Bernstein Crisis Management
Bernstein Crisis Management is a privately held, founder-led crisis management and communications consultancy founded in 1994, serving law firms, corporations, government, and educational institutions with response, prevention, vulnerability audit, media training, and expert witness services delivered by senior consultants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersMonrovia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bernstein Crisis Management does
Bernstein Crisis Management is a privately held crisis management and crisis communications consultancy founded by Jonathan Bernstein in January 1994 and headquartered in Orange County, California. The firm delivers a full-spectrum service portfolio covering crisis response, crisis communications consulting, vulnerability audits, crisis planning and prevention, crisis simulations, online reputation management, crisis engineering, litigation-related consulting, media training, expert witness services, security and risk consulting (via a partnership with TAL Global Security), and public speaking. Underlying the offering are proprietary methodologies including the PIER System for online crisis management, the widely cited '10 Steps of Crisis Communications' framework (approximately 400,000 online mentions, reprinted in 20+ languages), a multi-disciplinary vulnerability audit process, and a structured crisis simulation framework.
The business operates on a project-based and hourly professional services model with no publicly disclosed pricing, no-cost initial consultations, and near 24/7 consultant availability. GTM is sales-led via direct phone outreach and website contact, supported by a content-led inbound engine — an award-winning blog, the Crisis Manager newsletter reaching 75 countries, free publications, and consistent earned media coverage in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNN, and BBC. The named customer base spans technology (Craigslist), education (Unity College, International School of Los Angeles), government (Export-Import Bank of the United States), legal (Polsinelli Law), direct sales (Vector Marketing), real estate development (Del Webb Corporation), and nonprofit (Tweeton, INK). The firm has 11–50 employees, is founder-controlled with no external investment, and derives revenue from episodic crisis response engagements, retainer-style preparedness work, expert witness engagements, and a TEAM Solutions-partnered eLearning course.
Bernstein Crisis Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bernstein Crisis Management
- Legal name
- Bernstein Crisis Management
- Website
- https://bernsteincrisismanagement.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bernstein Crisis Management is a privately held, founder-led crisis management and communications consultancy founded in 1994, serving law firms, corporations, government, and educational institutions with response, prevention, vulnerability audit, media training, and expert witness services delivered by senior consultants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bernstein Crisis Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Crisis Management Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crisis Communications & Issues Management (MPAAADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crisis Communications Planning & Response (MPAAAOAD), PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL), Crisis Communications & Issues Management (BPAFADAE)
Keywords
Where Bernstein Crisis Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Monrovia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bernstein Crisis Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Crisis Management Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for crisis response, crisis communications, vulnerability audits, crisis planning and prevention, simulations, media training, and litigation-related consulting. Revenue generated through hourly or project-based professional service engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Consultation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bernstein Crisis Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bernstein Crisis Management is a consultancy firm offering crisis response, crisis communications, vulnerability audits, crisis planning and prevention, crisis simulations, online reputation management, crisis engineering, litigation-related consulting, media training, expert witness services for law firms, and security/risk consulting. Services are delivered by senior consultants with at least 15 years of experience, available nearly 24/7, and offered under no-cost initial consultations and project-based quotes to organizations and high-profile individuals.
Product overview
Bernstein Crisis Management is a specialized consulting firm providing a comprehensive suite of crisis management and crisis communications services. The firm operates as a unified service offering rather than a software platform, with individual services including Crisis Response Solutions, Crisis Communications Consulting, Vulnerability Audits, Crisis Management Planning and Prevention, Crisis Simulation Services, Online Reputation Management, Crisis Engineering, Litigation-Related Crisis Management Services, Media Training Services, Expert Witness Services for Law Firms, Security and Risk Consulting (via TAL Global partnership), and Expert Crisis Management Speakers. These services are delivered by consultants with at least 15 years of experience and are available globally. The firm also publishes the Crisis Manager newsletter (read in 75+ countries), offers eLearning courses through TEAM Solutions partnership, and provides free resources including the 10 Steps of Crisis Communications and 30 Lessons from 30 Years publications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Crisis Response Solutions Crisis response consulting involving strategic and tactical response to pending or breaking crises for organizations and high-profile individuals. Includes key message preparation, draft communications for internal and external audiences, Internet-based crisis-response activities, social media crisis management, monitoring audience perception, and on-/off-site oversight.
- Crisis Communications Consulting Crisis communications consulting helping organizations effectively communicate during times of risk. Includes drafting statements for various audiences, overall message strategy, media training and management, and crisis communications and special incident planning.
- Vulnerability Audits Multi-disciplinary risk assessments identifying operational weaknesses and system flaws that could lead to or exacerbate crises. Includes Crisis Document Audits, Executive Session Vulnerability Audits, and Comprehensive Vulnerability Audits conducted in person.
- Crisis Management – Planning and Prevention Crisis prevention services including vulnerability audits, crisis management and crisis communications plan creation, emergency management plans, and reviews of existing crisis management and crisis communications programs for organizations.
- Crisis Simulation Services Crisis simulations testing leadership teams' ability to respond to crises effectively using hypothetical scenarios. Services include tabletop exercises, single-situation drills, and multi-day exercises to test plans and identify vulnerabilities.
- Online Reputation Management Services to protect and enhance online reputation including custom strategies, dark website creation, incident-specific blogs and websites, social media training, online review management, SEO for reputation management, and cyber bully assistance for individuals and organizations.
- Crisis Engineering Deliberately created crisis-level situations to draw attention to a cause, including taking fights into the court of public opinion, helping activists go public, and generating public attention for legal matters.
- Litigation-Related Crisis Management Services Crisis management support for legal proceedings including PR liability evaluation, proactive tactics analysis, jury reaction assessment, response systems improvement, and review of legal documents for public relations impact.
- Media Training Services Media training for spokespeople including key message development, public speaking skills, mock interviews, bridging techniques, and practice with realistic scenarios. Also includes crisis team training, best practices workshops, and social media crisis management training.
- Expert Witness Services for Law Firms Expert witness services providing testimony in crisis management, crisis communications, and reputation management. Includes written reports, depositions, and courtroom testimony for law firms.
- Security and Risk Consulting Security and risk consulting through partnership with TAL Global Security including workplace violence threat assessments, training, security policy review, compliance support (SB553), risk assessments, travel/event security, due diligence, cyber risk, emergency preparedness, facility security, executive protection, investigations, and cyber security.
- Expert Crisis Management Speakers Crisis management speakers for conferences and seminars, conducting one or two-day customized seminars for groups ranging from top executives to line-level employees, with potential for continuing education credits.
- Best Practices in Crisis Management eLearning Course Online training course created in partnership with TEAM Solutions, designed for crisis preparedness. Includes 5 lessons, 7 topics, 1 quiz with one year of access, built-in note-taking, and downloadable cheat sheets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients have avoided millions of dollars in legal, operational and PR/marketing costs through adequate crisis preparation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bernstein Crisis Management
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments13 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Bernstein Crisis Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Bernstein Crisis Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TAL Global SecuritycoreStrategic partnership providing clients with comprehensive security solutions. Through this relationship, Bernstein Crisis Management offers clients not only crisis communications support, but direct assistance with securing workplaces and protecting people. Services include workplace violence threat assessments, training, cyber risk assessments, executive protection, and security management coaching.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bernstein Crisis Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Edelman: Largest independent PR firm with a global crisis and reputation practice serving enterprises with very similar crisis communications, vulnerability assessment, and media training services. Compares as a much larger incumbent with overlapping crisis offerings rather than a direct boutique competitor.
- BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe): Global communications agency with a deep crisis, issues, and reputation practice. Comparable to BCM in core crisis communications and public affairs work, but operating as a large network firm.
- Weber Shandwick: IPG-owned global communications firm with a dedicated crisis and reputation management practice. Overlaps directly with BCM's crisis response, vulnerability audit, and stakeholder communications work, but at significantly greater scale.
- FleishmanHillard: Omnicom-owned global PR network with a longstanding crisis communications practice. Closely comparable in services (crisis planning, response, media training, litigation support) but competes as a large integrated agency.
- Hill & Knowlton: WPP-owned global public relations firm with a crisis and public affairs practice. Highly comparable to BCM's litigation crisis consulting and communications strategy work, but fielded as a large agency.
- FTI Consulting (Strategic Communications): Global consulting firm with a strategic communications segment providing crisis, litigation, and public affairs support. Comparable to BCM across crisis, expert witness, and reputation work, anchored to corporate restructuring and legal clients.
- Kroll (Cyber and Risk Communications): Global risk and investigations firm with a crisis and communications practice. Comparable in crisis response, online reputation, and security risk consulting, often paired with cyber and incident response engagements.
Direct peers
- Brunswick Group: Boutique global advisory firm specializing in critical situations, litigation support, and corporate reputation. Closely comparable to BCM's litigation crisis consulting, expert witness, and reputation protection work, with a similar senior-led model.
- Kekst CNC: Boutique strategic communications firm focused on M&A, investor, and crisis communications. Highly comparable as a senior-led advisory serving similar corporate and legal clients on reputation and crisis matters.
- Lewis Communications: Global communications agency with strong crisis communications and B2B/litigation support. Comparable boutique-style senior crisis expertise, with materially larger scale and global offices than BCM.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bernstein Crisis Management social profiles
Digital presenceBernstein Crisis Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bernstein Crisis Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Bernstein Crisis Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bernstein Crisis Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bernstein Crisis Management
What does Bernstein Crisis Management do?
Bernstein Crisis Management is a consultancy firm offering crisis response, crisis communications, vulnerability audits, crisis planning and prevention, crisis simulations, online reputation management, crisis engineering, litigation-related consulting, media training, expert witness services for law firms, and security/risk consulting. Services are delivered by senior consultants with at least 15 years of experience, available nearly 24/7, and offered under no-cost initial consultations and project-based quotes to organizations and high-profile individuals.
Is Bernstein Crisis Management a public or private company?
Bernstein Crisis Management is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bernstein Crisis Management founded?
Bernstein Crisis Management was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bernstein Crisis Management based?
Bernstein Crisis Management is headquartered in Monrovia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bernstein Crisis Management make money?
One revenue line is on record: crisis Management Consulting Services.
Who are Bernstein Crisis Management's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Edelman, BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Hill & Knowlton, FTI Consulting (Strategic Communications) and Kroll (Cyber and Risk Communications). Direct peers are Brunswick Group, Kekst CNC and Lewis Communications.
Does Bernstein Crisis Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bernstein Crisis Management.
What industry is Bernstein Crisis Management in?
Bernstein Crisis Management's product category is Crisis Management Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAADAF, Crisis Communications & Issues Management, with a secondary code of MPAAAOAD, Crisis Communications Planning & Response. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.