Business Growth Institute
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2026 Business Growth Institute, January 22 through March 5.
The Business Growth Institute is designed to help 51³Ô¹Ï Professional members with 5+ years of IEC experience who are at a maximum caseload expand and grow their businesses. For the solopreneur, the Institute helps you clarify your business goals, operate at peak efficiency, and plan for the future. For those expanding further, the hiring of staff, contractors, and managing a team is explored.
Participants meet from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET each Thursday for six weeks. The following six modules are taught by 51³Ô¹Ï members and outside speakers with expertise in these areas. Sessions are recorded for those who may not be able to attend on a scheduled date.
Module 1: Creating a Vision/Strategic Plan
Module 2: Fundamentals of Marketing, Sales, Accounting, Finance
Module 3: Growing a Team
Module 4: Business Operations
Module 5: Legal Considerations
Module 6: Next Steps, Questions, and Wrap Up
Participants receive certificates of participation following completion of the Institute.
Feedback from Our BGI Participants
"Throughout the process, BGI challenged me to consider my process, rethink how I approach certain aspects of my business, take time to outline how I would change, all while thinking big. BGI was THE most targeted business training and I know that it is only just beginning with our network, follow up meetings, and being introduced to other owners where we can establish our own problem-solving brain trust in the proceeding months. I think it was the best investment I could have made into my business this year and, if offered in 2026, make room for all that you will learn and want to implement. 100% recommend!"
"BGI is a great opportunity for any IEC—whether you are looking to grow, thinking about growth, or just want to explore what expansion might look like. Having attended STI many years ago, I found this was an excellent opportunity for deeper, continued professional development. The content is far beyond average conference sessions, offering significant depth, opportunities for discussion, and tools to implement concepts into my business immediately."
"As soon as this program is announced, register. It is amazing and will take your practice to the next level."
"The program was so well planned and so helpful. The topics and speakers were excellent– highly qualified, generous with their time and information."
"BGI was universally valuable. We received helpful ideas with regard to marketing and PR, business/finance practices, and much more."
"It was invaluable to hear from others about their experiences and advice. BGI made me realize what we are doing right and where we might improve. It was a call to action to get to work on creating new opportunities for our company and streamlining our processes to become more efficient and effective. I would do BGI again!"
"I recommend this program! Many of us consider growing our business and hiring as the next step, but don't know what we don't know. The incredibly impressive presenters were willing to be honest and vulnerable about their own experiences. Every one of them was a pleasure to work with, and each shared valuable knowledge. The format was nicely organized and easy to follow."
"BGI was so much better than the $1,000 per month business consultant I paid last year. Because it is targeted to my business needs, it is really up to me to implement and because it is presented by professionals in the industry, everything is so applicable."
"I highly recommend that any IEC with a team—especially those looking for suggestions on growth and different business models—attend BGI with their team members. It allowed us to accomplish so much more. We were able to take the daily lessons and apply them directly to our team structure and business operations right away."