our revenue and our reputation.
7. The right partner makes or breaks the process.
Finding a qualified CMMC consultant was harder than expected. Credentials aren’t everything, context matters too. We learned the hard way that you need someone who understands your industry, your systems and your goals. The right partner can streamline the path to certification. The wrong one can cost you time and trust.
8. Security expertise must live inside your team.
You can’t outsource your way to long-term success. At some point, we had to build internal capabilities, either by upskilling our existing team or hiring new talent. The investment paid off. Today, we have people on staff who understand CMMC requirements and own the systems that support them.
9. You can’t control the process, but you can control your prep.
CMMC timelines aren’t always predictable. What you can do is start assessing where you stand. That’s the first and most important step, because until you understand your current risk posture, everything else is a guess. Don’t wait for a deadline to get started. Start the discovery phase now.
10. You’re not the first and you don’t need to figure it out alone.
We made a point to learn from companies who had already walked this path. Their insights saved us from making the same mistakes. If there’s one thing we’d tell others, it’s this: Seek out those success stories. Listen, learn and then lead.
The Business Case for Going First
In any industry, being an early mover in cybersecurity sends a message: You take security seriously. You’re willing to lead. You’re building for the long term. Our experience getting FedRAMP Authorized and aligning to CMMC helped solidify Kahua’s role as a trusted partner for managing capital programs—especially in sectors where security is non-negotiable.
Want to get your company up to speed with CMMC, but not sure where to start?
Check out our Top 10 Business Lessons from Kahua’s CMMC Journey, a quick-hit guide to what we learned, what we’d do differently and what every business leader needs to know before diving in. The earlier you act, the more prepared you’ll be.
