The Trident Approach

What The Trident Approach does

The Trident Approach is a privately-held professional services firm founded by Navy SEAL veteran Diego Ugalde that delivers leadership development, team building, and executive coaching programs adapted from special operations methodology. Its core product is the proprietary '7 Elements of The Trident Approach' framework — Start With the Self, Ego Awareness, Align Culture, Build Trust, Enhance Communication, Promote Teamwork, and Strengthen Leadership — delivered through four service lines: one-on-one Coaching, short-duration Team Building events, immersive Leadership Events, and Keynote speaking engagements. Programs are facilitated by a hand-selected team of Navy SEAL Instructor Cadre led by Ugalde, a former Senior Chief Petty Officer with three combat tours in Iraq and 250+ classified missions, and are designed to be accessible regardless of physical fitness or age.

The firm sells to enterprise and organizational clients via a consultation-based direct sales model with disclosed budget tiers ranging from $10k–$50k, $50k–$100k, and $100k+. Named customers include Google, Stryker, Hertz, Ben & Jerry's, Team USA, YPO, Katerra, Mintz Levin, USA Track & Field, Brighton Hospice, Ascensus, and the University of Georgia, spanning technology, healthcare, legal, sports, financial services, and nonprofit segments. The company is headquartered in Imperial Beach/San Diego, California, operates with approximately 8 personnel, delivers programs globally, and extends its brand through the published book 'Leading from the Deep' and a corporate podcast.

Name

The Trident Approach

Legal name

The Trident Approach

Website

https://thetridentapproach.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Trident Approach is a privately-held consulting firm founded by Navy SEAL veteran Diego Ugalde that delivers SEAL-inspired leadership development, team building, executive coaching, and keynote programs to enterprise clients and leadership teams globally, operating from San Diego with approximately 8 personnel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Imperial Beach

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Coaching: One-on-one intensive coaching for individual leaders seeking personal growth and leadership transformation. Includes optional organizational assessments with operational feedback for systemic improvements.
2. Professional Services - Team Building Events: Short, high-energy team building experiences designed to foster connection, trust, and teamwork. Targeted at organizations seeking quick, engaging ways to bring teams closer together.
3. Professional Services - Leadership Events: Immersive group experiences for personal development and alignment. Targets cohorts and leadership teams within organizations investing in long-term development.
4. Professional Services - Keynotes: Powerful keynote presentations based on 'Leading From the Deep' and years of SEAL leadership experience. Targets organizations, conferences, and events seeking inspirational speakers.
5. Book Sales: Sale of the book 'Leading from the Deep: Navy SEAL Leadership Meets Purpose-Driven Performance' available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Trident Approach is a professional services firm that delivers Navy SEAL-inspired leadership development, team building, executive coaching, and keynote speaking programs to enterprise clients. Offerings include one-on-one coaching, short high-energy team building events, immersive leadership events, and motivational keynotes, all delivered by former Navy SEAL Instructor Cadre using a proprietary 7-element methodology (Start With the Self, Ego Awareness, Align Culture, Build Trust, Enhance Communication, Promote Teamwork, Strengthen Leadership).

Product overview

The Trident Approach is a professional services firm offering a portfolio of Navy SEAL-inspired leadership, team building, and personal transformation programs. The core offerings include: Coaching (one-on-one leadership coaching), Team Building (short high-energy team events), Leadership Events (immersive group development experiences), and Keynotes (motivational speaking engagements). The company also publishes a book titled 'Leading from the Deep' and produces podcast content. The programs are designed to be all-inclusive, with no physical ability or fitness requirements, and are delivered by former Navy SEAL Instructor Cadre. Services are available globally with the team based in San Diego.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coaching Intensive one-on-one coaching for individual leaders, executives, and high-potential professionals focused on personal growth and leadership transformation, with optional organizational assessments and operational feedback for systemic improvements.
• Team Building Short, high-energy team building experiences designed to foster connection, trust, and teamwork for organizations seeking to bring their teams closer together.
• Leadership Events Immersive group experiences for personal development and alignment, serving both individual cohorts committed to personal growth and leadership teams within organizations investing in long-term development.
• Keynotes Powerful keynote presentations based on 'Leading From the Deep' and years of SEAL leadership experience, designed to energize audiences at conferences and corporate events with actionable insights and stories of resilience.
• Leading from the Deep (Book) A book titled 'Leading from the Deep: Navy SEAL Leadership Meets Purpose-Driven Performance' that shares highlights from the journey from battlefield to boardroom, blending elite military strategies with a human-centered approach to leadership. Available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• The University of Georgia Bulldogs Hockey team reported dominating on the ice after the program, with no more cliques in the locker room and seniors mentoring freshmen.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Honor FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner supporting Navy SEALs and other special operations warriors in their transition to the civilian sector. Shared mission of serving the special operations community.
• Vigilance RiskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRisk management partner with potential alignment in security and operational excellence training.
• Strategic OperationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining and simulation partner supporting realistic training environments aligned with The Trident Approach methodology.
• Challenge Coins 4UminorOthersCustom challenge coin partner providing memorabilia and team-building artifacts for program participants.
• Skydive San DiegominorOthersAdventure experience partner providing skydiving activities as part of team-building programs.
• One More WaveminorOthersSurfing/outdoor experience partner providing water-based team-building activities.
• Make-A-WishminorOthersCharitable partner supporting wish-granting activities in alignment with the company's service-oriented mission.
• Rivers of HopeminorOthersNonprofit humanitarian partner providing mission-aligned charitable engagement opportunities.
• Special Ops SurvivorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport organization for special operations community members and families.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Outward Bound: Outward Bound runs corporate and team-building experiential programs built around outdoor adversity. It is a broader incumbent in the experiential leadership and team development category where The Trident Approach also competes.
• Center for Creative Leadership: CCL is a leading research-based provider of executive leadership development programs for senior leaders. It overlaps with The Trident Approach's leadership-coaching and executive development offerings at the high end of the enterprise market.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is a large-scale leadership and personal effectiveness training provider (e.g., '7 Habits of Highly Effective People'). It competes for the same enterprise L&D budget but at much greater scale and brand recognition.
• Crucial Learning (VitalSmarts): Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts) trains teams in communication, influence, and change — directly overlapping with The Trident Approach's 'Enhance Communication' and culture-alignment training themes.
• Dale Carnegie Training: Dale Carnegie offers enterprise leadership, communications, and team development programs globally. It is a broad incumbent overlapping with The Trident Approach's leadership development and communication offerings.
• Barry-Wehmiller Leadership Institute: Barry-Wehmiller Leadership Institute delivers corporate leadership development with a culture-and-people focus. It is comparable to The Trident Approach in targeting enterprise leaders for behavior and culture change.

Direct peers

• TeamBonding: TeamBonding delivers corporate team-building events and experiences for U.S. organizations. It competes directly with The Trident Approach's team-building program line for corporate HR and people budgets.
• Echelon Front: Echelon Front, founded by former Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, offers leadership and team-building consulting plus a book-based methodology — the most direct competitor to The Trident Approach in the SEAL-inspired corporate training niche.

Emerging players

• Adventure Associates: Smaller corporate experience providers design team-building retreats and adrenaline-based events. They overlap with The Trident Approach's experiential team-building offers, though they lack a SEAL-branded methodology.
• Front Line Leadership (military-veteran-founded training): Other military-veteran-founded leadership training practices enter the same niche as The Trident Approach with overlapping customer pools and special-ops-led delivery. Considered an emerging specialist competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tridentapproach
• Facebookfacebook.com/thetridentapproach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 The Trident Approach