What Zenger Folkman does

Zenger Folkman is a privately held, founder-led leadership development company headquartered in Orem, Utah, founded by Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman with corporate records tracing to 2003 and over 30 years of underlying research. The company delivers evidence-based leadership development programs built around a proprietary 360-degree assessment methodology, supported by one of the world's largest leadership assessment databases with more than 1.6 million assessments and 20 million data points. Its core product portfolio comprises three flagship experiences — The Extraordinary Leader (360-degree feedback and leadership development for managers), The Extraordinary Coach (coaching skills using the FUEL framework), and the newly launched Extraordinary You (strengths-based development for individual contributors), complemented by adjacent offerings such as the 8-Minute Strengths Assessment, Leadership Microlearning Series, Pulse Check Survey, and The Trifecta of Trust.

The company monetizes through enterprise subscriptions and professional services on a custom-quoted, annual basis, with additional revenue from facilitator and coach certification programs that license Zenger Folkman content for in-house delivery. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are initiated through a 'Schedule a Call' motion. Programs are distributed through direct enterprise field sales and a global network of 45 channel partners providing localized delivery in multiple languages, with a self-paced online platform supporting an emerging product-led growth motion. Customer segments include enterprise organizations across industries, healthcare systems as a dedicated vertical, and individual contributors served through the new Extraordinary You product.

Marketing and demand generation rely on a content-led strategy anchored by The 90th Percentile Podcast (top-20 ranked on Apple Business Management in 50+ countries), weekly research articles, webinars, ebooks, and third-party press citations in Forbes and Harvard Business Review. The company has 51-100 employees, serves 2,500+ organizations worldwide, and reaches 150K+ participants annually. There is no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing, and the firm operates as an independent, bootstrapped business.

Name

Zenger Folkman

Legal name

Zenger Folkman Company

Website

https://zengerfolkman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zenger Folkman is a private, founder-led leadership development company that delivers evidence-based 360-degree assessment programs, coaching frameworks, and certifications to 2,500+ enterprise organizations worldwide, grounded in 30+ years of proprietary research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• 360-degree feedback
• Executive coaching
• Strengths-based assessment
• Leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Orem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Leadership Development Programs: Revenue generated from leadership development programs including Extraordinary Leader, Extraordinary Coach, and Extraordinary You experiences. These are delivered through assessments, workshops, coaching sessions, and ongoing sustainment tools.
2. Certifications: Revenue from certifying members of client organizations to deliver Zenger Folkman programs internally, including The Extraordinary Leader Facilitator Certification and The Extraordinary Coach Facilitator Certification.
3. Custom Solutions and Talent Management: Customized organizational solutions and talent management offerings tailored to specific client needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zenger Folkman is a professional training and consulting firm that sells evidence-based leadership development programs built on its proprietary 360-degree assessment methodology. Offerings include flagship leadership development experiences (The Extraordinary Leader, The Extraordinary Coach, Extraordinary You), facilitator certifications, custom enterprise solutions, and ongoing sustainment tools such as microlearning and pulse-check surveys.

Product overview

Zenger Folkman offers a comprehensive suite of evidence-based leadership development solutions centered around its proprietary 360-degree assessment methodology. The core portfolio includes The Extraordinary Leader (flagship leadership development program), The Extraordinary Coach (coaching skills training), and the newer Extraordinary You (designed specifically for individual contributors rather than managers). These programs are supported by a strengths-based approach built on 30+ years of research and data from over 1.6 million assessments. The product ecosystem includes complementary tools such as the 8-Minute Strengths Assessment, Leadership Microlearning Series for ongoing sustainment, Pulse Check Survey for progress measurement, and The Trifecta of Trust program. The company also offers certification programs enabling organizations to deliver these experiences internally. All offerings leverage the same research framework and comparative benchmarking against the 90th percentile of global leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Extraordinary Leader: Flagship 360-degree leadership assessment and development program that helps leaders build signature strengths and achieve extraordinary organizational results.
• The Extraordinary Coach
• Extraordinary You
• The 90th Percentile Podcast

Products and services

• The Extraordinary Leader™ Flagship 360-degree feedback and leadership development program that pairs strengths-based assessments with flexible delivery options to transform leaders at all levels; for enterprise leaders and managers.
• The Extraordinary Coach™ Skill-building experience that helps leaders develop coaching competencies using the FUEL conversation framework and Coaching Preferences Self-Assessment; for managers and leaders responsible for developing others.
• Extraordinary You™ Strengths-based development experience for individual contributors that provides structured behavior-based feedback and a clear development plan, helping employees improve performance and productivity without time away from work.
• 360-Degree Leadership Assessment Validated 360-degree assessment instrument that measures leaders against 60 distinct leadership behaviors using statistically validated questions and comparisons to the 75th and 90th percentile of global leaders.
• 8-Minute Strengths Assessment Quick assessment tool that provides insights into personal leadership style and helps identify key strengths for tailored growth plans.
• The Trifecta of Trust Research-based program focusing on the three key behaviors that build and sustain trust in professional relationships.
• Team Development Programs and experiences designed to improve team effectiveness, engagement, and collaborative performance.
• Facilitator and Coach Certifications Certification programs for facilitators and coaches to deliver Zenger Folkman's programs internally within their organizations, including Extraordinary Leader and Extraordinary Coach certifications.
• Self-Directed Online Courses Short, self-paced courses offered through an online platform, including the Mastering Confidence course, for individual skill development.
• Leadership Microlearning Series Short, focused learning experiences for each of the 19 leadership competencies, leveraging the same research and strengths-based methodology as The Extraordinary Leader program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% less employee turnover
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Andersen ConsultingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAndersen Consulting is listed as a partner/distributor offering Zenger Folkman's leadership development solutions. The partnership allows Andersen Consulting to provide Zenger Folkman's evidence-based leadership programs to their clients.
• 45 Global PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA network of 45 global partners offering customized Zenger Folkman solutions in various languages throughout the globe. These partners extend the company's reach and enable localized delivery of leadership development programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Hogan Assessments: Hogan Assessments is a personality and leadership assessment provider whose validated assessment instruments overlap with Zenger Folkman's 360-degree assessment business and are often deployed together with leadership development programs.
• CoachHub: CoachHub is a global digital coaching platform delivering scalable 1:1 coaching to enterprises, an emerging alternative to Zenger Folkman's blended assessment-plus-coaching offerings, particularly in EMEA and APAC markets.
• BetterUp: BetterUp is an AI-augmented coaching and development platform targeting enterprise leadership and individual contributor development, representing a digitally native, technology-first competitor to Zenger Folkman's traditional assessment-led model.

Direct peers

• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a research-driven leadership development provider offering 360-degree feedback, executive education, and leadership programs, directly overlapping with Zenger Folkman's evidence-based leadership assessment methodology.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Blanchard is a leadership and management development company offering widely adopted programs (e.g., Situational Leadership), workshops, and certifications, competing directly with Zenger Folkman in leadership training and facilitator certification revenue.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is a global leadership and organizational performance company offering flagship development programs (e.g., The 7 Habits), assessments, and enterprise training, directly comparable to Zenger Folkman's enterprise leadership development and 360-degree feedback offerings.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): DDI is a leadership development firm specializing in assessment-based leadership programs, selection systems, and executive development, competing head-to-head with Zenger Folkman for enterprise leadership development budgets.
• Gallup: Gallup is a strengths-based leadership and employee engagement firm offering CliftonStrengths assessments and management development programs, the closest peer in philosophy and methodology to Zenger Folkman's strengths-based leadership development approach.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm offering executive search, leadership development, and talent management solutions at scale, competing with Zenger Folkman in enterprise leadership development while serving a much broader HR and talent mandate.
• Wiley Workplace Learning: Wiley's Everything DiSC and Workplace Learning portfolio offers assessment-driven leadership and team development content delivered through certified facilitators, directly comparable to Zenger Folkman's certification-led distribution and assessment methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZengerFolkman
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ZengerFolkman
• Facebookfacebook.com/zengerfolkman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zenger-folkman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Zenger Folkman