Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants

What Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants does

The Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants (AASBC) is a privately held, Austin, Texas-based professional membership association that trains and certifies consultants advising small businesses and SMEs. Founded around 2011-2012 and operating with a 1-10 person team, AASBC issues two designations — ASBC (Accredited Small Business Consultant) for U.S. members and ASMEC (Accredited SME Consultant) for international members — after candidates pass a 125-question multiple choice exam. The core curriculum is built on the SEMP Approach, a proprietary methodology packaged as a 400-page training manual across 16 modules and a 40-hour video lecture series, supported by an AI chatbot that retrieves answers from the training content. Membership also includes downloadable checklists, customizable newsletters, PowerPoint presentations, and 50+ financial calculators intended to standardize client engagements.

AASBC monetizes primarily through a self-serve, direct-to-consumer funnel: a $999 initial certification and first-year membership (with an optional six-month installment plan) followed by a $149 annual renewal that maintains credential privileges and access to member resources. Distribution is largely digital via aasbc.com, supplemented by international live-training events delivered through regional institutional partners — notably an exclusive channel arrangement with the University of Business & Technology Executive Education in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A publicly searchable member directory creates ongoing referral flow for certified members. The customer base consists predominantly of independent and aspiring consultants, professionals transitioning from accounting, banking, law, or management into consulting, and small-business support organizations (such as SBDCs, chambers of commerce, and incubators); one publicly named enterprise deployment is Commercial International Bank-Egypt, which certified all 150+ of its Business Banking Relationship Managers with the ASBC designation. AASBC protects its brand through five registered trademarks, including the ASMEC designation granted federal USPTO registration in July 2019.

Name

Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants

Legal name

Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants, Inc.

Website

https://aasbc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants (AASBC) is an Austin-based professional membership association that trains and certifies small business and SME consultants worldwide via its proprietary SEMP Approach methodology, issuing ASBC and ASMEC designations supported by a self-serve digital platform and select international partner channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Training Course Marketplaces (B2B Content Libraries) (EDAFAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Small business consulting
• Professional certification
• SME consulting training
• Consulting methodology
• Business advisor accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Initial Certification and Membership Fee: One-time upfront fee of $999 covering first-year membership, 40-hour video lecture series, digital access to the 400-page SEMP Approach training manual, eligibility to take the certification exam, certification review upon passing, and immediate access to member-only professional resources including checklists, newsletters, and presentation frameworks. A print edition of the training manual is available for separate purchase.
2. Annual Membership Renewal: Annual recurring renewal fee of $149 to maintain certification, credential privileges, and continued access to member resources including accreditation seals for use on business materials. Renewal is automatic but may be cancelled at any time through the member portal. Renewal supports ongoing credibility signaling and continued use of ASBC/ASMEC designations.
3. Monthly Installment Plan: Flexible payment option allowing members to pay the initial $999 certification fee in six equal installments (initial payment plus five additional monthly payments), making certification more accessible. The first payment is charged upon enrollment and subsequent payments are automatic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AASBC delivers an international small-business and SME consulting certification program built on its proprietary SEMP Approach methodology. Members access a 400-page digital training manual (16 modules) and a 40-hour video lecture series, then earn the ASBC or ASMEC designation by passing a 125-question multiple-choice exam. The offering is bundled with ongoing member resources including checklists, presentation templates, monthly newsletters, financial calculators, and an AI chatbot, plus annual renewal to maintain the credential and use of the registered trademarks.

Product overview

AASBC offers a unified certification program for small business and SME consulting professionals. The core offering consists of the AASBC Certification Program, which awards ASBC (domestic) or ASMEC (international) designations upon passing a certification exam. Preparation is supported by the SEMP Approach Methodology, a 40-hour video lecture series, and a 400-page training manual. Additional member resources include professional advisory checklists, monthly newsletters, client-ready PowerPoint presentations, 50+ financial calculators, and an AI chatbot for training support. The Master ASBC/Master ASMEC designations require additional experience requirements beyond the base certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AASBC Certification Program (ASBC / ASMEC designation) Professional certification program for small business and SME consulting professionals that awards the Accredited Small Business Consultant (ASBC) or Accredited SME Consultant (ASMEC for international members) designation upon passing a 125-question multiple-choice certification exam taken on the member's own computer. Master ASBC and Master ASMEC designations require additional experience requirements.
• SEMP Approach Methodology Simplified Examination to Maximize Profit — a structured consulting methodology providing step-by-step guidance for evaluating business performance, identifying profit opportunities, and guiding operational improvement across operational management, financial analysis, strategic planning, and performance improvement. Delivered to certified members as the conceptual framework underpinning AASBC engagements.
• 40-Hour SEMP Approach Video Lecture Series Comprehensive 40-hour video-based exam review series covering all aspects of the SEMP Approach methodology following the training book from introduction through all 16 learning modules, designed for self-paced learning by visual and auditory learners preparing for the certification exam.
• SEMP Approach Training Manual (digital, 400 pages) 400-page digital consulting reference and training manual organized into 16 learning modules covering all core competencies of small business and SME consulting, including business analysis, financial statements, ratio analysis, marketing, internal controls, and consulting practice development; includes client questioning guides and recommendation models. A print edition is available for separate purchase.
• AASBC Certification Examination (125-question multiple-choice exam) Timed 125-question multiple-choice certification examination that members take on their own computer; passing the exam grants eligibility for the ASBC or ASMEC designation.

Quantifiable outcome

• The ASMEC designation has been registered as a federal trademark with the USPTO, conferring legal protection and professional legitimacy.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Business & Technology Executive EducationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2019AASBC's exclusive partner in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for delivery of live, in-person Accredited SME Consultant (ASMEC) certification training programs. The partnership enables regional delivery of the certification curriculum in Jeddah. Registration and inquiries are managed through the University's contact numbers.
• Commercial International Bank - EgyptminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIB Egypt became the first and only bank in Egypt or the Middle East to have 100% of its 150+ Business Banking Relationship Managers certified by AASBC with the ASBC designation. Dr. Richard Weinberger, CEO, delivered a keynote at a CIB celebration event. This represents an enterprise-wide certification deployment of the AASBC methodology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Project Management Institute (PMI): PMI administers the globally recognized PMP certification and provides structured training, ethics standards, and a membership community for project management professionals. It is a directly analogous professional credentialing body operating through the same content + exam + annual membership playbook.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): SHRM is a large professional membership association that issues the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications for HR professionals. It represents the scaled version of AASBC's professional certification + membership + continuing education model applied to HR, demonstrating what category-leading maturity can look like.
• Exit Planning Institute (CEPA): Exit Planning Institute issues the CEPA (Certified Exit Planning Advisor) designation specifically for advisors serving business owners — referenced in AASBC member testimonials. Same structural model: focused designation plus structured training curriculum plus membership community for advisor professionals.
• Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA): The IMC USA is the leading U.S. professional certification body for management consultants, awarding the CMC (Certified Management Consultant) designation. It is the closest direct analog to AASBC's mission of setting standards and credentialing business consultants, serving a closely overlapping buyer persona with a similar membership + designation model.
• International Coach Federation (ICF): ICF is a global professional certification organization that credentials coaches (ACC, PCC, MCC) through training, exam, and ethics standards — a highly analogous B2C credentialing model to AASBC's ASBC/ASMEC, serving solo practitioners in an adjacent advisory profession.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: SCORE is a U.S. nonprofit network providing free mentoring and education to small business owners, supported by the SBA. It addresses the same small-business advisory audience AASBC trains for, but as a broader free resource rather than a paid credentialing body — competing for the attention of small business advisors.
• American Management Association: AMA is an established broad-scope corporate training and professional development provider offering certificates, seminars, and courses across management topics including consulting skills. It serves the same B2B training buyer as AASBC but across a much wider content portfolio.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Coursera hosts professional certificates, specializations, and accredited credentials from universities and firms. While broader than AASBC, it competes for the same consumer education-spend, particularly for aspiring consultants who might choose a Coursera Business Foundations specialization over the AASBC certification.

Others

• America's SBDC: America's SBDC is the network of Small Business Development Centers providing free advising and training to entrepreneurs. It is one of AASBC's identified buyer personas (small business support organizations) and an adjacent ecosystem participant where ASBC/ASMEC-certified advisors operate.
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning provides subscription-based video courses across business, consulting, and small business topics — directly substitutable for portions of the AASBC 40-hour lecture series, and bundled with professional profiles that influence consulting marketability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheAASBC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AASBC
• Facebookfacebook.com/AASBCTX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-accredited-small-business-consultants

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants