Global Leadership Network

What Global Leadership Network does

Global Leadership Network (GLN), formerly the Willow Creek Association, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 and headquartered in South Barrington, Illinois. The organization develops and distributes faith-infused leadership content to a global audience of pastors, nonprofit leaders, business executives, educators, and emerging young leaders. Its flagship product is the annual Global Leadership Summit (GLS), a two-day simulcast conference held each August that reaches 350,000+ attendees across 100+ countries and 2,200+ locations via Studio Audience (in-person at Willow Creek Community Church), 400+ local partner sites, and online streaming, with content translated into 50+ languages.

GLN's product surface extends year-round through Team365 and Leader365 on-demand video subscription services (priced at $29.99/month or $329/year), the Global Leadership Podcast, free leadership articles, and continuing-education credit programs (SHRM, ACSI, ANCC). Specialized ministry programs include GLS Next Gen (youth), Prison Ministry (incarcerated populations), and Ministry Connect (at-risk populations). Supporting events include Base Camp for senior pastors and Ascent for host-site organizations. The Executive Track at $2,099 represents a premium monetization tier targeting CEOs and executive teams.

GLN's revenue model blends ticket sales for the Summit across multiple price points, recurring Team365/Leader365 subscriptions, charitable donations (including major sponsorships from World Vision and Thrivent), and merchandise referrals via an Amazon storefront. Distribution relies on a global partner-host network of churches and organizations plus direct-to-consumer digital channels. The organization is ECFA-accredited and GDPR-compliant, employs 501-1,000 staff, and is led by CEO David Ashcraft with a Board chaired by John Venhuizen.

Name

Global Leadership Network

Legal name

Global Leadership Network

Website

https://globalleadership.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Global Leadership Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the annual Global Leadership Summit, reaching 350,000+ leaders across 100+ countries, supplemented by year-round Team365 and Leader365 video subscriptions, podcasts, and ministry programs for pastors, executives, nonprofits, and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Conferences and Training

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA), Remote/Hybrid Leadership & Distributed Team Management (EDABAAAN), Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility (BPAFADAG)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• Annual leadership conference
• Leadership training
• Nonprofit leadership
• Leadership video library

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Summit Ticket Sales: The primary revenue stream comes from selling tickets to the Global Leadership Summit, offered through multiple participation modes: Studio Audience (in-person at Willow Creek Community Church), Local Partner Sites (host sites globally), and Online streaming. Tickets range from $229 for early bird rates to $2,099 for Executive Track premium experience.
2. Team365 Subscription: Annual subscription service providing on-demand access to leadership video content, team training modules, discussion guides, and the complete GLS talk archive. Offered at $29.99/monthly or $329/year for a single shared license.
3. Donations and Charitable Giving: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the company receives charitable donations to support leadership development initiatives including international programs, prison ministry, GLS Next Gen youth programming, and Ministry Connect for at-risk populations.
4. Merchandise Sales: Books and resources from Summit speakers sold through Amazon storefront, including titles by John C. Maxwell, Jon Acuff, Craig Groeschel, and other faculty members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Global Leadership Network operates the annual Global Leadership Summit, a two-day simulcast leadership conference held each August and accessible in-person, at 400+ local partner sites, or online, reaching 350,000+ attendees across 100+ countries. It also sells Team365 and Leader365 on-demand digital subscriptions providing year-round access to past Summit talks, training modules, and leadership articles, supported by the Global Leadership Podcast and free leadership articles.

Product overview

Global Leadership Network operates a platform-plus-events model centered on leadership development. The core product is the annual Global Leadership Summit (GLS), a two-day simulcast conference featuring world-class speakers, offered in-person at Willow Creek Community Church (Studio Audience), at 400+ global partner sites, or online. Year-round value is delivered through Team365 ($29.99/month or $329/year), an on-demand video library with team-training modules and past Summit talks, and Leader365, an individual subscription providing articles, videos, and podcasts. The Global Leadership Podcast extends content reach, while events like Base Camp (for senior pastors) and Ascent (for Summit hosts) support the church and ministry ecosystem. Specialized programs include GLS Next Gen (youth), Prison Ministry, and Ministry Connect (underserved populations). Continuing Education Credits offer professional development for nurses, teachers, and HR professionals. The Executive Track provides premium access for senior executives at the in-person Summit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GLS Next Gen: Ministry to equip the next generation of leaders
• Ministry Connect
• Base Camp
• Ascent

Products and services

• Global Leadership Summit (GLS) Flagship annual two-day leadership conference held August 6-7, 2026, featuring world-class speakers. Available in-person (Studio Audience at Willow Creek Community Church), at 400+ local partner sites globally, and via online streaming. Reaches leaders across 100+ countries and 30+ industries.
• Team365 Year-round digital leadership training platform providing on-demand video library with team-training modules, searchable content, GLS talks from 2019-2025, speaker interviews, talk outlines, and downloadable discussion guides. Priced at $29.99/monthly or $329/year for one shared license usable in group settings.
• Leader365 Individual subscription service providing access to leadership articles, videos, podcasts, and on-demand resources as part of the GLN membership ecosystem.
• Global Leadership Podcast Weekly podcast featuring honest conversations with leaders across industries, sharing lessons, habits, and moments that shaped them. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
• Leadership Articles Curated collection of free leadership articles and insights from leadership voices around the world, providing stories, strategies, and perspectives for ongoing leadership development.
• Base Camp Annual event for senior pastors who host or are interested in hosting the Summit, offering community, messages from world-class speakers, and innovative ideas for churches.
• Ascent Annual event for churches and organizations who host the Summit, equipping attendees with resources needed to successfully host the Summit and connecting them with other hosts nationwide.
• GLS Next Gen Ministry initiative that awakens and activates young people around the world to be a force for good in their communities, targeting youth and emerging adult leaders.
• Ministry Connect Program providing free leadership resources to at-risk populations through organizations like homeless shelters, addiction centers, crisis shelters, and ministries supporting survivors of sex trafficking.
• Prison Ministry Program providing incarcerated men and women with access to the Summit to inspire positive change and help reshape prison culture. Launched in 2014 with the Summit hosted in four prisons.
• Executive Track Premium experience at the Studio Audience for CEOs, Executive Directors, and Executive Teams. Includes premium seating, exclusive speaker lunch sessions, customized executive content, catered lunches, exclusive swag, reserved parking, private lounge, and networking opportunities. Priced at $2,099 (Early Bird).
• Continuing Education Credits Professional development credits available to Summit attendees including: General Certificate of Attendance, Nurses (9.5 contact hours via Montana Nurses Association/ANCC), ACSI Teachers (9.4 CEUs), and SHRM (11.25 Personal Development Credits).
• Summit Partner Site Program Program allowing churches and organizations to host local Summit viewings. Partners receive turn-key support, training, promotional resources, access to the Ascent event, and connection to a global network of hosts at no cost.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350,000+ leaders equipped annually across 100+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• World VisionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Major sponsor of the Global Leadership Summit, sharing the organization's mission to empower leaders making lasting social impact.
• Willow Creek Community ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe original host of the Global Leadership Summit since 1995, where the Studio Audience experience is held. The church's facilities in South Barrington, IL serve as the spiritual home of the Summit.
• 400+ Host Site PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal network of churches and organizations that host local Summit screenings. Partners receive turn-key support, training, promotional resources, and exclusive church partner discounts to convene leadership development experiences in their communities.
• ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)minorOthersOrganization that provides accreditation for Christian nonprofits meeting standards for financial stewardship and ethical practices. GLN displays the ECFA seal confirming accreditation.
• CruminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChristian organization focused on evangelism and discipleship. Partner/sponsor of the Global Leadership Summit.
• Global DisciplesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization equipping leaders for global mission and disciple-making. Partner supporting the Summit's international reach.
• C12minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization helping business leaders grow in faith and leadership. Partner/sponsor of the Global Leadership Summit.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Catalyst: Catalyst is one of the largest annual Christian leadership conferences, serving church and ministry leaders with similar speaker-driven content and simulcast distribution. It directly overlaps with GLN's faith-infused leadership development positioning and its primary church leader audience segment.
• Leadercast: Leadercast operates a simulcast leadership event model highly comparable to the Global Leadership Summit, broadcasting world-class speakers to hundreds of partner sites globally. Its core offering, audience (business and church leaders), and satellite-host distribution structure closely mirror GLN's flagship Summit, making it the closest direct comparable.
• Maxwell Leadership (John Maxwell Company): John Maxwell's leadership training and certification business directly competes with GLN's leadership development content, including Team365, books, and speaker faculty. Maxwell's training programs and EQUIP certification network target the same ministry and business leader audience that GLN serves.
• Q Conference: Q Conference is a faith-based leadership gathering featuring world-class speakers and thought leadership content targeted at Christian leaders in culture, church, and marketplace. It competes for the same speaker talent, donor dollars, and faith-based executive audience that GLN's Summit attracts.
• Aspire Leadership Events: Aspire produces touring leadership events featuring bestselling authors and speakers for church, business, and nonprofit audiences. Its single-day event model and speaker-driven content approach compete directly with GLN's Summit for attendee share of wallet and engagement time.

Broad incumbents

• WOBI (World Business Forum): WOBI hosts flagship business leadership forums featuring globally recognized management thinkers, targeting senior executives across industries. While not faith-based and more corporate-oriented, it competes for the same premium executive attendee segment that GLN's Executive Track ($2,099) targets.
• TED Conferences: TED is the benchmark global thought leadership event with world-class speakers, simulcast-style content distribution, and a vast free evergreen video library. While TED is a broader thought platform rather than leadership training, it competes for attendee mindshare and substitutes for paid leadership development content that GLN monetizes.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is an established enterprise leadership and execution training provider with content like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It competes with GLN for corporate training budgets and executive development programs, particularly at the mid-market and enterprise levels that GLN is targeting with its Executive Track.

Emerging players

• Cru: Cru is a faith-based organization focused on leadership development, evangelism, and discipleship with significant global operations. While primarily a missions organization, Cru co-sponsors GLN's Summit and represents an adjacent faith-based player with overlapping donor and ministry audiences.
• MasterClass: MasterClass is a subscription video platform featuring world-class instructors teaching leadership, business, and personal development. While not an event business, it competes for the same consumer subscription dollars as Team365 ($329/year) by offering on-demand leadership content from globally recognized experts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GlobalLeadershipNetworkSummit/podcasts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-global-leadership-network
• Xx.com/GLNsummit
• Facebookfacebook.com/GLNsummit

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Global Leadership Network