Originally developed by Edi Osborne* at Mentor Plus and taught live to thousands of accountants in North America, the program was designed to give accountants the tools they needed to deliver the kind of repeatable, value-added services their clients crave.
This training, now available online and licensed for use by Geni Whitehouse at The Impactful Advisor, takes accountants from their traditional service offerings at Level 1 to continuous improvement at Level 5, enabling accountants to move their clients from hindsight to foresight.
The online training includes everything you need to sit down and begin working with your clients immediately. Course graduates have changed their practice and seen increased revenues by using just one of the more than 100 tools.
“I look forward to learning more from you in 2024. You’ve made a huge impact on my firm and on my clients this year, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.” - Jonathan Godwin, CPA & Level 5 Graduate
How does the online training work?
The more than 100 tools are divided into levels with introductory conceptual videos in each main section plus tutorials, downloadable documents, spreadsheets, and even presentations which are licensed for use by you. The training can be taken at your own pace with access to the videos available for as long as your subscription is current. These tools are designed to help you gain a new mindset, provide you with a new skillset, and leverage new tools in helping your clients achieve their business goals. At the completion of the training, you are eligible to take the Level 5 Certification Exam to gain certification. (This can be extended to the AIA (Accredited Impactful Advisor) certification for those who are looking to extend the training beyond the course.
Getting Started
Level 1 - Technical Foundation
Level 1 is where every accounting firm lives. It’s the technical foundation that makes up the profession's comfort zone. It’s something accountants are really good at, so naturally, they gravitate towards it.
At the same time, it’s difficult to differentiate services at this level; being good at Level 1 is an assumed competency. Clients expect (and rightly so) that you excel at the preparation and delivery of financial statements, taxes, and audits. However, with proper training in our proven Level 5 methodology, you can add tremendous value even at this level.
Level 2 - Financial Fluency (What if)
Level 2 is about hindsight (understanding what has already happened) AND insight (understanding the implications of those outcomes going forward).
We start with financial fluency: helping clients better understand their businesses from a financial perspective. We then
take that fluency skill and do some “what if” calculations around the most critical ratios in a client's business. With the right mindset, tool set, and skill set, gained from online training in our complete Level 5 Advisor methodology, you can help your clients create the business of their dreams.
Level 3 (3A and 3B) - Discovery
At Level 3 we work with clients from a strategic perspective to understand their vision, and ensure they have a clear plan for executing that vision. Borrowing from Stephen Covey, “beginning with the end in mind” (knowing where your clients want to go in the future), helps you tailor information to support strategically focused decision-making. It’s the difference between managing the business day-to-day and managing toward a desired outcome.
In Level 3, the focus shifts from analyzing the past to planning for the future. This level is divided into two sections: Level 3A is about uncovering opportunities in your client's business while Level 3B is about planning and facilitation.
By investing in Level 5 training (an investment you can recoup with a single client engagement), you will be setting yourself apart from every other accountant in your market.
Case Study
Level 4 - Linking Activities to Outcomes
Level 4 looks at the plans developed at Level 3 and translates the big picture goals into measurable activities called KPIs (key performance indicators). We establish a performance measurement system to monitor the KPIs. Those KPIs are designed to support management decisions.
Equally valuable, from a client perspective we are able to provide the team with strategically relevant feedback about how they are performing. We implement the feedback loop through the use of custom dashboards. At this stage, with the tools and support available from Level 5 training, you will be creating an actionable plan that everyone in your client's company can follow.
Level 5 - Continuous Improvement
Level 5 is about the ongoing review of measures and outcomes to determine if clients are on track to achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.
As market conditions change or your client's goals and strategies get adjusted, you'll end up helping clients develop new measures or realign the ones they already have in place to provide the decision support needed to run the company more effectively. Thanks to your Level 5 Certified Advisor training, you will at last be able to call yourself a true Trusted Advisor.
Graduation / Certification
* Edi Osborne describes her approach to advisory services (and the basis of the Level 5 Advisory Methodology) in her business fable, “Firm Forward: A Journey From the Land of Compliance to the World of Reliance ” which is available on Amazon.
Introduction by Edi
Level 5 Decision Support
Read and Review the License Agreement
Getting to know you survey
How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek
The Big Why
Giving Clients What They Really Want
Moving from Trusted Accounting Tech to Trusted Business Advisor
Cloud vs. Superhero
Bonus Resources
Level 5 Decision Support
Lesson 1: Level 1 Training by Edi
Lesson 2: Chart of Accounts Analysis - Tutorial
Chart of Accounts Analysis - Guide
Lesson 3: Inventory of Information Systems - Tutorial
Inventory of Information Systems - Client Survey
Download the Inventory of Information Systems - Client Survey
Lesson 4: Obvious Adams - Handout
Obvious Adams - Debrief
L5CA: Level 1 – Technical Foundation Quiz
Level 5 Decision Support
Lesson 1: Level 2 Training by Edi
Lesson 2: Financial and Business Fluency
Financial and Business Fluency
Download the "Financial and Business" PowerPoint Presentation
How Does Your Company Keep Score?
How Does Your Company Keep Score?
Download the "How Does Your Company Keep Score" PowerPoint Presentation.
Lesson 3: Profit Equation Training
Profit Equation Planner Tutorial
Profit Equation Planner Template
Profit Equation Planner Data Request - Tutorial
Profit Equation Planner Data Request - Document
Download the "Profit Equation Planner Data Request".
Profit Equation Factors and Questions - Tutorial
Profit Equation Factors and Questions - Document
Additional planners related to marketing/sales, services, and more
Level 2 Additional Resources
How to Facilitate Financial Fluency - Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Financial Fluency Game
L5CA: Level 2 – Financial Fluency (What if) Quiz
Congratulations!
Book Excerpt: Moving My Firm Forward
Level 3A - Discovery
Lesson 1: Level 3A Training by Edi
Lesson 2: $COPE Discovery Assessment - Tutorial
$COPE Discovery Assessment with Menu of Services and Engagement Letter
Download the $COPE Discovery Assessment with Menu of Services and Engagement Letter
$COPE Discovery Assessment without Menu of Services and Engagement Letter
Download the $COPE Discovery Assessment without Menu of Services and Engagement Letter
Lesson 3: Discovery Inquiry Tools
$COPE Analysis Worksheet - Tutorial
$COPE Analysis Worksheet - Slide
Download the $COPE Analysis Worksheet
$COPE Perspectives Matrix - Tutorial
$COPE Perspectives Matrix - Document
Download the $COPE Perspectives Matrix.
Risk Management Assessment: 11C Assessment Form - Tutorial
Risk Management Assessment: 11C Assessment Form - Document
Download the Risk Management Assessment: 11C Assessment Form.
Business Stages of Development Matrix - Tutorial
Business Stages of Development Matrix - Document
Download the Business Stages of Development Matrix
Lesson 4: Discovery Process Agenda - Tutorial
Discovery Process Agenda - Document
Download the Discovery Process Agenda
FAQ
L5CA: Level 3A – Discovery Quiz
Congratulations!
Lesson 1: Level 3B Training by Edi
Lesson 2: Internal Preparatory Documents: Facilitation Preparation Checklist - Tutorial
Facilitation Preparation Checklist - Document
Preparation for Planning Session: Facilitation Checklist.
$COPE Planning Session Agenda - Tutorial
$COPE Planning Session Agenda - Document
$COPE Planning Session Agenda.
Lesson 3: Client Preparatory Documents: Preparing for Your Planning Session - Tutorial
Preparing for your Planning Session - Document
Preparing for Your Planning Session document.
Lesson 4: The Planning Session: How to Facilitate a SWOT Analysis - Tutorial
How to Facilitate a SWOT Analysis - Document
How to Facilitate a SWOT Analysis document
The Graphic Game Plan: How to Facilitate a Graphic Game Plan - Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Graphic Game Plan - Document
How to Facilitate a Graphic Game Plan document.
The $COPE Planning Session Workbook - Tutorial
$COPE Planning Session Workbook - Document
$COPE Planning Session Workbook.
Lesson 5:The Facilitator’s Toolkit : The Consensus Workshop- Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Consensus Workshop - Document
How to Facilitate a Consensus Workshop document.
The Mission/Vision Exercise: How to Facilitate a Mission/Vision Exercise - Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Mission/Vision Exercise - Document
How to Facilitate a Mission/Vision Exercise document
The Core Values Exercise: How to Facilitate a Core Values Exercise - Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Core Values Exercise - Document
How to Facilitate a Core Values Exercise document.
L5CA: Level 3B – Discovery Quiz
Congratulations! You've just completed Level 3B of the Level 5 Certified Advisor (L5CA) Program
Case Study
Lesson 1: Doors and Moore Case Study Inroduction
Doors and Moore - Company Information
Lesson 2: $COPE Discovery Assessment Debrief - Tutorial
Lesson 3: $COPE Analysis Worksheet Introduction- Tutorial
$COPE Analysis Worksheet - Document
$COPE Analysis Worksheet - Demonstration
Lesson 4: SWOT Analysis - Introduction
SWOT Analysis - Worksheet
SWOT Analysis - Demonstration
Lesson 5: Introduction to the Graphic Game Plan
The Graphic Game Plan
Graphic Game Plan - Demonstration
You've just completed the Case Study of the Level 5 Certified Advisor (L5CA) Program
Level 4 - Linking Activities to Outcomes
Lesson 1: Performance Measurement Fundamentals
Headline Test
Lesson 2: The Science of Measurement
Sample List of Measures - Tutorial
Sample List of Measures - Document
Sample List of Measures
Lesson 3: Developing Measures
Lesson 4: Method 1 - Comparison View Tutorial
Lesson 5: Method 2 - Customer View Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Cycle of Customer Interaction Process - Document
How to Facilitate a Cycle of Customer Interaction Process
Lesson 6: Method 3 - Process View Tutorial
Kaizen Event Tutorial
Kaizen Workbook
The Kaizen workbook.
How to Facilitate a Process Mapping Session
How to Facilitate a Process Mapping Session
Process Mapping
The Process Mapping Presentation.
Lesson 7: Method 4 - Hierarchical View Tutorial
How to Facilitate a Hierarchy of Measures
How to Facilitate a Hierarchy of Measures.
Performance Measurement : Step by Step Tutorial
Performance Measurement : Step by Step - Slides
Performance Measurement a Step by Step Introduction Presentation
Lesson 8: Fundamentals Wrap-up: Essential Components of Measurement Tutorial
Level 4 Additional Resources
Level 4 Case Studies Review
Case Studies Review
Case Studies Review Document
Presentations: Building Your Business Dashboard
Building Your Business Dashboard
Building Your Business Dashboard Presentation.
Tools: Reporting Mechanism Checklist
Reporting Mechanism Checklist
Reporting Mechanism Checklist Document
Translating Core Values into Performance Stds
Translating Core Values into Performance Stds
Translating Core Values and Goals into Standards of Performance Document
Measure Design Template
Measure Design Template Document
Measurement Workshop
Measurement Workshop Document
L5CA: Level 4 - Discovery Quiz
You've just completed Level 4 of the Level 5 Certified Advisor (L5CA) Program
Level 5 - Continuous Improvement
Lesson 1: Level 5 - Overview
L5CA: Level 5 - Discovery Quiz
You've just completed Level 5 of the Level 5 Certified Advisor (L5CA) Program
Module 8 – Graduation
Graduation
Announce Your New Skills to the World - Download a press release template
Graduation Celebration Steps
FINAL CERTIFICATION EXAM