The IBA Advisory Model™

A Professional Standard for Modern Business Advisory

Technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Today’s businesses—and the professionals who advise them—must think holistically, operate cross-functionally, and deliver measurable results.

The Institute of Business Advisors™ (IBA) established The IBA Advisory Model™ to define what effective business advisory looks like in practice. The model provides a disciplined, professional framework for developing broad-based, high-impact business advisors who combine knowledge, advisory skill, and execution excellence.

The IBA Advisory Model™

The IBA Advisory Model™ is built on three core pillars that together produce measurable business impact.

The Three Core Pillars of Business Advisory

1. Business Acumen

Understanding how businesses actually work

Business acumen is the foundation of effective advisory. It reflects a deep, practical understanding of how organizations create value across finance, strategy, operations, sales and marketing, leadership, digital transformation, and mergers and acquisitions.

Advisors with strong business acumen can see the whole enterprise—not just a functional silo—and understand how decisions in one area affect outcomes across the organization.

2. Advisory Capability

Turning knowledge into trusted guidance

Advisory capability is what transforms expertise into influence. It includes diagnostic thinking, problem framing, professional judgment, communication, ethical standards, and the ability to guide decisions without direct authority.

This pillar distinguishes true advisors from subject-matter experts by emphasizing how advice is delivered, not just what is known.

3. Execution & Growth

Turning insight into measurable results

Execution and growth represent the ability to convert insight into action. This includes prioritization, implementation planning, accountability, performance measurement, and change management—ultimately driving revenue growth, profitability, scalability, and enterprise value.

This pillar ensures advisory work produces tangible outcomes, not just recommendations.

How IBA Certifications Align with the Advisory Model™

All IBA certifications are intentionally designed and positioned within The IBA Advisory Model™. Each credential validates capability within one or more pillars, ensuring advisors are not only knowledgeable—but effective and results-driven.

Certification-to-Model Alignment

Certified Business Advisor Professional™ (CBAV™)

Primary Focus: Advisory Capability
Secondary Focus: Business Acumen
Purpose: Transition professionals from technical experts to trusted business advisors

Certified Accounting & Advisory Specialist™ (CAAS™)

Primary Focus: Business Acumen + Advisory Capability
Purpose: Elevate CAS/CAAS professionals from compliance and reporting to insight-driven advisory

Certified Business Growth Advisor™ (CBGA™)

Primary Focus: Execution & Growth
Secondary Focus: Advisory Capability
Purpose: Equip advisors to turn strategy into measurable revenue and profit growth

Certified Corporate Growth Advisor™ (CCGA™)

Primary Focus: Enterprise-Level Execution & Growth
Purpose: Drive scale, enterprise value creation, and advanced growth strategies in complex organizations

Certified Private Equity Advisor™ (CPEA™)

Primary Focus: Execution & Growth (Private Equity Lifecycle)
Secondary Focus: Advanced Business Acumen
Purpose: Master deal sourcing, value creation, and exit strategies across the PE lifecycle

MBA Certificate

Primary Focus: Business Acumen
Purpose: Formalize advanced business knowledge without the time or cost of a traditional MBA

Why the IBA Advisory Model™ Matters

For Professionals

Clarifies what it truly means to be a business advisor
Provides a structured pathway from expertise to impact
Aligns credentials with real-world advisory expectations
Future-proofs careers in an increasingly advisory-driven market

For Firms & Organizations

Establishes a shared advisory standard across teams
Aligns professional development with business outcomes
Supports role clarity, capability building, and succession planning
Enables scalable, consistent advisory delivery

A Disciplined Framework. A Lasting Standard.

The IBA Advisory Model™ is not a marketing construct—it is a professional standard designed to advance the discipline of business advisory.

By grounding education, certifications, and practice development in this model, IBA ensures that advisors are prepared not just to analyze—but to advise, execute, and deliver measurable growth.

Acumen. Advisory. Growth.™