Academy of Business Strategy News and Gossip.

What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?

How does Academy of Business Strategy stack up against the competition?

I've been looking at a CPC course with ABS myself and am trying to get some background info on the Academy. Did you find out anything in relation to your earlier posting?

The Academy usually publicises lots of references online through each individual information guide and I would suggest that you should try to locate these. I graduated as a CFS with the Academy 2 years ago and was sponsored by my employer. It was a terrific programme and was much more practical than any academic programme I have ever done before. I have subsequently enrolled upon the corresponding DFS and am due to start in January...Hope this helps.

Ian.

Ian,

I am also considering enrolling in the ABS CPC program. I am interested in learning more about your experiences completing your CFS while employed full-time. Was your employer your sponsor during the program?
Did you have to schedule interactions with your other sponsored during normal business hours? How did your role change at your employer once you completed the CFS?

trying to find out about ABS COURSE AS CPC

I12XL in Brooklyn, New York said: Ian,

I am also considering enrolling in the ABS CPC program. I am interested in learning more about your experiences completing your CFS while employed full-time. Was your employer your sponsor during the program?
Did you have to schedule interactions with your other sponsored during normal business hours? How did your role change at your employer once you completed the CFS?

I suggest you read the references online that relate to the specific programme you are considering.

Anuj Chaturvedi in United Kingdom said: trying to find out about ABS COURSE AS CPC

I graduated as a CPC some 8 years ago and would not have successfully established my practice without it. It takes the "pain" out of establishing yourself as an independent and helps you to establish credibility through the substance of your service...and no need to sell yourself...which I am awful at anyway... Am now doing DPC...Good luck.

Ian Law in New York, New York said: I suggest you read the references online that relate to the specific programme you are considering.

Ian,

Thanks for your response. I have reviewed the online references and testimonials. I was attempting to get some deeper insights into the day-to-day actitivies of participants within the program, expecially, how students managed their full-time responsibilities while developing their practice with 10 companies.

My concern is the ability to meet with the companies I am working with while working full-time, given the number of meetings I currently already have on my job. Were your sponsors flexible with the hours you spent with them, for example having meeting in the early evening or weekends?

Thanks

AJ CPC in London, United Kingdom said: I graduated as a CPC some 8 years ago and would not have successfully established my practice without it. It takes the "pain" out of establishing yourself as an independent and helps you to establish credibility through the substance of your service...and no need to sell yourself...which I am awful at anyway... Am now doing DPC...Good luck.

AJ,

Thanks for your response. Are you now working full-time as an independent consultant? What made you decide to go for the DPC?

Thanks

Dear AJ,

Thanks for the reply and could you suggest me about the Associate and how soon a candidate gets the assignment after enroling in CPC.

Regards

AC

Anuj

From memory I received my first Associate assignment within the first month of registration...but you should look at the online references...there are plenty of them.

Regards

AJ

I12XL in Brooklyn, New York said: AJ,

Thanks for your response. Are you now working full-time as an independent consultant? What made you decide to go for the DPC?

Thanks

CPC focuses on developing your service and client base, DPC focuses on managing and maintaining it. It is a natural progression for most if not all CPCs.

Thanks AJ,

With your experience would you suggest some body to concentrate on CPC and associate leaving the current job.

regards
AC

With respect I am not really qualified to offer you personal career advice Anuj. It is not my job to do so either. I suggest that you contact the Academy directly with any questions that you may have about the programme.

I wonder if the academy of business strategy is a real company or just a fake one, as there is nothing really clear... I mean there is nothing you can actually see or interact with. This really disturbs me. THE CONCEPT IS REALLY INTERESTING, bUT I still find hard to believe what they say.

This is a pretty ignorant comment to make Andy if you don't mind me saying so and appears to be little more than an unqualified assumption on your part.

I graduated as a CPC with the Academy 8 years ago and wouldn't have established my consultancy without them. I suggest that you review their information properly first and then you might be able to come to a more qualified and professional conclusion.

Savvy in London, United Kingdom said: I've been looking at a CPC course with ABS myself and am trying to get some background info on the Academy. Did you find out anything in relation to your earlier posting?

Hi Savvy,

I recently started my CPC course, this January and it is pretty hard going. There is so much to do, to think about and you really really have to ive it the time and dedication it requires. What have you decided?

Anuj Chaturvedi in United Kingdom said: Thanks AJ,

With your experience would you suggest some body to concentrate on CPC and associate leaving the current job.

regards
AC

Hi,

I asked the same question of the Academy and their advice to me was to stay in my employment if I was happy to do so and there was no real need to change. However, I was told that assignments that an Associate recieves actually come from those who have already passed their CPC course and have their consultancy in practice, which would be pretty interesting to see/know.

Savvy in London, United Kingdom said: I've been looking at a CPC course with ABS myself and am trying to get some background info on the Academy. Did you find out anything in relation to your earlier posting?

Hi Savvy,

I am starting my CPC programme from feb for that I have received the entire set by the end of feb.Effectively I can say by march I am starting my cpc programme and still awating reply from ABS regarding Associate registration.

Trust this helps.

Anuj

Hello
Have any of you got a scholarship?
Thanks. MD

M_D in Middlesbrought, United Kingdom said: Hello
Have any of you got a scholarship?
Thanks. MD

Yes, I did, have you had one?

Hi MD,

i also got scholarship what about you?

NO

Ian Law in New York, New York said: The Academy usually publicises lots of references online through each individual information guide and I would suggest that you should try to locate these. I graduated as a CFS with the Academy 2 years ago and was sponsored by my employer. It was a terrific programme and was much more practical than any academic programme I have ever done before. I have subsequently enrolled upon the corresponding DFS and am due to start in January...Hope this helps.

Ian.

Hi Ian,

Can I ask what it was about the programme you completed that you feel was extremely helpful? Also are there any pitfalls you would adivse us newbies to avoid or be aware of in your experience?

Regards

Hello people,

I am glad that I found this forum discussing and sharing experiences on the CPC programme. I would appreciate if someone (who is already enrolled/graduated) can enlighten me on the exposure and credibility of these courses. I read the entire site thoroughly with the references of students and clients; however, on the internet I could not trace any feedback, comments or any company mentioning their services. I checked on LinkedIN and other professional communities and I did not find a single name. I only saw references of the academy through job sites.

Hope if someone can share some more experiences on the academy, programme and real client services outside the 'academy' site.

Again I thank you for sharing your comments

Anthony

It doesn't really surprise me Anthony. Most CPC and DPC consultants I have worked with do not tend to be the networking types! I don't think they spend too much if any time on internet forums. I do not know of many who do anyway. I am not really sure that it would be any different if you typed in Accenture or Bain and Co or even Microsoft into a search engine. Most business-related internet forum users tend to be out of work...

I graduated as a CPC around 8 years ago and am now studying DPC. For me personally it has been the most rewarding experience and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Hope this helps.

andy crag in Ottawa, Ontario said: I wonder if the academy of business strategy is a real company or just a fake one, as there is nothing really clear... I mean there is nothing you can actually see or interact with. This really disturbs me. THE CONCEPT IS REALLY INTERESTING, bUT I still find hard to believe what they say.

I was recently accepted to the CPC program, and I had the same concern about the validity of the program. I asked several times for permission to contact someone that had participated in the program, or to speak to someone at my company (Accenture) that is involved as either a participant or client (the ABS lists Accenture as a client).

My request for a reference check was repeatedly denied. ASB repeatly stated their policy that they need to respect their students and clients time by not bombarding them with requests from candidates. I understand that ASB can not grant every request from a potential candidate, however I did not think it was unreasonable to grant the request to someone that was accepted to the program and received the scholarship. Expecially when the request was to talk to someone at my current employer.

As a result, I decided not to enroll in the program.

That being said, I do think ASB is a viable program, and I do see the benefit of the enrollment. My concern was that I would not have the opportunity to network with other participants, and all of my interactions would be online (vs. face-to-face).

M_D in Middlesbrought, United Kingdom said: Hello
Have any of you got a scholarship?
Thanks. MD

I was offered the scholarship, but decided not to enroll in the program because ASB denied my request to speak to a student or client (see my previous post for additional details).

AJ CPC in London, United Kingdom said: It doesn't really surprise me Anthony. Most CPC and DPC consultants I have worked with do not tend to be the networking types! I don't think they spend too much if any time on internet forums. I do not know of many who do anyway. I am not really sure that it would be any different if you typed in Accenture or Bain and Co or even Microsoft into a search engine. Most business-related internet forum users tend to be out of work...

I graduated as a CPC around 8 years ago and am now studying DPC. For me personally it has been the most rewarding experience and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Hope this helps.

AJ,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to these inquiries. It is very helpful to hear from people that have actually completed the program. I hope ABS changes their policy, and at least allows candidates that are accepted into the program to talk directly with current or previous CPC students. I would consider enrolling if I was provided this networking opportunity. As it stands, since I did not accept my enrollment and scholarship, I now have to wait 2 years before I can apply again.

I completely understand your point of view, but there is another side to this. I can remember when the Academy did have an open reference policy. I personally used to be answering between 20-30 emails or telephone calls every week. I know in some cases with my clients it was even worse. This may not sound like much but it becomes frustrating after a while, particularly when you are busy. Some candidates even wanted to meet up for lunch and there were some unscrupulous ones just using the process for networking opportunities. In fact it was as a direct result of student and client requests that this policy was implemented something like 8 years ago. There are still hundreds of testimonials published online and this should really be sufficient, but I accept that there will always be the paranoid few where it will not. The Academy cannot enrol any more than 30 students annually on each programme anyway so I don't think the policy adversely effects their business in any way. I personally welcomed this policy when it was introduced but I think that the Academy will always be between a rock and a hard place on this one.

I was accepted in the programme and offered as well scholarship. Despite the fact the ABS policy doesn't allow the direct contact with former students or clients ( I also asked for it), I understand this policy and therefore I decided to go on with the programme. It is nothing to loose and in any case I see this as an excellent learning opportunity. I found the programme interesting, and comparing with other learning organizations, structurally it is very different and I liked the way the programme was designed. I have several colleagues which graduated the MBA courses at the Open University and they complained about the abstract theory, with not too much practical aspects. At the and they got a diploma to be framed...Also no risk no gain, isn’t it ?

Anuj Chaturvedi in United Kingdom said: Hi Savvy,

I am starting my CPC programme from feb for that I have received the entire set by the end of feb.Effectively I can say by march I am starting my cpc programme and still awating reply from ABS regarding Associate registration.

Trust this helps.

Anuj

Hi Anuj, Did you receive the info regarding your Associate registration ? I was also offered a position in the CPC programme and a scholarship award. What about the payment, did you pay, integrally, the course fee before starting the programme ? Thank you in advance. ACM

ACM,

My course starting date was feb 2008 and I received my courier at the end of the feb and so is the Associate registration.

I am still waiting for the response for any update on associate inquiry.

I made my payment by Dec 2008 for the Feb starting course.

Good Luck

anuj

Hi AJ,

It has been wonderful to see you responding and clarifying the doubts.

I am thinking as I am also in London how can we get in touch with each other.

Its just a thought came to mind while going through the emails.

Thanks in advance

anuj

AMC,

Payment date is Dec 2007 not Dec 2008.

My sincere apologies for error in typing.

anuj

Hi Anuj,
I have also recently enrolled with the Academy of Business Strategy and it's really good to know that I'm not alone with these doubts.

I also searched extensively for people that had done the course however I couldn't find any.
It's good to know that I have some company

AJ CPC in London, United Kingdom said: I graduated as a CPC some 8 years ago and would not have successfully established my practice without it. It takes the "pain" out of establishing yourself as an independent and helps you to establish credibility through the substance of your service...and no need to sell yourself...which I am awful at anyway... Am now doing DPC...Good luck.

Hi AJ,

After looking at your comments, the ACADEMY looks less daunting.

There's been some really nasty comments on other forums regarding ABS's reward schemes etc and there is scepticism regarding salaries that are too good to be true. Does anyone know otherwise?

Ignorance is a terrible thing Kalai. Unfurtunately you will always find much more disinformation on internet forums than information and in all cases from people who are anonymous and have never had anything to do with the Academy. I graduated 8 years ago as a CPC and am now doing DPC and the best advice that I would offer is that if you are looking for re-assurance or support you will find it in abundance from the tutors. I did. You certainly won't find it on internet forums!

Dear AJ,

Thank you for your reassurance. On a personal note, the truth is that I was really unsure about the validity of the programme. Things had happened in such a rush and although I was sceptical about not meeting past students and clients, I plunged ahead. After receiving the documentation, it does seem somewhat daunting and you often question yourself if you are on the right track or made a big mistake.

The Academy does stress the tutorial support, but, for someone who has not relied on online tutorial support in the past, one questions it yet again.

Thank you for the reassurance though, in terms of the support available and your confirmation that this programme is for real.

Anuj Chaturvedi in United Kingdom said: AMC,

Payment date is Dec 2007 not Dec 2008.

My sincere apologies for error in typing.

anuj

Is Ok, Anuj, I already understood it was a typing error. Regarding the course materials, what is your opinion about them ? And if I may ask, how does the course go, is based on on assignments, projects ?

Kalai Naidoo in London, United Kingdom said: Dear AJ,

Thank you for your reassurance. On a personal note, the truth is that I was really unsure about the validity of the programme. Things had happened in such a rush and although I was sceptical about not meeting past students and clients, I plunged ahead. After receiving the documentation, it does seem somewhat daunting and you often question yourself if you are on the right track or made a big mistake.

The Academy does stress the tutorial support, but, for someone who has not relied on online tutorial support in the past, one questions it yet again.

Thank you for the reassurance though, in terms of the support available and your confirmation that this programme is for real.

Hi Kalai,

I would very much appreciate your kindness to offer more info about why you found the documentation, received from ABS somehow daunting. I fully agree with you on the matter of choice, while we cannot be 100% sure, still it is very wise to consult other people opinions and ultimately to make our own judgment and decisions.

Hi ACM,

This is a bit of a long story

My first obvious gripe was that I was all alone and had no idea what to do..LOL... but then again I hadn't read or made any sense as yet of what the entire course was about. Yes, I sort of understood the fundamentals but was unsure what exactly to do.

Doing an MBA was very different for me in terms of the support available and the fact that you have your team and your mentors around you who can brainstorm with etc. The sharing of ideas both general and specific is something that I miss with the programme.

My first contact with tutorial support was another issue. They are really structured and I suppose they expect the same from their students or as I look at it now as structuring you to develop.

One of the things that really disturbed me though was that the programme was advertised as completing the CPC within 2 years. What it didn't go into was that your short term courses OR your long term courses take a period of two years to complete.

I'm really new in this field and the reason why I initially considered the academy was for it's practical integration of academic theory cos paper MBA's is not what the real world is about.

Thank you Kalai.

I appreciate your kindness to share with me your thoughts about the course. I did choose this programme, as you did, due to the practical orientation.
What I don’t understand is the ‘silence’ around The ABS; there is a site Top.consultat.com where there are lot of debates/discussions about different consultancy firms, but it is like a taboo, no question is answered about the Academy or associate…

I agree as well with you about MBA, for example at Open University. I have a friend and several colleagues deeply disappointed by the courses there. They got very expensive papers as diplomas and no more than that.

Anyhow I wish you good luck with your studies and, if you don't mind, we may keep in touch; sharing ideas and useful thoughts is always beneficial.

Hi All,

I was browsing through the web and came across a legal notice (see below), issued by Top-Consultants, in which this site is getting a positive reputation amongst Academics and Business professionals. The lack of visibility and exposure from 'confidential' testimonials outside ABS's official websites raise allot of questions and doubts.

I appreciate when I hear about AJ CPC'S experiences with the academy. However I still believe that the academy is still lacking credibility and I am also concerned about the unique services offered to clients... how are they adding value and differentiating themselves after 10 years in operation, this type of business and service can be easily copied by other academies or organisations.

I apologies for my doubtful comments...sometimes I wonder if it is too good to be true and I am struggling to find success stories or referrals to ABS (except for 'strategy consulting Ltd' website)

Thanks

Anthony

I just copied one thread from top-consultant.com:

Legal Notice by Tony Restell (Top-Consultant.com) 3/10/2006
On the advice of our lawyers, we are removing all postings relating to the Academy of Business Strategy until further notice
Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com

A Smith in Msida, Malta said: Hi All,

I was browsing through the web and came across a legal notice (see below), issued by Top-Consultants, in which this site is getting a positive reputation amongst Academics and Business professionals. The lack of visibility and exposure from 'confidential' testimonials outside ABS's official websites raise allot of questions and doubts.

I appreciate when I hear about AJ CPC'S experiences with the academy. However I still believe that the academy is still lacking credibility and I am also concerned about the unique services offered to clients... how are they adding value and differentiating themselves after 10 years in operation, this type of business and service can be easily copied by other academies or organisations.

I apologies for my doubtful comments...sometimes I wonder if it is too good to be true and I am struggling to find success stories or referrals to ABS (except for 'strategy consulting Ltd' website)

Thanks

Anthony

I just copied one thread from top-consultant.com:

Legal Notice by Tony Restell (Top-Consultant.com) 3/10/2006
On the advice of our lawyers, we are removing all postings relating to the Academy of Business Strategy until further notice
Tony Restell, Top-Consultant.com

That sounds pretty serious and a real shame if there is anything untoward going on, I mean these courses aren't cheap. I started my CPC course this January and like most of us here, had the same concerns. Those that have already graduated sound like they operated under a different environment, abit more freedom to communicate and network and that's what it appears we are all lacking and somewhat stressing over, having said that - the "unknown" is probably part of the attaction of making your USP really unique, but a little networking group wouldn't hurt and I take the point about being bombarded with queries but if it were me I would respond where i could and apologies if I couldn't.

ACM,

At this stage it is too early to say anything because there are lot of reading material.

Regards

Anuj

AJ CPC in London, United Kingdom said: This is a pretty ignorant comment to make Andy if you don't mind me saying so and appears to be little more than an unqualified assumption on your part.

I graduated as a CPC with the Academy 8 years ago and wouldn't have established my consultancy without them. I suggest that you review their information properly first and then you might be able to come to a more qualified and professional conclusion.

With all due respect AJC I would say that ignorance is due to the lack of info from outside the ABS. It seems like Iam not the only one having doubts on this company.
See I workas a private banker in Ottawa. Graduated a MBA last year. It's the firt time of my life that I see a company that keeps everything taboo. May I say it's not a way to achieve business...Well this is not what I've always learned...
Speaking of big companies such as Accenture or KPMG etc... You will at least get some press releases about these companies related to their activities. But with the ABS it's a total taboo... And once again Iam not the only one having this concern. You have to understand that it's a lot of money involved for some people...

andy crag in Ottawa, Ontario said: With all due respect AJC I would say that ignorance is due to the lack of info from outside the ABS. It seems like Iam not the only one having doubts on this company.
See I workas a private banker in Ottawa. Graduated a MBA last year. It's the firt time of my life that I see a company that keeps everything taboo. May I say it's not a way to achieve business...Well this is not what I've always learned...
Speaking of big companies such as Accenture or KPMG etc... You will at least get some press releases about these companies related to their activities. But with the ABS it's a total taboo... And once again Iam not the only one having this concern. You have to understand that it's a lot of money involved for some people...

You see Andy, I hear where you are coming and if it helps, in my interview process and the discussions I had with the principal of ABS, lead me to believe that they are not particulalry interested in becoming a large nor famous business school for that matter. Not interested in mainstream business development of that size one would think. They (the principal and 4 others) have their own consulting practice UK/USA and the ABS happens to be an particular interest to one of the partners who feels he can share his experience through a training school, hence ABS. Why all the hush hush, who knows, it gets some people intrigued and I think after seeing the course