LeadFirst

What LeadFirst does

The core product is the ERM (Employee Relationship Management) platform — a four-phase leadership operating system that combines people skills, data-driven management, a management platform, and just-in-time learning, delivered via a 15-day free trial with optional paid subscription (pricing not publicly disclosed). The platform is differentiated by domain specialization for faith-driven organizations rather than by underlying technical novelty, and no public API, SDK, AI modalities, or third-party integrations are disclosed. The portfolio also includes SeekFirst (a beta-stage team prioritization app on waitlist), LeadFirst Next (a mobile leadership platform on iOS and Android), three books authored by Gary Harpst (Built to Beat Chaos published by Wiley in April 2023, plus Six Disciplines for Excellence and Six Disciplines Execution Revolution), a $15 discussion guide, the ERM Briefing blog, and on-demand webinars including the Kingdom Impact Business Webinar. Six Disciplines is retained as an acquired brand and Beyond Software is an announced subsidiary for late 2026.

LeadFirst makes money through three streams: (1) one-time book and discussion guide sales priced at $25 per book and $320 per case of 16 ($15 for the discussion guide), distributed via Amazon and direct purchase; (2) recurring ERM platform subscriptions whose pricing is not publicly disclosed and is likely quote-based; and (3) professional services revenue from Gary Harpst's keynote speaking engagements, corporate workshops, and consulting. The go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, with Gary Harpst personally serving as the primary spokesperson and closer through 25+ podcast appearances, keynote speeches, free trials with optional post-trial mentoring sessions, and webinars — supported by content marketing (blog, books, discussion guides) and involvement with the C12 Christian CEO peer advisory community. The company targets horizontal segments including faith-driven business leaders (primary persona), Kingdom-minded organizations, executive and senior leaders, and middle managers, and operates exclusively from its Findlay, Ohio headquarters without disclosed international expansion.

Name

LeadFirst

Legal name

LeadFirst.ai

Website

https://leadfirst.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LeadFirst is a privately held, bootstrapped Findlay, Ohio company that operates the Kingdom ERM (Employee Relationship Management) platform, related books, and coaching content for faith-driven Christian business owners, executives, and middle managers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Management Consulting Services (54161), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Management & OKRs (BPACAPAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

ERP Extensions & Add-ons (CPQ, Billing, Revenue Management) (HDAEAEAO)

Keywords

• Leadership development software
• Faith-based business platform
• Employee relationship management
• Executive leadership coaching
• Business book publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Findlay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: LeadFirst generates revenue through sale of Gary Harpst's books including 'Built to Beat Chaos' ($25), 'Six Disciplines for Excellence', and 'Six Disciplines Execution Revolution'. Also sells discussion guides and bulk case quantities.
2. ERM Platform Subscription: The company offers a 15-day free trial of the ERM platform with optional continuation as a paid subscription for the Kingdom ERM leadership operating system.
3. Speaking and Consulting: Gary Harpst generates revenue through keynote speaking engagements, corporate workshops, and consulting services for faith-driven business leaders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LeadFirst sells an Employee Relationship Management (ERM) software platform designed specifically for faith-driven leaders, combining people skills, data-driven management skills, a management platform, and just-in-time learning through a four-phase leadership operating system. The company also publishes leadership books (Built to Beat Chaos, Six Disciplines series) and accompanying discussion guides, and offers consulting, keynote speaking, and webinars on biblical leadership principles.

Product overview

LeadFirst is a faith-driven leadership development company offering a suite of products and services centered on its ERM™ (Employee Relationship Management) platform. The core platform helps faith-driven leaders integrate faith, business management, and whole-person care. Supporting products include Gary Harpst's books (Built to Beat Chaos, Six Disciplines for Excellence, Six Disciplines Execution Revolution), discussion guides, and the ERM Briefing blog. The company also offers SeekFirst, a team priority-setting app, and LeadFirst Next, a mobile leadership platform. Services include on-demand webinars on Kingdom Impact business strategies. The ecosystem is anchored by biblical principles and aimed at helping leaders overcome organizational chaos.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SeekFirst: A faith-friendly platform that helps teams set priorities and execute together with clarity and purpose.
• ERM (Employee Relationship Management)

Products and services

• ERM™ (Employee Relationship Management) Platform The core leadership operating system platform for faith-driven leaders that integrates faith, business management, and whole-person care through a four-phase system (people skills, data-driven management, management platform, just-in-time learning). Offered with a 15-day free trial and optional paid subscription.
• SeekFirst A faith-friendly team app that helps teams set priorities and execute together with clarity and purpose; targets teams seeking to align on shared priorities in a faith-aligned work culture.
• LeadFirst Next A mobile leadership platform available on iOS and Android that integrates essential leadership tools for organizing workflows, prioritizing impact, and connecting with teams through structured one-on-one and team meeting tools without added complexity.
• Built to Beat Chaos A biblically-grounded leadership manual applying timeless biblical insights to overcome organizational chaos; published by Wiley in April 2023 and sold directly and through Amazon.
• Six Disciplines for Excellence A business performance improvement book detailing six fundamental principles for achieving lasting growth and excellence in small businesses; described as an award-winning step-by-step guide and sold at $25 on Amazon.
• Six Disciplines Execution Revolution A follow-up book detailing elements of a complete strategy execution program for small businesses; priced at $25 on Amazon.
• Built to Beat Chaos Discussion Guide An instant-download discussion guide for team learning and application of the Built to Beat Chaos principles; priced at $15.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of leaders report improved team alignment and trust after adopting LeadFirst
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• C12minorOthersLeadFirst has involvement with C12, described as a Kingdom-minded organization. C12 is a peer advisory group for Christian CEOs and executives. Gary Harpst's leadership philosophy aligns with C12's mission of helping business leaders integrate faith and business.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• WorkTango: Employee listening and recognition platform with OKR/performance functionality. Comparable as a smaller, focused performance-and-engagement SaaS targeting mid-market, with overlapping self-serve/free-trial distribution.
• Quantum Workplace: Employee engagement and performance platform. Comparable as a focused leadership/people-software vendor with overlapping SMB-to-mid-market positioning and similar self-serve acquisition motion.

Direct peers

• Culture Amp: Employee engagement and performance management platform. A direct competitor in the leadership/people-software category, serving similar mid-market personas though with a broader, secular positioning.
• Lattice: Performance management and employee engagement SaaS platform. Directly comparable as a horizontal leadership/people-development software vendor, though Lattice serves a broader market without LeadFirst's faith-driven specialization.
• BetterUp: Leadership development and coaching platform combining technology with human coaching. Comparable on the leadership-development value proposition and enterprise buyer overlap, though much larger and broader in scope.
• 15Five: Continuous performance management and employee engagement platform. Comparable as a leadership/team alignment tool targeting SMB and mid-market, with similar self-serve trial onboarding.

Broad incumbents

• FranklinCovey: Established leadership training and content company (The 7 Habits). Comparable as a leadership-development content and training vendor, operating at significantly greater scale with broad content libraries similar to LeadFirst's book portfolio.
• Gallup: Analytics and advisory firm famous for employee engagement and strengths-based leadership research. Comparable on leadership assessments and engagement-measurement content, serving enterprises globally.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting and leadership development firm. Comparable as a senior leadership advisory offering, overlapping in the executive-coaching and leadership-system space but at vastly larger enterprise scale.

Others

• C12: Peer advisory group for Christian CEOs and executives. An ecosystem partner and adjacent organization sharing LeadFirst's exact buyer persona and values, though operating as a peer-group service rather than a software platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 LeadFirst