How to Save Six Figures Annually on Your Enterprise Training Programs

When I tell business leaders they can save six figures—or even more—every year on their enterprise training programs, I usually get a raised eyebrow. Many assume that cutting training costs means cutting quality, or that modernization requires enormous new investments. But the truth is, it’s not about spending more—it’s about spending smarter.

I’ve helped organizations, from solopreneurs to S&P 500 giants, save hundreds of thousands (and in some cases, millions) through a simple three-step framework: Audit, Simplify, and Automate. It’s the same process I use inside my Enterprise Learning Accelerator™ partnership program, and today in the blog post (and in this YouTube video linked here and podcast episode linked here) I want to walk you through it step by step.

Step 1: Audit Everything You’re Doing

Before we can save money, we have to understand where it’s going. My background is actually in accounting—I earned my CPA and spent time at PricewaterhouseCoopers auditing IT systems—so it’s natural for me to approach learning programs with that same mindset.

When I work with clients, we start by creating a one-page bullet-point list of everything they’re spending money and staff hours on to run their eLearning or training programs. That includes technology, salaries, software subscriptions, video production, learning design, and even the time executives spend reviewing materials. You’d be surprised how quickly the costs stack up once you see them all on paper.

The audit doesn’t have to be complex, but it must be honest. Ask yourself:

• How much are we paying for our eLearning technology?

• How many staff hours are devoted to maintaining it?

• Are we leaving money on the table because of inefficiencies, outdated systems, or poor user experience?

I’ve seen companies paying five to two hundred times more than they need to for technology. Imagine paying $1 million a year for a legacy LMS that offers fewer features than a modern platform costing $10,000. It sounds impossible, but it happens all the time. Technology has evolved just like everything else. The first commercially available computer in the 1950s cost the equivalent of $12 million today—and it did less than the phone in your pocket.

That’s why I encourage leaders to view their learning tech through a modern lens. If your systems are old, you’re likely overpaying. And if your purchase experience is clunky—forcing customers or employees to click through five pages or even call someone to gain access—you’re probably losing revenue, too. I’ve helped companies like CoStar simplify their training purchase flow from “call to order” to “click to enroll.” That one change created tens of thousands in new revenue while saving hundreds of staff hours.

Auditing isn’t about blame; it’s about clarity. Once you see the full picture, you can decide where to focus your efforts.

Step 2: Simplify Using the 80/20 Rule

Once we’ve done the audit, we move to what I call the Simplify phase. This is where the 80/20 Rule—also known as the Pareto Principle—becomes your best friend. It’s been proven that 80 percent of your results come from just 20 percent of your efforts. The same is true for your learning business.

Take that bullet-point list from your audit and look for patterns. Which 20 percent of activities, courses, or clients are producing 80 percent of your results? Maybe one flagship training program drives most of your revenue. Maybe two team members create the majority of your high-impact learning materials. Focus your resources there.

Simplifying doesn’t mean cutting people or slashing budgets arbitrarily—it means reallocating time, energy, and money toward what truly matters. When you remove the noise, your team can focus on the work that actually moves the needle.

In many cases, the biggest simplification comes from switching technology. Modern tools like Kajabi and TalentLMS provide enterprise-level power for a fraction of the cost. Kajabi’s Pro Plan, for example, costs under $5,000 per year and supports up to 100,000 learners. TalentLMS, designed for internal employee training, costs less than $10,000 per year for 1,000 users. Compare that to legacy systems that charge $100,000 or more annually for the same number of learners, and you start to see how organizations can instantly save six figures just by simplifying their tech stack.

But the benefits go beyond money. These newer systems are easier for staff to manage, reducing time spent on administration. They also integrate seamlessly with automation tools and AI, setting the stage for the third step.

Simplification is about choosing what’s essential and eliminating what’s not. It’s about focusing your energy on the 20 percent that creates 80 percent of your success—and letting go of the rest.

Step 3: Automate for Efficiency and Scale

Once your programs are simplified, you’re ready for the final step: Automate. This is where the real magic happens.

Automation doesn’t mean replacing your people—it means empowering them. I believe in creating a partnership between AI and humans where both work at their highest potential. As your business grows from $50 million to $100 million or more, you don’t necessarily need to double your headcount. Instead, you can use automation to handle repetitive tasks while your team focuses on strategy, creativity, and learner engagement.

Automation can transform every part of your learning operation. It can streamline enrollment, grading, certification, and communication. It can manage complex workflows between your LMS, CRM, and finance systems. And with AI integration, it can even personalize learning experiences, analyze engagement data, and provide real-time insights to improve content performance.

Here’s the key: you only automate what works. That’s why we start with the audit and simplify phases. Automating inefficient systems is like pouring gasoline on a fire—it only magnifies the problems. But when you automate the 20 percent that drives the most ROI, you can scale exponentially without extra cost or chaos.

Modern platforms like Kajabi and TalentLMS make this process seamless. You can integrate email sequences, payment systems, course completion triggers, and even AI chat support—all within a few clicks. What once required a team of developers and months of coding now happens in minutes.

By automating intelligently, companies not only save six figures annually but also free up thousands of staff hours each year. That time can be reinvested in innovation, product development, or serving more clients.

The Real ROI: Saving and Growing at the Same Time

The beauty of this three-step process is that it doesn’t just reduce costs—it also drives revenue. When you cut unnecessary expenses while simultaneously improving efficiency, your profit margins expand dramatically.

For example, let’s say your company currently makes $1 million a year on training with a 20 percent profit margin. By implementing this system, you might cut your expenses enough to double your margin to 40 percent. That’s an extra $200,000 in profit. But now, because your programs are simpler, faster, and easier to scale, you can double your revenue to $2 million—bringing your total profit to $800,000. You didn’t just double your profit; you quadrupled it.

That’s the power of optimizing both sides of the equation—reducing costs and increasing revenue simultaneously.

Why I Built the Enterprise Learning Accelerator™

I created the Enterprise Learning Accelerator™ because I saw too many organizations stuck in the same cycle: overspending on outdated systems, under-delivering results, and burning out their teams. My mission is to help them break that pattern—to modernize their learning programs, automate intelligently, and make training a profit center rather than an expense.

If your company is earning around $50 million a year and has 200 to 500 employees, chances are you’re sitting on significant untapped potential. You might be losing six figures annually without even realizing it. The good news is, with the right strategy, that money can be recovered quickly—and reinvested into growth.

Through my Enterprise Learning Accelerator™, my team and I partner directly with companies to execute this entire process. We become an extension of your organization—your dedicated eLearning partner—to help you build a scalable, efficient, and profitable learning ecosystem.

If you’re ready to stop bleeding money on training and start turning learning into a revenue-driving powerhouse, I invite you to take the first step. Start by auditing your current systems. Look for duplication, outdated software, or processes that no longer serve your goals. Then apply the 80/20 Rule, focus on what drives real results, and finally, automate everything you can.

You can also explore my free tools—like the eLearning Platform Finder™—to discover which technology best fits your business and unlocks your six-figure savings potential. Once you’re ready, we can work together to customize your transformation through the Enterprise Learning Accelerator™.

Saving six figures annually on your enterprise training programs isn’t just possible—it’s practical. I’ve seen it happen again and again. All it takes is the courage to look under the hood, simplify what matters, and let automation do the heavy lifting.