The Qualified Individual

The Qualified Individual

The Qualified Individual is a micro-podcast for managing partners at small and mid-sized CPA firms navigating data security compliance. Hosted by Daniel Chang, author of The Governance Gap, each 8-12 minute episode tackles multiple real issues: cyber insurance gaps, FTC Safeguards requirements, MSP oversight, access controls, and AI governance. Delivering practical, jargon-free guidance on what to do about it. Visit TheQualifiedIndividual.com

  1. 6d ago

    Five Questions to Ask Your MSP This Week

    If you're working with a Managed Service Provider, you should have clarity on five specific things: who your QI is, what risk assessments have been done, what reports partners receive, how breach response actually works, and how the MSP distinguishes between technical services and governance. These questions aren't adversarial — they're collaborative.

    11 min

  2. May 25

    Your Staff Is Already Using AI. Now What?

    Your team is using ChatGPT and Copilot on client data — whether you've formally allowed it or not. These "shadow AI" flows create undocumented data pathways that compliance frameworks don't see. We talk about why prohibition doesn't work and what actual governance looks like.

    12 min

  3. May 18

    What a $4 Million Breach Actually Costs a 15-Person Firm

    We break down the real numbers behind a breach at a small CPA firm — forensics, legal fees, notification costs, credit monitoring, lost business, and reputational damage. For a 15-person firm, this can be existential. Here's why governance is dramatically cheaper than recovery.

    13 min

  4. May 11

    The Qualified Individual: Making It Actually Work

    You've named a Qualified Individual, but now what? We're diving into how to make the role functional, what you're actually documenting, how you're reporting to partners, and what quarterly governance looks like so that security stays on track and isn't just a compliance box to check.

    13 min

  5. May 4

    The Microsoft 365 Coverage Gap Nobody Talks About

    Most CPA firms use Microsoft 365 for email and collaboration, and most firms assume they understand their data security there. But Microsoft's default settings leave significant gaps—particularly around shared mailboxes, file sharing, and recovery. We're breaking down what M365 does and doesn't do, and what controls your firm needs to add.

    15 min

  6. Apr 27

    Tax Season Is Hacker Season

    Tax season brings volume, pressure, and fatigue—exactly when hackers strike. From phishing attacks targeting busy staff to stolen credentials accessing dormant systems, tax time is peak season for breaches. Here's how to prepare your firm's security culture and controls to survive the busiest time of year.

    13 min

  7. Apr 20

    Why Your Biggest Clients Are About to Start Asking Questions

    Your largest clients are increasingly asking about your security practices—how you protect their data, what controls you have, whether you meet compliance standards. We're talking about what these client security questionnaires are really asking, why they're becoming standard, and what it means for your firm's compliance.

    11 min

  8. Apr 14

    The Intern Who Still Has Access to Everything

    Offboarding is how most breaches actually start—not with external hackers, but with former employees or contractors who kept their access. We're talking about why access removal is harder than it sounds, what gets missed, and the framework for making sure that when someone leaves, their doors actually close.

    10 min
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About

The Qualified Individual is a micro-podcast for managing partners at small and mid-sized CPA firms navigating data security compliance. Hosted by Daniel Chang, author of The Governance Gap, each 8-12 minute episode tackles multiple real issues: cyber insurance gaps, FTC Safeguards requirements, MSP oversight, access controls, and AI governance. Delivering practical, jargon-free guidance on what to do about it. Visit TheQualifiedIndividual.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Qualified Individual
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Qualified Individual
  • Show Website
    The Qualified Individual