Our primary focus is to provide businesses under $50m in revenue and less than 500 employees access to Do-It-Yourself Tools for Growth that is Sustainable. Our Library of Best Practices, Benchmarking Process, and DIY Tools are available on a membership platform with an annual or monthly subscription for access.
We are not discrimantory based upon size or number of employees of our clients. Our Approach, Tools, and Platform are designed for companies BEFORE they can afford consultants. Since we learned the trade and built a considerable track record with billion dollar firms (Glaxo, IBM, AOL, GM, etc.), our stuff definitely works in the largest organizations, but unlike other firms we're now making it available to small businesses at a price anyone can afford.
If you are an internal OD person who wants to fire the outsiders and bring everything in-house, let's talk - there is a deal here.
2. Are these physical labs? Who will I be interacting with?
Our labs are "virtual" labs, either inside your company or here in the member forum. It describes an area where you can test out ideas and examine the "science" of your company to help it grow and like science, have results that are predictable.
The people you'll be interacting with really depends on you. In some cases people want to help others in the business community with a problem they had, and how they worked through it. In that case, this forum is their "Lab". In other cases, a company may as an example be planning a major change initiative. There we might create a "lab" inside their own company which would include their own electronic discussion area and place to "test" ideas and gather best practices. Either way, the purpose of ANY lab is to have a safe environment from which to gain knowledge and test ideas where it is cheapest and most efficient to do so.
Other consultants want to come in, fix any business problem, and then leave without really leaving any knowledge behind. By creating your own "Knowledge Lab", you'll ensure that knowledge stays behind with you not only for any current problem you're dealing with, but any future problem as well.
If you require more clarity on this topic, we encourage you to speak with one of our AKabs Experts to discuss your current situation.
3. How much does it cost?
We offer a lot for free whether that's through our mailing list, one-on-one phone consultations, or some of the site information you'll find here.
For companies with a more pressing need or problem, we have three levels to participate in. (Note: each level is stand-alone, therefore participating at one level doesn't mean you'll be obligated to the next.)
Our Basic Membership has a yearly set-up fee of $50 and that provides access to a majority of AKL materials with a 10% discount. The next level is Advanced at $600 a year where Members have unrestricted access to everything with considerable free tools and the remainder available at a 20% discount. At the top is Leader ($1000 a year) with the greatest variety of free products and services and a 30% discount on everything else.
Here is a price comparison. We built several large consulting firms and average talent cost us between $1,500 and $2,000 a day on retainer. For that price or less, we provide 100X the knowledge and tools, and everything is on demand - what you need when you need it. Plus you don't have to deal with people who are convinced they are the smarter than you.
4. How can you offer access to the library for a year at the cost of a single day of consulting?
We have changed the traditional consulting model of selling brains and managing calendars where the world revolves around billable days. In this model money is not made from what you sell, it is made from selling time. Our business model is radically different. We have eliminated most labor costs - yes we do have consultants on staff to help - by turning knowledge into solutions and solutions into products. As a member you get the products as part of the subscription or pay a heavily discounted price.
Here is the real secret - since 90% of all expensive consulting knowledge is public domain, we assemble it into usable Tools and that is the basis of what you pay.
5. How did you develop the Tools?
The tools are a combination of lessons learned over the past 3 decades of solving client problems and 10 years of intensive work with fast growth start-ups. We supply the remaining 10% (added to the 90% available in the public domain) that is traditionally "black boxed" to create the impression of proprietary information, the secret sauce - and a big price tag. Our business model doesn't play that game, we operate like an open source software company. AKL builds the kernel - the core, and you can use the generic Tools or add your own code by customizing it.
Everything we know and have built is accessible to our community, all it takes is Joining and Coming Inside.
6. How does the process work?
(1) It starts with becoming a member at one of our three levels mentioned above. Once inside, we assess your growth stage to identify gaps between where you are and where you need to be - the benchmark. Our belief is any solution offered before benchmarking is malpractice.
(2) Once the Gaps are identified, you (we) review the tools available and select the right mix to fit your need. You have the option of downloading the Tools and using it as you see fit, or we can author a webinar and deliver your Tools online. Over the space of a few hours we provide you and your employees with the knowledge to close the gaps without additional help. No need to hire someone to borrow your watch and tell you the time.
(3) The third element is using the community. This is the LABS part of our offer. Instead of going it alone, you can build a team around you to ensure the investment pays off. Our Forums section is the place to look for answers or to post a question for multiple answers. Why do it alone when help is available?
Also, when signing up for any of our membership options you'll have access to both Bill and Kevin for further advice or to discuss specific plans with you one-on-one.
7. Do I have to pay for help?
That depends on you. Many companies have the brains and hands available to take on issues critical to the company. If that is you, the help provided in your member level should be enough. If you have leaned out the business and there is nobody available to roll up their sleeves, we can provide additional assistance for a small fee.
8. What if I am in the consulting, coaching, or training business - can my company join?
Absolutely! While we don't believe in a lot of their pricing models, we do believe there are many great consultants out there. In fact, we have several partnerships with other subject experts who have integrated their products inside our platform. If your business model is compatible with our product-based, open-source approach to small business growth, let's talk. Just remember - we see ourselves as the "Unconsulting" Consulting Company.
9. What is your experience?
Over the last 3 decades, we have participated in and managed 6 start-ups. Like all serial entrepreneurs, our experience covers the range from wildly successful to going bust. We have made and lost several fortunes and spent many sleepless nights trying to understand why we were or were not successful. It bothered us so much we started a company in 2002 just to answer that question. AKLabs and this membership is culmination of that journey.
10. I don't need no stinking consultants telling me how to run my business!
OK, be like that! :) Try this out - do you have a CPA? Do you have a Lawyer? Why? Because you are "^&*ed!" without them. You probably don't even like them, wouldn't be caught dead in the same bar. BUT deal with the IRS without a top level CPA, or find yourself in court without a Lawyer and tell us how that goes.
View the Labs and this site as your CGO - Chief Growth Officer.Why do you need us? Only 1 of 10,000 start-ups make it to market leadership. Do you want to get there through the school of hard knocks or faster with less pain? Hiring our expertise and putting it on the payroll would require a salary with a few commas and many zeros, but why buy when you can rent? Our expertise cannot be hired for what a yearly membership costs here, and as a bonus - you can fires us without needing a Lawyer to fend off a wrongful discharge suit!
If that doesn't convince you, call us and let's argue!
11. You make the comment about being the "Unconsultants" and my business is consulting (or training, coaching, etc.), is there a way we can work together?
Our comments about consulting is directed at the business model. We don't believe the old model of selling knowledge as labor is viable with small businesses. However, that is our view - you are entittled to yours.
If you are in the Professional Services niche there are several methods of partnering with the LABS.
You can add our products to your offer and sell it separately or as part of a bundle, or
You can private label our products which are made to work with ANY model built upon clearly-defined and proven best practices.
With either choice, AKLabs will provide all of the back officer services with as little or as much interaction with your clients you deem appropriate.
Our Partnering Process
We begin by getting a very detailed understanding of your offer from both a sales and an implementation perspective.
We will then link your best practices to those in our database (or add them, where required), and then begin the process of creating customized assessments, courseware, and job apps for you. We will run a "beta test" online for a select group of your clients to test the new product. A second and possibly third pass is completed, and the products then become ready to go live.
If you choose the Private Label approach, it is important to note here that "customized" means completely customized to you and your brand.
There is much more that cannot be covered in this limited space, if you are serious about working together, hit us back and let's talk.
One more thing on Alliances - we are an open source house and quite willing to share and co-develop the 'code". HOWEVER we can be provoked, sharing code is different than stealing. If you are serious, then lets play, if not move on.
