Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates

What Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates does

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. is a private professional services firm founded on May 1, 1982 by Doug Wicklander and Dave Zulawski in Chicago, now headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. The company specializes in evidence-based investigative interviewing training built around its proprietary WZ Non-Confrontational Method, an 18-step framework emphasizing rapport-building, empathy, and strategic questioning to obtain reliable, legally defensible information without coercion. WZ serves four primary customer verticals — Law Enforcement & Public Safety, Retail/Hospitality/Gaming, HR/Employee Relations/Workplace Investigations, and Public Sector/Regulated Industries — through a portfolio that includes Level I and Level II seminars, CFI certification preparation, sector-specific training tracks, enterprise advisory services, and an investigative consulting practice staffed by Certified Forensic Interviewers.

WZ generates revenue through a professional services model spanning open enrollment seminars (priced at $495-$615 per attendee), virtual instructor-led training, custom on-site enterprise contracts for teams of 15 or more (GSA-eligible for federal agencies), certification and credentialing programs administered via the International Association of Interviewers (IAI), and per-engagement investigative consulting. The company distributes through direct field sales to enterprise and government accounts, self-serve webinar and on-demand channels, content marketing (92+ articles, the Truth Be Told podcast), and a community ecosystem anchored by the IAI's 10,000+ member base. Following Red Knot Capital's December 2025 acquisition and the 2026 launch of the WZ AI Learning Platform, the company is positioned for digital product expansion and formalized international growth under new CEO Dave Thompson, CFI.

Name

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates

Legal name

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://w-z.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates is a private investigative interviewing training firm that teaches its proprietary WZ Non-Confrontational Method to law enforcement, retail, HR, and public sector organizations worldwide through seminars, certification, and advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investigative Interviewing Training & Consulting

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigations, Interviewing & Surveillance Training (BPAKAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whistleblowing, Speak-Up Culture & Investigations Training (EDABADAL), Security Risk Assessment, Auditing & Security Consulting Training (BPAKAOAH), White-Collar Defense & Investigations (BPAHAAAJ)

Keywords

• Investigative interviewing training
• Forensic interviewer certification
• Loss prevention training
• Workplace investigations training
• Enterprise advisory consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Seminar Fees: WZ generates revenue primarily from open enrollment and in-house training seminars on investigative interviewing techniques. Fee ranges vary by course type: Level I Investigative Interviewing in-person is $495–$615, with virtual formats at $615. Custom organizational programs are priced based on scope and team size.
2. Certification and Credentialing Programs: Revenue from CFI (Certified Forensic Interviewer) preparation courses, exam fees, and CFI Prep Online Programs administered through the International Association of Interviewers (IAI).
3. Investigative and Consulting Services: WZ's investigative division is engaged by organizations, both private and public, to assist or lead in investigations. All investigators are CFIs and experienced interviewers. Revenue is generated on a per-engagement basis for investigation services.
4. Enterprise Advisory & Solutions: Advisory services including Investigation Advisory, Investigative Services, Security Technology Advisory, Enterprise Risk & Program Design, and Training & Response Solutions for enterprise clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates delivers investigative interviewing training, consulting, and certification services built around its proprietary 18-step WZ Non-Confrontational Method. Offerings include open-enrollment and on-site seminars, virtual instructor-led training, the WZ AI Learning Platform, Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI) certification preparation through the IAI, and enterprise advisory services spanning investigation, security technology, and risk program design for law enforcement, retail, HR, and public-sector clients.

Product overview

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates offers a portfolio of investigative interviewing training programs, certifications, and enterprise advisory services. The core offering is the WZ Non-Confrontational Method—an 18-step evidence-based interviewing framework delivered through in-person seminars, virtual classrooms, webinars, and the newly launched WZ AI Learning Platform. The company provides four career-path training tracks (Law Enforcement, Retail/Hospitality, HR/ER, and Public Sector) with sector-specific workshops. Professional certification preparation (CFI) is available through IAI partnership, and the company supports practitioners with the Truth Be Told Podcast, enterprise advisory services, and keynote presentations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WZ AI Learning Platform: AI-powered learning platform for investigative interviewing training
• Truth Be Told Podcast
• Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI)
• WZ Method

Products and services

• WZ AI Learning Platform An online e-learning platform that delivers WZ's investigative interviewing training courses, supporting self-paced and on-demand learning for practitioners across sectors.
• Level I Investigative Interviewing Techniques

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ practitioners trained across 140+ countries on six continents
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• John E. Reid & Associates: Founded by the developer of the Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing, Reid is the historical rival to WZ in interview and interrogation training for law enforcement and corporate investigators. Directly comparable in target buyer, course format, and seminar-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Kroll: Global investigations, security consulting, and due diligence firm serving enterprises, law firms, and government clients. Comparable in workplace investigations and enterprise risk advisory, though broader than WZ's training focus.
• Pinkerton (Securitas): Corporate investigations, loss prevention, and security services firm serving Fortune 500 retail, logistics, and financial clients — many overlapping with WZ's customer base. Comparable at the loss-prevention and corporate investigations layer, though not a training specialist.
• Control Risks: Global risk consultancy offering investigations, integrity due diligence, and security advisory. Comparable in enterprise risk and investigations consulting to WZ's Enterprise Advisory & Solutions practice.
• LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Provider of background screening, due diligence, and identity verification services. Adjacent in corporate investigations workflows, often used by the same HR and loss-prevention buyers WZ trains.

Emerging players

• Behavioral Interviewing Solutions: Specialized training firm focused on behavioral interviewing techniques for HR, compliance, and investigative teams. Comparable niche focus on interview methodology training, but with a narrower footprint than WZ.

Others

• HRCI (HR Certification Institute): HR credentialing body that partners with WZ for SHRM/HRCI-aligned continuing education. Comparable as a training and certification ecosystem player serving HR and employee-relations buyers.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): Largest HR professional association, which approves WZ courses for SHRM PDC credits. Comparable in serving HR training and workplace-investigation education buyers.
• Magnet Forensics: Digital forensics and investigation software provider to law enforcement and corporate investigators. Comparable buyer base (investigators and law enforcement), though WZ focuses on interview methodology while Magnet focuses on digital evidence tools.
• Thomson Reuters: Provider of legal, compliance, and risk information products. Adjacent to WZ's regulated-industry training, particularly for HR, legal, and compliance professionals conducting workplace investigations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WZ_training
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wicklanderzulawski
• Facebookfacebook.com/identifythetruth

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates