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In this episode of the Reckless Compliance podcast, Max talks with Justin Paquette from NtelSec about a bold idea: helping small contractors achieve “CMMC in a day” by working inside a pre-secured enclave—CUI Vault—instead of overhauling their entire enterprise. Justin explains how NtelSec’s government collaboration platform SectorNet (which recently achieved FedRAMP Readiness) informed the commercial offering, and why treating the provider as a cloud service (CSP)—not a managed service (MSP)—can slash cost and complexity.

They dig into the nuts and bolts: scoping to an enclave in SPRS, leveraging a customer responsibility matrix for shared controls and inheritance, and how pairing a standard architecture with repeatable audits (through partners like Ignyte) drives costs down. Justin also shares when an enclave is not the right fit, practical pricing discussed on the show, and candid advice for first-time federal sellers facing slow cycles and limited resources.

Discussion Topics

• The problem: small businesses priced out of CMMC by enterprise-wide overhauls
• CSP vs. MSP models: why “use our compliant system” beats “we build yours” for SMBs
• Tight scoping: Enclave vs. Enterprise vs. Contract selections in SPRS/PIEE
• Process walkthrough: L1 self-attestation vs. L2 with provided SSP and artifacts
• Partnerships with auditors (incl. Ignyte) to make assessments repeatable and lower-cost
• Who it’s for (and not): email/docs with FCI/CUI vs. large programs with bespoke needs
• Practical tips for newcomers to the federal market (expectations, cash burn, timelines)

Max Aulakh Bio
Max is the CEO of Ignyte Assurance Platform and a Data Security and Compliance leader delivering DoD-tested security strategies and compliance that safeguard mission-critical IT operations. He trained and excelled while serving in the United States Air Force, maintaining and testing InfoSec and ComSec functions for global unclassified and classified networks.

Connect with Max
LinkedIn: Max Aulakh
Website: Ignyte Assurance Platform

Guest Bio
Justin Paquette (NtelSec) builds secure collaboration and compliance solutions including SectorNet for government–industry engagement and CUI Vault for enclave-based CMMC workflows. His background spans large federal IT programs and practical, security-first SaaS delivery.

Connect with the Guest
LinkedIn: Justin Paquette

Resources Mentioned (in-episode)

• NtelSec SectorNet (government collaboration portal)
• CUI Vault (enclave offering for CMMC)
• SPRS / PIEE self-attestation flows (enclave vs. enterprise)
• CMMC Level 1 & Level 2 considerations
• Microsoft 365, VDI, ID.me (identity), Customer Responsibility Matrix
• GCC High (contextual comparison mentioned)

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Description:
In this episode of the Reckless Compliance podcast, Max is joined by the CTO of Valid Eval, who shares the journey of achieving FedRAMP Ready status and securing an IATO from NASA. From early career work on advanced defense systems to building a SaaS platform that streamlines proposal evaluation for government agencies, this episode dives deep into the realities of navigating federal compliance. The conversation highlights strategic investments in Kubernetes and open-source frameworks, lessons learned from choosing the right FedRAMP path, and why owning your own ATO can be a game-changer for growth in the federal space. You'll also hear insights into how and why Valid Eval chose Ignyte as their audit partner.

Discussion Topics:

• Career path from defense systems to SaaS for government proposal evaluation
• What the platform does and how it enables structured, auditable group decision-making
• Why FedRAMP became a growth imperative and how readiness was achieved
• Technical architecture decisions: Kubernetes, Big Bang, and open-source frameworks
• Open-source vs. proprietary compliance platforms — key trade-offs for small companies
• Step-by-step strategy: from raw architecture to IATO and beyond
• Selecting an auditor: what mattered most and how the decision supported speed and success
• Why owning your own ATO unlocks long-term flexibility and risk mitigation

Max Aulakh Bio:
Max is the CEO of Ignyte Assurance Platform and a Data Security and Compliance leader delivering DoD-tested security strategies and compliance that safeguard mission-critical IT operations. He has trained and excelled while working for the United States Air Force. He maintained and tested the InfoSec and ComSec functions of network hardware, software, and IT infrastructure for global unclassified and classified networks.

Connect with Max:
LinkedIn: Max Aulakh
Website: Ignyte Assurance Platform

Connect with the Guest:
LinkedIn: Jacob Ablowitz

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In this episode of the Reckless Compliance podcast, Max is joined by Jack Rumsey, Head of GRC at Swimlane. Jack shares his journey of navigating the world of compliance as Swimlane grows its presence in the federal market. The discussion covers Swimlane’s move toward CMMC Level 1, the challenges of balancing federal compliance with commercial certifications like SOC 2 and ISO, and the complexities of managing government systems. Jack also explains Swimlane’s experience with GRC, strategies for scoping compliance efforts, and how their automation tools help drive compliance.

Discussion Topics:

• The role of Swimlane in security automation and compliance
• The process of navigating CMMC Level 1 and self-attestation
• The intersection of commercial compliance standards (SOC 2, ISO) and federal requirements (CMMC, FedRAMP)
• Managing expectations and aligning compliance efforts with business value
• Strategies for reducing the scope of assessments and managing government contracts
• The importance of technical and security controls in federal compliance

Max Aulakh Bio:

Max is the CEO of Ignyte Assurance Platform and a Data Security and Compliance leader delivering DoD-tested security strategies and compliance that safeguard mission-critical IT operations. He has trained and excelled while working for the United States Air Force. He maintained and tested the InfoSec and ComSec functions of network hardware, software, and IT infrastructure for global unclassified and classified networks.

Connect with Max:

• LinkedIn: Max Aulakh
• Website: Ignyte Assurance Platform

Connect with Jack:

LinkedIn: Jack Rumsay