Curriculum Overview — Business Advisor Certificate (BAC)

The Job to Be Done:
Mastering the Client Journey from Onboarding to Impact

Client Journey

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to give all of our clients a professional service experience. A challenge is that every meeting is different and every client must be serviced differently. However, the real problem is how we can create a client journey that is both flexible and standardized at the same time. The truth is that trust is created both through consistency and customization. That's why we need to be able to take clients through an individual client journey rather than a generic client journey.

You will learn

How to onboard clients for future success
How to assess and triage clients
How to define the scope of work
How to track and report results to all stakeholders

Keep Them Coming Back:
Engaging Client Companies for the Long Haul

Client Engagement

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors we want to maintain long-term relationships with our clients, so we can make lasting impact. One challenge many advisors experience is that clients engage for a while, but then they don't come back and stop responding. However the real problem is that we see this as a lack of interest when it may be lack of focus. The truth is that entrepreneurs are busy and can easily be distracted. That is why the way to make clients come back is to shift our attention from merely enhancing their business to also excite their minds and engage their hearts.

You will learn

How to identify your client's true needs
How to captivate client's minds with relevance, insights and practicality
How to engage client's hearts with vision, identity and small wins
How to change the game with rules, norms and habits

Making Advice Work:
Empowering Clients to Take Ownership and Action

Client Empowerment

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors we all want to see our work create results by clients taking action to grow their companies. One challenge is, that even if we give excellent advice, the client may not go forward with it. However the real problem is that we see our role as telling the client the best way forward instead of letting the client find the path themselves. The truth is that clients are much more likely to change if they have ownership of the decisions. That's why the best way to empower a client to take action is to shift from offering specific recommendations to exploring alternative options.

You will learn

How to be a facilitator of your client's decision-making process
How to ask questions which empower the clients
How to present clients with alternative options with infographics
How to give clients the final ownership of the decisions
How to make a bridge from decisions to actions

Your Mind at Work:
How Your Attitude Can Change Your Client's Mindset

Client Mindsets

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to support our clients in developing the mindset that is required for success in business. It's not easy to change anybody's mindset and in particular not the ones of an independent business owner. However, the real challenge might be how changing the client's mindset requires that we change our own mindset. The truth is that as business advisors we are role models to entrepreneurs and they are more likely to do what we do rather than what we say. That's why we need to be role models for our clients and embrace the mindsets we want them to have.

You will learn

How to cultivate an open mind and positive outlook
How to adopt a mindset to keep things simple
How to cultivate an action-oriented attitude
How to install resilience with clients
How to demonstrate mindsets in practical ways during sessions

How to Be Likable:
Building Trust and Rapport with Any Client

Client Connection

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to have good chemistry with our clients to help build trusted relationships. It can be a challenge to engage with clients with different personalities, communication styles, and mindsets. However, the real problem is that we can tend to put more attention on the business problem and less attention on the personal relationship. The truth is that building good relationships requires hard work. That's why we need an intentional and systematic approach to make sure we establish rapport with new clients every time.

You will learn

How to listen through open-ended questions and genuine interest
How to show authenticity through personal anecdotes
How to follow clients' leads and find common ground
How to match the verbal and non-verbal communication style
How to provide feedback and acknowledge opinions and feelings

Ethics and Beyond:
Making Ethics and Inclusion Part of Daily Practice

Client Ethics

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors we want to hold the highest standards of ethics for any client regardless of their literacy, gender, cultural or ethnic background. It can be a challenge to find ways to bring these decent ideals into the daily interactions with clients. However the real problem might be that we see ethics and inclusion as something philosophical rather than something practical. The truth is that staying true to your principles requires more than confirming a written code of conduct. That's why we need to bring in more statements and questions relating to ethics and inclusion in our daily conversations with clients.

You will learn

How to communicate principles of confidentiality, proprietary information, non-solicitation, acting with disinterest, obligation to clients' best interest and privacy
How to demonstrate dedication to respect, inclusion and diversity through cultural sensitivity and personal conduct
How to handle common ethical dilemmas
How to define professional standards and live by them

In development

From Plan to Action:
Overcoming Clients' Barriers for Execution

Client Performance

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to help our clients execute the plans we make together. A challenge many advisors face is that even good plans don't get carried out. However, the real problem is that we see a missed action as a lack of commitment — when clients don't execute because they don't own the plan, the plan isn't realistic, or nobody keeps them accountable. The truth is that a plan is not enough: people don't resist action, they resist what makes action hard. That's why we need to remove the barriers — diagnose them, offer stepping stones, and follow up without judgment.

You will learn

How to recognize the barriers that keep clients from executing — ownership, realism and accountability among them
How to offer stepping stones that remove those barriers
How to make action plans clients can execute: decisions and actions, timelines, bite-size steps
How to follow up on missed actions in a way that builds trust
How to track progress and results with clients over time

In development

Meet Clients Where They Are:
Advising Different Segments and Personalities

Client Persona

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to give every client advice that fits who they are and where they are. A challenge is that our clients are very different: new and established businesses, solo founders and teams, careful planners and fast movers. However, the real problem is that we tend to advise every client in the same way — often the way we would like to be advised ourselves. The truth is that the same advice lands very differently depending on the client's situation and personality. That's why we need to recognize each client's segment and persona early, and adapt how we advise to meet them where they are.

You will learn

How to recognize common client segments, from idea stage to established business
How to recognize personality types and decision styles in your clients
How to adapt your communication, pace and tools to each client persona
How to advise clients from different backgrounds, cultures and industries
How to tailor your approach without falling into stereotypes

In development

Getting to the Root:
Reframing Problems and Leading Clients Through Change

Client Transformation

What this workshop is about

As small business advisors, we want to help our clients make changes that last. A challenge is that clients often come to us with a symptom — low sales, no cash, no time — and ask us to fix it. However, the real problem is that when we only solve the symptom, the root cause stays and the problem comes back. The truth is that lasting change starts when the client sees the problem in a new way, and then moves through the change step by step. That's why we need to help clients reframe their problems to find the root cause, and guide them through the change it takes to solve it.

You will learn

How to separate symptoms from root causes
How to ask questions that help clients reframe their problems
How to help clients accept the need for change and overcome resistance
How to guide clients through the stages of change in their business
How to make change last with small steps, follow-up and accountability