SMCOVEY

What SMCOVEY does

SMCOVEY is a privately held US company headquartered in Provo, Utah, founded in 2010 by co-founder David M.R. Covey. The company operates as a licensing and distribution platform that aggregates 16 distinct leadership and training programs from various content creators and distributes them globally through a network of certified licensees, distributors, and individual coaches. The portfolio spans leadership development (Courageous Leadership, Becoming Your Best, Unlearn), business acumen (Acumen Learning), productivity (Doing to Done), communication and pitch training (Back of the Napkin, Best3Minutes), negotiation (Quantum Negotiation), innovation (CREATE+INNOVATE), character strengths (Values in Action), and customer loyalty (Visionbound). The platform also supports related products including books (Trap Tales, Quantum Negotiation) and reference materials sold through a direct e-commerce store.

The underlying technology consists of a mirolearning platform with gamified training experiences, digital course delivery, and assessment tools, supported by proprietary frameworks such as The Pitch Canvas, Doing to Done System, and The Success Rhythm. SMCOVEY generates revenue through four primary streams: licensing royalties from certified partners, train-the-trainer certification programs, direct product sales of books and reference cards, and online training webinars. Customer segments include content creators seeking global distribution, distributors and licensee partners seeking proven content to offer clients, and individual coaches seeking certified methodologies. Marketing relies primarily on website content, email newsletters, and SEO, while distribution occurs through a global channel partner network. Named partner logos include Ken Blanchard Companies, American Management Association, Center for Creative Leadership, Eagles Flight, Henley Leadership Group, and Duarte. The company employs 11-50 people, has not disclosed any external funding, and operates without a mobile app or public API.

Name

SMCOVEY

Legal name

SMCOVEY

Website

https://smcovey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMCOVEY is a privately held licensing platform that aggregates 16 leadership and training programs from independent content creators and distributes them globally through certified licensee partners, distributors, and individual coaches, generating revenue from licensing royalties, certification fees, product sales, and webinars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Training & Professional Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate/L&D Course Licensing from Creators (B2B Upskilling) (MPACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification & Credentialed Creator Programs (MPACALAI), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG)

Keywords

• Leadership training licensing
• Professional development programs
• Train-the-trainer certification
• Content licensing platform
• Executive education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Provo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: SMCOVEY licenses 16 different leadership and training programs to certified partners, distributors, and content creators globally. Licensees pay for access to certified training delivery rights, materials, and brand assets.
2. Certification Programs: Train-the-trainer certification programs where partners become certified to deliver specific methodologies such as Becoming Your Best, Unlearn, Quantum Negotiation, and other programs.
3. Product Sales: Direct sales of books, reference cards, and training materials through the SMCOVEY store. Products include Trapologist at Work Reference Cards ($9.99) and books like Trap Tales and Quantum Negotiation.
4. Webinar Sales: Online training webinars such as the Expanding Your Business Globally webinar priced at $199.00

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SMCOVEY is a licensing and distribution platform that aggregates 16 leadership and training programs from independent content creators and licenses them to certified distributors, trainers, coaches, and organizations worldwide. The company also runs train-the-trainer certification programs, sells supporting books and reference materials, and delivers webinars on global business expansion.

Product overview

SMCOVEY is a licensing and distribution platform for leadership and training content, offering 16 distinct program offerings from various content creators. The platform operates as a marketplace where distributors can license proven training programs and content creators can distribute their intellectual property globally. The portfolio includes programs for leadership development (Courageous Leadership, Becoming Your Best, UNLEARN), productivity (Doing to Done), communication skills (Back of the Napkin, Best3Minutes, The Compassion Mindset), negotiation (Quantum Negotiation), business acumen (Acumen Learning), innovation (CREATE+INNOVATE), character development (VIA), and customer service (Visionbound). SMCOVEY also offers related products including books (Trap Tales, Quantum Negotiation book) and reference materials (Trapologist at Work Reference Cards). The company connects training professionals, coaches, and organizations with licensed access to deliver these programs through certification and distribution partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3 Keys of Execution (Blaze Performance System) A framework for systematically improving teams' ability to achieve important goals through a simple, powerful execution methodology; licensed to organizations and trainers.
• Acumen Learning Business acumen training helping people understand and utilize the five key drivers that power company success.
• Andrew Sobel Client Relationships Client relationship programs focused on building clients for life and developing trusted business relationships.
• Authentic Strengths Advantage Transformational, gamified mirolearning, training, and coaching that empower people to maximize resilience, well-being, engagement, and contributions.
• Becoming Your Best Global Leadership High-performance leadership program based on 40 years of research identifying principles and habits that bring out the best in people and transform organizational culture.
• Best3Minutes World-recognized pitch training methodology by David Beckett that helps professionals and startups build compelling business stories and pitch for investment.
• The Compassion Mindset Training program that resets how leaders think about themselves and others, teaching skillsets and strategies for engaging differently for breakthrough results.
• Courageous Leadership Leadership program by Bill Treasurer and Giant Leap Consulting for using courage to transform the workplace.
• CREATE+INNOVATE Creative thinking and innovation programs by TIRIAN featuring dynamic interactive learning experiences and design thinking strategies.
• Dan Roam's Back of the Napkin (BOTN) Visual communications course by Dan Roam for business leaders, innovators, managers, problem-solvers, and sales professionals.
• Doing to Done Simple, powerful productivity system for taming chaos and finding clarity, designed to help companies create a culture of top-tier performance.
• Quantum Negotiation Revolutionary negotiation approach by Dr. Karen S. Walch, Stephan M. Mardyks, and Joerg Schmitz addressing personal values in negotiation.
• Trapologist at Work Research-based workshop teaching participants to outsmart the seven modern traps in the workplace, remove roadblocks, and accelerate success.
• UNLEARN

Quantifiable outcome

• 232% more likely to report improved work relationships and 257% more likely to experience higher engagement when employees use character strengths (VIA program data)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Blaze Performance System (3 Keys of Execution)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner3 Keys of Execution is a framework for systematically improving team ability to achieve important goals through a simple, powerful execution methodology.
• Acumen LearningcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLeading authority on business acumen, helping people understand the five key drivers that power company success.
• Andrew SobelcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLeading authority on building clients for life and developing trusted business relationships.
• Authentic Strengths AdvantagecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTransformational, gamified mirolearning platform for resilience, well-being, and engagement.
• Becoming Your Best Global LeadershipcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner40 years of research-based high-performance principles and habits for transforming culture and leadership.
• Best3MinutescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerWorld-recognized pitch training methodology by David Beckett that has helped thousands pitch for investment and business.
• The Compassion MindsetcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTraining program by Next Element that resets how individuals think about themselves and others with practical framework for engagement.
• Courageous LeadershipcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCourage-building program by Bill Treasurer and Giant Leap Consulting for transforming workplace leadership.
• CREATE+INNOVATEcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCreative thinking and innovation programs by TIRIAN using design thinking strategies and experiential learning.
• Back of the NapkincoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerWorld's most popular visual communications course by Dan Roam for business leaders and innovators.
• Doing to DonecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerProductivity system for taming chaos and finding clarity in professional and personal life.
• Quantum NegotiationcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerRevolutionary negotiation approach by Dr. Karen S. Walch, Stephan M. Mardyks, and Joerg Schmitz addressing personal values in negotiation.
• Trapologist at WorkcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerResearch-based workshop by David M.R. Covey and Stephan M. Mardyks for outsmarting seven modern workplace traps.
• UnlearncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLeadership program by Barry O'Reilly based on the Cycle of Unlearning methodology for adapting to change.
• Values in Action (VIA)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCharacter strengths program exploring what is best about human beings, helping individuals know and live their strengths.
• VisionboundcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCustomer loyalty program by Kevin Kenney based on solving customer problems and leaving them feeling great.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coursera for Business: Enterprise arm of Coursera providing curated leadership, management, and professional development content from universities and companies. Competes for the same corporate learning budget with a much larger content catalog and enterprise sales motion.
• Skillsoft: Large, publicly traded digital learning platform offering leadership, business, and technology content to enterprises. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same corporate L&D wallet, but at much larger scale and with self-produced rather than licensed content.
• LinkedIn Learning: Subscription-based online learning library from LinkedIn covering leadership, business, and creative skills for individuals and enterprises. Comparable as a broad incumbent alternative for corporate upskilling buyers evaluating SMCOVEY's licensed programs.

Direct peers

• DDI (Development Dimensions International): Global leadership development firm providing assessments, training, and coaching to enterprise clients. Comparable as a competitor for the same enterprise leadership training budget, though DDI is more assessment-led while SMCOVEY is content-licensing-led.
• Dale Carnegie & Associates: Long-established leadership, sales, and communication training franchise with a global licensee/distributor network delivering certified programs. Directly comparable to SMCOVEY's model of certifying trainers worldwide to deliver proprietary leadership and communication curricula.
• Eagles Flight: Experiential leadership and team training company with a global licensee network delivering its flagship programs. Comparable because it operates the same train-the-trainer/licensee-distributor model for leadership content that SMCOVEY aggregates.
• FranklinCovey: Largest and most direct peer — a global leadership and execution training company offering content licenses, certifications, and enterprise programs across execution, leadership, and culture. Comparable because both monetize via licensing of flagship leadership IP (Covey family heritage on the SMCOVEY side) and target the same enterprise L&D buyer.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Research-backed leadership development provider offering programs, assessments, and licensing to enterprises globally. Comparable as both a customer of SMCOVEY and a peer offering similar enterprise leadership content through its own delivery network.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership training and development company built around the Situational Leadership methodology and a licensee/distributor model. Highly comparable — they are listed as both an SMCOVEY customer and a competitor offering overlapping leadership IP through a similar licensing architecture.

Emerging players

• MasterClass for Business: Premium video-based learning platform that licenses content from world-class practitioners and now sells into enterprises. Comparable as a creator-led content marketplace targeting the same premium leadership and professional development audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 SMCOVEY