How Modern Life built an audit-ready hiring process without an HR department

When Nicole Dennett joined Modern Life as Head of People, there was no background check process at all. That’s common for early-stage startups, but it doesn’t last. As Modern Life moved toward SOC 2 certification, a documented, repeatable background check process stopped being optional.

SOC 2 requires companies to demonstrate consistent, auditable controls around data access and hiring. For Modern Life—which handles sensitive financial and personal data on behalf of insurance advisors and their clients—that meant every new hire had to clear a documented background check before starting. 

As Nicole put it: “Once you're a little bit more established and you start needing the compliance process that comes along with achieving a SOC 2 certification, that's when you need a background check company up and running immediately. You need one that is plug and play, very easy to use, and turns around quickly.” She needed something she could stand up fast, integrate with existing compliance tooling, and maintain without a dedicated HR team.

Nicole had used Checkr at previous companies for over seven years. When it came time to choose a solution for Modern Life, there wasn’t much deliberation. The integration with Thoropass, the platform Modern Life uses to manage its SOC 2 compliance, was a deciding factor. Checkr slots directly into that framework, so background check records flow into compliance documentation without any manual work. Pricing fits a team of Modern Life’s size, and the dashboard required no training or ongoing support. Nicole set it up herself.

Modern Life’s hiring process moves fast. After a final virtual interview, Nicole runs reference and background checks in parallel. A Checkr invite takes less than two minutes to send from the dashboard, and the candidate fills out their own information. Most criminal background checks return within 24 hours, keeping offer timelines tight and candidates engaged.

Thoropass surfaces Checkr as a required control in Modern Life’s SOC 2 audit. Because the integration automatically keeps records up to date, Nicole doesn’t spend time pulling documentation or preparing for audit cycles. The compliance requirement is simply met.

That matters especially for a solo people leader. Nicole owns recruiting, onboarding, culture, compliance, and employee experience across a 40-person company. Any tool that requires active management is a liability. Checkr has needed almost no support in three years. In Nicole’s words: “Checkr doesn’t create any extra work. It just does its thing in the background while I can focus on the actual onboarding, recruiting, anything that needs a human touch.”

Nicole has used Checkr across multiple companies and recommends it in her HR network without hesitation. Modern Life will keep growing. The screening process won’t need to change.