TMG

What TMG does

TMG, Inc. is a privately held, Veteran Owned Small Business founded in 2002 by Joseph C. Barto III and headquartered in Spotsylvania, Virginia. The firm provides on-site professional consulting and training services centered on three interlocking practice areas: Team Performance Improvement (TPI), Lean Six Sigma certification and project facilitation, and Leader Development built around a proprietary "Heartbeat Leaders" framework for first-line supervisors. TPI engagements are highly customized and typically blend benchmarking analysis, organizational diagnostics, production skills training, team engagement work, and talent acquisition support - delivered by a bench of certified Master Black Belts and former operations executives deployed to client sites across the US, UK, and Canada.

TMG generates revenue primarily through professional services engagements and training program fees. Disclosed pricing includes $10,000 per student for the regional 757 Green Belt certification (a 7-month, 88-hour program) and $350 per student for first-line supervisory training, with most engagements structured as multi-year contracts or quote-based programs. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, with named customers spanning aerospace (Arconic Engines, Lisi Aerospace, Howmet, Standard Aero), shipbuilding (Newport News Shipbuilding), defense industrial base employers, and discrete manufacturing (Plasser American, Vulcan Industries, ECA, Sumitomo). Distribution is anchored by partnerships with the Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME), membership in The Carlyle Group's Leveraged Purchasing Forum, an annual leadership workshop at the US Military Academy at West Point, and a workforce-pipeline partnership with New Horizons Regional Education Centers.

The reported revenue base is $3.4 million from 27 partners in 2019, with subsequent expansion driven by team growth (including the onboarding of 11 new teammates in January 2025), continued AME and Carlyle channel development, and in December 2025 a separate joint venture with Fewture Studios to launch the Internet Racing League - a creator-led digital racing franchise that represents a deliberate diversification outside of the core consulting practice. The company holds nine national awards since 2002 and remains founder-led with no disclosed institutional investment.

Name

TMG

Legal name

TMG, Inc.

Website

https://tmgva.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TMG, Inc. is a Veteran Owned Small Business founded in 2002 that delivers on-site Team Performance Improvement, Lean Six Sigma certification, and leadership development consulting - anchored by its proprietary Heartbeat Leaders framework - to enterprise manufacturers, shipbuilders, aerospace firms, and defense industrial base clients across the US, UK, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Spotsylvania

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services & Training: TMG provides on-site consulting, training programs, and program management services. Revenue is generated through training fees, program management contracts, and workshop facilitation. The company reported record revenue of $3.4 million in 2019 from 27 partners.
2. Lean Six Sigma Training Programs: Registration-based training programs including the 757 Green Belt program at $10,000 per student and multi-month certification programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TMG provides customized Team Performance Improvement (TPI) Programs, Lean Six Sigma training and certification (White Belt through Black Belt), leader development for first-line supervisors (Heartbeat Leaders), production skills training, and continuous improvement project management. All services are delivered on-site at client facilities by certified Master Black Belts and program managers for manufacturers, shipyards, aerospace firms, defense contractors, and healthcare organizations across the U.S. and Europe.

Product overview

TMG, Inc. is a Veteran Owned Small Business founded in 2002, offering professional consulting and training services focused on Team Performance Improvement, Leader Development, and Lean Six Sigma methodology. The company's core offering consists of its Team Performance Improvement (TPI) Program, which serves as the primary engagement model, supplemented by specialized training certifications (Lean Six Sigma White through Black Belt), continuous improvement project management, and talent acquisition services. TMG's portfolio includes the 757 Green Belt Training Program for regional clients, the Future Leader Training Program for developing internal talent pipelines, and the Good Life Solution Program for workforce development partnerships. Through a 2025 joint venture with Fewture Studios, TMG also participates in the Internet Racing League entertainment franchise. All services are delivered through on-site consulting, workshops, and facilitation by certified Master Black Belts and experienced program managers, with no software product or platform offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heartbeat Leaders: TMG's leadership philosophy and program focused on developing first-line supervisors and 'heartbeat leaders' who lead high-performing teams through engagement and continuous improvement

Products and services

• Team Performance Improvement (TPI) Program A customized consulting program that helps organizations move toward consistent, near-perfect performance by combining Benchmarking Analysis, Organizational Physicals, Leader Development, Production Skills Training, Team Engagement, Training Program Development, and Talent Acquisition and Retention. Built for enterprise manufacturers, shipyards, aerospace firms, and defense industrial base employers.
• Lean Six Sigma Training and Certification Comprehensive Lean Six Sigma training and certification covering White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, Champion, and DMAIC Project Facilitation, based on the ASQ Body of Knowledge and delivered on-site by Master Black Belts and Certified Lean Six Sigma Instructors for organizations across the U.S. and Europe.
• Continuous Improvement Project Management Lean Project Management services including Kaizen and Rapid Improvement Event facilitation, Daily Problem Solving, and Lean and Theory of Constraints implementation delivered on-site at client facilities by Master Black Belts and facilitation teams.
• Leader Development Programs designed to help first-line supervisors develop the skills to lead high-performing teams, including coaching, facilitation, and development of 'Heartbeat Leaders,' delivered through on-site coaching, workshops, and TMG's annual West Point benchmarking workshop.
• Production Skills Training Development Training program development services for expanding operations and retooling for new product lines, modernizing production skills training programs for industrial clients across the United States since 2002.
• Talent Acquisition and Retention Services focused on recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining high-potential talent for partner organizations, integrated into TMG's Team Performance Improvement Programs.
• 757 Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training Program A regional open-enrollment Green Belt certification program in Hampton Roads, VA providing DMAIC Problem Solving training across six months of monthly week-long sessions at $10,000 per student, designed for regional employers and individual professionals seeking formal Green Belt credentials.
• Future Leader Training Program A 10-month program designed to cultivate high-performing internal talent through comprehensive modules covering team engagement, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and effective leadership, first deployed with Howmet Alloy Team.
• Good Life Solution Program A workforce development program partnering with New Horizons Regional Education Centers to connect trade school students with employers, focusing on talent acquisition and retention for manufacturing, construction, and automotive industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• TMG trained 78 Arconic Green Belts in 2019 with 157 total projects completed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Fewture StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025TMG announced a global joint venture with Fewture Studios to launch the Internet Racing League (IRL), a creator-led global racing franchise. This appears to be a separate venture from TMG's core consulting business.
• New Horizons Regional Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019TMG has partnered with NHREC for 15+ years on workforce development. The Good Life Solution Program connects CTE students with employer partners, resulting in 35+ students hired by 9 companies in 2018. TMG serves as Business Liaison for the program.
• The Carlyle GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013TMG is a member of The Carlyle Group's Leveraged Purchasing Forum since 2013. TMG's services are available to Carlyle portfolio companies via a Master Support Agreement. Joe Barto has presented at Carlyle's Annual VP Forum and HR/Benefits Conference.
• Newport News ShipbuildingflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002TMG's first partnership in 2002 was with Newport News Shipbuilding to modernize their Welding Training Program. The partnership has expanded to include ongoing Lean Champions Workshops and other leadership development programs.
• Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTMG is a long-time AME partner and Joe Barto serves as AME Southeast Region Director. TMG conducts workshops at AME National Conference, Southeast Lean Summit, and regional events. The partnership includes joint leadership development workshops, Green Champions Workshops, and Dream Team workshops.
• United States Military Academy at West PointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTMG hosts annual 'Building Leaders to Achieve Perfection: Heartbeat Leaders First' Benchmarking and Planning Workshop at West Point. The 11th annual event was held March 20-22, 2019. Joe Barto is a 1978 West Point graduate.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TBM Consulting Group: TBM Consulting Group is a Lean/operational excellence consultancy serving discrete manufacturers and industrial clients with on-site transformation programs. It is the most direct analog to TMG given shared manufacturing focus, custom engagement model, and continuous improvement methodology.
• GOAL/QPC: GOAL/QPC delivers Lean Six Sigma training, certification, and consulting to manufacturers and service organizations, including belt-level curriculum and DMAIC facilitation. Directly comparable to TMG on training program structure and target buyer profile.
• Gemba Research: Gemba Research is a Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence consultancy providing training, certification, and project-based consulting to industrial clients. Comparable to TMG in methodology, customer segment (manufacturing), and delivery model (on-site consulting).
• MoreSteam: MoreSteam offers Lean Six Sigma training, certification, and process improvement software (EngineRoom) used by manufacturers and service firms. Comparable to TMG on curriculum and target audience, though delivery is digital-first rather than on-site consulting.
• Velaction: Velaction provides Lean manufacturing training, coaching, and consulting to industrial clients, with a content-and-consulting hybrid delivery model. Comparable to TMG on Lean methodology, manufacturing customer base, and continuous improvement focus.
• Pyzdek Institute: The Pyzdek Institute is a recognized provider of Lean Six Sigma training, certification, and reference materials authored by Thomas Pyzdek. Comparable to TMG on certification curriculum (White through Black Belt) and training-driven business model.

Others

• Lean Enterprise Institute: Lean Enterprise Institute is a non-profit education and research organization advancing Lean thinking through conferences, workshops, and publications. It is an ecosystem participant that shapes TMG's market rather than a direct competitor, but operates in overlapping training and content channels.

Emerging players

• KaiNexus: KaiNexus is a continuous improvement software platform enabling organizations to manage Kaizen events, idea systems, and improvement projects digitally. It competes with TMG's project-based facilitation work by enabling customers to operationalize continuous improvement internally rather than relying on external consulting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TMGincVA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 TMG