What Kolbe Corp does

Kolbe Corp is a Phoenix, Arizona-based assessment company founded in 1975 by Kathy Kolbe to measure conation — the instinctive ways individuals solve problems and take action. Its core product is the Kolbe A Index, a 36-question assessment producing a four-number MO (Modus Operandi) result across the Action Modes of Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. The product portfolio extends this conative framework into job-fit comparison (B Index), cognitive assessment (C Index), youth assessment (Y Index), and relationship assessment (R Index), plus add-on packages such as Financial MO+ and Kolbe Career Advantage. Enterprise deployment is delivered through the WAREwithal software platform, which bundles KolbeCore Pro for reporting, RightFit for hiring, and Team Tactix for team analytics.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: direct e-commerce to individual consumers (one-time assessment purchases priced $17–$63), inside sales to enterprise buyers via WAREwithal, and a global channel of nearly 1,000 independent Kolbe Certified Consultants who deliver coaching, workshops, and implementation. Additional revenue streams include a 10% affiliate commission program, books (notably "Do More, More Naturally" by CEO David Kolbe), the Activate Your A online course, Kolbe Cards activity decks, the annual KolbeCon conference, and the Kolbe Certification training program for consultants. Marketing is content-led, anchored by the Kolbe Wisdom blog, the "Powered by Instinct" podcast, social channels, SEO, and client case studies featuring named customers such as Intel, Charles Schwab, Hershey, Atomic Energy of Canada, and LSW Architects.

The company is privately held with 11–50 employees, operates globally via consultants across at least 14 countries, and navigated a generational transition in May 2025 with the passing of founder Kathy Kolbe at age 85; David Kolbe serves as CEO with Amy Bruske as President. No external private equity or venture capital funding is disclosed in the available data.

Name

Kolbe Corp

Legal name

Kolbe Corp

Website

https://kolbe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kolbe Corp is a Phoenix-based assessment company, founded in 1975, that sells the Kolbe conative assessment system — measuring instinctive problem-solving — to individuals, enterprise HR teams, certified consultants, and coaches across 14+ countries via direct e-commerce, the WAREwithal software platform, and a global consultant network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Assessment & Analytics

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment Item Banks, Question Authoring & Test Development Content (EDAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Assessment & Quiz Item Authoring Tools (within course builders) (EDAFAHAG), Dashboarding & KPI/Performance Management (HDAEAMAF)

Keywords

• Conative assessments
• Hiring analytics
• Team performance
• Career assessment
• Assessment software

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Assessment Sales: One-time purchase of Kolbe Index assessments (A, B, C, Y, R variants) for individual and team use. Individual assessments range from $17-$63 per person. Bundle options available.
2. Software Licensing: WAREwithal business software platform with modules for KolbeCore Pro, RightFit Enterprise hiring, and Team Tactix team analytics. Enterprise pricing with volume discounts on assessments.
3. Professional Services: Kolbe Certified Consultant training and certification program. Consulting and coaching services through certified partner network. Seminars and workshops including Kolbe Plus 1-Day Workshop.
4. Affiliate Commissions: 10% commission on customer purchases through affiliate referral links. Affiliates promote Kolbe products and earn referral credits paid quarterly.
5. Books and Educational Materials: Sale of books including 'Do More, More Naturally', audio programs, Kolbe Cards activity packs, and educational courses like Activate Your A.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kolbe Corp develops and sells the Kolbe System of conative assessments that measure how individuals instinctively take action when solving problems, distinct from personality (affective) or cognitive intelligence measurements. The company sells individual assessments (Kolbe A, B, C, Y, R Indexes), the WAREwithal enterprise software platform (including KolbeCore Pro, RightFit, and Team Tactix modules), books, training programs (Kolbe Certification, Kolbe Plus Workshop), and online courses to consumers, businesses, coaches, and consultants worldwide.

Product overview

Kolbe Corp offers a portfolio of conative assessment products based on the Kolbe System, measuring instinctive problem-solving approaches rather than personality or intelligence. The core offering includes five Kolbe Index assessments: Kolbe A Index (core 36-question assessment for adults), Kolbe B Index (job demands), Kolbe C Index (cognitive), Kolbe Y Index (youth), and Kolbe R Index (relationships). Supporting products include Financial MO+ for financial career insights, Kolbe Career Advantage for career matching, Takes Two for relationship guidance, and the Free Team Collaboration Survey. The WAREwithal software platform provides enterprise tools including KolbeCore Pro for reporting, RightFit for hiring/selection, and Team Tactix for team analytics. Educational offerings include Kolbe Certification for consultants, the Kolbe Plus workshop, Activate Your A online course and workbook, and the annual KolbeCon conference. Physical products include Kolbe Cards for team activities, and Kolbe publishes books including 'Do More, More Naturally'. The system is built around identifying four Action Modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kolbe A Index: Core assessment measuring instinctive method of problem solving for individuals and teams
• Kolbe B Index
• Kolbe Y Index
• Kolbe R Index
• WAREwithal
• Kolbe Career Advantage
• Takes Two
• RightFit
• Kolbe Certification

Products and services

• Kolbe A™ Index The flagship 36-question assessment that measures a person's instinctive method of problem solving and taking action, producing a 4-number MO (Modus Operandi) result across four Action Modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. Sold to individuals and teams.
• Kolbe B™ Index Assessment showing the demands of a specific job role, used alongside the Kolbe A Index to measure job fit and identify areas of stress for individuals and HR/team leaders.
• Kolbe C™ Index
• Kolbe Y™ Index A 15-minute assessment revealing the instinctive ways students take action to reduce stress, boost confidence, and improve productivity in school. Targeted at high school and college students.
• Kolbe R™ Index Assessment for evaluating relationship dynamics, helping couples understand instinctive approaches and improve communication.
• Financial MO+™ Financial assessment package including the Kolbe A Index result plus a Financial MO+ Report to provide financial career and decision-making insights.
• Kolbe Career Advantage™ Instinct-based career matching program for high school/college students and early career professionals that identifies conative capabilities required to succeed in specific jobs.
• Kolbe A™ Index & Kolbe B™ Index Bundle Combined package of Kolbe A and B Indexes to identify stress sources, develop productivity strategies, and enhance interactions for individuals and teams.
• Kolbe Y™ Index and Kolbe Parent Guide™ Report Package Package combining the Kolbe Y Index with the Kolbe Parent Guide Report to help students understand natural strengths and give parents insight to support child growth.
• WAREwithal Software
• Kolbe RightFit™
• Team Tactix® Team performance analysis software module within WAREwithal that offers 20% discount on Kolbe Indexes and provides team analytics reports for leaders.
• Takes Two®
• Free Team Collaboration Survey
• Kolbe Cards Physical/digital card decks with activities, tips, and discussion prompts to drive understanding of Kolbe A Index results among teams and families.
• Activate Your A™ Discovery Course
• Activate Your A™ Workbook
• Kolbe Certification™ Seminar
• Kolbe Plus 1-Day Workshop
• Activate Your A™ Procrastination Guide
• Do More, More Naturally

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% of professionals lose a full day of productivity weekly due to misaligned work - the 'misfit work' crisis Kolbe addresses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gallup: Gallup sells CliftonStrengths, the dominant workplace strengths assessment used by enterprises for talent development and team performance, directly comparable to Kolbe's A Index deployment in hiring and team-building engagements.
• TalentSmartEQ: TalentSmartEQ sells emotional intelligence assessments and coaching used by enterprises for leadership development and team effectiveness, overlapping with Kolbe's professional services and certified consultant ecosystem.
• Harver (Pymetrics): Harver (which acquired Pymetrics) offers pre-hire assessments and AI-based talent matching for enterprise recruiting, overlapping with Kolbe RightFit on job-fit and selection use cases for large employers.
• Hogan Assessments: Hogan provides personality-based assessments for hiring and leadership development used by Fortune 500 HR teams, overlapping with Kolbe's enterprise use cases around selection, succession, and executive coaching.
• The Predictive Index: PI is a behavioral assessment platform used by enterprises for hiring and team alignment, competing with Kolbe RightFit on the same HR buyer with a SaaS-delivered diagnostic and job-fit product.
• The Myers-Briggs Company: Myers-Briggs Company sells the MBTI assessment and a portfolio of personality-based development tools to enterprises and individuals, competing with Kolbe Indexes for the same workplace self-awareness and team effectiveness budgets.
• Criteria Corp: Criteria Corp provides pre-employment personality and skills assessments (HireSelect) used by enterprises for high-volume hiring, comparable to Kolbe's RightFit hiring software for selection and retention.
• Wiley (Everything DiSC): Wiley sells Everything DiSC workplace assessments for communication, management, and sales effectiveness, directly overlapping with Kolbe's team performance and corporate training offerings to mid-market and enterprise buyers.

Broad incumbents

• HireVue: HireVue is a broader enterprise hiring platform combining video interviewing, AI assessments, and ATS workflows, sitting adjacent to Kolbe's narrower conative assessment and hiring niche.
• Workday: Workday is an enterprise HCM and talent management platform that includes people analytics and talent assessment integrations, competing for the same HR budget allocation that funds Kolbe deployments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kolbe_corp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVhmJu0EDKb2xmeAvzhh5mg
• Facebookfacebook.com/KolbeCorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kolbe-corp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kolbe Corp