FBA Advisor Accreditation Program
Upskill and differentiate yourself as a trusted family business advisor through our Advising Business Families course. Delivered in two parts, this program equips you with the essential knowledge, skills, and practical tools to confidently support family businesses navigating growth, succession, and complex dynamics. Complete both parts to become an FBA Accredited Advisor and enhance your value to clients.
The Advising Business Families course, part of FBA’s Advisor Accreditation Program, is designed for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of family businesses.
This two-part program combines foundational knowledge with advanced skills to help you navigate the unique challenges of advising family businesses. Delivered in partnership with the University of Adelaide and led by globally recognised experts, the course blends theory with practical applications to ensure you can deliver tailored, impactful advice to family business clients.
"As a Partner with a 25 year corporate career, plus a range of qualifications including an MBA, I wasn’t sure how much I’d gain from this course. Having now completed it, I can categorically state that the outcomes significantly exceeded my expectations. The academic and practical learnings included useful frameworks and familyrelevant business models, and the opportunity to interact with family advisors during the course has led to a new network of like-minded advisors across the country. I highly recommend any advisor dealing with family businesses to seek this accreditation as a priority."
— James McGill, Executive Director, Chatham Capital Exchange
"The course enables advisors to broaden their skill set for the benefit of both themselves and their clients, while also enabling access to a network of other professionals with extensive experience in the area. I highly recommend the course to advisors who want to broaden their knowledge of the challenged facing family business. not just in Australia, but globally."
— Kylie Wilson, Parner, Holding Redlich
Key Learnings:
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Foundation Expertise: Develop essential and advanced skills to effectively advise family businesses
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Family Dynamics: Understand and navigate complex family relationships within the business environment.
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Communication Strategies: Implement tools to resolve conflicts and improve communication within family businesses.
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Tailored Solutions: Apply proven frameworks and tools to deliver customised, practical solutions for family business clients.
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Competitive Advantage: Build trust and differentiate yourself as a Family Business Accredited Advisor
Who Should Complete the Course:
This course is designed for professionals such as accountants, lawyers, business consultants, management consultants, HR specialists, and other advisors who work with or wish to upskill in supporting family businesses.
Advising Business Families - Part 1
What's Included
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3 x 2-hour interactive workshops. Apply course concepts to family business case scenarios.
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4 x 30 minute pre-recorded lectures.
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4 x online discussion boards.
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Reading resources.
Available Dates
Advising Business Families - Part 1
7 October 2025 - 18 November, 2025
- Tue 7 October 2025 - Online Orientation, 12pm-1.30pm AEDT
- Tue 28 October 2025 - Online Workshop 1, 12pm-2pm AEDT
- Tue 18 November 2025 - Online Workshop 2, 12pm-2pm AEDT
Advising Business Families - Part 1
3 March 2026 - 14 April, 2026
- Tue 3 March 2026 - Online Orientation, 12pm-1.30pm AEDT
- Tue 24 March 2026 - Online Workshop 1, 12pm-2pm AEST
- Tue 14 April 2026 - Online Workshop 2, 12pm-2pm AEST
Advising Business Families - Part 1
8 September 2026 - 20 October, 2026
- Tue 8 September 2026 - Online Orientation, 12pm-1.30pm AEDT
- Tue 29 September 2026 - Online Workshop 1, 12pm-2pm AEDT
- Tue 20 October 2026 - Online Workshop 2, 12pm-2pm AEDT
Private Course:
If you can't find a time that suits you please express your interest below, as from time to time we may create a course to fit demand.
Advising Business Families - Part 2
What's Include:
- 3 x 2-hour interactive workshops. Apply course concepts to family business case scenarios.
- 4 x 60 minute pre-recorded lectures.
- 4 x online discussion boards.
- Final case study assignment.
- Reading resources.
Available Dates
Advising Business Families - Part 2
10 Febuary 2026 - 31 March, 2026
- Tues 10 February – Online Orientation, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tues 17 February – Online Workshop 1, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tues 10 March – Online Workshop 2, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tues 31 March – Online Workshop 3, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
Advising Business Families - Part 2
4 August 2026 - 22 September, 2026
- Tuesday 4 August - Online Orientation, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tuesday 11 August – Online Workshop 1, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tuesday 1 September – Online Workshop 2, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
- Tuesday 22 September – Online Workshop 3, 11am-1.00pm AEDT
Private Course:
If you can't find a time that suits you please express your interest below, as from time to time we may create a course to fit demand.
Delivery
Each course is delivered fully online, in 1.5-2hr session blocks, providing you with the flexibility to work around your busy consulting schedule.
Throughout each course you will be challenged to rethink your views on family business advising through the expertise of your facilitators and the sharing of experiences and learnings by your peers.
You will demonstrate your increaed knowledge and expertise through practical assessment tasks designed to futher develop your skills in applying tools which will add value to your practice.
The final assessment piece at the conclusion of Advising Business Families - Part 2 will consist of a case study analysis. You will have 2 weeks from the end of the course to submit this assessment.
Eligibility
FBA Advisors must successfully complete both Parts 1 and 2 of the Advising Business Families program to attain FBA Advisor Accreditation Membership. We also offter Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for those who meet specific criteria. RPL, either in whole or part, is available through a formal application process and is subject to approval.
For further details on RPL, please contact Sarah Herft.
Memberships
Advisor Member Benefits
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Advisor member-only events with like-minded peers and speakers
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FBA community member-only events with fellow Advisors and family businesses
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Invitation to FBA's Advisor Member-only LinkedIn Group
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Discount to Family Business Conference: Asia-Pacific, Insights Conference and other events
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Discounts to external courses and events
Advisor Member Benefits - After Successfully Completing Accreditation
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Use of ‘FBA Accredited Advisor’ emblem
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A profile on FBA’s Accredited Advisor Directory
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Opportunity to submit articles for FBA website showcasing your expertise
- Tailored family business introductions
- Eligible for Accredited Advisor of the Year at the Family Business Excellence Awards
(minimum 4 years’ service with FBA)
