The Certified OBM® Programme | Thrive OBM Academy
OBM®
IAOBM - Certified - UK & Ireland

The Certified OBM®
Programme.

Structured training, live mentoring, and hands-on client work. Designed for experienced operators who are ready to lead, not just execute.

10 wks
Certification possible
Earn
While you learn
2022
Licensed since
Global
IAOBM certification
Operations Leadership AI Strategy & Integration Premium Retainer Pricing Client Onboarding & Contracts Team & Project Oversight IAOBM Certification Week First Client Promise Finance Options Available Operations Leadership AI Strategy & Integration Premium Retainer Pricing Client Onboarding & Contracts Team & Project Oversight IAOBM Certification Week First Client Promise Finance Options Available

A seat at the
decision-making table.
Not the task list.

A Certified OBM® is the operations leader behind a thriving business. Not the assistant. Not the project manager. The person trusted to make sure the business actually runs: systems, team, delivery, performance, so the founder can lead.

All of our Certified OBMs are trained to implement and support AI integration at an operational level. That means knowing which tools fit the workflow, where automation belongs, and critically, where human judgement still has to sit.

That combination is rare. It's also what business owners are looking for, urgently, right now.

"This elite programme prepares professionals who are ready to be taken seriously, including by themselves."

Approved Licenced Trainer since 2022 Operations Leadership AI Integration Premium Retainers Live Mentoring Global Credential UK & Ireland Trained

What you'll gain
from this programme.

🧭
Operations Leadership

Decision-making and delivery oversight at owner level. The skills that put you at the founder's right hand, not their to-do list.

🤖
AI Tool Selection & Governance

Beyond surface-level prompting. You'll know which tools fit the workflow, where automation belongs, and where human judgement must remain.

💷
Premium Pricing & Retainers

Package and sell your services at the level your expertise demands, without underselling yourself or competing on hourly rates.

👥
Project & Team Oversight

Run projects, manage contractors, and keep delivery on track across complex, multi-stream businesses. Lead the team, not just the task.

📋
Client Delivery Standards

Onboarding processes, contracts, and delivery frameworks that protect both your brand and your clients, from day one.

🏆
IAOBM Certification

The global standard that recruiters and business owners actively look for. The credential that signals you're in a different category entirely.

Your journey, mapped.

Most students complete the programme in as little as 10 weeks. Go at your own pace. Structured modules, hands-on projects, and live support so you can begin offering paid services while you're still training.

Phase 1 · Weeks 1–2
Foundations & First Clients
Build the bedrock. Understand what the Certified OBM® role actually is, what it earns, and how to position yourself for it from day one.
  • The OBM role defined: what it is, what it isn't
  • Your positioning, pricing, and service offer
  • Setting up for professional client delivery
  • AI tools overview: where to start
✦ Created to help you get clients while still training
Phase 2 · Weeks 3–5
Operations Leadership
Go deep on the skills that separate an OBM from a VA. Systems thinking, operational strategy, and the frameworks that keep businesses running.
  • Business systems design and documentation
  • Team management and contractor oversight
  • Project planning, tracking, and delivery
  • Metrics, reporting, and performance reviews
Core leadership curriculum
Phase 3 · Weeks 6–7
AI Strategy & Integration
Learn to implement AI at an operational level, not as a gimmick, but as a genuine competitive advantage for your clients' businesses.
  • AI workflow design and tool selection
  • Automation: what to automate and what not to
  • Governance frameworks for AI-integrated businesses
  • Pitching AI services to clients with confidence
AI-powered module
Phase 4 · Weeks 8–9
Business Growth & Sales
Package your expertise, raise your rates, and build the business infrastructure that supports consistent, premium-level income.
  • Premium retainer structuring and pricing
  • Sales conversations and discovery calls
  • Client contracts and onboarding standards
  • Growing a sustainable OBM business
Revenue-building focus
Phase 5 · Week 10+
Certification Week
The final stage. A dedicated assessment week where you earn the globally recognised Certified OBM® designation from the IAOBM. Your fees are included.
  • Practical assessment and project submission
  • IAOBM certification panel review
  • Earn your Certified OBM® designation
  • Join the global community of Certified OBMs
✦ Assessment fees included (£430 value)

A strong fit, or
not a fit at all.

This is a strong fit if…
  • You have at least two years' experience in business support: VA, PA, executive assistant, office manager, or operations support
  • You're done trading hours for admin pricing and want a credentialed step up
  • You want to lead outcomes, not just execute tasks
  • You're open to learning AI tools well, not avoiding them
  • You want personal mentor support, not just a course library you'll never finish
  • You're prepared to invest your time in building a real business
This isn't a fit if…
  • You're new to business support work and looking for an entry-level role
  • You want to be told what to do task-by-task rather than lead outcomes
  • You want a quick certificate without doing client-side work
  • You'd rather avoid AI tools than learn to use them well
  • You're not ready to invest around 4 hours a week to build this properly

Priced for what
it's actually worth.

The investment reflects the depth of the programme: structured training, live mentoring, and ongoing accountability with the UK's Certified OBM® training team. We share specific pricing and finance options on the discovery call so we can talk through what fits your situation.

Finance options are available, spread the cost across your first revenue months so the programme pays for itself as you go.

Included bonuses

1
Access to our bespoke CRM, built just for Certified OBMs
Unlimited websites, funnels, calendars, social media scheduling, pipeline and everything you need to help your business thrive
2
Certification Week Assessment Fees Covered
£430 value
3
UK-Specific Client Contract Template
Professionally drafted
4
UK-Specific Associate Agreement
For team & contractor growth
5
AI-Ready Lead Magnet Template
Based on a £50K revenue framework
6
Operations & AI Service Frameworks
Ready to package and price
7
First Client Promise
In writing, until you land your first client

15-day money-back guarantee. Try the programme for two full weeks. If it isn't right, let us know within 15 days and we'll refund the lot. No awkward conversation.

The next step is
a conversation.

30 minutes. No pitch. No card details. No pressure you don't want. Just an honest look at whether this is the right fit for you.

If it isn't the right fit, we'll tell you and point you somewhere that is.