KEA Advisors

What KEA Advisors does

KEA Advisors, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Lawrence, Kansas, is a privately held management advisory and dealer optimization firm focused exclusively on commercial vehicle dealerships in North America. The company operates a vertically specialized practice targeting fixed-operations (Parts and Service) profitability at full-service commercial truck dealerships, with a named customer roster that includes several of the largest U.S. commercial truck dealer groups — Rush Truck Centers, Premier Truck Group, Bruckner Truck Sales, Dobbs Truck Group, Vanguard Truck Centers, K. Neal Truck and Bus, Fitzgerald Peterbilt, Summit Truck Group, and Long Lewis, among others. KEA positions itself as the practitioner-turned-advisor partner for dealership owners, presidents, GMs, and fixed-operations directors across OEMs (Ford, Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, Mack Volvo, Western Star, Hino, Isuzu, International, Fuso) and the DMS-vendor ecosystem (CDK Global, Karmak, Procede, Decisiv).

The company's core technology is PULSE, a cloud-based dealership dashboard that ingests data from multiple dealership business systems up to four times per business day and surfaces fixed-operations KPIs (throughput, dwell time, technician/advisor performance, parts fill rates, inventory turns, gross margin), with threshold-driven email and mobile alerts. Complementary capabilities include Custom Analytics (compensation studies, benchmarking, throughput analyses using KEA BI tools), a freemium suite of department self-assessments (Accounting, Parts, Service), and structured leadership and operational training delivered through the KEA U division (Dealership Training, Peer Groups Levels 1-3, and an 8-10 month Emerging Leaders program), supplemented by John Maxwell-licensed leadership workshops. The advisory engagement ladder runs from $2,500 ad-hoc consultations to $19,905 three-day Discovery engagements, with curriculum priced per-seat ($894) or as bundles ($3,218.40 for four CDK courses).

KEA generates revenue through a hybrid professional-services-plus-software model: project-based advisory engagements (Diagnostic Health Checks, Assessments, Discoveries, Corrections, Preventive Maintenance), subscription recurring revenue (PULSE dashboards, KEA U Peer Groups), training product sales (KEA U, CDK/Karmak/Procede-specific courses), and freemium conversion mechanics (free self-assessments funneling to paid engagements). On March 31, 2026, Decisiv, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire KEA Advisors, with the transaction expected to close in Q2 2026; the stated strategic intent is to develop an AI-driven platform by integrating KEA's analytics with Decisiv's Service Relationship Management (SRM) platform.

Name

KEA Advisors

Legal name

KEA Advisors

Website

https://keaadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KEA Advisors provides management advisory, education (KEA U), and a cloud-based PULSE dashboard to North American commercial vehicle dealerships, focused on fixed-operations profitability across Parts, Service, and leadership. Named customers include Rush, Premier, Bruckner, and other top U.S. commercial truck dealer groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Dealership Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA)

Keywords

• Dealership management consulting
• Commercial truck advisory
• Fixed operations optimization
• Dealer performance analytics
• Automotive dealer training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: On-site and virtual consulting engagements including Diagnostic Health Checks, Assessments, Discoveries, Corrections, and Preventive Maintenance. Engagements range from single consultations to multi-month transformation projects.
2. Education and Training Programs: Classroom-style training courses sold individually or as bundles, including CDK-specific courses, Emerging Leaders program, Peer Groups, and Dealership Training. Programs are sold per seat or as enterprise licenses.
3. KEA U Subscriptions: Ongoing education programs including Peer Groups with monthly financial analysis, subject matter meetings, and annual manager meetings.
4. PULSE Platform Subscription: Cloud-based dashboard subscription providing real-time dealership data analytics, alerts, and reporting capabilities.
5. Self-Assessment Tools: Free and paid self-assessment guides for Accounting, Parts, and Service departments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KEA Advisors provides management advisory and dealer optimization services to commercial transportation dealerships, including consulting engagements, leadership and operations training programs (KEA U), and a cloud-based business intelligence dashboard (PULSE) that delivers real-time analytics on Parts and Service department performance. Offerings are sold directly to dealership owners, OEMs, and DMS technology partners through fixed-fee engagements, training seat licenses, and PULSE subscriptions.

Product overview

KEA Advisors provides a suite of business advisory services and data solutions for commercial vehicle dealerships, centered around its cloud-based PULSE dashboard platform. The offering includes business intelligence tools (PULSE and Custom Analytics), education programs under KEA U (Dealership Training, Emerging Leaders, Peer Groups), discovery and assessment services (KEA Digital Discovery, 3-day Discovery, Self Assessments), leadership development (The Leadership Game, Maxwell DISC Profile), and ongoing advisory services (Ad-Hoc Consulting, Correction Services, Preventive Maintenance). The company integrates with major DMS platforms including CDK Global, Decisiv, Karmak, and Procede, and was acquired by Decisiv in Q1 2026 with plans to develop an AI-driven platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KEA U: Education division of KEA Advisors offering dealership training programs including Emerging Leaders, Dealership Training, and Peer Groups.
• PULSE
• Three Wise Truck Guys
• Heavy Duty Hub

Products and services

• PULSE

Quantifiable outcome

• 886% average ROI based on gross profit $ vs KEA Investment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CDK GlobalcoreTechnology or IntegrationDMS technology partner providing dealership management system integration. KEA offers CDK-specific training courses and optimization services.
• DecisivcoreTechnology or IntegrationDMS partner offering SRM platform integration. KEA has partnered with Decisiv and was acquired by Decisiv in Q2 2026 to develop an AI-driven platform.
• KarmakcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Karmak Partner providing DMS integration and joint virtual workshops for Karmak users.
• Procede SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationDMS partner with joint virtual workshops and training programs for Procede users.
• John Maxwell TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed provider of Maxwell Leadership resources including The Leadership Game and DISC Profile Workshop for dealership leadership development.
• CLA ConnectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic partnership with CLA ( CliftonLarsonAllen) for accounting and financial consulting services.
• FORVISminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic partnership with FORVIS for professional services and advisory support.
• PBS (Partner Business Services)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner Business Services providing distribution and support for dealership services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• CDK Global: CDK is a leading Dealer Management System vendor and a direct integration partner for KEA's PULSE and CDK-specific training courses. Adjacent technology ecosystem rather than a head-to-head advisory competitor.
• Procede Software: Procede is a DMS vendor for commercial truck dealers and a KEA training/integration partner. Adjacent as a data source and ecosystem participant rather than direct advisory competitor.
• Karmak: Karmak is a DMS vendor for commercial vehicle dealers and a Certified KEA Partner. Overlaps as a data provider and integrator rather than an advisory competitor.

Broad incumbents

• National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA): NADA is the industry association that operates ATD (American Truck Dealers) and the Academy, offering consulting, training, and dealer education. Broader scope than KEA but overlapping in advisory and education for dealers.
• American Truck Dealers (ATD): A division of NADA focused on commercial truck dealers, ATD provides training programs and best-practices content. Comparable to KEA's education arm (KEA U) and OEM curriculum work.

Direct peers

• Decisiv: Decisiv is the SRM (Service Relationship Management) platform for commercial vehicle service networks and is acquiring KEA. Comparable in serving the same dealer ecosystem with technology and data-driven service management.
• Spader Business Management: Spader provides 20 Groups, management training, and operational consulting for dealerships across multiple verticals. Direct analog to KEA's peer-group, training, and advisory model.
• NCM Associates: NCM Associates runs 20 Groups (peer benchmarking and consulting groups) and management consulting for auto, truck, and equipment dealers. Closely comparable to KEA's Peer Groups model and dealership advisory focus.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/KEA_Advisors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0ygdvyMD4MVmlrGCtJAySg
• Facebookfacebook.com/KEAAdvisors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kea-advisors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 KEA Advisors