In this episode of Modern Cyber, Jeremy is joined by Taylor Hersom, Founder of Eden Data, to explore the critical intersection of cybersecurity, compliance, and enterprise growth.

They discuss why startups often overinvest in technical security tools while underinvesting in the actual foundation of customer trust. Taylor unpacks how compliance frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 act as a powerful "trust escrow" for businesses and explains the complex nuances of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for government contractors and their subcontractors.

The conversation also tackles the escalating challenge of shadow IT driven by AI tools, the urgent need for structured AI governance, and why the cybersecurity industry must shift away from relying on static employee policies toward implementing automated technical controls that eliminate human error entirely.

About Taylor Hersom

Taylor is the Founder of Eden Data, a modern cybersecurity firm recently acquired by Riveron, where it now plays a key role in expanding the firm’s risk advisory platform. A former Deloitte leader and CISO, Taylor brings deep expertise in governance and compliance frameworks, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA. Since founding Eden Data, he has helped hundreds of startups and scaleups—including Nooks AI, Zendesk, Bitly, and Kindbody—navigate everything from early-stage compliance to IPO readiness. He has earned Partner of the Year awards four years in a row from Drata. With his background, Taylor speaks to the evolving intersection of cybersecurity, compliance, and enterprise growth, showing how trust can be a powerful driver of business success.

Episode Links

Eden Data: https://www.edendata.com/

Taylor Hersom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorhersom/