Learning Center

What Learning Center does

Learning Center Incorporated is a privately held leadership and team development consultancy headquartered in Mendocino, California, founded in 1974 by Dr. Arky Ciancutti, a physician who transitioned from pediatrics to emergency medicine. The company originated from Ciancutti's observation that engaged healthcare teams improve patient outcomes, and within three years expanded into the business community, which now comprises 85% of its clientele with the remaining 15% in healthcare. Learning Center was the first organization in the United States to provide team building training to business and healthcare communities, and its client roster developed over 30+ years includes IBM, Novell, Boeing, Chevron, Hewlett Packard, Ford Aerospace, UCSF Medical Center, Alta Bates Hospital, and various government entities.

The company's core products are customized training workshops and one-on-one executive coaching built around a proprietary methodology including the Trust Model framework, the 7 Steps to Closure conflict resolution process, and experiential foundation workshops. Offerings include core courses (High Performance Teamwork, Built on Trust, 1-on-1 Coaching) and add-on modules (Communications Lab, Choice Points, Quality Leadership, Teams and Change, Train the Trainer, Optimizing Change, Keynote Speaking), with supplementary products such as the Team Climate Assessment survey and the bestselling book "Built on Trust" (Contemporary/McGraw-Hill, 2001). Engagement structures run 12-24 months and span assessment, experiential workshops, coaching, telephone follow-up, and optional turnkey/licensing handoffs. Dr. David Ciancutti heads the one-on-one Leadership Development practice, while Dr. Arky Ciancutti remains the principal facilitator and public face of the firm.

Learning Center operates with 11-50 employees and a referral-driven, consultative enterprise go-to-market, offering free initial consultations and culminating in customized project proposals priced on a case-by-case basis with multi-year contracts. Distribution is global via direct enterprise engagement, supplemented by train-the-trainer licensing, keynote speaking, and book distribution through e-commerce. The company differentiates through an industry-unusual 100% satisfaction guarantee (clients may cross out charges they feel did not meet expectations) and through talent-driven brand recognition anchored in the founder's medical credentials and Stanford/IBM teaching affiliations.

Name

Learning Center

Legal name

Learning Center Incorporated

Website

https://learningcenter.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Learning Center is a privately held, founder-led leadership and team development consultancy founded in 1974, serving Fortune 100 enterprises and healthcare organizations with customized trust-based training workshops, executive coaching, and proprietary methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Consulting

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM), Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Leadership consulting
• Team building training
• Executive coaching
• Organizational development
• Trust culture training

Headquarters

HQ city

Mendocino

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Customized Training Workshops: Learning Center delivers fully customized team and leadership development workshops to organizations. Fees are established on a case-by-case basis for the entire project delivery in clearly established stages. The company absolutely guarantees results or provides money back.
2. Executive Coaching: One-on-one intensive coaching services provided to executives and leaders, often as part of broader organizational engagements or standalone programs.
3. Book Sales - Built on Trust: Sale of the book 'Built on Trust: Gaining Competitive Advantage in Any Organization' published by Contemporary/McGraw-Hill, priced at $24.95 with volume discounts available.
4. Turnkey/Licensing Arrangements: Training materials and train-the-trainer programs licensed to organizations. Turnkey licensing arrangements are per project with no materials costs or complex accounting devices.
5. Follow-up Services: Ongoing follow-up workshops, telephone coaching, and conference sessions provided as part of project engagements to ensure goal achievement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Learning Center provides customized team building, leadership development, and executive coaching services to enterprise organizations. Founded by Dr. Arky Ciancutti in 1974, the company delivers experiential workshops, one-on-one coaching, keynote speaking, and turnkey licensing programs built around proprietary frameworks such as the Trust Model and the 7 Steps to Closure methodology.

Product overview

Learning Center is a leadership and team development consulting company offering customized training solutions and coaching services. The core offering consists of training courses (High Performance Teamwork, Built on Trust, 1 on 1 Coaching) supplemented by specialized modules (Communications Lab, Choice Points, Quality Leadership, Teams and Change, Train the Trainer, Optimizing Change, Keynote Speaking). The company also publishes the bestselling book 'Built on Trust' and offers assessment tools such as the Team Climate Assessment. All offerings are customizable to client needs and backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Performance Teamwork Customized, experiential team building workshop for enterprise teams, designed to strengthen collaboration, communication, and shared accountability among intact work groups.
• 1 on 1 Coaching One-on-one executive coaching engagement for senior leaders, focused on personal development, leadership effectiveness, and behavioral change grounded in the Trust Model and 7 Steps to Closure methodology.
• Built on Trust: Strengthening Leadership Culture Training seminar for managers and leaders that translates the Built on Trust book into practical leadership behaviors for building a trust-based culture.
• Communications Lab Course designed to improve interpersonal communication skills, using experiential exercises rooted in the company's trust-based methodology.
• Choice Points Training course aimed at helping participants recognize decision-making moments and choose constructive responses in workplace interactions.
• Quality Leadership Training program targeting leaders responsible for quality outcomes, focused on leadership behaviors that drive operational excellence.
• Teams and Change Course designed to help intact teams navigate change together, applying trust-based practices to manage transitions.
• Train the Trainer Licensing and certification program that trains internal client staff to deliver the company's team building and leadership curriculum inside their own organizations.
• Optimizing Change Training program focused on helping leaders and teams optimize outcomes during organizational change initiatives.
• Keynote Speaking Keynote speaking engagements delivered by the founder and senior consultants at conferences and corporate events, typically on trust, leadership, and team effectiveness.
• Built on Trust (Book) Published book by founder Dr. Arky Ciancutti that articulates the Trust Model and serves as the intellectual foundation for the company's consulting, coaching, and training offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operations costs decreased by approximately $750,000 at MSO, Inc.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BTS: BTS is a global professional services firm specializing in leadership development, sales transformation, and strategy execution through customized simulations and experiential learning—highly comparable to Learning Center's experiential workshop methodology and Fortune 100 enterprise focus.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Blanchard is a long-established leadership training and consulting firm (Servant Leadership, Situational Leadership) targeting enterprise buyers with both open-enrollment and customized programs—directly comparable to Learning Center's customized leadership development and coaching model.
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): DDI is a global leadership and selection consulting firm serving large enterprises with leadership development, team effectiveness, and executive coaching engagements—competing with Learning Center for the same Fortune 100 L&D and executive team transformation mandates.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a globally recognized leadership development research and training institution offering executive education, coaching, and team effectiveness programs to enterprise clients. Comparable to Learning Center in its enterprise focus on senior leadership team outcomes and its research-backed methodology.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is an established global leadership and organizational effectiveness firm whose '7 Habits' and execution-focused content compete for the same Fortune 100 enterprise training budgets as Learning Center. It serves as a much larger incumbent with a broader courseware catalog and global delivery network.
• Dale Carnegie & Associates: Dale Carnegie is a long-tenured leadership and professional development training franchise with global delivery, addressing team dynamics, communication, and leadership—adjacent to Learning Center's trust-and-teamwork franchise. It competes in similar enterprise L&D RFPs but at a much larger scale.
• Wilson Learning: Wilson Learning is an established sales and leadership development firm providing customized enterprise training, coaching, and consulting—closely analogous to Learning Center's customized team-and-leadership engagements and Fortune 100 client base.
• Korn Ferry (Korn Ferry Advance / Leadership Development): Korn Ferry's leadership development and coaching practice delivers enterprise executive coaching, team acceleration, and culture transformation programs—competing with Learning Center's senior-team and executive coaching offers, but as part of a much larger organizational consulting portfolio.

Direct peers

• Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts): Crucial Learning offers training in communication, conflict resolution, team effectiveness, and behavior change—directly overlapping Learning Center's '7 Steps to Closure' and team building offerings. Both target enterprise L&D buyers with methodology-driven curricula and certified-trainer networks.
• BetterUp: BetterUp is the largest venture-backed leadership coaching and team development platform, serving enterprise buyers with on-demand 1-on-1 coaching, manager development, and team effectiveness programs. It competes head-to-head with Learning Center for enterprise L&D budget, but at greater scale and with a tech-enabled delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Learning Center