Catalyst Group

What Catalyst Group does

Catalyst Group, Inc. is a privately held, founder-operated consulting firm headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, providing a portfolio of professional services across at least six unrelated verticals: functional medicine and health/wellness coaching, real estate license test preparation and tutoring, nationwide real estate referral concierge, higher education management consulting, small business operational services (bookkeeping, credit repair, cash flow management), and certified mediation. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Stephanie Krol, the firm operates on a session-based, pay-as-you-go professional services model with customized engagement lengths and content, supplemented by affiliate referral revenue from real estate transactions routed through The Referral Center network. The core "technology" is conventional: telephone, telehealth, and in-person session delivery, paired with online tutoring content and a basic LeadConnector-powered website; no proprietary software, AI, or data platform is evidenced.

The business is structurally a solo-practitioner consultancy amplified through partnerships, most notably Dr. Krol's concurrent role as acting Vice President/COO at Inland Real Estate School, Inc., which provides a distribution channel for Illinois real estate licensing curricula (90-Hour Broker Pre-license, 30-Hour Post License, 45-Hour Managing Broker Pre-license). Customer segmentation is horizontal, spanning individuals with health concerns, real estate students, home buyers/sellers, educational institutions, small business owners, and parties in dispute. The company employs 1-10 people per firmographics and has no disclosed funding, institutional investors, or parent company, making it entirely dependent on the founder's continued delivery across all service lines.

Revenue mechanics are fragmented across multiple low-volume streams: hourly tutoring, custom-priced coaching and consulting sessions, free concierge referrals monetized indirectly via partner brokerages, and a minor sub-line of real estate investor education delivered through partner John Davey. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires direct contact for quotes. The firm maintains a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter, plus a blog, with marketing reliant on testimonial-based credibility and content marketing rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Catalyst Group

Legal name

Catalyst Group, Inc.

Website

https://catalystgroupsolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Catalyst Group, Inc. is a privately held Oak Brook, Illinois consulting firm founded in 2015 by Dr. Stephanie Krol, delivering session-based professional services across functional medicine coaching, real estate licensing tutoring, higher education consulting, small business advisory, mediation, and nationwide real estate referral concierge, primarily to individuals and SMBs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Brook

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. Consulting and Professional Services: Revenue generated from providing consulting services across functional medicine coaching, higher education management consulting, small business services, and mediation services. Services are delivered via sessions, with fees based on number and length of sessions customized for each client.
2. Tutoring and Test Preparation Services: Real estate license test preparation tutoring, ESL language tutoring, and higher education tutoring services offered at hourly rates. Sessions typically run one hour with customized content based on student needs.
3. Real Estate Education Referrals: Free concierge referral service connecting clients with real estate brokers nationwide. Revenue likely generated through referral arrangements with partner brokerages rather than direct client charges.
4. Real Estate Investor Courses: High-end real estate investor education including wholesaling, becoming a landlord, fix and flip, and become the bank strategies. Serviced through partner John Davey.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Catalyst Group, Inc. is a multi-practice consulting and advisory firm providing Functional Medicine and Certified Health and Wellness Coaching, Real Estate License Test Preparation and Tutoring, Nationwide Real Estate Referrals, Higher Education Management Consulting, Small Business Services (bookkeeping, credit repair, management), and Certified Mediation services. Engagements are customized per client and delivered via telephone, telehealth, and in-person sessions at fees based on the number and length of sessions.

Product overview

Catalyst Group, Inc. is a consulting and advisory firm offering a portfolio of professional services through multiple offerings. The company provides Functional Medicine and Certified Health and Wellness Coaching, Real Estate Education through Inland Real Estate School, Real Estate License Test Preparation and Tutoring, Nationwide Real Estate Referrals, Higher Education Management Consulting, Small Business Services (bookkeeping, credit repair, and management solutions), and Mediation Services. The core offering is Dr. Stephanie Krol's multi-award-winning professional expertise spanning functional medicine, higher education, real estate, and mediation. The company operates primarily in Illinois and Michigan serving individuals and small businesses across diverse industries including non-profit, for-profit, real estate, education, design, and sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Functional Medicine Practitioner & Certified Health and Wellness Coaching Services Certified Functional Medicine and Health and Wellness Coaching services that optimize physical, mental, and spiritual health through diet, nutrition, green living, mindfulness, breath work, functional medicine, and holistic self-care strategies. Covers stress management, life balancing, and chronic disease support including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, autoimmune disorders, histamine intolerance, gut health, healthy weight loss, and healthy aging. Delivered via telephone, telehealth, and in-person sessions to individuals concerned about their health.
• Real Estate License Test Preparation, ESL, and Higher Education Tutoring One-on-one tutoring services for Illinois real estate license exam preparation covering IL 90 Hour Broker Pre-license, 30 Hour Broker Post License, and 45 Hour Managing Broker Pre-license courses, plus ESL practice, general college tutoring, thesis and dissertation advising, and college tuition guidance. Sessions typically run one hour with customized content, including support for students with learning disabilities or test anxiety.
• Nationwide Real Estate Referrals Free concierge service connecting clients with real estate brokers nationwide for residential, commercial, or equine facility transactions. Provides access to higher-level corporate relocation services typically reserved for Fortune 500 companies via The Referral Center network of licensed brokerage offices.
• Higher Education Management Consulting Consulting services for schools and educational organizations covering accreditation preparation and attainment, start-up campus planning, legacy campus support, policy development, curriculum writing for allied health and real estate programs, faculty training and development, student retention strategy, and audits. Targeted at institutions needing hands-on operational and programmatic consulting.
• Small Business Services Operational support for owner-managed and closely held businesses covering bookkeeping (accounts receivable, accounts payable, reconciliations, payroll entries), finance functions (line of credit advice, loan applications, credit repair, cash flow management), and management functions (collection processes, policy formation, payroll submission, business formation). Delivered across non-profit, for-profit, real estate, education, design and creative, and sales and service industries.
• Mediation Services Confidential, neutral mediation and conflict resolution services covering divorce, family matters, probate, civil lawsuits, workplace conflicts, equine facilities, consumer disputes, personal injury, real estate conflicts, and workers compensation matters. Services offered nationwide with concentration in Kane and DuPage counties, Illinois, delivered in person and via telephone.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased student retention and utilization of services (doubled in one quarter)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inland Real Estate School, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Stephanie Krol serves as acting Vice President/COO at Inland Real Estate School, Inc. responsible for day-to-day operations and company structure. Inland Real Estate School is a full-service real estate education provider offering classroom, webinar, home study, and online programs for Illinois real estate licensing including 90-hour broker pre-license, 30-hour broker post license, and 45-hour managing broker pre-license courses. The school has instructors with average experience of 35+ years in the industry.
• The Referral CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Referral Center serves as an intermediary on behalf of thousands of licensed members, gathering preliminary information, helping select brokerage firms and sales associates, and monitoring transactions. This partnership enables Catalyst Group to provide free concierge real estate referral services to clients nationwide, connecting them with top firms in their market area with access to higher-level corporate services.
• John Davey (Real Estate Investor Courses)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJohn Davey provides real estate investor education through Catalyst Group including wholesaling properties, becoming a landlord, fix and flip, and become the bank strategies. Students can learn to find and buy rental properties, transform desolated properties, and lend money to other investors. Contact via [email protected] or 847-609-9210.
• Wellness and Health NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness and Health Now (wellnessandhealthnow.com) provides the platform for Certified Functional Medicine and Health and Wellness Online Coaching programs and on-demand individual wellness products. Dr. Krol directs clients to this platform for Products and Work With Me pages for coaching services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Talkspace: Public telehealth mental health platform offering online therapy and coaching via licensed professionals. Comparable to Catalyst Group's telehealth wellness coaching delivery mechanism and recurring-session business model, with materially greater scale and infrastructure.
• BetterHelp: Large-scale telehealth platform connecting users with licensed counselors and coaches via messaging, phone, and video. Comparable to Catalyst Group's telehealth-delivered functional medicine and wellness coaching in delivery model and customer mindset, though at vastly different scale and brand recognition.
• Kaplan Real Estate Education: National real estate licensing and exam prep provider operating under the broader Kaplan education umbrella. Comparable to Catalyst Group's real estate licensing tutoring in scope and customer, but with materially greater geographic reach, brand recognition, and course catalog depth.
• The Institute for Functional Medicine: Leading functional medicine education, certification, and practice body. Comparable to Catalyst Group's Certified Functional Medicine practice as a category-defining organization operating in the same functional medicine space and setting the credentials Dr. Krol's practice relies on.

Direct peers

• The CE Shop: Largest US online real estate education provider covering pre-licensing, continuing education, and exam prep across all states. Directly comparable to Catalyst Group's IL real estate licensing tutoring and the Inland Real Estate School partnership in product, audience, and delivery format.
• Real Estate Express: Online real estate school offering pre-licensing courses across multiple states. Directly comparable to Catalyst Group's real estate exam prep tutoring and Inland Real Estate School partnership in target learner and course structure.

Others

• SCORE: National nonprofit network providing free small business mentoring, workshops, and resources to entrepreneurs and SMBs. Comparable to Catalyst Group's Small Business Services line (bookkeeping, credit repair, business formation, cash flow management) in target customer and use cases, although delivered via volunteer mentors rather than paid consulting.

Emerging players

• Credo: Specialty higher education consulting firm focused on enrollment marketing, student retention, and program development. Comparable to Catalyst Group's higher education retention, accreditation, and curriculum work for institutional clients in buyer profile and service mix.
• Maguire Associates: Boutique higher education consulting firm supporting enrollment, marketing, and strategic planning for colleges and universities. Comparable to Catalyst Group's Higher Education Management Consulting line in customer base (institutional), engagement type (advisory), and scale profile (small specialist firm).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CatalystGPSol
• Facebookfacebook.com/CatalystGPSol
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catalyst-gp-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Catalyst Group