Strategy Guidemap

What Strategy Guidemap does

Strategy Guidemap is a privately-held, founder-operated business strategy training organization headquartered in Ephraim, Utah, and built around a proprietary "core strategy" methodology developed by founder Alan Christensen. The company delivers in-person and live virtual workshops to small business owners, managers, and business consultants, with its flagship 4-hour "Grow Your Business" masterclass positioned as the anchor product alongside a 2-hour "Growth Marketing" workshop, a 2-hour "Trailhead" strategic planning session, a 2-hour "Summit Guide" for consultants, and a 30-minute "Strategy First" introduction. Each engagement produces a customized "Strategy Guidemap" — a personalized output of prioritized next steps derived from participant inputs. Complementary offerings include refresher courses, a Business Strategy Advisor Certification with a verifiable digital credential, the free Base Camp membership program, and the published book "Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth" available in print and audiobook formats.

Revenue is generated through professional-services training fees, event hosting and sponsorship arrangements with institutional partners, certification fees, and book sales. Public pricing is structured at approximately $45–$345 per participant for standard events, $75 for online workshops, and $490–$690 for VIP passes, while private company-hosted engagements are quoted on request. The go-to-market model is partner-driven: economic development offices, Chambers of Commerce, SBDCs, technical colleges, and universities recruit attendees and often subsidize local fees, while Strategy Guidemap supplies content and the lead trainer. Distribution has historically concentrated in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho, with a recent expansion signal into Ohio and Georgia, supported by Christensen's prior career engagements with 500+ small businesses across 20 states and training of more than 2,200 business owners cumulatively.

The operation is lean and founder-dependent: Alan Christensen serves as primary trainer and face of the company, with faculty roles at Snow College and Utah State University and a certified team-leader position on the National Strategic Research Team of the National Center for Economic Gardening providing third-party credibility. The company has no external investors, no parent entity, no disclosed revenue figures, and no public listing, and it relies on a partner-channel GTM and content-marketing assets (blog, YouTube, social media, testimonials) to reach its small-business and institutional audiences.

Name

Strategy Guidemap

Legal name

Strategy Guidemap

Website

https://strategyguidemap.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Strategy Guidemap is a privately-held business strategy training organization that delivers in-person and live virtual workshops to small business owners, managers, and consultants through a proprietary "core strategy" methodology, generating revenue via training fees, event partnerships with SBDCs and Chambers, certification programs, and book sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategic Leadership & Business Acumen (EDABAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy, Decision-Making & Business Acumen Coaching (EDABANAH), Product Strategy & Discovery (Vision, Roadmapping, OKRs) (EDABAHAD)

Keywords

• Business strategy training
• Small business consulting
• Strategic growth workshops
• Business advisor certification
• Core strategy methodology

Headquarters

HQ city

Ephraim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Programs: Revenue from various training programs including Grow Your Business (4-hour masterclass), Growth Marketing (2-hour workshop), Trailhead (2-hour strategic planning), Summit Guide (2-hour for consultants), and Strategy First (30-minute intro). Fees vary based on hosting arrangements.
2. Event Hosting/Sponsorship: Organizations pay to host or sponsor training events. Hosting is a premium option where hosts set fees and keep proceeds. Sponsorship costs less and may be rebated based on attendance thresholds.
3. Book Sales: Sale of 'Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth' book and audiobook.
4. Business Strategy Advisor Certification: Certification program for consultants who complete training and pass an online assessment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Strategy Guidemap sells business strategy training programs delivered in-person or live online to small business owners, managers, and the consultants who advise them. The lineup includes a flagship 4-hour "Grow Your Business" masterclass, a 2-hour "Growth Marketing" workshop (formerly Upstream Signal Marketing), a 2-hour "Trailhead" strategic planning session, a 2-hour "Summit Guide" program for consultants, and a 30-minute "Strategy First" introduction. The company also sells a Business Strategy Advisor Certification, refresher courses for alumni, and the book "Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth."

Product overview

Strategy Guidemap is a business strategy training organization offering a portfolio of training programs ranging from 30-minute introductions to 4-hour comprehensive masterclasses. The core product lineup includes Grow Your Business (flagship 4-hour masterclass for small business owners), Growth Marketing (2-hour marketing-focused workshop), Trailhead (2-hour strategic planning training), Summit Guide (2-hour training for business consultants), and Strategy First (30-minute introductory session). Additional offerings include refresher courses for past participants (Grow Your Business Refresher, Summit Guide Refresher), a Business Strategy Advisor Certification program, and a free Base Camp Membership for ongoing resources. The company also publishes the book 'Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth' as a companion to their training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grow Your Business: 4-hour premier business growth strategy masterclass training program
• Growth Marketing
• Trailhead
• Summit Guide
• Strategy First
• Base Camp
• Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth

Products and services

• Grow Your Business Flagship 4-hour in-person or live online masterclass in which small business owners answer strategy-related questions specific to their business and leave with a clear understanding of strategy and a personalized Strategy Guidemap with prioritized next steps to accelerate growth. Targeted at small business owners and managers from solopreneurs to multi-million-dollar companies.
• Growth Marketing A 2-hour strategy-centered marketing workshop (formerly known as Upstream Signal Marketing) that helps businesses identify the right customers at the right time, transforming marketing efforts and accelerating sales through stronger inbound and outbound marketing. Available in-person or live online. Grounded in the book 'Smarter, Not Louder'.
• Trailhead 2-hour training that guides companies to true strategic planning, putting the 'strategy' in strategic planning to enhance outcomes and accelerate growth. Intended as a tone-setter for strategic planning meetings and retreats. Available in-person or live online.
• Summit Guide A 2-hour training built on the Grow Your Business principles that condenses strategic growth concepts for business coaches, advisors, counselors, consultants, instructors, and mentors. The Business Strategy Advisor Certification is offered to participants who complete this training and pass the online assessment.
• Strategy First A 30-minute training that clarifies what strategy is and is not, available live online or face-to-face. Serves as an introduction to concepts taught in Trailhead and Grow Your Business.
• Grow Your Business Refresher A 1-hour online refresher offered exclusively for previous Grow Your Business attendees. Reviews key principles from the training and helps past participants maintain clarity and enhance application of strategic growth concepts.
• Summit Guide Refresher A 1-hour live online refresher that reviews principles taught in Summit Guide training. Helps coaches, advisors, counselors, consultants, instructors, and mentors maintain clarity and improve application of strategic growth principles.
• Business Strategy Advisor Certification A professional development certification for business consultants and advisors. Includes 4 hours of Summit Guide training, an online assessment, and a verifiable digital credential issued through Certifier that can be shared on online profiles.
• Base Camp Membership A free membership program offering member-only resources, including a directory of tools to help members learn and apply Strategy Guidemap principles for strategic growth, plus access to a private Facebook group for training participants.
• Smarter, Not Louder: Upstream Signal Marketing for Strategic Growth A 90-minute business strategy book by Alan K. Christensen covering the fundamentals of business growth strategy and the Upstream Signal Marketing methodology. Teaches rules for winning and aligning business models with core strategy. Available in book and audiobook formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ small businesses served across 20 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sevier County Economic Development OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development office that has partnered to bring Strategy Guidemap training to local businesses, supporting growth from within the community through strategic training initiatives.
• Utah Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide SBDC network that has hosted training events and enabled business advisors to earn Business Strategy Advisor Certification.
• Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWyoming SBDC network hosted Grow Your Business training and had advisors earn Business Strategy Advisor Certification. State Director Jill Kline praised training as 'extremely valuable'.
• Snow CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlan Christensen is a tenured faculty member in Snow College's Business Department. Snow College hosts GRIT Center for Rural Entrepreneurship events featuring Strategy Guidemap training.
• Utah State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSU hosted Strategy Guidemap training through its non-credit program. Alan Christensen serves as Training Director at USU Eastern and Business Professor contributes to training content.
• Bridgerland Technical College (Custom Fit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom Fit Training program at Bridgerland Technical College negotiated special participant rates and hosted open-enrollment Strategy Guidemap classes for small businesses.
• Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne CountyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChamber hosted Strategy Guidemap training event with local sponsors, significantly reducing participant costs to $15 with meal included.
• Clearwater County Economic Development (Idaho)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearwater County Economic Development office partnered to host Grow Your Business training in Orofino, Idaho.
• National Center for Economic GardeningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlan Christensen serves as a certified team leader on the National Strategic Research Team, helping businesses accelerate growth through strategic guidance.
• Various Chambers and Economic Development OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership includes Sevier County Chamber, Richfield Area Chamber, SCCOC, Sanpete Entrepreneurs, UTech, Campbell County, Gillette College Foundation, and other regional organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EOS Worldwide: Entrepreneurial Operating System offers facilitated workshops and a certified implementer network to install operating discipline in small businesses. Highly comparable in workshop-based delivery, certified advisor channel, and SMB focus.
• ActionCOACH: Global business coaching and training franchise serving SMBs through licensed coaches and workshops. Directly comparable in the SMB business coaching/training niche with a partner/franchise-driven delivery model.
• Gazelles (Verne Harnish): Provides scaling-up strategy coaching and training for small and mid-sized businesses, including Rockefeller Habits and growth frameworks. Most comparable in terms of SMB strategy training and certified advisor network model.
• EMyth (Michael Gerber): Long-running small business coaching and training brand built on systemizing businesses. Directly comparable in addressing strategic clarity for SMB owners via workshops, books, and certification programs.
• Strategic Coach: Dan Sullivan's coaching program for entrepreneurs, focused on strategy, leverage, and growth. Comparable in targeting owner-level strategic thinking with structured workshops and a tiered membership offer.

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Global leadership and business training franchise delivering in-person workshops. Comparable in workshop-based training delivery but broader in scope and substantially larger in scale and brand recognition.
• FranklinCovey: Large incumbent in leadership and execution training (Allan Christensen is a former certified facilitator). Comparable in facilitation and training content for organizations but operates at much greater scale across broader topics.
• Sandler Training: Established sales and leadership training franchise with a global certified-trainer network. Overlaps with Strategy Guidemap's training/workshop delivery and partner-driven model but is significantly larger and more sales-focused.

Others

• SCORE Mentors / America's SBDC: National SBDC network is both a partner and adjacent ecosystem that delivers free/low-cost business advisory and training. Comparable as the institutional buyer of strategy training services in many markets.

Emerging players

• SCORE: U.S. SBA resource partner providing free mentoring and low-cost training to small businesses, frequently hosted through SBDC and chamber networks. Comparable in customer base (small businesses) and channel partners, though free vs. paid.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/intent/tweet?text={title}&url={url}
• YouTubeyoutube.com/embed/SXhLs-y7g8o
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u={url}
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strategy-guidemap
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url={url}&media={media}&description={title}

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Strategy Guidemap