This is an in-depth and MBA level program building up the skillset to not only be a right-hand operational leader to a founder but to be a true strategic thinking and scaling partner to them.

If you are looking for a quick multi-day event that you walk out of certified, this is not it. 

CSOO is an investment of time and focus exclusively for those interested in mastery and who are really serious about getting the best possible results for their clients as well as themselves.

You can achieve your CSOO certification in as little as 12 months. 

However, you will receive individual certifications along the way, one per system, for 7 certifications total with the final certification being the CSOO Certification. 

Individual certifications can be achieved every 2 months.

There are 6 systems that fit together like pieces of a puzzle, allowing you to create and lead a sustainably scalable business in alignment with the founder's vision.

They enable you to successfully take the 30,000 foot view of the business and spot gaps, define strategies, and orchestrate the right projects and resources to bring the vision to life without being dependent on the Founder.

Being skilled in all 6 systems is what it takes to be a CSOO, so you receive individual certifications in the 6 systems, PLUS the overall CSOO certification.

We could have kept things high-level, but we didn't.  We provide deep and specialized training in each of the systems, giving you the ability to provide specialized services. 

You may choose to laser focus in on operational efficiency, or marketing operations, or business systems, or strategic planning, etc.

Or you may choose to expand into an agency model that provides all of or some of those services.

Or you may choose any numbers of options, which we guide you through based on the goals and revenue targets you have for your business.

Just as an MBA covers core business disciplines, this program provides a comprehensive understanding across numerous domains critical for small business success and scale.

But also like an MBA or any college degree, upon completion, you have the flexibility to specialize in the areas that best fit your unique vision and strengths with tailor-designed service offerings.

By giving you 7 individual certifications, you can proudly showcase the certifications that are most relevant for you, whether you step fully into being a CSOO to a small business Founder or you add specific services to your existing offer suite.

Either way, you'll graduate as the dynamic, strategic operations and lean scaling expert that Founders desperately need to bring their boldest ambitions to life.

2 years as follows:

The CSOO Certification is a 12-month program which guides you through the 6 core systems as well as capstone projects in support of obtaining your certification and being eligible to license the Lean Scaling System.

Upon achieving your certification, you gain an additional full year of access to content, calls, and other bonuses exclusively for certified CSOOs.

Annual renewal is required in order to maintain access and continue to license all of the frameworks, systems, templates, and tools.

See below for everything you get with your annual renewal.

Yes.  There is an annual renewal fee to maintain your certification and continue to license the lean scaling system for use with your clients.

Your annual fee provides you with the following:

• Listing in our Certified CSOO Directory
• Matching services (starting in 2025)
• Access to the Strategic Ops Think Tank (monthly mastermind-level calls exclusively with other certified CSOOs)
• Access to the SOL Collective Community
• Continued access to all trainings, toolkits, playbooks, and assessments, including access to any new content that gets introduced
• The ability to re-attend any of the live training sessions for a refresher

Your first year's access is included in your CSOO certification, so your annual renewal fee will not be due until 1 year following completion of the CSOO Program.

The regular annual renewal fee is $500 / mo or $5000 per year. Those who join prior to January 2025 will receive special renewal pricing of $250 / mo or $2500 per year.

Certification isn't just about knowledge, it's about real-world mastery so you can step into a business and get them results.

As a result, certification includes 3 components:

1. Consuming the content: this includes attending the live training intensives (or watching the replays) and watching the on-demand training modules; 80% or higher consumption rate is required to show you have learned each system

2. Passing of a knowledge exam: there is a knowledge exam per system based on the content to show that you not only learned the system but you understand when and how to apply it; 80% or higher score is required

3. Completion and submission of capstone projects per system: we carefully design the capstone projects for each system to allow you to put what you learn to use and generate real results for the businesses you support.

What's unique about how we approach the capstone is that we help you build your client case studies as you go along so you can leverage them to sell your services and charge premium pricing.

Everything we do is highly intentional and designed to best position you for success!  You just need to show up and take action and be committed to getting your clients (and yourself) results!

You have an entire year so you can try as many times as you need to.

You get an entire year of support so if you struggle with any aspect of the certification in a particular system, you can bring questions to the ongoing Q&A calls, leverage the community for support, retake the exams, and resubmit the capstone projects.  

We provide you with all the resources you need to get certified, you simply need to take action and commit to learning and mastery.

Should you decide NOT to get your certification, you won't be able to license the systems for use with clients and won't be eligible for matching services, the Strategic Ops Think Tank, or being listed in the directory, but you will maintain access to the trainings, tools, and templates for the full year which you can use within your own business.

As with all things, you will get out of it what you put into it.  To achieve your certification within 12 months, we recommend 3 - 5 hours per week as follows:

• 1 hour each week dedicated to the live trainings and Q&A calls
• 1 hour each week consuming on-demand content and interacting in the community
• 1 - 3 hours each week IMPLEMENTING what you learn and working on your capstone project and case studies

Since you will be learning by DOING, half of the time is part of your existing working hours.

We also give you plenty of tools and techniques to reclaim time in your schedule so if the idea of 3-5 hours per week feels overwhelming, we recommend starting with our Operation Reclamation digital program which you get INSTANT ACCESS to when you join so you can get started right away on reclaiming 5-10 hours in your schedule each week so you can create the space for CSOO.

We also architected the program for you to be able to start generating revenue right away so you are not stuck in the trap trading time today for the promise of revenue tomorrow. 

The first step is to submit your application which we'll carefully review.

Expect an email within 2 business days (Monday - Friday) with next steps which will be one of the following 3 scenarios:

1. Application accepted: If you meet the necessary experience and fit criteria, you'll receive an acceptance letter and be invited to put down a deposit to secure your spot in our beta certification group. Only 10 people will be accepted into beta (which is 50% off regular pricing) so we recommend securing your spot right away.

2. Interview needed: If we have questions or feel we need to dig a little deeper to confirm it's a great fit, you'll receive an email with an invite to schedule a call with Crista so you can both talk through questions and come to an aligned decision.

3. Not a fit just yet: If we don't feel you're ready yet based on experience or fit, you'll receive an email outlining what we recommend you do to become ready. This may include an invitation to join us for our ePM Certification (Entrepreneurial Project Management) or a referral to our colleagues who run an OBM certification program. Either way, we'll leave you with clear next steps.

Becoming a certified CSOO is the gold-standard for Founders looking for a strategic right-hand operational leader, so we are highly selective in who we invite into the certification to maintain that integrity and trust in the market. 

This is a one-of-a-kind experience for those who are truly ready, and we deeply invest in your success.

We also give you access to our time-tested and proven systems and frameworks including EVERYTHING we have learned and leveraged to successfully scale businesses of all shapes and sizes for more than 3 decades.   

As a result, we only accept those we have high confidence will be successful in both the short-term and long-term and who align with our values in order to license our proprietary lean scaling system.  

A SOL is a Strategy and Operations Leader and it represents a type of leader as opposed to a specific role.

SOLs exist at different levels of the organization.  

A CSOO is a specific role - a Chief Strategy and Operating Officer.  They are a C-Suite-level SOL who is the closest to the Founder, typically serving as the right hand or strategic advisor to the Founder.

A COO focuses primarily on optimizing internal operations and processes. Their role is centered around managing day-to-day business functions and driving operational efficiency.

In contrast, a CSOO (Chief Strategy and Operations Officer) takes a more comprehensive approach. Not only do they oversee operations, but they play an active role in setting the strategic direction alongside the founder or CEO. A key responsibility for the CSOO is scaling the business.  Their approaches are highly dynamic, adaptive, agile and lean, to meet the unique needs of a scaling small business.

The CSOO's unique position blends strategic leadership with operational excellence. They ensure operations are fully aligned with the company's long-term vision and growth objectives - something critical for scaling businesses.

While a COO is more inwardly focused on execution and efficiency, a CSOO maintains an outward lens as well. They craft strategies that are operationally seamless yet market-relevant and scalable.

In essence, the CSOO acts as the visionary founder's strategic partner and "right hand" for both high-level strategy and operational efficiency spanning business operations and marketing operations. This focus allows for a cohesive, growth-oriented approach to operations and scaling the business.