IIB, Institute For Independent Business Don't Waste Your Time & the $22K+ Fee! Parsippany New Jersey

IIB is supposed to teach you a selling system to help you get engagements.  can someone describe  in detail the selling process they teach you and more importantly is it effective. i have concerns if they actually teach you a system.

D from Maryland

I have been an accredited member of the Institute since the fall of 2008 and I beg to differ with the author of this testimony. Although it is true that Business Consulting is not for everyone, especially those who may lack drive and determination, there are many of us who have experienced a very rewarding relationship with the IIB and we are very proud of that. Make no mistake about it, to be successful as a business consultant one must be hungry and knowledgeable but more importantly, you must be trusted by your clients. By using the IIB resources available to you along with a strong personal conviction to succeed, business owners welcome our expertise, you just have to go out and get it!

The IIB has a significant number of very talented individuals who have helped me help my clients achieve the pinnacle of their dreams. But it also must be understood that these successes were not handed to us, We earned them!

The moral to all of this is this; there are those who must be guided and than there are those of us who welcome the opportunity to guide. Just remember, business consulting is not for everyone!

Jon Blake
Dallas Texas

As a committed but independent IIB Associate in my second year of service, I am sorry to see that S. from New York is not happy. It is true that the IIB is not for everyone, and it probably would have been better if the IIB had selected S. NY OUT. But, if you think you are the right person for this work, don't listen to S. NY - call me. Ripoff is hereby authorized to give you my name and phone number if they decide to delete it from the bottom of this report.

To help you decide, let me correct some unfortunate memory lapses in Mr. S.'s message. For example, I do not ever remember anyone with the IIB telling me that anything is "easily within reach", as Mr. S. puts it. On the contrary, my teachers kept emphasizing how hard I had to work and to avoid mistakes to succeed. All of my teachers are still affiliated with the IIB, by the way; in fact, I have had occasion to be in touch with all of them over the last year and a half for one reason or another. Forgive me for being a little skeptical about S. NY's claim that his instructors have all gone on to other things.

Of even more significance is Mr. S.'s failure to stress the importance of an Associate's membership in the IIB network, which is the most formidable repository of management experise in the world. Having run companies of varying sizes for more than 40 years, I am no slouch when it comes to fixing management problems; but I have never, in my prior experience as a consultant, had the luxury of walking into a CEO's office with the full and firm conviction that my IIB team and I can take care of anything that might possibly come up in my conversation with him or her. Folks, that affiliation is PRICELESS! And you can't just pay $350 a year to participate - you have to be an Accredited Associate, or they won't waste their time talking to you. And should not.

And did Mr. S. forget the continuing education that the IIB encourages and, in fact, subsidizes? I will never forget my first refresher meeting with an IIB group in Houston, where we were reminded of the things we had learned, but also participated in seminars to discuss (and debate, vigorously!) specific client problems. I felt that I had joined a group of bright and dedicated professionals.

OK, I collected only $50,000 in fees during my first year - not as much as I had hoped. But note several things about that: First, I made some mistakes in dealing with clients which caused my billings to be substantially less than they should have been. Second, I started a consulting firm entirely on my own some years ago; I would have been thrilled with first year billings of $50,000! Third, I will not make those mistakes again, of course, so I fully expect to reach comfortable six figures this year, and, more importantly, for as long as I want to work.

No, I do not want to join a consulting firm instead, as Mr. S recommends. That is for reasonably bright young men without too much experience, who do not mind being told what to do and how to do it, having someone else siphon off most of the income they generate, having their shortcomings discussed by their boss, and retiring at 65.

Of course, the IIB is not being run as it would be if I were doing it. For example, I would rely less on self selection in the accreditation process, and more on stricter standards; I would also have a more demanding schedule of continuing education. Maybe, as I gain stature and experience with the IIB, I can exert some influence in that direction. In the meantime, though, for the right person, the IIB affiliation is an almost ideal way of life.

So, don't pay attention to S. NY - call one of us!

Jurgen Ringer, AInstIB, MSIA
Frisco, TX 214-469-2352
jurgenringer@iib.ws

There has been a spate of these negative comments abut the IIB as if one has spawned the rest. The complainers are afraid to identify themselves which is rather cowardly and makes their comments most suspect as if one person has put his mates up to creating false trouble.
1. My name is David Goyder and I am a Fellow of the IIB.
2. I have been associated for some ten years.
3. I have enjoyed a most satisfactory stipend from my IIB activity.
4. The IIB is a supportive network that promotes individual success and through the 'band of brothers' principle allows us to help and support each other.
5. The IIB stresses the principle that individuals have control over their destiny (the Great American Philosophy) and can do anything they set their mind upon. Individuals are not held back by anything but their unwillingness to work hard and be personally responsible and rewarded for their efforts.
6. The IIB will not compensate for laziness, defeatism, blame the other person sort of behaviour. It is not an employer, to carry irresponsible incompetent morons who probably cannot hold down a job anyway. It is not for the get rich quick crowd, the conmen, fraudsters and the one who want a quick and easy way to a fortune, usualy someone eles's!
7. The IIB is for hardworking, thinking individuals who want to control theer destiny, who are competent to do so and who do not give a d**n about the whiners!!
AND have you noticed, it is only the jealous failures who whine? Shame on them!!
Cheers, a Happy associate of the IIB

This complaint says it all in the postscript:

"psThe consultants who conducted my training seminar have all since quit and started their own IIB-type organization."

The IIB has had its ups and downs over the years, but in recent years has developed into a superbly effective and efficient globally networked association of independent consultants , focussed primarily on SMEs. There is a Business Support Programme in which all associates are trained and which is there for all consultants who wish to use it. Aside from a strictly enforced Code of Ethics, associates and fellows are all free to run their own businesses in their own way, at their own pace, making as much or as little use of the global network and central resources (such as the intranet) as they need or choose to.

Inevitably, other IIB associates have attempted to replicate the IIB model. It's funny that it's always those who say that the IIB "doesn't work" or is a "ripoff". I'm not aware of a single "breakaway" that has succeeded...

Like any business model, the IIB doesn't work for some people. For most, it does - often in ways they fail to appreciate - and represent superb value as an investment.

I won't go on...I have a business to run.

Mike Lee

There are 10 sorts of people in this world.

Those that get off their wotzit and those that don't.

If you don't understand this (10 = 2) you definitely do not understand binary. But read on, I am making a serious point .....

This is the whole raison d'etre of the IIB. It does not matter what YOU understand. You can make a very good living by agreeing with a client what he/she needs and then using the IIB network to supply sub-contracted expertise for those things that YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, yet another Associate does, very well.

And then others pull you in because they are not experts in your fields. How simple does it need to be? So, from 2 Associates working together and using the network, suddenly 2 = 10.

All you have to do to make a success of your own consulting practice is to follow the method taught. I have been doing it for 10010 years! Just GET OUT THERE. talk to business owners and use the network to solve their problems or exploit their unfulfilled opportunities.

How many other $50k-$150k per annum ('til the day you retire) businesses can you start from scratch for only 22k?

Richard Cain

http://www.math.grin.edu/~rebelsky/Courses/152/97F/Readings/student-binary

There are 10 sorts of people in this world.

Those that get off their wotzit and those that don't.

If you don't understand this (10 = 2) you definitely do not understand binary. But read on, I am making a serious point .....

This is the whole raison d'etre of the IIB. It does not matter what YOU understand. You can make a very good living by agreeing with a client what he/she needs and then using the IIB network to supply sub-contracted expertise for those things that YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, yet another Associate does, very well.

And then others pull you in because they are not experts in your fields. How simple does it need to be? So, from 2 Associates working together and using the network, suddenly 2 = 10.

All you have to do to make a success of your own consulting practice is to follow the method taught. I have been doing it for 10010 years! Just GET OUT THERE. talk to business owners and use the network to solve their problems or exploit their unfulfilled opportunities.

How many other $50k-$150k per annum ('til the day you retire) businesses can you start from scratch for only 22k?

Richard Cain

http://www.math.grin.edu/~rebelsky/Courses/152/97F/Readings/student-binary

There are 10 sorts of people in this world.

Those that get off their wotzit and those that don't.

If you don't understand this (10 = 2) you definitely do not understand binary. But read on, I am making a serious point .....

This is the whole raison d'etre of the IIB. It does not matter what YOU understand. You can make a very good living by agreeing with a client what he/she needs and then using the IIB network to supply sub-contracted expertise for those things that YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, yet another Associate does, very well.

And then others pull you in because they are not experts in your fields. How simple does it need to be? So, from 2 Associates working together and using the network, suddenly 2 = 10.

All you have to do to make a success of your own consulting practice is to follow the method taught. I have been doing it for 10010 years! Just GET OUT THERE. talk to business owners and use the network to solve their problems or exploit their unfulfilled opportunities.

How many other $50k-$150k per annum ('til the day you retire) businesses can you start from scratch for only 22k?

Richard Cain

http://www.math.grin.edu/~rebelsky/Courses/152/97F/Readings/student-binary

I consider my investment in becoming an accredited associate of the IIB to have been returned many times over.

Since establishing my consulting business in 2004 I have seen the IIB network grow significantly & perform exactly as quoted.

However it seems to me that some people expect to just sit back and wait for it all to happen!

That is not so, you actually have to work hard at establishing yourself and the first 90 days are really tough as you have to adapt to using systems and methodologies that are foreign at first. (or at least they were to me)

You also have to venture into a different marketplace from the corporate world where most associates have come from.

This requires the development of new thinking and adopting of different processes from that we may have experienced in the past.

Some individuals are not capable of making the necessary mind set changes in order to succeed.

The other thing that is a key to IIB success is the networking opportunities and the ability to cross pollinate internationally.

As an accredited Associate of the IIB, I felt compelled to answer this post.
I don't usually post comments, but feel it is appropriate in this instance.
I have been an Associate of the IIB for almost seven years.
In that time, I have found the IIB to deliver what they promised. I have also built a very profitable consultancy through their resources.
I have met a large number of companies through them; many of whom have become clients.
I am writing this from Las Vegas where I am attending a trade show with my best client. The IIB introduced me to him within a week after I joined, seven years ago.
I have also found their network to be very productive.
In summation, it bothers me when people post negative comments about an entity that I have built my business life around.
I and many others I know are living proof that the IIB is a credible organization with a tremendous amount of value.

I have been an Associate of the IIB for over 3 years and have found the affiliation to be nothing but positive for me and my clients. The IIB does not promise to make its associates successful in their consulting/advisory practices but it does provide marketing advice and proven methods as to how to obtain meetings with small business owners in need of assistance in their endeavors. Once the IIB Associate is in front of the business owner, obtaining an engagement and then successfully fulfilling the client's needs rests solely on the abilities of the Associate. During my tenure with the IIB, I have seen several individuals drop out or fail. Without exception, my assessment is that these people either lacked interpersonal communication skills, were not nearly as knowledgeable in their "areas of expertise" as they projected to be, or were incapable in determining what the true problem areas were withing the company. The vast array of IIB Associates possess an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise in virtually every area of business and, if asked, can provide solutions to any entrepreneur's pain. If anyone who lacks social skills and a less than sterling business background thinks that the IIB (regardless of the fees involved) can make them a successful consultant, they are simply fooling themselves. By the way, in my relatively short tenure as an IIB Associate, I have recooped my initial investment many times over and my future looks bright despite of the weakened economy.

I have signed up with IIB and have found that everything has met my expectations. I do not have anything negative to report and all the facts have been made clear to me before I committed my money. I have every confidence from my experience so far and networking with other Associates that I have made a good decision. I would recommend this process to others who are prepared to make the recommended efforts and follow the guidelines offered.

I became an accredited associate of the IIB in August 2006. I moved to a new area of the US, and restarted my business using the IIB methodology. If you buy into a program, my advice is to follow the program. I did, and am now well established in a new area. My revenue has grown each of the past three years. I have found the training (and the ongoing on-line training sessions) to be invaluable as a checkpoint for my business. I was able to generate 3 clients from my initial 10 appointments.

The access to other consultants has helped me to acquire new clients, to provide services to clients that I could not provide on my own provide and to act as a sounding board for issues in behalf of my clients.

I would suggest that if you want a job that pays benefits and is secure, that you do that. If you want to run your own business, I have found the IIB model to work very well for me and many of the others that I attended training with, almost all of whom are still actively running their own successful consultancies.

I joined the IIB as an Associate in 2005 and have never regretted joining. The IIB training and the connections I made during my first weeks helped me to get my new consulting business off the ground. I continue to be very active in one of the regional groups of the IIB and have made very valuable business connections through it. We meet monthly and have a good (external or internal) speaker at each meeting who educates us about current business issues. I have worked with several Associates on projects and found that most of them provide services on a very high level. The large network of IIB Associates has given my business a tremendous competitive advantage over other small consulting firms. I frequently use the internal mass email system to reach all other Associates in order to generate business or get input on questions my clients may have had. About 95% of those emails receive a very satisfactory response. My clients have often been impressed on how fast I can get answers to their, sometimes unusual, questions.
Do I know Associates who joined the IIB and regretted it? Yes of course, just like I have former ex colleagues from my corporate days that left their employer and very much regret ever joining that firm. The IIB is a large organization and joining it will of course not turn out to be the right decision for everyone but it turned out be the right decision for me and many Associates that I know, work with and hold in high regards.

I am an IIB Accredited Associate for just short of two years, and feel I must respond to this ripoff report. The IIB has created an excellent model of business practice that offers a way for a person to help owners of small- to medium-sized businesses change their operations for the better. The IIB does this by turning specialist consultants into generalist business advisors, ready to provide direction and assistance to help the business owner solve all kinds of intractable problems or achieve difficult goals. The one thing the IIB does not do is to train you to be a better consultant in your specific field of expertise. In fact, the IIB model is designed to minimize your specific skills as they relate to your own client, and instead focus on acting as the coordinator of the service providers who will be needed on specific projects. As self-employed business owners ourselves, the last thing we are looking for is to give up our freedom for the shackles of employment again, for all of its "salary and benefits" attraction. If someone wants to be an employee, the IIB is not for that person. But if you want to gain a totally new way to look at the service you can provide to business owners in a peer-to-peer relationship over a long period, and are willing to work hard at networking and prospecting, then the IIB may well be the best investment you will ever make. It's up to the individual to make the model work, and the high paid renewal rate for Accredited Associates each year reflects that it does work for the majority of those who received the training.