What The Adaway Group does

The Adaway Group is a Black woman-owned boutique consulting firm founded in 2009 by Desiree Adaway and headquartered at 825 Merrimon Ave #202, Asheville, North Carolina. Operating with 1-10 employees, the firm specializes in race equity, inclusion, leadership development, and organizational change consulting, serving a client base that spans large technology and consumer companies (Google, Facebook/Meta, Adobe, United Airlines), national nonprofits (Habitat for Humanity, American Jewish World Service, KIPP, Girl Scouts), higher education institutions (DePaul University, University of Washington), behavioral health (Vaya Health), and small mission-driven organizations (Be Nourished, Elizabeth Suzann).

The firm's service portfolio includes equity audits that combine qualitative data collection (interviews, focus groups, document analysis) with quantitative data (surveys) to surface systemic gaps inhibiting DEI work; custom consulting and training engagements delivered in-person and virtually; one-on-one and team executive coaching; structured cohort-based learning programs (Pathways to Liberation, Freedom School, Tune Up Retreat, Praxis of Liberation); self-paced digital products (Sister Summer, Navigating Polycrisis, Shifting Tides); and keynote speaking. Its methodology is anchored in intersectional race equity frameworks and proprietary structural approaches to anti-oppressive workplace culture transformation. The firm does not operate a software platform; service delivery is human-led through direct engagement, with a Mighty Networks community layer supporting cohort participants.

Revenue is generated across professional services (consulting, training, facilitation, coaching, speaking at quote-based pricing), recurring cohort programs (Mountain Path at $650, Shore Path at $2,500), and self-paced digital courses and workshops ($99-$149). The go-to-market motion combines founder-led personal brand marketing, conference and corporate speaking circuits, content marketing via blog and email newsletter, and a referral network of six named DEI consulting colleagues (Tepeyac Consulting, Inclusive Life, Ambrose Consulting, EdPlus Consulting, Kimberlee Archie Consulting, and We All Count). Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales for engagements, with self-serve Stripe checkout for individual courses and Mighty Networks for community access.

Name

The Adaway Group

Legal name

Desiree Adaway, The Adaway Group

Website

https://adawaygroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Adaway Group is a Black woman-owned boutique consulting firm in Asheville, NC that provides race equity audits, organizational development consulting, training, coaching, and keynote speaking to enterprises, nonprofits, and educational institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

DEI and Race Equity Consulting

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

Keywords

• Race equity consulting
• Organizational change consulting
• Diversity and inclusion training
• Leadership development services
• Equity audit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting & Advisory Services: Equity audits, strategic consulting engagements, and organizational transformation projects billed at daily or project rates. These are custom engagements tailored to client needs.
2. Training & Facilitation: In-person and virtual training sessions, workshops, and retreats for organizations. Pricing varies by format and customization level.
3. Coaching & Consulting Sessions: 1:1 coaching and team strategy sessions for leadership and staff development.
4. Speaking Engagements: Keynote speeches, lectures, and webinars at conferences and corporate events. A significant revenue stream that also drives brand visibility.
5. Cohort-Based Learning Programs: Structured multi-month programs (Pathways to Liberation, Freedom School) with recurring cohort admissions. Mountain Path at $650, Shore Path at $2,500.
6. Self-Paced Online Courses: Sister Summer writing intensive ($99) and other digital products providing asynchronous learning content.
7. Workshop Series: Navigating Polycrisis workshop series at $149 per participant, with recordings and resource guides included.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Adaway Group provides race equity, inclusion, leadership development, strategic planning, and organizational change consulting and training services. Core offerings include equity audits, coaching and consulting, in-person and virtual training and facilitation, keynote speaking, and structured learning programs such as Together at Work, Pathways to Liberation, Freedom School, Sister Summer, and Navigating Polycrisis. Services are designed to help organizations move from transactional DEI checkbox exercises to transformational, intersectional race equity outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Together at Work: A training program and new public offerings under the Together at Work name, evolved from the original Whiteness at Work training program launched in 2018.
• Freedom School
• Pathways to Liberation
• Sister Summer
• The Tune Up Retreat
• Praxis of Liberation

Products and services

• Coaching & Consulting 1:1 coaching and team strategy sessions covering personal/professional development, leadership skills across difference, difficult conversations skills, and transformational community building, delivered to organizational clients.
• Equity Audit Comprehensive organizational assessment combining qualitative data collection (interviews, focus groups, document analysis) and quantitative data (surveys) to identify systemic gaps inhibiting DEI work, with actionable recommendations and implementation guides for organizational clients.
• Training & Facilitation In-person and virtual training sessions, workshops, and retreats for organizations covering race equity, inclusion, leadership development, and intersectional frameworks.
• Speaking Engagements Keynote speeches, lectures, and webinars delivered at conferences, corporate events, and educational institutions on race equity, inclusion, and organizational transformation.
• Together at Work Public training program evolved from Whiteness at Work, providing race equity and inclusion training for workplaces. Co-facilitated by Desiree Adaway and Jessica Fish.
• Pathways to Liberation Six-month immersive cohort-based collective learning experience focused on collective care, liberation work, and social justice for individuals and practitioners. Mountain Path at $650; Shore Path at $2,500 includes monthly embodiment sessions, individualized practice plan, and 3 coaching sessions.
• Freedom School Year-long program meeting once monthly that provides analysis, intellectual framework, and practical tools for thinking critically about oppression and moving towards liberation, rooted in Black feminist perspective.
• Sister Summer Four-week self-paced writing intensive for women and non-cis men focused on love and liberation, including 3 emails per week with writing prompts, digital workbook, curated reading list, and Mighty Networks community access at $99.
• Navigating Polycrisis Workshop Series Two 90-minute live interactive workshops plus 60-minute Q&A, recordings of all sessions, and resource guides at $149 per participant, focused on navigating polycrisis topics.
• Managing During Shifting Tides 90-minute interactive training for managers and leaders covering tools for leading during times of uncertainty and pushback, including a resource guide and 2-week replay access at $99-$149.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60,000 people educated on equity issues in 2020 alone during pandemic and racial unrest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Tepeyac Consulting (Marisol Jiménez)minorOthersReferral network partner in the DEI consulting space. Tepeyac Consulting is a national consulting practice committed to catalyzing strategic equity efforts that shift power and advance liberation. Featured on The Adaway Group blog as colleague referral for organizations seeking equity consulting support.
• Inclusive Life (Nicole Lee)minorOthersClimate and culture assessment, leadership coaching, and consulting colleague. Founder Nicole Lee provides services complementing The Adaway Group's offerings. Featured as referral recommendation for clients seeking immediate equity support.
• Ambrose Consulting (Tamiko Ambrose)minorOthersConsulting partner supporting grassroots groups, foundations, and community-based organizations. Specializes in training and frameworks for structural racism and oppression analysis. Featured as referral colleague for DEI work.
• EdPlus Consulting (Alicia Robinson)minorOthersPartner focused on disrupting systems for equity and liberation, especially for Black and communities of color. Offers leadership coaching, talent lifecycle strategy, and facilitation. Referenced as colleague for organizational equity work.
• Kimberlee Archie ConsultingminorOthersRacial equity framework and analysis consulting partner. Supports leaders in implementing racial equity frameworks through coaching, mentorship, and consultation. Referenced as colleague for DEI implementation work.
• We All Count (Heather Krause)minorOthersData science and equity analytics partner specializing in embedding equity and ethics into data projects. Referenced as colleague partner for organizations needing data-focused equity work.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• CoveyClub / The Covey Group: Boutique DEI consultancy offering training and facilitation for organizations. Comparable as a similarly-sized boutique DEI practice, though more recent in market presence.

Direct peers

• Reboot: Coaching, consulting, and community-building firm working with social justice organizations, foundations, and movements. Comparable as a values-driven boutique consultancy offering coaching and organizational development with a similar client base.
• Paradigm Strategy: Equity-centered consulting firm focused on DEI strategy, culture change, and leadership development for organizations. Comparable as another boutique consultancy offering similar audit, training, and strategy services to enterprise and nonprofit clients.
• ProInspire: Nonprofit and social-impact consulting firm that supports leaders and organizations in the social sector with leadership development and DEI work. Comparable focus on serving mission-driven organizations with equity-centered capacity building.
• Equity in the Center: Nonprofit that works with social-change organizations to shift mindsets, practices, and systems around racial equity. Comparable as a race-equity-focused capacity builder offering frameworks and audit-style resources for social sector clients.
• The Winters Group: A boutique DEI and race equity consulting firm offering training, coaching, and organizational development to corporations and nonprofits. Directly comparable as another Black woman-owned small consultancy with similar service mix and client base.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte (DEI Practice): Global professional services firm with a large Inclusion & DEI practice serving Fortune 500 clients. Comparable as a competing DEI consultancy at much larger scale, often displacing boutique firms in enterprise RFPs.
• Race Forward: National racial justice organization that provides training, research, and consulting on racial equity. Comparable as a longer-established race-equity practitioner with training, publications, and organizational change services targeting similar buyer segments.
• Korn Ferry (DEI Practice): Global organizational consulting firm with a dedicated DEI advisory practice serving large enterprises. Comparable as a scale competitor offering broader portfolios that compete for the same enterprise consulting budgets.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit working to advance women in workplace leadership, offering research, consulting, and training services. Comparable as a larger, longer-established equity-focused organization serving enterprise clients with similar training and advisory offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/desireeadaway
• Facebookfacebook.com/theadawaygroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-adaway-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/desireeadaway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Adaway Group