True North Leadership

What True North Leadership does

True North Leadership, Inc. is a privately held, founder-led executive and organizational development firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. The company is operated by Dr. Relly Nadler as President and CEO — a clinical psychologist by training, Master Certified Coach, and author of 8 books — with podcast co-host Dr. Cathy Greenberg. The firm delivers human-delivered professional services centered on emotional intelligence (EI) development and leadership training for enterprise clients, primarily large corporations across financial services, beverage/manufacturing, banking, hospitality, transportation/logistics, software, telecommunications, agriculture, and government/military segments. Named enterprise client logos include Anheuser-Busch, Hilton, FedEx, Comcast, QAD, Driscoll's, Financial Pacific Leasing, and the US Navy, with a cumulative count of 225+ companies served.

The firm's core technology foundation is the EQi 2.0 and EQ 360 emotional intelligence assessments from Multi-Health Systems (MHS), for which the firm is an authorized certification provider. Around these instruments, the company has built a proprietary methodology branded 'Tools to Master the Moment™' and a product line that includes Leadership Keys laminated card sets (sold in packs of 5 for $95 or 25 for $399), a Leadership Keys Field Guide desk reference, and bundled offerings at $105. The firm also operates the 'Leadership Development News' podcast, a 16-year, 300+ episode content library with 4 million+ downloads, supported by an eiLive Blog, a Psychology Today blog, a YouTube channel, a weekly email newsletter, and LinkedIn presence.

Revenue is generated across five streams: (1) one-on-one executive and team coaching engagements integrating emotional intelligence, peak performance, positive psychology, and neuroscience; (2) corporate leadership development training programs including Leadership Bootcamps; (3) keynote speaking engagements on emotional intelligence, change execution, team-building, and decision-making under pressure; (4) EQi 2.0 / EQ 360 three-day certification workshops for coaches and professionals; and (5) product sales of Leadership Keys card sets, field guides, and books (including the 2011 McGraw-Hill title 'Leading with Emotional Intelligence' and the 2024 'Emotional Brilliance: Living a Stress Less, Fear Less Life'). Distribution is direct: go-to-market is speaker-led and relationship-led through speaking engagements, executive coaching, and corporate training programs, supplemented by product sales via an Infusionsoft-powered e-commerce storefront. Pricing for services is quote-based; pricing for products is unit-based and publicly disclosed. The firm is bootstrapped, with no external funding rounds, parent company, subsidiaries, or M&A activity indicated.

Name

True North Leadership

Legal name

True North Leadership, Inc.

Website

https://drrellynadler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

True North Leadership, Inc. is a Santa Barbara-based, founder-led executive coaching and organizational development firm that delivers emotional intelligence assessments (EQi 2.0 / EQ 360), executive coaching, corporate training, and speaking engagements to enterprise clients across multiple industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Coaching & Leadership Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA), C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA), Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF), Organizational Culture & Values-Based Leadership (EDABAAAE)

Keywords

• Executive coaching
• Leadership development
• Emotional intelligence training
• Organizational development
• Corporate training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Coaching: One-on-one tailored Executive and Team coaching integrating emotional intelligence, peak performance, positive psychology and neuroscience strategies for developing leaders.
2. Leadership Training Programs: Corporate training solutions and executive leadership training programs utilizing Emotional Intelligence tools and practices. Includes Leadership Bootcamps for high achievers.
3. Speaking Engagements: Keynote speaking on topics including Mastering Emotional Intelligence, Executing Change with Confidence, Building High-Performing Teams, and Decisions Under Pressure.
4. Certification Programs: EQi 2.0 certification training for coaches and professionals seeking to administer and interpret emotional intelligence assessments.
5. Products: Leadership Keys card sets, Field Guides, books, and eBooks for leadership development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

True North Leadership is an executive and organizational development firm providing one-on-one executive and team coaching, corporate leadership training programs, keynote speaking, and EQi 2.0 certification workshops. Services integrate emotional intelligence, peak performance, positive psychology, and neuroscience strategies, supported by proprietary tools such as Leadership Keys laminated card sets, the Leadership Keys Field Guide, and the Tools to Master the Moment™ methodology. The firm also sells authored books and hosts an eiLive Blog with 300+ podcasts serving as ongoing thought leadership content for leaders and organizations.

Product overview

True North Leadership is an Executive and Organizational Development firm offering a portfolio of products and services centered on Emotional Intelligence (EI) development and leadership training. The core offerings include proprietary tools like the Leadership Keys and Leadership Keys Field Guide, the EQ-i 2.0 Certification program, Executive Coaching services, and Leadership Development Training programs. Key products include published books ('Leading with Emotional Intelligence' and 'Emotional Brilliance: Living a Stress Less, Fear Less Life') and digital content resources (eiLive Blog with 300+ podcasts, Coach's Corner with 25+ tools). The proprietary 'Tools to Master the Moment™' methodology underpins their speaking engagements and coaching services, integrating emotional intelligence, peak performance, positive psychology, and neuroscience strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Coaching One-on-one tailored Executive and Team coaching integrating emotional intelligence, peak performance, positive psychology, and neuroscience strategies for developing leaders and senior executives.
• Leadership Development Training Corporate training programs utilizing Emotional Intelligence tools and practices, including speaking engagements, team building, succession planning, facilitation, and Leadership Bootcamps for high achievers.
• Team Development Team development services focused on improving cohesion, collaborative effectiveness, and performance of executive teams and management groups through assessments and facilitation.
• Organizational & Leadership Development In-depth organizational and team leadership assessment via confidential individual interviews, participant surveys, and summary reports delineating strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations.
• Facilitations Professional facilitation services for executive offsites, leadership retreats, and team sessions.
• Hiring & Succession Planning Hiring and succession planning advisory engagements supporting executive transitions and leadership pipeline development.
• Speaking Engagements Keynote speaking on topics including Mastering Emotional Intelligence, Executing Change with Confidence, Building High-Performing Teams, and Decisions Under Pressure, leveraging the proprietary Tools to Master the Moment™.
• EQ-i 2.0 Certification 3-day webinar workshop certifying participants to administer, interpret, and provide feedback on the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 Emotional Intelligence assessments for 5 reports, with ICF CCEU credits available.
• Leadership Keys Laminated card sets providing daily support strategies and actions for developing Emotional Intelligence and Star Performance in organizations; available in sets of 5 ($95.00) or 25 ($399.00).
• Leadership Keys Field Guide Desk reference companion to Leadership Keys, providing easy-to-use tools, skills, and actions designed to immediately raise Emotional Intelligence and create more Star Performers in organizations.
• Keys + Field Guide Bundle Combined package including Leadership Keys sets and Field Guide; each team member receives Keys and the Leader receives the Field Guide to teach the tools ($105.00).
• Leading with Emotional Intelligence (Book) Hands-on strategies book for building confident and collaborative Star Performers through Emotional Intelligence; authored by Dr. Relly Nadler and published by McGraw-Hill.
• Emotional Brilliance: Living a Stress Less, Fear Less Life (Book) Book on achieving Emotional Brilliance as the foundation for external success in professional and personal life, released in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of worker's performance linked to Boss's degree of Emotional Intelligence (Goleman and Cherniss, 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• College of Executive CoachingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDr. Nadler serves as faculty member at the College of Executive Coaching, providing supervision and training for coaches in emotional intelligence and leadership development methodologies.
• Multi-Health Systems (MHS)coreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized provider of EQi 2.0 and EQ 360 emotional intelligence assessments. Dr. Nadler is certified to train and certify others in administering these leading EI assessments.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Long-standing leadership, sales, and professional development training franchise with global delivery. Directly comparable to True North in offering corporate training programs and executive development, but at significantly larger scale and broader course catalog.
• Center for Creative Leadership: Research-driven leadership development provider offering executive programs, assessments, and coaching. Compared to True North, it is a nonprofit institution with deeper programmatic offerings and assessment IP, but competes for the same C-suite and senior leadership development budgets.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership development and management training company built around Situational Leadership and related methodologies. Comparable to True North in delivering proprietary content-based leadership training and coaching, with a more internationally distributed licensee model.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and organizational performance company offering training, coaching, and content across multiple frameworks (e.g., 7 Habits, Speed of Trust). Compared to True North, it operates at much greater scale with a broader portfolio, but competes in the same enterprise leadership development and training market.
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): Global leadership and talent management consultancy offering leadership development, assessment, and coaching at enterprise scale. Comparable to True North in serving enterprise leadership development needs, but with a deeper technology and assessment platform footprint.
• Gallup: Global analytics and consulting firm with a leadership and management development practice built around CliftonStrengths and engagement research. Comparable to True North in serving enterprise leadership development with proprietary assessments and content, but at vastly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Marshall Goldsmith Coaching: Executive coaching and leadership development brand built around Marshall Goldsmith's stakeholder-centered coaching methodology. Directly comparable to True North as a single-name thought leader monetizing proprietary coaching IP through books, training, and certification.
• BetterUp: Technology-enabled coaching and leadership development platform combining AI tools with a network of coaches. Comparable to True North's executive coaching business, but competing on scale, technology, and digital delivery against a high-growth venture-backed model.

Others

• Multi-Health Systems (MHS): Publisher of the EQi 2.0 and EQ 360 emotional intelligence assessments that underpin True North's certification program. Not a direct competitor, but a strategic partner and adjacent assessment vendor whose products enable True North's certification revenue stream.

Direct peers

• College of Executive Coaching: Coach training and certification organization where Dr. Nadler serves as faculty. Comparable to True North in offering coach certification and leadership development training, with a more academic and program-based delivery model rather than a single-practitioner coaching brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutu.be/xSbjodzSNWk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/rnadler
• Xx.com/reldan

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 True North Leadership