Shapiro Negotiations Institute

What Shapiro Negotiations Institute does

Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) is a Baltimore-based private professional services firm founded in 1995 by Ron Shapiro that delivers negotiation, sales, and influence training to enterprise and government clients. Its core offerings consist of three instructor-led training programs — Negotiation, Corporate Sales, and Influence — built on SNI's proprietary methodologies (the Power of Nice 3Ps framework: Prepare, Probe, Propose; and the Persuade 4-step process), supplemented by consulting, keynote speaking, and four published books. The firm has trained over 250,000 professionals cumulatively across Fortune 500 clients spanning 14 verticals including aerospace, banking, life sciences, government, and professional sports.

SNI's technology stack spans VR-based applications, AI-based applications, mobile apps, live simulation-based online training, and CRM-integrated delivery, delivered via Zoom, Adobe Connect, Webex, BlueJeans, and Google Hangouts, with multiple patents pending under CEO Andres Lares. Programs range from 45-minute keynotes to multi-day workshops for audiences of 5 to 1,000+, with award-winning live facilitation and spaced-learning reinforcement targeting approximately 80% retention. Four bestselling books and recognition including Amazon #1 new release (Persuade, 2021), SportsBusiness Journal Champions honor, and SAMA highest feedback score provide brand authority.

Revenue is generated through quote-based, multi-year enterprise training contracts, consulting/deal coaching, keynote speaking fees, e-learning subscriptions, and book sales. GTM combines direct enterprise field sales with event-driven demand generation via industry conferences (CLO Exchange, ATD, LTEN, SAMA), university guest lectures (Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Maryland), and sustained PR/media presence (ABC, CNBC, NPR, ESPN, Forbes, HBR). Leadership comprises Ron Shapiro (Founder/Advisor), Andres Lares (CEO and Managing Partner, joined 2009), and Jeff Cochran (Partner, joined 2000); ownership remains private with no external investors identified.

Name

Shapiro Negotiations Institute

Legal name

Shapiro Negotiations Institute

Website

https://shapironegotiations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shapiro Negotiations Institute is a Baltimore-based training and consulting firm founded in 1995 that delivers negotiation, sales, and influence programs to Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies, and sports organizations worldwide through proprietary methodologies, VR and AI-enabled delivery, and a faculty of senior facilitators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Negotiation and Sales Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Negotiation & Closing Skills (EDABABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consultative Selling & Discovery (EDABABAC)

Keywords

• Negotiation training
• Sales training
• Influence training
• Executive consulting
• Keynote speaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Training: Instructor-led classroom training and blended learning programs for negotiation, sales, and influence skills. Programs are customized for each organization and delivered in sessions ranging from 4-hour seminars to 3-day intensive workshops.
2. Consulting & Deal Coaching: Real-time coaching and consulting services for executives and leadership teams working through live organizational challenges, customer negotiations, and strategic planning.
3. Keynote Speaking: SNI Signature Series Keynote presentations delivered at corporate retreats, annual meetings, conferences, association events, and executive summits.
4. E-Learning & Virtual Training: Technology-enabled training delivery including modular on-demand training, live simulation-based sessions, comprehensive mobile applications, and VR-based training options.
5. Book Sales: Sale of published books including 'The Power of Nice', 'Persuade', 'Dare to Prepare', and 'Bullies, Tyrants, and Impossible People'. 'Persuade' became #1 new release in Amazon's Education category.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) is a professional training and consulting firm that delivers customized negotiation, sales, and influence training programs to enterprises, governments, and sports franchises. Core revenue comes from instructor-led classroom training, award-winning interactive online training via live simulations, VR/AI/mobile e-learning, real-time negotiation deal coaching for executives, and keynote speaking engagements. The content is anchored by two proprietary methodologies—the "Power of Nice" (Prepare, Probe, Propose) and "Persuade" 4-step process—and supported by four bestselling books.

Product overview

Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) is a training and consulting firm offering a portfolio of professional development programs. The core offerings consist of three primary training programs—Negotiation Training, Corporate Sales Training, and Influence Training—all based on SNI's proprietary methodologies including the Power of Nice systematic approach (Prepare, Probe, Propose) and the Persuade 4-step framework. These are delivered through multiple formats including instructor-led classroom training, award-winning interactive online training via video platforms, E-Learning services encompassing VR-based applications, AI-based applications, mobile applications, and live simulation-based sessions. Supporting services include Consulting (real-time negotiation coaching), Keynote Speaking, and published books including The Power of Nice and Persuade. The company also offers specialized programs for the pharmaceutical and medical sales industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Negotiation Training Instructor-led classroom and blended learning training programs that teach negotiation skills based on the Power of Nice systematic approach (Prepare, Probe, Propose). Programs are customized per organization and delivered in formats ranging from 4-hour seminars to 3-day intensive workshops for audiences of 5 to 1,000+ attendees.
• Corporate Sales Training Sales training programs focused on implementing habits and tools that increase sales performance, complementing product knowledge with practical selling skills for corporate sales teams.
• Influence Training Training programs based on Aristotle's framework of credibility, emotion, and logic, providing a practical framework to influence people and decisions.
• Negotiation Consulting Services Real-deal coaching providing advice on live negotiations to maximize probability of successful results for executives and leadership teams working through organizational challenges, customer negotiations, and strategic planning.
• Keynote Speaking Keynote presentations on sales, negotiation, and influencing topics delivered by award-winning facilitators for corporate retreats, annual meetings, conferences, association events, and executive summits.
• E-Learning and Virtual Training Technology-enabled training delivery including VR-based applications, AI-based applications, live simulation-based sessions, mobile applications, on-demand video-based roleplay coaching, and modular on-demand content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 250,000 professionals since 1995
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tony Robbins Platinum PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership with Tony Robbins' Platinum Partnership - an elite group of coaches and consultants personally coached by Robbins. Jeff Cochran speaks at Robbins' events and has maintained this relationship for years.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RAIN Group: Sales training and consulting firm focused on consultative selling, negotiation, and sales performance. Comparable to SNI's sales training and influence offerings targeting enterprise sales teams.
• Sandler Training: Franchised sales, leadership, and management training organization with global delivery. Comparable to SNI's sales and negotiation training delivered to corporate audiences.
• Karrass: Long-standing negotiation training and consulting firm offering workshops and seminars to enterprise buyers. Competes head-to-head with SNI in instructor-led negotiation training.
• Richardson (Sales Performance): Global sales training and performance improvement firm with curriculum-based methodology. Direct competitor to SNI in enterprise sales training and reinforcement programs.
• Vantage Partners: Negotiation and influence advisory firm offering consulting, training, and coaching to corporations. Closely aligned with SNI's negotiation training and consulting engagement model.
• Black Swan Group: Negotiation training and consulting firm led by Chris Voss, focused on negotiation skills for executives and sales teams. Directly comparable to SNI in methodology-driven negotiation training delivered to enterprise clients.

Emerging players

• AchieveForum (formerly Sales Performance International): Sales and leadership capability firm with methodology-based training programs (e.g., Solution Selling). Comparable to SNI in customized enterprise sales training and reinforcement offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Established global corporate training provider spanning leadership, sales, and communication skills. Competes with SNI in enterprise training but with broader curriculum and franchise delivery.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership, sales performance, and execution training firm with published methodology (e.g., 'The 7 Habits'). Overlaps with SNI's influence and leadership training offerings to enterprise clients.
• Korn Ferry (Talent/Consulting): Global organizational consulting firm offering leadership development and sales effectiveness solutions. Comparable to SNI at the high end of enterprise training and consulting engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SNINegotiations
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ShapiroNegotiations
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShapiroNegotiationsInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shapiro-negotiations-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/shapiro_negotiations_institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Shapiro Negotiations Institute