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Report: #428186

Complaint Review: IIB - INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS - Internet

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  • Reported By: Johannesburg Other
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  • IIB - INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS www.iib.org.ws Internet United Kingdom

IIB - INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS Made me join and spend money on unachievable prospective business opportunities London United Kingdom Internet

*UPDATE Employee: Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

*UPDATE Employee: Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

*UPDATE Employee: Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

*UPDATE Employee: Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

*Consumer Comment: IIB - It delivers what it says on the tin!

*UPDATE Employee: IIB - Institute for Independent Business

*Consumer Comment: IIB Associates are independent entrepreneurs

*Consumer Comment: No-one is forced to join

*UPDATE Employee: Accepting Responsibility For One's Decisions

*Consumer Suggestion: As a New Associate of the IIB - it is fantastic - it what you make it

*Consumer Comment: IIB benefited me.

*Consumer Comment: IIB = Intelligence Initiative and Business Acumen

*Consumer Comment: Some good, some bad - but generally worth the money

*Consumer Comment: The business of business consultant is not for everyone

*UPDATE Employee: Caveat emptor

*UPDATE Employee: IIB is not what it says it is.

*Consumer Comment: The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

*Consumer Comment: The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

*Consumer Comment: The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

*Consumer Comment: The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

*UPDATE Employee: The Institute for Independent Business

*Consumer Comment: NO ONE MADE YOU SIGN UP

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The idea of the IIB is good, the practical implementation of what they advocate is not, as contrary to what they advocate: "practical advice that works" - it does not work.

First I was persuaded by the speaker at the mass meeting and later at the one on one meeting with a senior Accredited Associate and even later by a mentor, that this Organization can make you money as you have never dreamt of. I had to borrow money from the bank in order to pay my fees as well as my flight costs to the UK to attend what they call a Resident Business Seminar for one week. Upon my return, 10 free appointments would be waiting for me. Needless to say, these were of an inferior quality and not one business could even afford the fees, let alone pay them. I reported this to the IIB but their response was that "I did not apply the rules"

I have since spoken to many IIB Assosciates who generally are of the opinion that what the IIB advocates just does not work and that most of them are struggling to make ends meet. Not one was of the opinion that to be a member of the IIB translates into making sufficient money as was the intention from the outset. In my particular case I am disolutioned as I sit with a huge debt to be paid at the bank which I cannot afford as I do not make sufficient income to repay that loan let alone to make some money to live on. I have now reached the stage where the bank wants to repossess my property due to non payment of my instalments. What was supposed to be a rescue operation has now developed into one big disaster.

Let me through this writing warn potential Associates of the IIB : Think twice, dont fall into the trap because I can tell you through experince that you need a miracle to happen if you really want to achieve results.

To the Companies out there, whever you may be, also think twice. If you study the IIB's web site you may feel persuaded but the proof of the pudding lies in the eating. Check out the so called "Accredited Associate" and decide if he can really add value to your Organisation and that they money you are expected to pay for the service, will add value to your bottom line. If you are convinced, join a Business Support Program otherwise stay out of it. There are some excellent Associates around, most have good intentions but few have the expertise you need in order to make the difference you are looking for.

I for one will not renew my membership of the IIB as so far the Organization has added only misery to my life - something I now have to personally face as obviously the IIB distances itself from any wrongdoing.

I am of the opinion that the IIB should be investigated by a competent and legally empowered entity in order to establish if their creditabilty can be sustained by what they purport to be and stand for. Maybe through such action some potential Associates can be spared falling into the trap of unfullilled promises and unachievable results.

Caught
Johannesburg
South Africa

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/25/2009 01:21 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/iib-institute-for-independent-business/internet/iib-institute-for-independent-business-made-me-join-and-spend-money-on-unachievable-pros-428186. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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#22 UPDATE Employee

Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

AUTHOR: Johnby - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I am very sorry for "Caught", he (or she) is clearly in a bad place at the moment and this is reflected in the filing of the above complaint.

It is very easy to see though that unfortunately 'Caught' is a victim of their own making.

Someone else in these listed comments has raised the question, that how does one get 'caught' to pay 10,000 pounds or whatever local equivalent in South African Rand?, that is a mystery! Did the IIB trawl your account with a net and steal the money?...No of course not, it was a decision made and clearly then regretted, that's called 'Buyers Remorse', I had it once when I bought the wrong car!

The car was fine and I recognise that it was my own driving style, transport needs and (ultimately) the size of my garage (and my own stupidity!) that was at fault, not the car!

As for the IIB, I became an associate back in 2003, I had been made redundant and was looking for some way to become my own boss, using the business skills I had acquired over many year.

The IIB gave me a great grounding in how to apply my knowledge and add real value (practical advice that works - as they call it) to small and medium sized businesses, accross a wide range of areas using subject experts from within the IIB network.

Here again, I have to take issue with 'Caught', because in my experience, whether raising finance, getting ISO9000 approval, developing websites, increasing sales, developing a family succession plan, producing contracts of employment for all employees, changing accountants, recovering several bad debts, negotiating reduced cost terms of supply and on and on... every IIB Associate who I have come into contact with and who I have introduced to my clients has been absolutely superb, providing real help, which is highly appreciated by my clients, at costs well below that of the classic deliverers of these services, be they banks, 'consultants' or Government sponsored business advisors.

I have now gone on to specialise in sales and we have grown a successful outsourced sales and sales training company working not exclusively, but predominently with the very same Small Medium Enterprise clients, that the IIB had identified as needing help and with which they trained me to serve.

The IIB has given me a real opportunity to do great work, be rewarded well and enjoy not just the work, but the IIB camaraderie and the client relationships and friendships as well.

So come on 'Caught', stop looking for someone to blame, other than yourself - the IIB aren't responsible for your bank wanting to re-posess your house!, look deeply at yourself and use the skills and talents around you.

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#21 UPDATE Employee

Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

AUTHOR: Johnby - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I am very sorry for "Caught", he (or she) is clearly in a bad place at the moment and this is reflected in the filing of the above complaint.

It is very easy to see though that unfortunately 'Caught' is a victim of their own making.

Someone else in these listed comments has raised the question, that how does one get 'caught' to pay 10,000 pounds or whatever local equivalent in South African Rand?, that is a mystery! Did the IIB trawl your account with a net and steal the money?...No of course not, it was a decision made and clearly then regretted, that's called 'Buyers Remorse', I had it once when I bought the wrong car!

The car was fine and I recognise that it was my own driving style, transport needs and (ultimately) the size of my garage (and my own stupidity!) that was at fault, not the car!

As for the IIB, I became an associate back in 2003, I had been made redundant and was looking for some way to become my own boss, using the business skills I had acquired over many year.

The IIB gave me a great grounding in how to apply my knowledge and add real value (practical advice that works - as they call it) to small and medium sized businesses, accross a wide range of areas using subject experts from within the IIB network.

Here again, I have to take issue with 'Caught', because in my experience, whether raising finance, getting ISO9000 approval, developing websites, increasing sales, developing a family succession plan, producing contracts of employment for all employees, changing accountants, recovering several bad debts, negotiating reduced cost terms of supply and on and on... every IIB Associate who I have come into contact with and who I have introduced to my clients has been absolutely superb, providing real help, which is highly appreciated by my clients, at costs well below that of the classic deliverers of these services, be they banks, 'consultants' or Government sponsored business advisors.

I have now gone on to specialise in sales and we have grown a successful outsourced sales and sales training company working not exclusively, but predominently with the very same Small Medium Enterprise clients, that the IIB had identified as needing help and with which they trained me to serve.

The IIB has given me a real opportunity to do great work, be rewarded well and enjoy not just the work, but the IIB camaraderie and the client relationships and friendships as well.

So come on 'Caught', stop looking for someone to blame, other than yourself - the IIB aren't responsible for your bank wanting to re-posess your house!, look deeply at yourself and use the skills and talents around you.

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#20 UPDATE Employee

Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

AUTHOR: Johnby - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I am very sorry for "Caught", he (or she) is clearly in a bad place at the moment and this is reflected in the filing of the above complaint.

It is very easy to see though that unfortunately 'Caught' is a victim of their own making.

Someone else in these listed comments has raised the question, that how does one get 'caught' to pay 10,000 pounds or whatever local equivalent in South African Rand?, that is a mystery! Did the IIB trawl your account with a net and steal the money?...No of course not, it was a decision made and clearly then regretted, that's called 'Buyers Remorse', I had it once when I bought the wrong car!

The car was fine and I recognise that it was my own driving style, transport needs and (ultimately) the size of my garage (and my own stupidity!) that was at fault, not the car!

As for the IIB, I became an associate back in 2003, I had been made redundant and was looking for some way to become my own boss, using the business skills I had acquired over many year.

The IIB gave me a great grounding in how to apply my knowledge and add real value (practical advice that works - as they call it) to small and medium sized businesses, accross a wide range of areas using subject experts from within the IIB network.

Here again, I have to take issue with 'Caught', because in my experience, whether raising finance, getting ISO9000 approval, developing websites, increasing sales, developing a family succession plan, producing contracts of employment for all employees, changing accountants, recovering several bad debts, negotiating reduced cost terms of supply and on and on... every IIB Associate who I have come into contact with and who I have introduced to my clients has been absolutely superb, providing real help, which is highly appreciated by my clients, at costs well below that of the classic deliverers of these services, be they banks, 'consultants' or Government sponsored business advisors.

I have now gone on to specialise in sales and we have grown a successful outsourced sales and sales training company working not exclusively, but predominently with the very same Small Medium Enterprise clients, that the IIB had identified as needing help and with which they trained me to serve.

The IIB has given me a real opportunity to do great work, be rewarded well and enjoy not just the work, but the IIB camaraderie and the client relationships and friendships as well.

So come on 'Caught', stop looking for someone to blame, other than yourself - the IIB aren't responsible for your bank wanting to re-posess your house!, look deeply at yourself and use the skills and talents around you.

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#19 UPDATE Employee

Caught?? Past Participle of 'To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.'

AUTHOR: Johnby - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I am very sorry for "Caught", he (or she) is clearly in a bad place at the moment and this is reflected in the filing of the above complaint.

It is very easy to see though that unfortunately 'Caught' is a victim of their own making.

Someone else in these listed comments has raised the question, that how does one get 'caught' to pay 10,000 pounds or whatever local equivalent in South African Rand?, that is a mystery! Did the IIB trawl your account with a net and steal the money?...No of course not, it was a decision made and clearly then regretted, that's called 'Buyers Remorse', I had it once when I bought the wrong car!

The car was fine and I recognise that it was my own driving style, transport needs and (ultimately) the size of my garage (and my own stupidity!) that was at fault, not the car!

As for the IIB, I became an associate back in 2003, I had been made redundant and was looking for some way to become my own boss, using the business skills I had acquired over many year.

The IIB gave me a great grounding in how to apply my knowledge and add real value (practical advice that works - as they call it) to small and medium sized businesses, accross a wide range of areas using subject experts from within the IIB network.

Here again, I have to take issue with 'Caught', because in my experience, whether raising finance, getting ISO9000 approval, developing websites, increasing sales, developing a family succession plan, producing contracts of employment for all employees, changing accountants, recovering several bad debts, negotiating reduced cost terms of supply and on and on... every IIB Associate who I have come into contact with and who I have introduced to my clients has been absolutely superb, providing real help, which is highly appreciated by my clients, at costs well below that of the classic deliverers of these services, be they banks, 'consultants' or Government sponsored business advisors.

I have now gone on to specialise in sales and we have grown a successful outsourced sales and sales training company working not exclusively, but predominently with the very same Small Medium Enterprise clients, that the IIB had identified as needing help and with which they trained me to serve.

The IIB has given me a real opportunity to do great work, be rewarded well and enjoy not just the work, but the IIB camaraderie and the client relationships and friendships as well.

So come on 'Caught', stop looking for someone to blame, other than yourself - the IIB aren't responsible for your bank wanting to re-posess your house!, look deeply at yourself and use the skills and talents around you.

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#18 Consumer Comment

IIB - It delivers what it says on the tin!

AUTHOR: Anne Kennedy - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Tuesday, March 03, 2009

I joined the IIB in 2002. I elected to join as part of my strategy to reposition my services from the corporate to the SME sector.

The IIB did, and continues to do, what it says on the tin. It provides training, materials, a tool-set, appointments to practice with, a mentor to help and support, a worldwide network of professional business advisors and voluntary CPD.

As Business Advisors we are extremely privileged. Day on day we have a direct impact on the business of our clients and the personal development of the business owners.

It is not easy but it is extremely rewarding.

One of the factors that underpin our success as Advisors is the support of the IIB network. There is always a colleague who is willing to help with a problem, there is usually the required skill set available in the network to assist with a client requirement.

I read the posting from our colleague Caught with some empathy. When I look back on my early months as an itinerant business advisor I now recognise that I allowed my preconceptions to get in the way of the IIB process.

It was relatively easy to recognise the problem in any business but it took me a while to appreciate that the business owner often did not share that recognition. To succeed I not only had to identify the priority needs of the business, but also find the paricular problem that the business owner WANTED to solve.

I often wonder what success I would have made of those early practice appointments if I had the experience then that I have today!

Few businesses have spare money. The services that we offer must have recognisable benefits, either direct or indirect.

Some seven years on I am still working with the client who was my very first IIB appointment following the Residential Business School. It was then a small business of around 300k turnover; they couldn't really afford my services. Today however the turnover exceeds 2m with GP improved by around 15%. Over the years I have introduced half a dozen or so IIB Associates into the account who have provided specific skills and consistent levels of exemplary service... proving that it not only we as Advisors, but also our clients, who benefit from the network of services provided under the IIB banner.

Nothing is easy, we have to keep striving for new business, and continue to service and develop our existing clients. For the process to be second nature takes time, requires confidence; but the methodology works.

My advice to my colleague Caught is to keep going. Be upbeat, potential clients can sense if you are on the back foot. Purchase focused appointments if you can. Keep picking up the phone, it is your best friend!
It gets easierand before you know it you will be successful.

You make your own luck!

Be lucky!!

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#17 UPDATE Employee

IIB - Institute for Independent Business

AUTHOR: Jeremy Barton - (South Africa)

POSTED: Sunday, March 01, 2009

I am sure 'Caught of Johannesburg' you have a huge amount of experience that should be of enormous benefit to businesses.

It is a great shame that you are not managing to deliver this.

Being an Accredited Associate has enabled me to provide (through our International Network of Accredited Associates) advice and support to any business in any industry regardless of my own limited areas of expertise.

As an Accredited Associate I have the best job in the world. Giving up a certain
amount of time each month to meet with decision makers just to chat over their future plans, concerns or problems they may be facing.

It may be there is little we can help them with but that would be most unusual.

So yes, I do not get work from every meeting I have, the more meetings I have the more opportunities and financial rewards I create for businesses and Accredited Associates.

Jeremy Barton
South Africa

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#16 Consumer Comment

IIB Associates are independent entrepreneurs

AUTHOR: Margriet Guiver, Ainstib - (Netherlands)

POSTED: Friday, February 27, 2009

Having been an Associate of the IIB since 2006, I am surprised and shocked by this report and the other, earlier, ones about the IIB.
I am an independent entrepreneur, like all my colleagues in the IIB. I am based in the Netherlands. I have always been and will always be a very independent person. But I am also a networker who enjoys teaming up and a few years ago I was looking for ways to meet and work with other independent people. (I would certainly never have considered buying a franchise. I value my independence too much!)

What attracted me to the IIB was the network of some 4 to 5,000 international experienced colleagues with so many different backgrounds. The fact that IIB had a 'method' sounded interesting, too.
Anyway, I joined the IIB because I chose to. Nobody forced me, nobody even persuaded me. I compared the cost with the price of a franchise (including the loss of my independence then) and with the cost of several other training and accreditation courses I followed and I found the IIB price fair. The annual membership cost, too, compares favourably with other societies I am a member of.
The RBS gave me access to 'the method' which I could see should work. At the end of the RBS we were all offered the minimum income guarantee, which I did not take.

Back in the Netherlands, I found the group of IIB colleagues to be like many another network: (only) givers gain! People who sit back and wait for others to hand them work (and income) will not succeed. People who put their penny's worth in, who are present and active at our meetings, who are happy to help others (without immediately wanting to send an invoice), who show others the ropes where necessary, who ... oh, just add all the other things that an active business person does to grow his or her enterprise - they will certainly succeed.

The level of success will vary. There is no denying that some of us are more financially successful than others. There are plenty of Associates who will attest that if you follow 'the method' to the letter, it definitely does work. There are also people honest enough to tell you that they do not use 'the method' - and they are less successful, or they have found other ways to create an income for their business.

There is also no denying that - as in any association - not all members are at all times totally happy with the decisions of 'above'. I should know - I am a member of several institutes and societies, and even chair a few! However, we should never forget that we are always responsible for our own actions, for our own businesses and for our own results, and that it is childish (I have no other word for it) to blame someone or something else, even circumstances.

As a Business Coach I invariably find that if a business' results are disappointing, it is the entrepreneur who is at fault: he has failed, one way or another!
A person needs to have a strong character to recognize his own guilt in such a situation. A genuine entrepreneur can and will do that. He'll learn from the experience, pick up the pieces and continue with his life (and probably with another, more successful, business).
It is obvious to me that the people complaining about IIB on this site are no entrepreneurs. They are childish in blaming the IIB for the fact that they ever joined. However, it may take a long time for them to accept that.

I think it is fair to say that the only thing we could possibly blame the IIB for is the fact that these people were not sifted out of the accreditation process...
Fortunately, most people who are considering joining the IIB these days do all they can to find out what they can and cannot expect as Associates. Before they sign on and go to the RBS, I mean!
They find me (and quite a few colleagues) on LinkedIn or some other social medium, when they search for 'IIB'. They find our telephone numbers and they call us to ask. You can be sure that such people get candid information from the existing Associates - we can do without 'colleagues' like the ones that rip us all off with 'complaints' on this site!

Contact me if you like - Margriet Guiver-Freeman AInstIB, www.guiver-freeman.com

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#15 Consumer Comment

No-one is forced to join

AUTHOR: Easterross - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Friday, February 27, 2009

I joined the I.I.B. in 2001. No-one forced me to and no-one stood over me as I wrote a cheque.

I joined because as someone going through a career change, the I.I.B. offered me an instant new network of around 1000 others from all business and professional backgrounds, many from C.E.O. or General Management level. At that time we were mainly just in the U.K. with a few colleagues overseas and the U.S. region was just starting up.

In my first year, through I.I.B. referrals and it's network I recovered my joining fee and made enough in addition to pay the bills and live on. Eight years later I am still working with four of the companies I met in that first year and I have a network of clients, large and small. I also have another company which grew out of my I.I.B. connections.

As with everything in life, one reaps what one sows. Work hard and the rewards will come. Write a cheque and sit back and there will be nothing but a long wait. Clearly the handful of individuals who have complained on Ripoff were not willing to work at making a success. I note none of the complaints come from any of the tens of thousands of businesses from Australia and Singapore to the US to South Africa, Denmark, Belgium and the U.K. and many other countries which have been helped improve the bottom line of their businesses by the Fellows and Associates of the I.I.B.

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#14 UPDATE Employee

Accepting Responsibility For One's Decisions

AUTHOR: John Mcconnell - (Australia)

POSTED: Thursday, February 26, 2009

One of the marks of maturity is being able to accept responsibility for one's mistakes. By the sound of things, 'Caught' made a poor career decision.

I have been a consultant for 25 years. It is not for everyone, but I choose to continue to work as a consultant. A little over a year ago I became an IIB associate, and soon realised that working with small to medium sized businesses was not my preferred career path and I returned to working with large businesses. Nevertheless, there are no sour grapes from me. In fact, I have recently paid the annual fee so I may continue to access the mass e-mail service.

Clearly, 'Caught' is frustrated, having spent money with few or no results. Consulting is not for everybody. If 'Caught' failed or made a bad career decision, he can't blame the IIB. It was his choice. No one forced him to sign up or to pay the fee. People make bad career decisions every day, but most of them don't end up on ripoff.

A mature, intilligent person is more likely to be able to admit that he made a mistake, and then move on. To blame the IIB is akin to blaming an employer for selecting one for a job and then discovering that one did not like the job.

I note that the clients of the IIB are not posting on ripoff. There must be tens of thousands of clients of IIB associates around the world. If the IIB was as bad as 'caught' has painted it, we should be seeing many hundreds of complaints here on ripoff...but we don't. That is a most revealing fact.

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#13 Consumer Suggestion

As a New Associate of the IIB - it is fantastic - it what you make it

AUTHOR: Julie - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Thursday, February 26, 2009

I joined the IIB very recently in January 2009 and am loving it. However I have experienced the same ups and downs starting the meetings set for me by the IIB - ok they are not the best appointments but treat them as practice and get your own. It would be interesting to know how many appointments you have got for yourself - as you are running your own business- are you not? The IIB is not responsible for associates under achieving their goals - they are not our employers and you have not been over sold anything at all.

The IIB did not persuade you to join - you decided - how did you part with the money if it was not your choice?

Why did you join the IIB if you did not want to work for yourself and enjoy the network of like minded business professionals? If any of us wanted business to be handed to us then we should be employed- we decided to join the IIB - not brain washed - we were not told lies or coned - the IIB is everything I expected that I joined up to and paid for.

Hope you succeed and start to enjoy it.

Julie

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#12 Consumer Comment

IIB benefited me.

AUTHOR: Dave Hollinger, Nj, Usa - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, February 26, 2009

I have been amember of IIB for about 6 years. Of course, they told me about their successes. I thought about it, investigated, and decided it was the business for me. Within weeks, I was hired by an IIB member to help him. I earned enough to recover my IIB fee. I continued to get some business. Ultimately, I found my niche, and have earned more every year from consulting than when I worked a "regular" job.

You have to work hard. Not everyone will succeed, but there is no fraud.

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#11 Consumer Comment

IIB = Intelligence Initiative and Business Acumen

AUTHOR: Hylton - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Thursday, February 26, 2009

I have spent 30 years as a very senior manager and a successful consultant advising businesses large and small.

I have spent 18 months enjoying the benefits of being part of an IIB network largely comprising people with a similar business pedigree and work ethic as myself.

The IIB is not likely to appeal to those who expect instant success in return for little application or ability and a relatively paltry investment which pays for excellent training and a superb supporting infrastructure.

If you have the requisite intelligence, initiative and business acumen you will, like me and thousands of others, enjoy and profit from an excellent consulting network that provides immense benefits to both its clients and to its committed asociates.

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#10 Consumer Comment

Some good, some bad - but generally worth the money

AUTHOR: David - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Thursday, February 26, 2009

I have to say that I can understand why Associates who fail to make a success of their practice feel aggrieved towards the IIB. I have a very good friend who borrowed all he could to join the IIB, failed to make it a success and has lost his house in the process of trying to rebuild his life. He heard of the IIB independently of me and while I was not convinced he was cut out for the life, it was his choice. I am disappointed that he has been so badly hurt and I wish the IIB had been more critical of those they let in or given more support to him when he was not making it. He and his wife are now trying to pay back the debts they built up and it is all very sad.

I have been an Associate for almost 17 years, and the network has been invaluable to me in that time, enabling me to bring in specialists and take a cut, more than covering the cost of joining. It has also brought me some good friends. But it doesn't suit everyone. I must also point out that I do not have, nor ever have had, any role in managing the IIB in any way, not even as a volunteer regional chairman, so I do not have an axe to grind on their behalf. I am just an ordinary guy who paid his dues and got on with building his independent practice. I do what I can to help other Associates, and for that was made a Fellow some years ago a title that does nothing much for me.

Would I change how it is run? Yes, undoubtedly. I would make it more difficult to get in, ensuring people had a good chance of success first and requiring them to show that the cost of entry was not a problem for them.

Do I understand why this is not done? Yes, again. Those who join are adults capable of doing their own due diligence and deciding what is best for their lives, therefore they are entitled to make that choice.

From the client perspective, I note that all the complaints on ripoff.com are from failed or unhappy Associates, none are from unhappy clients which must say something for the level of support the clients get.

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#9 Consumer Comment

The business of business consultant is not for everyone

AUTHOR: Max - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

What you have chosen to embark in, that is the career of business consultant, is not an easy one. But if you failed, you can't blame IIB. I can assure you that it is only your fault.

Take my example: I moved to Portland, Oregon, USA in 2006 and I'm not even a US citizen. I did not know a single person in this city. And now I can say that I've built a good reputation, all my clients have given me great testimonials, and I'm signing consultancy contracts at the first meeting with a new prospect, following the method I learned during the initial training.

I know that I'm not one of the most successful IIB Associate, I'm about average. In spite of this I recouped the initial investment in 6 months. And I have whatsoever no regrets: I'm actually very happy that I responded to IIB recruiting letter, back in 2007.

I understand that Mr. "Caught" is frustrated, having spent money with no results. But, let me repeat here, this career is not for everybody. This is why in the application documents, IIB asks you to fill up a self-assessment questionnaire called "Know Thyself", and another one "IIB and You". This is to avoid problems such as the one "Caught" encountered.
Dear Caught, You should have been honest with yourself and understand that the career of business consultant is not for you. There are hundreds of associates who can prove that.

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#8 UPDATE Employee

Caveat emptor

AUTHOR: Malcolm Caird - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Regrettably it would appear that Caught of Johannesburg did not do proper "due diligence" on the IIB, and is now blaming everyone except himself for making the wrong decision.

I joined the IIB in 2002. I am not an employee (no-one is, except for a few paid staff at HQ), but could not find a more appropriate category on this website

I decided before I joined what I wanted out of membership, both financially and operationally. In every year since then, I have exceeded expectations. My clients are also pleased that I am able to introduce other IIB associates in areas where my expertise is lacking

What the IIB gave me was access to a global database of individuals with diverse skills and expertise which complement my own as an accountant.

So to those who b***h and moan that the IIB is a rip off, it is more than likely that by being caught out the way you were, you were probably unsuited to being able to service your clients. I suggest you return to an employed position, and leave the rest of us who know what we are about free to help our clients

Malcolm Caird
West Sussex

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#7 UPDATE Employee

IIB is not what it says it is.

AUTHOR: Iibsuccessful - (United Kingdom)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I was very sorry to hear the comment from the disillusioned South African member of the IIB but I do understand his initial feelings. If I may I shall address this rebuttal as if to you direct. It is unfair to say that you were oversold the service as anybody marketing a product or service always promotes hard and as effectively as they can. I very much doubt that anybody used the words make you money as you have ever dreamt of.

However, I am sure that you were given every opportunity to decide for yourself whether you thought this invaluable service to Small and Medium Enterprises was for you. Each of us as members have our own views, our own strengths and weaknesses and our own ability or otherwise to work for ourselves and on our own.

I suspect that you found the two most difficult aspects so daunting that you decided to condemn the whole thing. The first is attending an appointment and making a success of the conversation with the prospective client and determining if the client had a genuine need or not. The second was converting a perceived need into a contract to provide the customer with a service for a fee. This is NOT easy if you have not been at the selling end of business.

However, customers do not buy needs they buy wants and I suspect that you also had great difficulty in determining whether or not they wanted what you had to offer. I am confident that in most cases they certainly needed it but did not want it. (I have explained this difference on several UK training courses and it is significant in completing business)

Having just returned from a holiday in your beautiful country I am sorry we could not have met but don't blame the system. Try to find out where you were going wrong.

If, as you say you have borrowings from the bank then do not give up this opportunity, try harder, work with other IIBers in your area and build up a small group of friends with complimentary skills.. Good luck.

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#6 Consumer Comment

The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

AUTHOR: Patrick - (South Africa)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I wish to register a rebuttal to the compliant submitted by Caught against the Institute for Independent Business(IIB). I, too, applied to and was accepted as a suitable candidate for accreditation by the IIB. I paid the required fees and did the training and was duly accredited as an Associate and am now in the process of building up my own business advisory practice. I went into this with my eyes open.

Firstly, the IIB offers a Minimum Invoicing Guarantee. This guarantee offers a return after twelve months of almost double what a candidate paid for the accreditation if he fails to acquire invoiced clients of a certain amount. The guarantee is subject to the associate fulfilling certain requirements which, although rather onerous, are far from been impossible to meet. The potential returns to an Associate who is prepared to work hard are substantial but will clearly not just fall into his lap.

Secondly, there is an old Latin phrase caveat emptor let the buyer beware. I am surprised that Caught was even accepted by the IIB as a potential Associate if he was so nave as to believe that riches were going to fall into his lap.

In my relationship with fellow Associates of the IIB and the IIB itself over the past 9 months I can only commend them and it for a very high standard of ethics, honesty and integrity.

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#5 Consumer Comment

The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

AUTHOR: Patrick - (South Africa)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I wish to register a rebuttal to the compliant submitted by Caught against the Institute for Independent Business(IIB). I, too, applied to and was accepted as a suitable candidate for accreditation by the IIB. I paid the required fees and did the training and was duly accredited as an Associate and am now in the process of building up my own business advisory practice. I went into this with my eyes open.

Firstly, the IIB offers a Minimum Invoicing Guarantee. This guarantee offers a return after twelve months of almost double what a candidate paid for the accreditation if he fails to acquire invoiced clients of a certain amount. The guarantee is subject to the associate fulfilling certain requirements which, although rather onerous, are far from been impossible to meet. The potential returns to an Associate who is prepared to work hard are substantial but will clearly not just fall into his lap.

Secondly, there is an old Latin phrase caveat emptor let the buyer beware. I am surprised that Caught was even accepted by the IIB as a potential Associate if he was so nave as to believe that riches were going to fall into his lap.

In my relationship with fellow Associates of the IIB and the IIB itself over the past 9 months I can only commend them and it for a very high standard of ethics, honesty and integrity.

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#4 Consumer Comment

The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

AUTHOR: Patrick - (South Africa)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I wish to register a rebuttal to the compliant submitted by Caught against the Institute for Independent Business(IIB). I, too, applied to and was accepted as a suitable candidate for accreditation by the IIB. I paid the required fees and did the training and was duly accredited as an Associate and am now in the process of building up my own business advisory practice. I went into this with my eyes open.

Firstly, the IIB offers a Minimum Invoicing Guarantee. This guarantee offers a return after twelve months of almost double what a candidate paid for the accreditation if he fails to acquire invoiced clients of a certain amount. The guarantee is subject to the associate fulfilling certain requirements which, although rather onerous, are far from been impossible to meet. The potential returns to an Associate who is prepared to work hard are substantial but will clearly not just fall into his lap.

Secondly, there is an old Latin phrase caveat emptor let the buyer beware. I am surprised that Caught was even accepted by the IIB as a potential Associate if he was so nave as to believe that riches were going to fall into his lap.

In my relationship with fellow Associates of the IIB and the IIB itself over the past 9 months I can only commend them and it for a very high standard of ethics, honesty and integrity.

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#3 Consumer Comment

The IIB is for intelligent, mature, experienced business people.

AUTHOR: Patrick - (South Africa)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I wish to register a rebuttal to the compliant submitted by Caught against the Institute for Independent Business(IIB). I, too, applied to and was accepted as a suitable candidate for accreditation by the IIB. I paid the required fees and did the training and was duly accredited as an Associate and am now in the process of building up my own business advisory practice. I went into this with my eyes open.

Firstly, the IIB offers a Minimum Invoicing Guarantee. This guarantee offers a return after twelve months of almost double what a candidate paid for the accreditation if he fails to acquire invoiced clients of a certain amount. The guarantee is subject to the associate fulfilling certain requirements which, although rather onerous, are far from been impossible to meet. The potential returns to an Associate who is prepared to work hard are substantial but will clearly not just fall into his lap.

Secondly, there is an old Latin phrase caveat emptor let the buyer beware. I am surprised that Caught was even accepted by the IIB as a potential Associate if he was so nave as to believe that riches were going to fall into his lap.

In my relationship with fellow Associates of the IIB and the IIB itself over the past 9 months I can only commend them and it for a very high standard of ethics, honesty and integrity.

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#2 UPDATE Employee

The Institute for Independent Business

AUTHOR: Tony O'reilly - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

This post and several others are the subject of this response. The general tenor is that the IIB is a way to 'con' people out of their money in becoming an Associate.

I joined in 2004. I did my due diligence and spoke to several Associates who told me their experiences. I went on the course after paying 10,000 and listened carefully to the lessons and partook actively in the role plays. I came away with 10 appointments with Managing directors and converted 3 into Business Support Programmes giving me a good monthly income immediately. Over time I got to know my colleagues, with different skills to me, and have worked profitably with them. Over 50% of my income is derived through IIB business and the networking is extremely powerful.

The IIB message is that for SME owners it is 'lonely at the top'. I have formed close friendships with the IIB clients and have great testimonials from them. Becoming an IIB Associate was the best business decision I have ever made.

Of course I have had to work hard but most people do. I just get a little tired of this sort of complaint because it seems that people have to blame someone else for their own shortcomings. If they confronted the real reasons for their failure they may have a better chance of remedying it.

I would welcome any independent investigation and would be pleased to give evidence.

Tony O'Reilly

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#1 Consumer Comment

NO ONE MADE YOU SIGN UP

AUTHOR: Laurie - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

You are blaming them for your stupid mistake.

NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU DO ANYTHING!

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