What Nodus does

Nodus Performance Consulting (Nodus, Inc.) is a privately-held, US-based talent development and executive coaching firm founded in 1995 by CEO Debbie Waggoner. The company delivers customized learning programs, leadership development, executive coaching, and keynote speaking for enterprise clients, with a particular specialization in virtual team development, one-on-one manager-employee meetings, and engagement-driven performance improvement. Its underlying 'technology' is methodological and content-based rather than platform-based: proprietary books ('The Connection Blueprint,' 2020; 'Building Virtual Relationships,' 2013), structured curricula, MBTI and 360-degree assessments, and frameworks such as the Connection Blueprint Leadership Series.

Nodus makes money through professional services engagements priced on a quote basis, plus modest direct-to-consumer revenue from book sales on Amazon. The go-to-market is founder-led enterprise field sales augmented by referrals, organic social (LinkedIn, Facebook), a content blog ('Talent Development Insights'), and thought-leadership content. The firm holds WBENC women's business enterprise certification, which supports supplier-diversity procurement, and publicly displays a roster of Fortune 500 and large enterprise client logos including Texas Instruments, Abbott, Boston Scientific, BNSF, Lockheed Martin, McKesson, IBM, Ericsson, JCPenney, Sabre, and Texas Health Resources.

Operationally, Nodus is a 1-10 person boutique consultancy headquartered in Texas, with no disclosed external funding, no app, no public API, and no software platform. The CEO is the primary practitioner and business developer, and the firm claims global delivery reach despite a US-centric operating footprint. The business has operated continuously for roughly 28 years under the same leadership, with growth driven almost exclusively by client referrals.

Name

Nodus

Legal name

Nodus, Inc.

Website

https://nodus1.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Management & Workforce Planning Consulting (BPAHAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performance Management & Productivity Consulting (BPAHAGAL), Leadership Assessment, 360 Feedback & Development Planning (EDABAAAK), Succession Planning & High-Potential (HiPo) Leadership Programs (EDABAAAL), Operations & Process Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAB)

Keywords

• Talent development consulting
• Executive coaching services
• Leadership development programs
• Virtual team training
• Corporate training workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

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. Custom Talent Development Programs: Bespoke training programs developed in collaboration with corporate clients to address specific talent development objectives. Delivered on-campus, online, on-site, or worldwide. Programs are sold as professional services engagements, likely billed per program or per diem.
2. Executive Coaching: Individual and group coaching engagements for executives and leaders. Includes structured programs with a minimum of 12 one-hour sessions over six months, assessments, job shadowing, and unlimited email support. Billed as a professional services engagement.
3. Keynote Speaking: Debbie Waggoner is available as a keynote speaker on talent development, leadership, and virtual team topics. Each keynote is customized to the client and situation. Revenue derived from speaking fees.
4. Book Sales (The Connection Blueprint): The Connection Blueprint book sold through Amazon in print and Kindle formats. Bulk orders (5+ books) or implementations bundled with training are available by contacting Nodus directly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nodus Performance Consulting provides customized talent development programs, executive coaching, and keynote speaking services to enterprise and Fortune 500 clients. Offerings are delivered through needs assessment and bespoke program design, in-person or virtually worldwide, and are anchored by two proprietary published books (The Connection Blueprint and Building Virtual Relationships) plus structured coaching curricula that cover leadership development, virtual team building, behavioral interviewing, change management, and performance management.

Product overview

Nodus Performance Consulting is a talent development firm offering a portfolio of consulting services, training programs, and published books. The core offerings include Executive Coaching and Custom Talent Development Programs, supplemented by the company's two published books: 'The Connection Blueprint' and 'Building Virtual Relationships.' The Connection Blueprint serves as the flagship book/guide, supported by the 'Connection Blueprint Leadership Series' of jumpstart sessions and huddles. The company specializes in Virtual Team Development with specific sub-programs for communication skills, virtual leadership, and virtual presentations. The product portfolio spans individual contributor development (Supervisory Skills, High Impact Presentations), team development (MBTI Collaboration, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Accountability Training), leadership development (Leadership Development Program, Mid-Management Leadership, Leading Through Change), and executive coaching. Keynote speaking services are also offered on talent development topics. All programs are delivered through in-person and virtual formats worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Connection Blueprint: A book and leadership series providing guidance on establishing effective workplace relationships and maximizing one-on-one meeting productivity.
• Building Virtual Relationships

Products and services

• The Connection Blueprint A published book and leadership guide providing practical guidance on making the most of one-on-one employee meetings to increase engagement, productivity, retention, and drive results. Sold to individual and corporate buyers via Amazon in print and Kindle formats, with bulk orders (5+ copies) available directly from Nodus.
• Building Virtual Relationships A published book with assessments, skill-building practices, outlines, and guides designed to help teams build stronger communication, develop greater trust, and deliver results in virtual work environments. Sold via Amazon in print and digital formats.
• The Connection Blueprint Leadership Series A 3-part development series that teaches leaders to build relationships, understand and use emotional intelligence, and enhance communication skills. Includes Jump Start Sessions and Huddle sessions on connecting, building trust, and building accountability.
• Custom Talent Development Programs Customized learning programs developed collaboratively with enterprise clients to understand corporate development objectives, determine learning outcomes, and select appropriate curriculum and delivery styles. Covers virtual team relationship development, leadership development, and executive coaching. Delivered on-campus, online, on-site, or worldwide.
• Executive Coaching Professional development program combining expertise in leadership development, performance management, and emotional intelligence with personal insight to challenge thinking and provide guidance. Structured three-phase approach (Assessment, Development, Implementation) with 360-degree feedback, MBTI assessments, and personal development planning. Includes Corporate Coaching for Executives and Leadership Coaching tracks.
• Keynote Speaking Keynote speaking services delivered by CEO Debbie Waggoner on topics including Virtual Accountability, Successful Virtual Communication, Engaging Others Online, Teaming with Millennials, and Establishing Connections. Each keynote is customized to the client and situation.
• Virtual Team Development Programs designed to help organizations build effective virtual teams by developing virtual communication skills, understanding team dynamics across locations, time zones, and cultures, and establishing trust through proactive relationship building.
• Leadership Development Program Bi-monthly one-day training sessions designed to develop management and leadership skills in current and future leaders. Includes sessions on understanding self and teams, stress management, communication skills, performance management, conflict management, and interviewing skills.
• Mid-Management Leadership Program Coaching program for enhancing employee performance and developing leadership skills to improve performance in current roles or prepare for the next management level. Includes telephone/face-to-face meetings, personal coaching sessions, and personal development plans.
• Supervisory Skills for the First Time Supervisor One-day workshop providing first-time supervisors with skills and confidence to communicate and lead employees for positive results, covering delegation, feedback, performance management, and disciplinary action.
• Leading Through Change Program providing insight and skills to leaders for positive and productive change management, including understanding personality reactions to change, the change cycle, and communication strategies.
• High Impact Presentations Two-day presentation skills training workshop focusing on organization, delivery, visual aid design, and handling difficult situations with videotaped practice sessions for immediate feedback.
• Speaking Advantage Advanced Presentation Skills Advanced presentation skills training program for experienced speakers to develop confidence and skill in public speaking, audience engagement, and executive presence through interactive exercises and video feedback.
• Leading Dynamic Meetings Half-day workshop teaching techniques to improve productivity in meetings, including meeting planning, facilitation skills, teleconference/web conference techniques, and follow-up tools.
• Hiring Skills: Behavioral Selection Interviewing Course providing hiring skills to collect valuable information for accurate decision making through behavioral interviewing techniques, including practice sessions and a hiring skills workbook.
• Accountability Training: Building a Culture of Engagement and Results Training program outlining a 3-step process from accepting responsibility to self-empowerment to accountability for results, using the Accountability Assessment diagnostic tool.
• Improving Collaboration Through MBTI Team talent development workshop using the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator to build trust and improve team performance through understanding personality type dynamics.
• Accelerating Team Performance Using Five Dysfunctions of a Team Facilitation process taking teams through exercises based on Patrick Lencioni's framework to build trust, engage in productive conflict, increase commitment, and improve accountability.
• Millennial Talent Development Customized learning programs helping new college graduates develop soft skills including leadership, accountability, communication skills, and alignment to corporate strategy with high levels of interaction.
• Virtual Leadership Training Program Training program teaching skills necessary for effective virtual team leadership, including adjusting leadership and communication styles for remote teams, building trust, and establishing accountability frameworks.
• Communication Skills and Tools for Virtual Teamwork Research-based course providing insights and best practices for establishing effective communication methods and practices for virtual teams, including technology tools and best practices for remote collaboration.
• Delivering High Impact Virtual Presentations Interactive workshop providing techniques for delivering clear virtual presentations that engage audiences, including video practice sessions and feedback on personal strengths and weaknesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizations with higher than average employee engagement have exceeded the financial performance of their peers by 73%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• BetterUp: Tech-enabled coaching and leadership development platform serving enterprise buyers. Comparable in the executive coaching and leadership development category but competes via a scalable digital platform model that contrasts with Nodus's high-touch delivery.
• ExecOnline: Provider of online executive education and leadership development programs in partnership with top business schools. Comparable buyer (enterprise L&D) and topic overlap (leadership development), delivered via a more scalable platform model.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with major executive coaching, leadership development, and talent management practices. Comparable buyer (CHRO/enterprise L&D) and service overlap (executive coaching, leadership development) but vastly larger scale.
• BTS: Global professional services firm specializing in leadership development, strategy execution, and sales performance. Overlaps with Nodus on the leadership development and custom talent program side at enterprise scale.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Large global leadership and talent management consultancy providing assessment, leadership development, and succession planning services. Comparable to Nodus in target buyer (enterprise HR/L&D) and offerings (360 feedback, executive development) but operates at significantly broader scale.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Research-based leadership development provider offering executive coaching, assessments, and customized programs. Closely comparable to Nodus's executive coaching and leadership development practice, though CCL is a much larger, non-profit institution.

Direct peers

• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership training and consulting firm built around proprietary content (SLII, etc.). Comparable to Nodus in content-driven training and executive coaching, with a similar mix of bespoke workshops and thought-leadership IP.
• Wilson Learning: Global provider of sales, leadership, and employee development training with proprietary content. Comparable to Nodus's custom talent development and leadership programs delivered to enterprise buyers.
• FranklinCovey: Global training and consulting firm focused on leadership, performance, and productivity content with branded curricula. Highly comparable to Nodus's leadership development and executive coaching offerings, though FranklinCovey operates at much greater scale and with a published content portfolio.
• Dale Carnegie Training: Long-established training company offering leadership, presentation skills, and employee engagement programs to enterprise clients. Directly comparable to Nodus's supervisory skills, presentation training, and leadership development workshops.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Nodus_Inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/NodusIncConsulting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nodus-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nodus