We had this conversation this morning in a mastermind that I’m a part of, and something really clicked for me.
I’ve always talked about working with folks who have big missions. But the truth is, I work with folks who are building movements. Who are challenging the status quo. Who are transforming industries. Who are setting the *new* standards for how things are done.
Certification is a brilliant movement model.
1. It creates identity and belonging
When someone becomes certified, they’re not just learning skills—they’re joining a tribe. They get to say “I’m a Certified X” which gives them a badge of credibility and connects them to others who share that designation.
2. It sets a standard
Movements often challenge the status quo by saying “there’s a better way.” Certification codifies that better way. You’re essentially saying, “This is how it should be done,” and creating a shared language and methodology that separates your approach from everyone else’s.
3. It’s inherently scalable through others
Unlike a service you deliver yourself, certification multiplies your impact. Every person you certify becomes an ambassador for your methodology. They go out and apply it, teach it, reference it—spreading the movement without you being in every room.
4. It builds momentum
As more people get certified, the certification itself gains credibility and value. Early adopters validate it, which attracts the next wave, which strengthens it further. That’s how movements grow.
5. It creates ownership
People who invest time and money to get certified have skin in the game. They’re not just consumers of your content—they’re stakeholders in the success of what you’ve built.
This is the power of the certification model. And 2026 is the year to make it happen.
I’ve seen certification programs come and go, and the most common reason I hear from folks who shut down a certification is this:
“The folks we were certifying weren’t doing a good enough job. They aren’t representing our work and brand well.”
If the folks you are certifying aren’t doing good work on the other end it is a huge issue. It affects your brand and reputation.
I don’t blame someone for shutting down a program that isn’t effective, but I certainly hate to see it happen as chances are it’s fixable.
How do you make sure that your certification sets folks up for success, so that they are able to do great work, represent your brand well and achieve the ROI they are looking for?
These are the 3 main reasons I will see certification programs fail.
1 – Letting the wrong folks into the program
You want to be crystal clear on your ideal student avatar and who you let into the program. The challenge with a great certification program is that there will be folks who may want to join, but aren’t actually a great fit. As I lovingly like to say “Just because they want it, doesn’t mean they get it.”
It doesn’t matter how great your training is or how motivated they are to do well, there are certain things that can’t be taught. Be picky about who you allow into your program.
2 – Your training is not based on adult learning best practices
Watching a series of online videos and coming to a Q&A call is not an effective learning experience (even though many of us – myself included! – were taught to do it this way.) It’s important that your training provides the opportunity for integration and application throughout the journey, so your folks come out the other end not just “knowing” stuff but having applied it.
3 – Your testing process isn’t deep enough
I had this conversation with a client just yesterday. For the most part, an online, multiple choice quiz is not a strong enough testing process. All that it proves is that they know enough to answer the questions (or to look it up quickly) but it doesn’t show you that they actually know how to do the work. A solid testing process demonstrates their abilities, it doesn’t just test their knowledge.
These are exactly what I work on with my clients as we design their certification programs from scratch or as we work to improve an existing program.
One of my favorite certification model strategies is what I call the ‘no launching required strategy’. (yes please!)
Here’s how it works:
You build your certification in as ‘a next level’ in your existing offer suite.
Folks come into your initial program where they’re learning your ‘stuff’ and applying it to their own business. They see results. They have a great experience.
This leads to an interesting opportunity on both sides:
Your clients want more from you – because they’ve had a good experience.
And you would like to have a ‘next level’ for them to continue their journey with you.
Certification can be that next level.
When folks have a great experience in your programs, they often want to take what has worked so well for them and help others with it too. This is where certification kicks in.
There are 2 main benefits to this model:
People will already be familiar with your methodology because they’ve already done a program with you and proven that it works.
It’s much easier to invite existing clients into a ‘next level’ program than it is to keep launching to new prospects. Your certification marketing can be as simple as reaching out to existing clients who meet certain criteria and inviting them to join. No big fancy launches needed.
I have a client who restructured her existing programs into different levels with certification as the advanced option. She messaged me to say it’s working beautifully!
Another client is keeping certification on the backend as a ‘by invite only’ offer for those who do the work and qualify. She’s excited by not having to do big launches!
Certification does not have to be “another program that I need to launch again and again – ooof”
What if – instead – it fit naturally into the flow of what you are offering already?
“Tina, do I really need to wait 3 years? Is it ever OK to create a certification around something that I haven’t been doing yet for that long?”
Believe me I get it… we ALL want things to happen quickly. I am one of the least patient people I know
But here’s how I look at it:
It is out of integrity to certify others in something that you haven’t yet proven over a period of at least 3 years.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who may want to be certified by you. Would they prefer to be certified in something that has been proven over a period of time? By working directly with clients and seeing consistent and repeatable results?
Or something that may be pretty darn cool but isn’t proven yet at that level?
I daresay most would choose the first option.
Not to mention, a premature certification is one of the riskiest things you can do for your brand. What if it turns out that your IP isn’t as effective as you promised? That can cause problems and could irreparably affect your reputation.
I’m fully aware that if I ‘broke’ this rule it would open up the door for so many more people to come into my Ready, Set, Certify program now. There is money I’m leaving on the table by enforcing my ‘at least 3 years’ rule.
And I’m 100% fine with that… because I know I’ll still be here down the road when they are ready. When they have passed that 3 year mark and it’s time to bring their certification to life.
Integrity is everything.
If you’ve passed that 3-year mark with your proven methodology and certification is calling to you, let’s talk.
I’ve always been a personal growth junkie. I remember buying my first personal growth book in my early 20s and falling in love with the whole concept of how to better our lives.
Part of what I love most about being in business is that it is a personal growth journey. I’ve grown the most and learned more about myself through my business than I have in any other aspect of my life (with parenting being a close second).
AND there are aspects of personal growth – specifically mindset principles – that I once believed in and no longer do.
I have taken many personal growth programs over the years. Everything from week long, in-person camps (anyone else do all the Harv Eker courses back in the day?) through to year-long business building masterminds and more courses than I can count.
And in all of these scenarios there were success mindset principles – or beliefs – that I’ve been taught.
Things that I used to take in as gospel but now have come to realize aren’t always true or helpful. In some cases they can be downright harmful.
The first one is: “How you do anything is how you do everything”
Ooooo how I used to beat myself up over this one!
To me this meant that I needed to be perfect and show up at 100% of my effort all the time, or success wouldn’t come my way.
And I don’t know about you, but that is an exhausting and impossible effort. If I was having a rough day and wasn’t giving my all, I would find myself going down the well worn path of “I’m not good enough” (which is one of my core limiting beliefs).
Likewise, what about the things I’m simply not good at? If I suck at something, doesn’t that then mean that I suck at everything?
It’s a dangerous loop to find yourself in if you aren’t careful – putting the pressure of having to be ‘perfect’ and to give our best at all times in order to succeed.
When in fact, we can create plenty of success being our messy, not always perfect and not always showing up 100% selves.
I’m proof of this. There are many days where I’m not operating at my best. Days where I’m feeling unmotivated and its hard to even just do the basics (especially as a woman who has been navigating the journey of peri / menopause these past few years…)
And then there are days where I’m on fire and it’s like “watch out world, here I come!”
Success is an up and down journey. It doesn’t require us to be perfect and 100% on all the time. We can be messy and have rough days and still create something amazing for ourselves, our teams and our clients.
I’m curious… do you have a mindset principle that you used to believe in but no longer do?
