Responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Table of Contents

Q. What is The Alternative Board TAB®?
A. The Alternative Board® (TAB) is a membership organization of CEO’s, presidents and business owners who improve their businesses by attending monthly board meetings facilitated by professional Facilitators trained in the TAB system. At your monthly TAB Board® Meetings, you and your other members will discuss your problems and opportunities in a relaxed and confidential atmosphere. TAB has hundreds of board meetings in cities across North America.

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Q. Who will be my fellow TAB Board® Members?
A. There is a saying at TAB that “You have to be at the top to understand what life at the top is all about.” Each TAB Member is a CEO, president or business owner who operates a business in a field that does not compete with other members in the board.

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Q. How do I know if I’m qualified to become a TAB Member?
A. Membership in The Alternative Board is by invitation only. A TAB Facilitator will meet with you to assess such things as your business experience, your willingness to help other board members and your openness to accepting advice and ideas. Each member of the board must be in favor of inviting you to join the board before you can be accepted as a new member.

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Q. How will TAB help improve my company?
A. Since each of your TAB Board® Members will have a different, diverse background from your own, they will help open your eyes to new alternatives and opportunities to accomplish your personal and professional goals. This diversity of backgrounds, providing between 200-300 years of combined experience on each TAB Board®  will allow you to accelerate your learning curve on the opportunities and challenges facing your company.

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Q. How will I benefit from TAB?
A. It is impossible to meet with experienced heads of companies month after month and not get back many times the cost of membership in real bottom-line benefits. You will find the time you spend as a TAB Member to be a very profitable investment in your business. When you present a problem, issue or opportunity to your board, the other members and your Facilitator will offer practical solutions and advice (rather than theory). Members in each TAB Board® collectively have hundreds of years of business experience. 75 to 80 percent of business problems and challenges are the same by all businesses, regardless of the type of business. The diversity of backgrounds of the members will provide you with a “crossfertilization” of ideas that you will be able to apply to your business.

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Q. Why must each TAB Board® have a trained TAB Facilitator?
A. Your Facilitator will guide your board meetings without dominating. Each TAB Facilitator is trained to bring about active participation by all of your fellow TAB Board® Members so that you will receive the most benefits from the TAB process. Your Facilitator is also trained to enhance your business success through your Private Coaching Sessions.

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Q. Who is the Facilitator?
A. Each TAB Board® is led by an experienced business person who is an expert in key areas of operating a business. Each Facilitator is a superbly qualified individual who has extensive experience in corporate America at the highest executive levels, and/or has operated a successful business, and/or has been a consultant to leaders of companies. His/her cumulative experience must be of at least 20 years. In addition, all Facilitators complete a certification training in the TAB system.

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Q. What is the role of the Facilitator?
A. Besides facilitating the monthly Board Meeting, the Facilitator will meet individually with each Member between the Board Meetings and constantly monitor the progress that you are making in accomplishing the goals that you establish when you join the Board. In addition, the Facilitator assists in helping the Board prioritize and sequence your strategies into a logical planning process as well as making you accountable for the implementation strategies recommended by the Board and accepted by you to improve your business.

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Q. But my business is unique....How are others going to help with my product or service?
A. They’re not…the reason that you are in the business that you are in is that you are an expert in that particular product or service. However, 75-80% of the opportunities and challenges in your business have nothing to do with the product you are selling or the service you are providing. Most business challenges today revolve around the management of your employees, your cash flow, the space you occupy, taking advantage of new technologies and most importantly…the effective use of your time as the leader of your company!

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Q. What will be my time commitment to TAB?
A. Your time commitment as a member differs with the type of board you join and the type of Private Coaching Session program that you select. Some TAB Boards® meet for four hours each month while others meet for three hours each month. The Private Coaching Sessions are of one hour per month unless you elect extended coaching.

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Q. How do I qualify to become a TAB Member?
A. Membership in TAB is by invitation only. Besides being the majority shareholder, you must be committed to improving your business. We require a personal interview in your office of approximately 45 minutes to determine your business experience and establish your willingness to assist others. In addition, each existing Board Member must be in favor of inviting you to join.

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Q. Which TAB Board® should I join?
A. We have three different types of TAB Boards® President’s Boards, CEO’s Boards and Chairman’s Boards. Upon completion of your interview, we will make a recommendation of which one of the Boards you would qualify to join. While annual sales volume and number of employees are important factors, we will recommend the Board that can best enhance your business with a group of peers that have the proper diversity of experience to benefit your company. Typical TAB Boards® have a mixture of businesses in several different sectors such as manufacturing, distribution, retailing, technological, construction and service.

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Q. What is my next step?
A. You need to attend an Informational Meeting presented by a TAB Facilitator or arrange for a private informational meeting. You should never be too busy to invest in yourself.

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The simple fact is…TAB WORKS! TAB membership positions you to achieve greater business success. If you are accepted as a TAB Member, you will be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.