Compare All SAI Programs — $89 Diagnostic, FDC, CAS, and CAE
"Most leaders arrive here having already tried the obvious fixes. They have hired, restructured, cut costs, and pushed harder. The constraint is still there — because it was never named. Every program at SAI begins with the same discipline: find the one thing governing your results before you touch anything else."
— Lawrence M. Schneider, Founder & CEO, Schneider Axiom Institute — Founder of U.S. Lock Corporation, now owned by The Home Depot
Every SAI Program Is Built on One Principle...
You do not improve what you have not accurately diagnosed.
Most business programs rush to solutions without identifying what is actually governing results. That is why effort multiplies while progress stalls. SAI trains leaders and advisors to identify the single constraint governing performance — so improvement happens where it matters.
Every program is standalone. No prerequisites. FDC is not required before CAS or CAE.
Start Here — Which Best Describes You?
I Own or Operate a Business
I need to identify what is limiting my results — and whether I want to own the diagnostic capability myself.
See My Options ↓I Advise, Consult, or Coach Clients
I want a certified diagnostic methodology to deploy in client engagements — and access to the Practitioner Referral Network.
See My Options ↓No prerequisites on any program. Every credential is standalone.
All Four Programs at a Glance
| $89 Diagnostic | FDC — $697 | CAS — $1,997 | CAE — $4,997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built For | Business Owners who need their constraint named | Owners who want permanent internal diagnostic capability | Advisors & Consultants serving clients | Senior Executives at Enterprise & Board scale |
| Modules | — | 9 | 12 | 20 |
| Referral Network | — | Not included | Included upon certification | Priority placement |
| Larry or SAI Exec Reviews | Every submission | Every assessment | Every submission | Every capstone personally |
| Prerequisites | None | None | None | Application required |
| Guarantee | Full refund within 72 hrs of delivery if the report does not identify a clear, actionable governing constraint | Non-refundable | Non-refundable | Non-refundable |
If You Own or Operate a Business
Your Constraint Is Already There.
The Question Is Whether You Name It.
You do not need a certification. You need to know what is actually governing your results — and whether you want the capability to find it yourself going forward. Two programs serve that purpose. They are designed to be used in sequence, but neither requires the other.
The Recommended Starting Point for Every Business Owner
$89 Business Constraint Diagnostic
81 questions · Written report within 72 hours · Reviewed by Lawrence M. Schneider
You answer 81 structured diagnostic questions. Within 72 hours you receive a 2,200+ word written diagnostic report that names your governing constraint, identifies the structural category it lives in, estimates the financial impact of leaving it unaddressed, and gives you a concrete resolution path.
Important: This diagnostic identifies your constraint. It does not resolve it. No sales call. No implementation pitch. Full refund if within 72 hours of delivery the report does not identify a clear, actionable governing constraint.
If You Want to Own the Diagnostic Capability Permanently
Foundational Diagnostic Credential (FDC)
9 modules · Self-paced · No prerequisite · Non-refundable
$697 · One-Time Enrollment
The $89 diagnostic names your current constraint. The FDC gives you the capability to find every constraint that follows — permanently, without returning to an external advisor every time a new constraint surfaces. This is a credential for internal application, not client deployment.
Who This Is For
What Is Included
Note: The FDC is designed for internal application only. If your goal is to advise clients, proceed directly to the CAS — it contains everything the FDC teaches plus the advisory deployment layer.
If You Advise, Consult, or Coach Clients
The Advisor Who Finds the Constraint Before the Engagement Is Structured Is the Advisor Whose Work Gets Talked About.
You do not need to test SAI with the $89 diagnostic before enrolling — though most advisors who complete it first describe it as producing the personal conviction that makes professional deployment authentic. Two certifications serve advisors. They differ by the scale and complexity of the engagements you take on.
For Advisors Working at Client and Cross-Functional Scale
CAS — Certified Axiom Strategist
12 modules · No prerequisite · Referral Network eligible · Non-refundable
$1,997 · One-Time Enrollment
The CAS certifies you to identify governing constraints that span multiple teams, departments, or leadership domains — and advise organizations through resolution. It includes the complete FDC foundation plus three advisory application modules covering deployment, delivery, and practice repositioning.
Credibility
Differentiate from uncredentialed competitors
Methodology
Proven repeatable framework for every engagement
Referral Network
SAI Practitioner Referral Network eligibility
Fee Authority
Charge for diagnostic value, not hours billed
For Senior Advisors at Enterprise and Board Scale · Application Required
CAE — Certified Axiom Executive
20 modules · Application required · Priority Referral Network · Confirmed by Lawrence M. Schneider personally
$4,997 · One-Time Enrollment
The highest SAI certification. The CAE prepares experienced practitioners to diagnose and advise at the enterprise level — board governance, multi-division constraint architecture, building diagnostic capability in others. Twenty modules at $250 each. No comparable program exists anywhere in the market.
Who This Is For
What Is Included
What Makes These Programs Different
Diagnosis Before Improvement
No tools, frameworks, or execution tactics are applied until the governing constraint is identified. Most programs skip this step. SAI starts with it — every time, for every client, at every level of complexity.
Built Inside Real Businesses
Forged over five decades of operating experience — manufacturing, distribution, construction, franchising — where payroll had to clear, margins mattered, and mistakes were expensive. Not classroom theory. Applied diagnostic discipline under real financial pressure.
Credential vs. Certification
The FDC is a credential — it establishes diagnostic capability within your own business. The CAS and CAE are certifications — they authorize deployment of the methodology with clients and include Referral Network eligibility. Different tools. Different purposes. Each complete on its own.
The Credibility Constraint
Sometimes the governing constraint is not operational — it is authority. When leadership credibility is questioned, implementation stalls. SAI formally recognizes the Credibility constraint as one of the seven constraint classes and provides a diagnostic framework specifically designed to address it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to complete the $89 diagnostic before enrolling in a credential?
Not required — but strongly recommended. Your diagnostic finding becomes the first real-world case study you bring into any program. Most enrollees who start with the $89 diagnostic describe the credential as the natural continuation of the finding rather than a separate program.
Do I need the FDC before enrolling in the CAS or CAE?
No. Every SAI credential is standalone. The CAS and CAE both open with the complete FDC curriculum — you receive the full foundation regardless of your starting point.
I am both a business owner and an advisor. Which program is right for me?
If you ever intend to deploy the methodology with clients, proceed directly to CAS. It contains everything the FDC teaches and adds the advisory application layer on top. You lose nothing by starting at CAS.
Can I move from FDC to CAS or CAE later?
Yes — and the transition is seamless. The CAS and CAE open with the complete FDC curriculum, so you carry your foundation forward rather than starting over. No prerequisites. No time restrictions.
What is the difference between a credential and a certification?
The FDC is a credential — it establishes diagnostic capability within your own business. The CAS and CAE are certifications — they authorize deployment of the methodology with clients and include Referral Network eligibility.
"Your business doesn't have ten problems.
It has one governing constraint creating ten symptoms.
Find it.
Name it precisely.
The symptoms resolve on their own."
— Lawrence M. Schneider, Founder & CEO, Schneider Axiom Institute — Founder of U.S. Lock Corporation, now owned by The Home Depot
Are You Evaluating the CAE for an Accounting Firm?
SAI has built dedicated pages for the two people in your firm who need to make this decision. Find your role below.
For Managing Partners
Does the CAE Differentiate Your Firm in a Way No Competitor Can Immediately Replicate?
Yes — because no competing firm currently holds the CAE, and the credential takes time, commitment, and documented field performance to earn. The firm that deploys it first establishes a practice category no competitor can enter without earning the same credential.
The Managing Partner Case →For L&D Directors
CPE Eligibility, Cohort Pricing from $3,497, and a Self-Paced Timeline With No Firm Time Blocked.
Everything your L&D department needs to evaluate, budget, and implement the CAE credential program across your firm's advisory practice — including the CPE framework and implementation timeline.
Program Structure, CPE and Pricing →Schedule Coffee with Larry — Free. 15 Minutes. No Agenda.
Not sure which program is right for your situation? This is where that conversation starts. Lawrence M. Schneider takes these calls personally.
Schedule Coffee with Larry →Questions? Schneider Axiom Institute LLC · info@schneideraxiom.org
We typically respond within 1 business day.
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