GK Training

What GK Training does

GK Training is a New York-based executive communication coaching and training firm founded in 2009 by Michael Chad Hoeppner. The company delivers a proprietary "kinesthetic" methodology that trains spoken communication through structured physical and vocal drills rather than theoretical instruction, and it has been applied across 43+ industries with 40,000+ professionals coached lifetime. The product portfolio spans three layers: (1) high-touch individual coaching delivered through Executive Presence Mastery (8-session packages, $5,000–$15,000) and ad-hoc Work with a Coach sessions ($675–$2,100 per session), priced by coach seniority with the founder commanding the top tier; (2) a corporate program catalog of 20+ named modules (Executive Presence 1.0/2.0, Women's Executive Presence, Storytelling, Selling, Conversation Agility, Presentation Skills, etc.) plus keynotes and a "Communication Training Audit," sold through consultation-driven enterprise sales; and (3) a consumer and recurring layer — the Vault Community subscription, the Question Roulette app, Genuine Dojo VR tool, four online courses ($199–$395), and the bestseller "Don't Say Um." Customer acquisition combines founder-led thought leadership (Good Morning America, CNBC, Fast Company, Good Talk newsletter) with keynote-driven enterprise prospecting, while delivery is anchored by a bench of ~8 master and senior coaches drawn from Broadway, Yale School of Drama, NYU Tisch, Harvard A.R.T., and Manhattan School of Music. Customer logos span 3 of the top 8 global financial firms, 45 of AM Law 100, 4 of the top 25 global pharma, 2 of 4 major US professional sports leagues, and political engagements including the Andrew Yang 2020 presidential campaign. The firm is private, founder-owned, bootstrapped, and headquartered in New York.

Name

GK Training

Legal name

GK Training

Website

https://gktraining.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GK Training is a New York-based executive coaching firm founded in 2009 that trains senior professionals in spoken communication through a proprietary kinesthetic methodology, serving Fortune 500 executives, AM Law 100 attorneys, financial institutions, and political clients via 1:1 coaching, corporate programs, and digital courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Communication Training & Coaching

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sales, Customer Service & Soft Skills Training (BPACANAD)

Keywords

• Executive communication training
• Public speaking coaching
• Corporate training programs
• Executive presence coaching
• Communication skills development

Headquarters

HQ city

Weston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Coaching Sessions: One-on-one coaching sessions with GK expert coaches, available as single sessions, four-session packages, or eight-session Executive Presence Mastery programs. Sessions conducted via Zoom or in-person.
2. Online Courses: Self-paced online training programs including Executive Presence ($395), From Stage Fright to Spotlight ($395), The Interview Advantage ($199), and The Confident Coach ($395). One-time payment with lifetime access.
3. Corporate Training Programs: Customized group training and coaching programs for organizations. Includes Executive Presence 1.0 and 2.0, Women's Executive Presence, Presentation Skills, Conversational Agility, Navigating Nerves, Building Better Decks, Cocktail Conversations, The Art of Better Questions, Effective Email, Storytelling, Selling, Effective Meeting Management, Leadership Communication Styles, Facilitation Skills, Delivering Actionable Feedback, Establishing Trust Early, and Authenticity in the Age of AI.
4. Keynotes and Speaking Events: Engaging presentations and live experiences led by GK's expert facilitators for conferences, off-sites, and company-wide initiatives.
5. Book Sales (Don't Say Um): National bestselling book by Michael Chad Hoeppner on improving communication and eliminating filler words.
6. Vault Community Membership: Private community membership providing ongoing access to expert content, live sessions, group coaching, and peer support for communication mastery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GK Training is a communication skills training and executive coaching firm that teaches professionals to communicate with clarity, structure, and control in high-stakes moments using a proprietary kinesthetic methodology built on physical and vocal drills. Core offerings include one-on-one coaching programs (Executive Presence Mastery, Work with a Coach), self-paced online courses, a private Vault Community subscription, and customized corporate training programs, modules, and keynote speaking engagements.

Product overview

GK Training offers a comprehensive communication skills training platform built on a proprietary kinesthetic methodology that trains professionals through physical and vocal drills rather than theoretical learning. The portfolio consists of three primary pillars: (1) Individual Programs including Executive Presence Mastery (flagship 1:1 twelve-week coaching), Work with a Coach (flexible session booking), and Online Courses (Executive Presence, The Confident Coach, The Interview Advantage, and From Stage Fright to Spotlight self-paced programs); (2) Team/Enterprise Solutions including Group Training for Teams, Individual Coaching for Companies, Corporate Programs (Executive Presence 1.0/2.0, Women's Executive Presence, and specialized modules like Navigating Nerves, Conversational Agility, Presentation Skills, Storytelling, Selling, and others), Keynotes & Events, and the Communication Training Audit; and (3) Community/Resources including The Vault Community (subscription-based private community), the Question Roulette Training App (free interactive practice tool), the Good Talk Newsletter, and free resources like Communication Warmups PDF. The ecosystem is anchored by Michael Chad Hoeppner's book 'Don\'t Say Um' and supported by a team of eight professional coaches with backgrounds in theater and performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Executive Presence Mastery: The company's flagship one-on-one coaching program for senior professionals designed to build executive presence and communication skills.
• The Vault Community
• Question Roulette
• Genuine Dojo
• Good Talk

Products and services

• Executive Presence Mastery

Quantifiable outcome

• 24% revenue increase for sales training clients (fiscal year 2024 vs 2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Toastmasters International: Global nonprofit community organization for public speaking and leadership practice. Comparable to GK Training on the communication skills development category, but operates as a low-cost membership community rather than a paid professional services business.

Direct peers

• Duarte: Presentation skills training and design firm with executive coaching offerings across the US and globally. Comparable to GK Training in the executive presentation and TED-style communication training space, with similar corporate client base and content/course offerings.
• Second City Works: Experiential communication and leadership training provider using improv-based methodology, built on the Second City comedy brand. Comparable to GK Training in leveraging performance expertise to train business communication skills, and serving similar enterprise clients.
• Fred Pryor Seminars / CareerTrack: Long-standing US-based professional development training provider offering courses in communication, leadership, and management. Comparable to GK Training on the corporate training and online course product axis, though distributed differently and historically focused on group seminars.
• The Humphrey Group: Boutique executive communication and presentation training firm serving senior leaders at Fortune 500 companies. Highly comparable to GK Training in target audience (C-suite executives), methodology focus (executive presence and communication), and high-touch coaching delivery model.
• Media Training Worldwide: Executive and media communication training firm coaching leaders on presentation, media interviews, and high-stakes speaking. Closely comparable to GK Training in target market (senior executives) and high-touch coaching delivery, with similar pricing tier.

Emerging players

• Speechless: Live event presentation skills training platform that uses professional show formats to teach communication. Comparable to GK Training on presentation skills and experiential methodology, though focused on events rather than private coaching.
• Conversant Group: Executive communication and storytelling training firm focused on B2B sales and leadership messaging. Comparable to GK Training in the executive communication and sales training space, though smaller and more focused on messaging rather than kinesthetic delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Long-established global training incumbent offering courses in communication, leadership, presentation, and sales across 100+ countries. Comparable to GK Training on the corporate training and executive communication content axis, but operating at larger scale with broader portfolio.
• Crucial Learning: Combined successor of VitalSmarts and The Other 80, provider of communication, leadership, and influence training at scale. Comparable to GK Training on communication skills and corporate training, with established enterprise distribution and broader course catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gktraining
• Xx.com/genuineknowhow
• Facebookfacebook.com/genuineknowhow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 GK Training