Instructor and FAQ

Your instructor

I’m Marc Bradburry II, the Big Bearded Ginger. I learned leadership from the floor up. I don’t teach from theory. I write about what I’ve seen work and what I’ve seen break, so you can fix it faster than I did.

Marc is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (certified August 24, 2024) and answers student questions himself. More about Marc.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I start?

With a free course: White Belt, 5S or Intro to Lean.

What is the path?

White Belt (free) to Yellow Belt to Green Belt. Green Belt needs a Yellow Belt or a short placement check.

What is free, and what is certified?

White Belt, 5S and Intro to Lean: free, certificate of completion (not a certification). Yellow Belt and Green Belt: certification programs with a written, closed-book exam (a basic calculator and a provided sigma conversion table are allowed; 70% to pass) and a certification number you can verify.

How much does it cost?

White Belt, 5S and Intro to Lean are free. Yellow Belt and Green Belt pricing will be posted before enrollment opens.

How long does each belt take?

About 4 hours for White Belt, about 2 to 3 hours each for 5S and Intro to Lean, about 25 hours for Yellow Belt, and about 66 hours for Green Belt after Yellow Belt. These are estimates. The courses are self-paced, so you set the schedule.

How are lessons delivered?

Self-paced text lessons with short videos. There are no scheduled live classes.

What are the exams like?

Yellow Belt: 40 questions in 60 minutes. Green Belt: 100 questions in 3 hours. Both are written and closed book, with a basic calculator and a provided sigma conversion table allowed, and need 70% to pass. The free courses have no exam: White Belt ends with a 10-question self-check, and 5S and Intro to Lean each end with a short 10-question quiz. You can retake them as many times as you like.

What software do I need?

Yellow Belt and Green Belt require Excel. Minitab is optional. The free courses need no software.

How do I get help?

Questions while you study? Use the contact form or email marc@bigbeardedginger.com. Marc replies within 2 business days.

How do I verify a certification?

To verify a BBG University certification, email marc@bigbeardedginger.com with the certification ID. We reply within 2 business days and confirm the name, belt, issue date and status only.

How does BBG University relate to CSSC?

The curriculum is aligned to the CSSC Body of Knowledge (CSSC is the Council for Six Sigma Certification). BBG University is not accredited by or affiliated with CSSC.