What Becoming a Certified Admin Taught Me and Why It Matters for Your Business
Joanna Sherrow shares her experience completing a proctored CRM admin certification and why structured platform training matters for founder-led businesses.
Founder & CEO, Growth Gap Co
"A business owner is trusting you with more than software settings. They are trusting you with the processes supporting inquiries, follow-up, appointments, and the customer journey."
I passed the certified admin program in November 2025. My experience included a series of video training lessons, quizzes, and a live proctored exam observed by a staff member. Having completed certifications on other platforms, I found this process a valuable way to sharpen my skills and demonstrate what I had learned.
I have gone through certification programs on other platforms before. I appreciate training that helps me understand a tool more thoroughly and use it with greater intention.
But this program stood out to me because of the process.
You work through the training. You check your understanding through quizzes. Then you take a proctored exam in front of a staff member.
For someone whose work involves clients' CRM and automation systems, that kind of structured learning matters.
A business owner is trusting you with more than software settings. They are trusting you with the processes supporting inquiries, follow-up, appointments, and the customer journey.
What is the certified admin program?
The certified admin program is the official certification pathway for developing and validating platform skills.
The path is described as enrollment, training, and an exam. The official certification page also identifies a live proctored exam as part of the certification process.
For me, the value came from going through that learning and assessment sequence. It gave me a structured opportunity to revisit my knowledge and put it to the test.
My certification experience: training, quizzes, and a proctored exam
The video training gave the learning structure
When you work inside a platform, you naturally spend more time in the features your projects require.
Structured training gives you a reason to step back and study with a broader purpose. You are following a learning process rather than only looking up an answer when you need it.
That is one reason I see the program as a good way to hone your skills, including when you already have experience using the platform.
The quizzes checked understanding along the way
Watching a lesson and understanding it are different things.
The quizzes made knowledge checks part of the process. That matters because familiarity can feel like understanding until you have to answer a question about it.
For me, the combination of lessons and quizzes made the learning more deliberate.
The live proctored exam added accountability
The final part of my experience was a live proctored exam observed by a staff member.
That was an important distinction. The process included assessment beyond completing videos.
I passed in November 2025. Looking back on it now, I value the work behind that milestone as much as the credential itself.
Why certification matters to me as a business owner
I believe professional development should improve the work you do for other people.
If I am helping a founder make decisions about CRM, automation, and their customer journey, I want my platform knowledge to support those decisions.
That does not mean a certification answers every business question. It means I have invested in a formal learning and assessment process for a platform I use in my work.
The responsibility continues afterward: keep learning, check assumptions, test implementations, and make sure the system fits the business.
Passing an exam is a milestone. Serving clients well is an ongoing responsibility.
What this means for Growth Gap Co. clients
At Growth Gap Co., our work connects marketing strategy with CRM, automation, and execution.
My certification experience supports the platform side of that work. The business side still requires understanding what the client needs to accomplish.
Before recommending a workflow, we need to consider questions such as:
- ·Where does the inquiry come from?
- ·Who owns the next action?
- ·What should happen when the prospect replies or books?
- ·Which decisions require human judgment?
- ·How will the team know whether the process is working?
Those questions give the configuration a purpose.
For example, a founder may ask for automated follow-up. The first task is to understand the follow-up process: the audience, message, timing, ownership, and circumstances that should change or stop the sequence.
Knowing the platform helps us implement that process. Understanding the business helps us decide what to implement.
Platform knowledge and business strategy need to work together
Our D.A.B.A.O. Framework provides the sequence for that work.
We diagnose the gap, align on the intended process, build the supporting system, activate it with the team, and review what needs improvement.
The platform can be the vehicle for implementation. The business determines the direction.
That is why I see certification as part of professional credibility alongside practical experience, sound judgment, clear communication, and a disciplined approach to delivery.
Would I recommend the certification program?
Yes. Based on my experience, I recommend considering it if you work with the platform and want a structured way to sharpen your skills.
My advice is to give the process your attention. Work through the training, take the knowledge checks seriously, and prepare to demonstrate your understanding.
If you are considering enrollment now, review the current official program information. My experience reflects the process I completed in 2025, and program requirements can change.
What should founders look for when hiring platform help?
A certification is a useful credential to ask about, but your hiring conversation should also cover how the provider works.
Ask how they diagnose the problem, document the proposed process, test the build, train your team, and handle maintenance.
You should understand what they will deliver, what remains your team's responsibility, and how the implementation supports your customer journey.
The strongest conversation connects platform skills to the actual work your business needs.
Frequently asked questions
When did Joanna Sherrow pass the certified admin program?
I passed in November 2025. This article, dated October 4, 2026, shares my experience and why I found the process valuable.
What did Joanna's certification process involve?
My experience included video training, quizzes, and a live proctored exam observed by a staff member.
Can experienced platform users benefit from certification?
In my view, yes. Structured training and assessment can help experienced users revisit their knowledge and sharpen their skills. The value depends on the effort you put into learning and applying it.
Does certification guarantee business results?
No. A platform credential does not guarantee leads, sales, or growth. Outcomes also depend on strategy, implementation, customer demand, team adoption, and ongoing management.
Is platform access the same as certification?
No. The certification program is separate from ordinary platform access. Using the software and completing the certification pathway are different activities.
Where can I learn about the program?
Visit the official certification page for current enrollment details and requirements. Contact us to learn more.
Why I keep investing in my skills
I earned the certification because developing my skills matters to the work I do.
After completing other platform certifications, I found the combination of training, quizzes, and a staff-observed exam a valuable way to learn and be assessed.
That experience reinforces a standard I bring to Growth Gap Co.: understand the business, use the technology intentionally, and keep improving the work.
If your CRM still depends on you remembering every next step, take the Gap Scan to begin identifying where the process needs attention.
About the author
Joanna Sherrow is the founder and CEO of Growth Gap Co., a marketing and revenue systems firm based in Georgetown, Kentucky. She passed the certified admin program in November 2025, created the D.A.B.A.O. Framework, and is the author of Closing the Growth Gap.
Knowing the platform helps us implement the process. Understanding the business helps us decide what to implement. Certification is one part of professional credibility alongside practical experience and sound judgment.
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