Operational Clarity for Regulated Teams
We help small and mid-size defense contractors turn compliance anxiety into reliable systems and competitive, long-term resilience.
CMMC Readiness | Accountability | Systems That Hold
We don’t sell compliance software.
We build the systems behind it.
Why CMMC Is Hard for Small Teams
CMMC isn’t just a security requirement, it’s an operating discipline.
For small and mid-sized defense contractors, the challenge isn’t effort or intent.
It’s sustaining ownership, evidence, and accountability without a dedicated compliance organization.
Where CMMC Breaks Down in Practice
- Compliance layered onto engineering, IT, or operations roles
- Evidence spread across spreadsheets, shared drives, and inboxes
- No clear ownership for controls, reviews, or updates
- Increasing pressure from primes, audits, and contract renewals
See how your readiness actually holds up — in under 5 minutes.
Get My Readiness Snapshot →Identify where structural risk exists across people, process, and systems.
CMMC failures are rarely technical.
They are structural — unclear ownership, fragmented evidence, and no operating rhythm.
Checklist Compliance vs Operational Readiness
Traditional prep creates scramble; Valor builds durable systems your team can sustain.
CMMC Readiness — Practically Applied
We support CMMC readiness by turning requirements into durable operating systems — not one-time documentation efforts.
What we support
- FCI and CUI handling workflows
- Evidence management and traceability
- Control ownership and responsibility mapping
- Pre-assessment readiness and internal validation
- Ongoing sustainment as teams and contracts evolve
Valor Visions does not perform CMMC assessments. We build the operational foundation those assessments rely on — the systems, workflows, and accountability required to sustain readiness over time.
All Valor engagements follow the same operational lifecycle — most clients start with Build, adding Align only when clarity is needed.
Align
Strategic Planning & Advisory
Used when scope, ownership, or priorities need clarification.
Build
Defined-Scope Implementation
The primary engagement model.
Sustain
Continuous Readiness & Advisory
Ongoing governance and support as conditions change.
Most clients engage at Build. Align reduces rework by clarifying direction up front, and Sustain keeps the system ready between audits, changes, and growth.
We build the operating system behind readiness — then help you sustain it as requirements, teams, and contracts evolve.
Our work happens in two modes. Most clients engage in both.
How We Work With You
Delivery
Capabilities are delivered through two modes - Engagement (Build & Implement) and Advisory (Sustain & Govern).
Engagement (Build & Implement)
- Workflow automation → Practical workflows that operationalize requirements
- Low-code implementation → Systems that serve as a single source of truth
- Defined-scope implementations → Phased delivery based on your starting point
- Operational tooling → Tool-agnostic by design (no platform dependency)
- AI can be included as an enhancement where it accelerates execution — with guardrails.
Advisory (Sustain & Govern)
- AI-powered insights → Decision support and insight, with appropriate guardrails
- Value-based consulting → Strategic guidance tied to measurable outcomes
- Managed services → Ongoing control maintenance and change management
- Optional enhancements → Capability added as teams, tools, and contracts evolve
- We avoid the “managed services” label — the focus is continuous readiness and governance.
The outcome: clearer ownership, fewer handoffs, and systems that continue to hold as complexity increases.
Have questions about engagement models, data security, or how we work?
→ View frequently asked questions
Defense-Adjacent Small Businesses
(25–300 employees)
- Part of the defense industrial base or federal supply chain
- Handle FCI and/or CUI as part of contract execution
- Under pressure from CMMC requirements, primes, or upcoming audits
- Lack a full-time compliance or security department
You don’t need another checklist.
You need systems that hold up under scrutiny.
Teams Managing Compliance Without Dedicated Staff
- Engineering, operations, IT, or leadership teams wearing multiple hats
- Compliance work done alongside day jobs
- Reliant on spreadsheets, shared drives, and tribal knowledge
- Struggling to maintain evidence, ownership, and consistency
We build structure that fits how your team actually works.
Leaders Seeking Clarity Over Complexity
- Founders, operators, and executives accountable for outcomes
- Tired of one-time assessments and consultant dependency
- Want repeatable readiness, not annual fire drills
- Care about both security and operational efficiency
Compliance should strengthen your business — not slow it down.
CMMC Level 1 Readiness
Best for: Small contractors (10–50 employees), handling FCI only
Included
- Gap assessment (17 practices)
- Control ownership mapping
- Evidence workflows
- Smartsheet Gov workspace
- Self-assessment readiness
CMMC Level 2 Readiness
Best for: Mid-size contractors (50–200 employees), handling CUI
Included
- Gap assessment (110 practices)
- POA&M prioritization
- Control implementation
- Evidence automation
- C3PAO coordination
Continuous Readiness (Recurring)
Best for: Companies post-certification who need ongoing sustainment
Included
- Quarterly compliance reviews
- Evidence monitoring
- Change management workflows
- Reassessment prep
- Continuous drift detection
Valor does not perform CMMC assessments.
We build the operating foundation—systems, workflows, ownership, and evidence—that assessments rely on.
CMMC Engagement Models
Who This is For
Built for teams carrying real responsibility — without excess overhead.
The Valor Method
The VALOR Method aligns vision, operations, and outcomes with a human-centered, data-driven approach.
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1. Assess — Understand the current state
We begin by understanding how work actually gets done today—across people, process, data, and systems. This surfaces friction, risk, and opportunity without disruption or guesswork.
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2. Align — Define priorities and ownership
We align leaders and teams around what matters most: clear outcomes, decision rights, and success metrics. This is where strategy becomes actionable and accountability gets real.
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3. Design — Build the right structure
We design workflows, data models, and governance guardrails that support speed and precision—tailored to your environment, tools, and regulatory realities.
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4. Deploy — Put systems into motion
We implement with intention—configuring, enabling, and launching in a way teams can actually adopt. No shelfware. No unnecessary complexity.
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5. Reinforce — Measure, improve, adapt
We establish feedback loops and operating rhythms that allow your systems to evolve as your business changes—so progress compounds instead of resets.
Vision
Define what matters most
Clarify a future state that connects mission, people, and measurable impact—so every decision pushes in one direction.
Alignment
Bridge strategy and execution
Unify teams, processes, and data with clear roles and shared accountability to reduce friction and rework.
Leverage
Use AI & automation responsibly
Adopt tools that augment judgment—not replace it—with guardrails that protect quality, compliance, and trust.
Optimization
Simplify to scale
Design structured workflows and continuous improvement loops that deliver speed without sacrificing control.
Resilience
Build for adaptability
Create systems that evolve with your business and people—so progress stays durable through change.
The Method
How it Works
VALOR = operating philosophy. The 5 steps = delivery system
What You Get
Practical artifacts your team can run—built for speed, accountability, and adoption.
Current-state map
Process + systems + ownership—so everyone sees the real operating model.
Risk + compliance readiness
A plain-English view of gaps, exposure, and what matters most.
Workflow + governance design
Guardrails that protect quality and accountability—without slowing teams down.
Implementation plan
A rollout cadence that teams can adopt—no shelfware, no chaos.
Operating rhythm
QBRs, deal / ops reviews, dashboards—so progress compounds.
Adoption toolkit
Training + templates + enablement assets your org can reuse.
We align leaders, design the right structure, and deploy workflows that teams actually adopt—then we reinforce so progress compounds.
Have questions about engagement models, data security, or how we work?
→ View frequently asked questions
Operationalized Compliance
- Control ownership mapped to real roles
- Evidence captured as part of daily work
- Clear audit trails without manual fire drills
Governance & Accountability
- Defined decision rights and review cadence
- Version control and approval workflows
- Leadership visibility without micromanagement
Tool-Agnostic Enablement
- Works alongside your existing tools
- No forced platform dependency
- Designed to support assessors — not replace them
How Valor Turns CMMC Into Operating Discipline
How Readiness Actually Gets Built
We focus on the systems behind compliance, not one-time documentation.
Ready to modernize with confidence?
Book a free discovery call and we’ll map your current state, clarify the fastest path forward, and confirm whether Valor is the right partner.
AI Misuse vs. Responsible Enablement
Responsible AI isn’t about replacing people — it’s about empowering them with systems that protect quality and accountability.
| Common Pitfall | When AI Goes Wrong | Valor Visions Safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting unverified contracts | 36% had to revise due to AI mistakes | Guided templates + legal-review workflows |
| Unclear accountability | No audit trail | Automated version control + stakeholder sign-off |
| “Workslop” (AI noise & rework) | $186 per employee/month lost fixing errors | Structured workflow logic + AI quality gates |
AI delivers speed, but without structure it introduces risk. Valor Visions helps teams modernize responsibly— using frameworks that balance performance, precision, and trust.
This is especially critical for organizations operating under CMMC, DFARS, or other regulated frameworks where AI-generated errors create audit and security risk.
Common patterns we see when AI is adopted without governance:
Source: BizJournals — “AI tools increasingly used for legal work — but misuse risks costly errors” (Oct 15, 2025)
Insight from the Field
“AI destroys the old learning curve — but without governance, that acceleration turns chaotic.”
— The Wall Street Journal, Oct 2025
Valor Visions helps organizations capture that speed without losing control — turning AI innovation into responsible enablement.
Further reading: “AI Destroys the Old Learning Curve” – The Wall Street Journal
This matters most for organizations handling sensitive data, regulated processes, or high-stakes decisions.
The Shrinking Defense Industrial Base: A Wake-Up Call for Small Contractors
The defense industrial base (DIB) is contracting. According to Department of Defense and Congressional small business oversight reports, small business participation in DoD contracting has declined by more than 40% over the past decade, driven by regulatory burden, consolidation among large primes, and rising compliance costs.
As the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) enters full implementation, industry analysts warn that these pressures will intensify—particularly for small and mid-sized contractors without dedicated compliance staff. Without structural changes, compliance risk becomes a competitive risk.
In this environment, Responsible AI isn’t about experimentation—it’s about whether small contractors can absorb complexity without being pushed out of the market.
At Valor Visions, we build operational systems that embed CMMC readiness and governance into daily workflows—so compliance strengthens execution instead of sidelining capable teams.
Don’t let structural gaps force you out. Turn compliance into a durable operational advantage.
Further reading: Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, "A Troubling Trend" report (2025) — via sbc.senate.gov.
Further reading: Strikegraph, "Five Predictions on CMMC’s Impact to the Defense Industrial Base in 2026" (Dec 17, 2025).
Sources: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship; DoD procurement reporting; industry analysis (Strikegraph). Chart shown for illustrative purposes.
National Security Depends on Small Business Resilience
Understanding Complex Systems Through Fibonacci Scale
Why this matters: Risk, leverage, and resilience don’t scale linearly. We design systems that compound strength instead of fragility.
A Fibonacci lens for compounding systems.
Centralized control vs. distributed resilience
Anti-Fragile Human Systems
- Global financial networks
- Innovation hubs
- Human judgment
Strategic Theaters
- Indo-Pacific, Middle East
- Regional control
Supply Chain Levers
- Semiconductor routing
- Currency settlement
Money, Chips, Shipping
- Critical materials
- Trade routes
Foundational Systems
- Small business
- Personal materials
About Valor Visions
Resilient systems. Human-centered innovation. Purpose-driven execution.
Valor Visions helps organizations modernize how work gets done—aligning strategy, operations, and technology to drive measurable outcomes. We design low-code and AI-enabled systems that reduce friction, increase accountability, and accelerate mission-critical execution.
Inspired by a family history of service across the military and healthcare, our work is guided by a simple principle: Modernization must serve people—not replace them.
When economies shift or crises strike, it isn’t big-box stores or private equity that anchor communities, it’s Main Street. We believe modern systems should give power back to small teams, which is why we build systems that help them compete, endure, and serve their communities with confidence.
Leadership
Erin Murphy, Founder & CEO
Erin founded Valor Visions to help defense-adjacent small and mid-sized contractors turn compliance from a regulatory burden into a durable competitive strength—by building practical, repeatable operating systems that embed readiness into daily workflows, not checklists.
She is a sales effectiveness and GTM execution leader with experience driving large-scale operating model alignment across enterprise and public SaaS environments. Her work centers on translating executive strategy into disciplined field execution—establishing decision frameworks, governance rhythms, and scalable enablement systems within complex, regulated markets.
Her background includes:
Driving unified sales operating model alignment at Genesys in partnership with leading industry consultants, sequencing cross-functional execution and reinforcement across a multi-billion-dollar global GTM organization.
Strengthening public sector readiness and operational rigor at Pegasystems across federal, SLED, and DoD segments
Driving partner ecosystem growth at Quickbase through strategic alignment, enablement programs, and structured channel execution
Erin believes small businesses are the backbone of national resilience. When capable, mission-driven teams are equipped with systems that hold—freedom, innovation, and service scale together. That conviction drives her work today: helping regulated teams compete, endure, and serve with confidence.
Cullen Coates, Chief Strategy Officer
Cullen is a senior executive and strategic advisor with decades of experience building, restructuring, and scaling technology-driven organizations — from founder-led companies to Fortune 1000 enterprises. His career is defined by designing operating models and execution systems that outperform larger competitors, not by theory or financial engineering alone. He has served in leadership roles including Chairman, CEO, President, and COO, partnering closely with founders, boards, and investors through periods of growth, transition, and operational complexity.
He previously served as Founding President and COO of QuickResponse Services, an IBM-sponsored venture and early B2B exchange platform, where he built the operating model that enabled the company to surpass a Fortune 500 competitor and reach a $42M committed annual revenue run rate.
Cullen is the Founder and CEO of Crystal Bay Solutions, a long-standing leader in the Quickbase partner ecosystem, and Cullen Coates Consulting, where he has advised executive teams across the public sector and high-growth environments on enterprise strategy, capital formation, governance, and execution discipline. His work spans enterprise software, workflow automation, organizational transformation, and execution-led scale.
Earlier in his career, Cullen held senior roles in investment banking and public finance at Bank of America and served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, earning the Naval Achievement Medal for professional accomplishment. He has also served as an expert consultant to the National Science Foundation, supporting commercial evaluation within the SBIR program.
As Chief Strategy Officer at Valor Visions, Cullen brings enterprise-grade thinking to mission-driven organizations of all sizes — helping shape long-term strategy and making disciplined execution, sound governance, and durable operating models accessible to small teams, not just the largest players.
What We Stand For
The mission is simple: build systems that amplify human potential—so progress serves purpose
Clarity over complexity
We design systems that simplify operations so leaders can stay focused on mission, not maintenance. When structure becomes clear, progress becomes inevitable.
Accountability in action
We implement transparent processes, measurable ROI, and real-time visibility—creating operating discipline that strengthens trust across teams and stakeholders.
Partnership for progress
We build relationships that outlast any single engagement. Our work is collaborative, grounded in integrity, and focused on outcomes that continue to compound long after we leave.
Ready to modernize with confidence?
Engagement, Advisory & Enablement
Engagement Models
Built for Clarity, Accountability, and Sustainable Partnership.
At Valor Visions, we believe modernization should never feel confusing or out of reach. Our engagement models are designed for clarity and confidence—aligning effort with outcomes so every project delivers measurable value. Whether you’re automating a single process, scaling across departments, or integrating AI responsibly, we bring structure, transparency, and accountability to every step.
Each engagement is structured to meet teams where they are—while building durable systems that support compliance, execution, and long-term readiness.
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Best for: Growth-oriented organizations ready to improve performance and share in measurable results.
Perfect when: You want outcomes tied to efficiency gains, operational clarity, or revenue impact—and are prepared to stay actively engaged.
What’s included:
Co-defined success metrics (e.g., time savings, accuracy, margin lift)
Flexible pricing aligned to validated outcomes—not effort alone
Integration of AI copilots and automation accelerators
90-day success plan with executive reporting cadence
How we work: Value-based engagements require sustained access, transparent data, and joint ownership of decisions to ensure results can be measured and achieved.
Value: You invest proportionally in impact—without long-term retainers or unused hours.
Ideal for: Process reengineering, data integration, and digital transformation initiatives.
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Best for:
Teams ready to implement a clearly defined solution with agreed scope and timeline.Perfect when:
Requirements are validated, stakeholders are aligned, and predictable delivery is the priority.What’s included:
1–3 scoped workflow or automation implementations
Agreed scope, milestones, and delivery timeline prior to kickoff
Collaborative design and validation checkpoints
End-user enablement and 30-day stabilization
Optional compliance, reporting, or dashboard add-ons
CMMC-related implementations where scope is established
How we work:
Defined-scope engagements follow discovery and assume active client participation, timely access to systems, and shared accountability.Value:
Predictable delivery with clear milestones—without sacrificing rigor or quality.Ideal for:
Targeted automation, onboarding workflows, and compliance-ready process builds. -
Best for: Teams that want continuous optimization, monitoring, and evolution—not just implementation.
Perfect when: You’ve launched core systems and want ongoing stewardship, insight, and improvement.
What’s included:
Dedicated system administration and automation leadership
Quarterly workflow audits and performance tuning
Governance dashboards and compliance tracking
New feature releases and team enablement sessions
How we work: Managed services operate as an extension of your team, with clear priorities, shared accountability, and regular review cycles.
Value: Peace of mind and momentum—your systems evolve as your business grows, without adding internal overhead.
Ideal for: Organizations that want continuous CMMC readiness without annual fire drills or consultant dependency.
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• AI Ethics + Governance Readiness Assessment
• Custom branding, dashboard design, or data storytelling visuals
• Leadership enablement workshops (change management + AI literacy)
• Integration to Salesforce, SharePoint, Outlook, or Power BI
How Engagement and Advisory Work Together
One operating model: build what’s needed, then sustain it as your environment changes
Engagement (Build & Implement)
Turn requirements into durable systems your team can actually run.
- Ownership is explicit, not assumed
- Evidence is produced by daily work, not chased before audits
- Readiness becomes continuous instead of episodic
- Control ownership mapped to real roles
- Practical workflows that operationalize requirements
- Systems that serve as a single source of truth
- Evidence capture and traceability built into operations
- Review cadence, decision rights, and approvals
- Assessor-ready documentation without manual fire drills
Engagements are structured and phased based on your starting point — not a one-size-fits-all scope.
Advisory (Sustain & Govern)
Keep readiness current as teams, tools, and contracts change.
- Readiness doesn’t decay between audits
- Leaders have visibility without micromanagement
- Changes are governed, not reactive
- Ongoing control maintenance and change management
- Evidence health checks and drift detection
- Quarterly readiness and operating reviews
- Strategic guidance tied to measurable outcomes
- Support through renewals, primes, and audits
- Decision support and insight, with appropriate guardrails
Advisory ensures the systems built during Engagement continue to hold — even as complexity increases.
Build & Implement
Translate requirements into durable workflows, ownership, and operating rhythm.
Govern & Improve
Keep systems aligned as contracts, teams, and tooling evolve—without drift.
Continuous Readiness
Evidence stays current, accountability stays clear, and confidence compounds.
Advisory & Enablement
Empowering leaders and teams to scale smarter through strategic guidance, hands-on enablement, and fractional expertise.
Whether you’re defining your modernization roadmap or developing in-house AI capability, Valor Visions delivers clear, actionable results grounded in measurable outcomes.
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Ideal for: Executive teams, departments, or boards setting modernization priorities. Clarify your vision and turn strategy into action through focused planning sessions tailored to your mission and goals. These sessions establish the operating principles and execution guardrails that guide every engagement that follows.
Outcomes: Aligned leadership, prioritized initiatives, and a 90-day execution plan.
Pricing: Custom engagement scoped to objectives, participants, and decision depth.
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Accelerate adoption with guided, scenario-based learning that meets your team where they are. (Virtual or in-person)
Topics Include: Prompt engineering • Workflow automation • Responsible AI use • Change management
Outcomes: Team confidence, documented AI use cases, and pilot-ready workflows.
Pricing: Flat-rate or per-participant options.
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For organizations seeking expert input without long-term commitments.
Use for: Strategy refinement, process mapping, tech-stack audits, or leadership coaching.
Pricing: Hourly or retainer-based.
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Gain senior-level GTM expertise without full-time overhead.
Includes:
Sales process & enablement strategy
Pipeline analysis & performance reporting
Marketing alignment & revenue operations design
Engagements: Typically 10–20 hours per month.
Pricing: Custom monthly retainers.
Book an appointment.
Choose the session that best fits your goals.
Whether you’re exploring modernization or ready for a full transformation, Valor Visions offers tailored guidance at every stage.