3rd Level Consulting & Business Brokerage

What 3rd Level Consulting & Business Brokerage does

3rd Level Consulting (legal entity 3RD LEVEL, INC., Idaho-domiciled, principal office in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, with operating presence advertised from Boise, Idaho) is a vertically specialized consulting and business brokerage firm serving owners and operators of children's activity centers, including gymnastics gyms, swim schools, dance studios, cheerleading gyms, and child care centers across the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The firm was founded by Frank Sahlein, who serves as CEO, alongside Barbara Anne May (CCO and Co-Owner); the team consists of former facility owners and operators with 20-35+ years of industry experience, supported by an 11-50 employee headcount band.

The company's product portfolio combines professional services with proprietary technology platforms. Core service lines include Business Valuation & Buy/Sell Brokerage, Mergers & Acquisitions advisory, Start-Up/Growth/Expansion consulting, and a Subscription Membership product called Priority Access, which bundles SmartEDGE Resources (a WordPress/WooCommerce-backed dashboard for KPI tracking, HR, hiring, and document management), LEAP! Learning (an e-learning platform for staff training across gymnastics, swim, dance, cheer, and leadership topics), and Success Dashboards for business intelligence. The underlying technology stack is built on WordPress for content management, Infusionsoft/Keap for CRM and e-commerce, WooCommerce for the storefront, and Connecteam for member login, with proprietary dashboards forming the member-facing platform. Sub-brands include Swim Consultant (swim school specialty consulting) and SpectrAbilities (a licensing program for inclusive programming for children with special needs). Revenue is generated through five streams: project/retainer consulting engagements, recurring Priority Access membership subscriptions, transactional e-commerce sales of training curricula, event registrations and sponsorships at the annual Signature Business Workshop and industry conferences, and specialized swim school consulting fees. The firm pursues a multi-channel go-to-market combining consultative sales, content marketing (BizBuzz blog), industry event presence (USAG Region 6 & 7 Congress, USAG National Congress, NINJACON), webinars, and a partner ecosystem anchored by a long-standing relationship with Jackrabbit Technologies.

Name

3rd Level Consulting & Business Brokerage

Legal name

3RD LEVEL, INC.

Website

https://3rdlevelconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3rd Level Consulting is a vertically specialized consulting and business brokerage firm serving children's activity center owners (gymnastics, swim, dance, cheer, child care) globally through M&A advisory, consulting engagements, subscription membership, proprietary e-learning platforms, and signature industry events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services for Children's Activity Centers

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Management & Performance Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAF), Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

Keywords

• Children's activity centers
• Business brokerage services
• Swim school consulting
• Gymnastics facility consulting
• Business valuation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting & Advisory Services: Custom consulting engagements and business coaching delivered by experienced industry consultants. Engagements cover business valuation, buy/sell brokerage, M&A services, start-up planning, expansion strategy, and operational improvement. Revenue is generated through project-based or retainer-style engagements.
2. Priority Access Membership: Subscription-based membership providing ongoing access to SmartEDGE Resources, LEAP! Learning, best practices library, online systems, one-on-one calls, KPIs, and networking. This recurring revenue stream serves as the primary ongoing client relationship vehicle.
3. Sports, Arts & Education Training Programs: Sale of staff training curricula and materials for gymnastics, learn-to-swim, ninja, dance, and special abilities programs through the 3rd Level online store. Customers purchase individual training resources and programs.
4. Event Registrations & Sponsorships: Revenue from Signature Business Workshop event registrations, conference attendance, and potential exhibitor/sponsor fees at industry events.
5. Swim Consultant Brand Sub-Business: A specialized sub-brand (Swim Consultant) offering swim school-specific consulting, curriculum licensing, leadership training, and start-up services for swim school operators worldwide.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

3rd Level Consulting provides management consulting and business brokerage services exclusively to children's activity centers, gymnastics gyms, swim schools, dance studios, cheer gyms, and child care centers. Core deliverables include business valuation and buy/sell brokerage, M&A advisory, start-up/growth/expansion consulting, the Priority Access membership, the SmartEDGE Resources online dashboard, the LEAP! Learning e-learning platform, the Swim Consultant sub-brand for swim schools, and the SpectrAbilities special-needs licensing program.

Product overview

3rd Level Consulting is a consulting and business brokerage firm specializing in children's activity centers, gymnastics gyms, dance studios, cheer gyms, swim schools, and child care centers. The company operates a platform-plus-services model, offering membership programs (Priority Access), online resource platforms (SmartEDGE Resources Dashboard, LEAP! Learning e-learning platform), and branded consulting divisions (Swim Consultant, Sports Arts and Education Programs). Core services include Business Valuation & Buy/Sell Services, Mergers & Acquisitions Services, and Start-Up, Growth & Expansion consulting. The portfolio also includes the SpectrAbilities Licensing Program for special needs programming and the annual Signature Business Workshop event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swim Consultant: A specialized consulting brand focused on swim school business consulting, including curriculum, leadership training, and start-up services for swim schools.
• SmartEDGE Resources
• SpectrAbilities
• LEAP! Learning
• Priority Access

Products and services

• Priority Access Membership A subscription-based business solution providing proven systems, ready-to-use tools, practical training, and expert support for owners and key managers of children's activity centers, gymnastics gyms, dance studios, cheer gyms, swim schools, and child care centers.
• Business Valuation & Buy/Sell Services Professional business valuation and brokerage services for owners selling or acquiring children's activity centers, gymnastics gyms, swim schools, dance studios, cheer gyms, and child care centers, including buyer identification, confidentiality management, and negotiations through closing.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Services M&A advisory services helping children's activity center owners navigate business combinations, transitions, partnerships, succession planning, and exit strategy.
• Start-Up, Growth & Expansion Consulting Consulting services supporting entrepreneurs in launching new children's activity centers or expanding existing businesses, including business planning, demographics analysis, market strategy, financing support, and program development.
• Swim Consultant A specialized sub-brand providing swim school consulting, swim curriculum licensing, instructor training, leadership training, and start-up and expansion services for swim school operators worldwide.
• Sports, Arts and Education Training Programs Staff training curricula and materials covering gymnastics (all levels), learn-to-swim, ninja programs, dance, camps, afterschool programs, and special abilities/special needs programming, sold individually through the 3rd Level online store.
• SpectrAbilities Licensing Program A licensing program enabling child activity centers to serve children with special needs and special abilities, providing training, curriculum, and resources to become a community hub for inclusive programming.
• SmartEDGE Resources Dashboard Online platform providing training content, document management, HR and hiring resources, KPI/business intelligence dashboards, and operational business management tools for children's activity center owners and managers.
• LEAP! Learning Platform E-learning platform providing self-directed staff training and professional development courses for children's activity centers, covering swim instruction, gymnastics, dance, cheer, and leadership topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• One studio grew from 3,000 sq/ft with 60 students and 3 staff to a 20,000 sq/ft facility with 40+ staff, 2,500 annual enrollments, and 12 programs after joining 3rd Level.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Jackrabbit TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackrabbit Technologies (a CRM and business management software provider for children's activity centers) and 3rd Level Consulting have a long-standing mutual partnership. Jackrabbit was among the first customers of The Wings Center (a 3rd Level member) and 3rd Level continues to recommend Jackrabbit to its members globally. The two companies are developing future integrations between Jackrabbit, 3rd Level's SmartEDGE Resources, and LEAP! Learning platforms.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EOS Implementers (Entrepreneurial Operating System): Network of independent implementers who deliver the Entrepreneurial Operating System framework to SMBs via coaching, workshops, and tools. Comparable because EOS competes for the same consulting/coaching wallet of small business owners.
• The Alternative Board (TAB): Peer advisory board franchise for SMB owners, combining group coaching, one-to-one advisory, and proprietary tools. Closely comparable business model to 3rd Level's Priority Access, but serving a much broader industry mix.
• ActionCOACH: Global business coaching and consulting franchise serving SMBs across many verticals. Comparable because it sells a packaged mix of coaching, training, and proprietary tools to small business owners, similar to 3rd Level's Priority Access model.

Others

• Jackrabbit Technologies: Leading class management and CRM software for children's activity centers, gymnastics, and swim schools. Comparable as a strategic partner and overlapping ecosystem player serving the exact same vertical of SMB facility owners.
• PerfectMind: Cloud-based membership management and booking software for activity centers, recreation, and gymnastics facilities. Comparable as an enabling technology vendor competing for the same customer wallet in the children's activity center vertical.
• Sports Facilities Companies (SFC): Consulting, management, and advisory firm for sports and recreation facilities including aquatics, gymnastics, and multi-use venues. Comparable as an adjacent consulting firm serving operators of recreation and activity facilities.

Broad incumbents

• Vistage Worldwide: Large peer-advisory and executive coaching organization serving SMB CEOs. Comparable as a higher-tier, broader version of 3rd Level's membership/coaching model, though Vistage targets a wider industry mix and larger revenue bands.
• SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): US nonprofit providing free business mentoring, workshops, and resources to SMBs. Comparable as a lower-cost, broader competitor and complementary resource that small business owners weigh against 3rd Level's paid consulting.
• Club Solutions Magazine / Club Industry: Industry media and resource hub for health, fitness, and sports club operators. Comparable as an adjacent, broader incumbent providing consulting-adjacent content, benchmarking, and advisory across fitness/recreation verticals.

Emerging players

• Sawyer: Online marketplace and booking platform for children's classes, camps, and activities. Comparable as a technology-enabled player in the children's activity center ecosystem that facility owners may choose instead of, or alongside, 3rd Level's stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@3rdlevelconsulting
• Facebookfacebook.com/3rdlevelconsulting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3rdlevelconsulting
• Instagraminstagram.com/3rdlevelconsulting

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 3rd Level Consulting & Business Brokerage