RedThread Research
RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory firm founded in 2018 by ex-Bersin by Deloitte analysts, serving senior HR leaders and HR technology vendors through subscription memberships, a peer community platform, the Workplace Stories podcast, the annual ELEVATE conference, and a sponsored HR Tech Consortium.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersCalifornia, El Salvador
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RedThread Research does
RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory firm founded on March 6, 2018 by Dani Johnson and Stacia Garr, both formerly of Bersin by Deloitte. The firm produces unbiased research on people analytics, learning and development, skills technology, DEIB, employee experience, and HR technology, serving senior HR leaders, individual HR professionals, and HR technology vendors. Its core product is a research library and membership-based platform (members.redthreadresearch.com) combining long-form reports, the Workplace Stories podcast (80+ episodes over three years), monthly topic huddles, executive roundtables, Greenroom Q&A sessions, webinars, and the annual ELEVATE conference at Snowbird, UT.
The offering is structured as a three-tier membership: a free Starter tier with community and select research summaries, a Professional tier at $800/year with full research library access and member events, and an Enterprise (Briefing Club) tier with team-wide access, 1:1 analyst advisory, executive roundtables, quarterly trend briefings, and summit admission. A separate Tech Consortium sub-brand provides sponsored research for HR technology vendors, including Workday, Visier, Eightfold AI, UKG, Betterworks, Culture Amp, Cornerstone, hiBob, Medallia, and others. Revenue is generated through recurring annual subscriptions, negotiated Enterprise contracts, and Tech Consortium sponsorships, with global digital distribution complemented by in-person events. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California, operates with 1-10 employees, and remains privately held by its founding team with no disclosed external funding.
RedThread Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RedThread Research
- Legal name
- RedThread Research
- Website
- https://redthreadresearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory firm founded in 2018 by ex-Bersin by Deloitte analysts, serving senior HR leaders and HR technology vendors through subscription memberships, a peer community platform, the Workplace Stories podcast, the annual ELEVATE conference, and a sponsored HR Tech Consortium.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RedThread Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HR Research & Advisory
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)
Keywords
Where RedThread Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- California
- HQ country
- El Salvador
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
RedThread Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Membership: Individual membership tier priced at $800/year, providing access to community, research library, webinars, and monthly huddles. This is a subscription recurring revenue model.
- Enterprise Membership: Organization-wide team membership with full platform access, executive roundtables, advisory sessions, and annual summit tickets. Pricing is quote-based, indicating negotiated enterprise contracts.
- Tech Consortium: HR tech vendors pay to participate in the Tech Consortium, gaining visibility in research reports, access to quarterly roundtables, and opportunities to influence research focus. This represents a form of sponsored research or GTM partnership revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier for individual HR professionals seeking foundational resources |
| Subscription | Annual | Full access membership for individual professionals at $800/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise team membership with organization-wide access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
RedThread Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory firm that delivers unbiased research on people analytics, learning & development, skills technology, DEIB, employee experience, and HR technology. Its offering combines a tiered membership program (Starter, Professional, Enterprise/Briefing Club), a private community platform for HR leaders, the Workplace Stories podcast, and the Tech Consortium for HR tech vendors, all centered on funding and conducting independent research conducted collaboratively with members.
Product overview
RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory company offering a unified platform-plus-membership model. The core offering combines solid, unbiased research on HR and people practices with a community platform where members engage in discussions, roundtables, huddles, and peer networking. The product portfolio consists of research and advisory services (the foundational offering), the Community Platform (for peer connection and collaboration), the Workplace Stories Podcast (featuring 80+ conversations with HR leaders), and tiered memberships (Starter/Professional/Enterprise) providing graduated access to research, events, and analyst interactions. For HR tech vendors, the separate Tech Consortium sub-brand provides market intelligence and research sponsorship opportunities. The various tiers and sub-brands serve HR leaders, individual professionals, and HR technology providers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RedThread Membership Program A tiered membership providing HR leaders and professionals with access to the research library, monthly topic huddles, executive roundtables, member-only webinars, Greenroom Q&A sessions with podcast guests, quarterly trend briefings, 1:1 analyst advisory, and annual ELEVATE Summit admission at Snowbird, UT. Tiers include Starter (free), Professional ($800/year), and Enterprise/Briefing Club (quote-based).
- Tech Consortium A consortium of HR technology vendors (including Absorb, Betterworks, Cornerstone OnDemand, Culture Amp, Eightfold AI, HiBob, Lightcast, Medallia, Perceptyx, QuestionPro, UKG, Visier, Workday, TechWolf, and others) who financially support RedThread's HR tech research in exchange for in-depth market data, participation in exclusive events and webinars, and opportunities to collaborate with HR professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Survey of 770+ employees and L&D leaders for annual L&D reports
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use RedThread Research
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
RedThread Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
RedThread Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- AbsorbminorLearning management system vendor and Tech Consortium member. Supports RedThread's independent HR tech research in exchange for visibility and access to research insights.
- BetterworksminorPerformance management software provider and founding Tech Consortium member. Participates in quarterly consortium roundtables and sponsors tech-focused webinars.
- Cornerstone OndemandminorHR cloud platform provider and Tech Consortium member. Benefits from research visibility and opportunities to engage with HR professionals.
- Culture AmpminorEmployee experience platform and Tech Consortium member. Participates in consortium roundtables and research collaboration.
- Eightfold AIminorAI talent intelligence platform and Tech Consortium member. Supports unbiased HR tech research and gains market visibility.
- hiBobminorHR platform provider and Tech Consortium member. Participates in quarterly roundtables and research activities.
- LightcastminorLabor market analytics provider and Tech Consortium member. Supports skills-related research and market education.
- MedalliaminorExperience management platform and Tech Consortium member. Participates in research and market education initiatives.
- PerceptyxminorEnterprise survey and people analytics platform and Tech Consortium member. Supports HR analytics research and market insights.
- QuestionProminorSurvey and research technology provider. Co-hosts webinar on EX in the Age of AI with RedThread Research co-founder Stacia Garr in July 2025.
- UKGminorHR and workforce management provider and Tech Consortium member. Supports HR tech research and market education.
- VisierminorPeople analytics platform and Tech Consortium founding member. Provides support for unbiased people analytics research.
- WorkdayminorEnterprise HR and finance software provider and Tech Consortium member. Supports HR tech market research.
- DegreedminorLearning experience platform. CMO Todd Tauber quoted supporting RedThread research, indicating marketing/partnership relationship.
- TechWolfminorSkills intelligence provider and Tech Consortium member. CEO Andrea De Neve supports RedThread's mission to provide unbiased industry research.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RedThread Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Talent Board: Non-profit research organization focused on talent acquisition benchmarking and research. Niche overlap with RedThread's research focus on HR practices.
Direct peers
- The Josh Bersin Company: Independent HR research and advisory firm founded by Josh Bersin, also ex-Bersin by Deloitte. Directly comparable to RedThread in founder pedigree, membership model, and HR research focus.
- i4cp: Research and advisory firm focused on HR, performance, and workforce practices, with a member-based research model similar to RedThread's.
- McLean & Company: HR-focused research and advisory firm offering membership-based research, benchmarking, and advisory to HR leaders — closely analogous business model to RedThread.
- Sapient Insights Group: Independent HR research and advisory firm producing vendor-agnostic research for HR leaders — similar niche positioning to RedThread in the HR research space.
- Lighthouse Research & Advisory: Independent research and advisory firm covering HR, talent, and learning — competing directly for HR leader mindshare and research budgets.
- HR.com: HR research and community platform producing vendor-agnostic research and operating a large HR professional community — overlapping with RedThread's research and community offering.
Broad incumbents
- Gartner: Large-scale research and advisory firm with a substantial HR practice (including former Bersin assets). Offers overlapping research but as part of a much broader portfolio across all enterprise functions.
- Forrester: Major research and advisory firm with HR and workforce research coverage. Competes indirectly for HR research budgets but operates across many domains beyond HR.
- Mercer (HR consulting practice): Global consulting firm with deep HR, talent, and workforce research capabilities. Competes for HR leader research and advisory budgets at the enterprise level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RedThread Research social profiles
Digital presenceRedThread Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RedThread Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
RedThread Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RedThread Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RedThread Research
What does RedThread Research do?
RedThread Research is an independent HR research and advisory firm that delivers unbiased research on people analytics, learning & development, skills technology, DEIB, employee experience, and HR technology. Its offering combines a tiered membership program (Starter, Professional, Enterprise/Briefing Club), a private community platform for HR leaders, the Workplace Stories podcast, and the Tech Consortium for HR tech vendors, all centered on funding and conducting independent research conducted collaboratively with members.
Is RedThread Research a public or private company?
RedThread Research is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RedThread Research founded?
RedThread Research was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is RedThread Research based?
RedThread Research is headquartered in California, El Salvador, in the Latin America region.
How does RedThread Research make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Membership is the primary driver. The others are enterprise Membership and tech Consortium.
Who are RedThread Research's main competitors?
Talent Board is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are The Josh Bersin Company, i4cp, McLean & Company, Sapient Insights Group, Lighthouse Research & Advisory and HR.com. Broad incumbents are Gartner, Forrester and Mercer (HR consulting practice).
Does RedThread Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for RedThread Research.
What industry is RedThread Research in?
RedThread Research's product category is HR Research & Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAE, Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom). Its NAICS code is 541720 and its SIC code is 8742.