Mind in the Making

What Mind in the Making does

Mind in the Making (MITM) is a program of the Families and Work Institute (FWI), a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Seattle. MITM curates and translates decades of child development and neuroscience research into a structured 7 Essential Life Skills framework (focus and self-control, perspective taking, communicating, making connections, critical thinking, taking on challenges, and self-directed engaged learning) and delivers training and materials for children ages 0-8. The core technology is a research translation platform: eight in-depth Learning Modules that combine experiential adult learning, virtual lab visits to research contexts, evidence-based activities, and action planning, supplemented by free downloadable Skill-Building Opportunities and Skill Building Book Tips (available in English and Spanish across three age groups). Ellen Galinsky, FWI President and author of the Mind in the Making book, is the program's central authority, having worked with over 100 leading child development researchers.

MITM generates revenue through three streams: book sales distributed through major retail channels (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, BookShop, Books A Million, Porchlight Books), training programs delivered via a certified trainer network to organizations and professionals across education, libraries, medical facilities, museums, home visiting, parent education, churches, and juvenile justice, and donations/grants to the parent non-profit. The go-to-market motion is community-led: MITM has trained approximately 100,000 educators, community leaders, families, and professionals over 10+ years through in-person Learning Modules, supplemented by content marketing, social media, Ellen Galinsky's newsletter, and strategic partnerships with Mount Sinai Parenting Center, First Book, and AASA. Pricing for training is not publicly disclosed; book pricing follows standard retail ($15-20 paperback); donations are structured at $25, $50, $100, and $200 levels.

The customer base is distributed across multiple primary segments: educators and educational professionals (teachers, librarians, museum educators), families and parents, community leaders and organizations, and healthcare professionals (notably pediatric residents at Mount Sinai). The program takes a two-generational approach, building executive function skills within children and families together. Recent expansion signals include the Real Skills for Real Life initiative targeting adult skill development, the AASA partnership into K-12 district leadership, and the Breakthrough Years book extending into adolescent development.

Name

Mind in the Making

Legal name

Families and Work Institute

Website

https://mindinthemaking.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Mind in the Making is a non-profit program under Families and Work Institute that translates child development and executive function research into a 7 Essential Life Skills framework and delivers training and materials to educators, families, and healthcare professionals serving children ages 0-8.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment, Observation & Documentation Training (Portfolios, DRDP/CLASS/ECERS) (EDACAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domain-Specific Curriculum (Literacy, Numeracy, Science, SEL, Motor, Arts) (EDACAJAB), Parenting Skills & Child Development Education (EDACALAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Executive function training
• Parent education programs
• Professional development training
• Child development research

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: The Mind in the Making book by Ellen Galinsky is sold through major retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, BookShop, Books A Million, and Porchlight Books. This is a one-time purchase revenue stream.
2. Training Programs: In-person Learning Modules training provided to educators, community leaders, families and professionals. Training is offered through certified trainers network. Also includes partnerships for specialized training curricula.
3. Donations and Grants: As a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 13-3560042) under Families and Work Institute, the organization accepts donations and likely pursues grants to fund operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mind in the Making curates the science of children's brain development and learning and translates that research into transformational in-depth training and materials for children ages 0-8. The core offerings include the Mind in the Making book by Ellen Galinsky, eight in-person Learning Modules that train educators and professionals on executive function skills, and companion resources such as Skill-Building Opportunities and Book Tips. A certified trainer network and partnerships with organizations including Mount Sinai Parenting Center, First Book, and AASA deliver the training across education, libraries, museums, healthcare, and community sectors.

Product overview

Mind in the Making is a program curated by the Families and Work Institute that translates child development research into educational resources. The core offering consists of the Mind in the Making Book and eight Learning Modules that have trained approximately 100,000 educators and professionals. These are supplemented by Skill-Building Opportunities (one-page guides), Skill Building Book Tips (downloadable resources based on children's books), and a Book Club Guide and Workbook. Specialized offerings include the Keystones of Development Curriculum (a free online training for pediatric residents) and the Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program (a six-module program for district leaders). The program focuses on seven essential executive function-based life skills for children ages 0-8 and takes a two-generational approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mind in the Making: A program that curates the science of children's brain development and learning, shares it with the general public, families, and professionals and translates this research into transformational in-depth training and materials. MITM's Learning Modules, Skill-Building Opportunities and Book Tips serve families and professionals across a wide array of sectors and take a two-generational approach to building executive function-based (EF) life skills within children and families together.

Products and services

• Mind in the Making Book A book by Ellen Galinsky presenting seven essential life skills based on child development research, covering focus and self-control, perspective taking, communicating, making connections, critical thinking, taking on challenges, and self-directed engaged learning. Sold through major retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, BookShop, Books A Million, and Porchlight Books.
• Learning Modules and Training Eight in-depth training modules providing experiential learning for adults to promote executive function-based skills in children ages 0-8. Training has been offered to approximately 100,000 educators, community leaders, families, and professionals across education, libraries, medical facilities, museums, home visiting, parent education, churches, and juvenile justice. Delivered through a network of certified trainers.
• Skill-Building Opportunities One-page guides for parents and professionals that help turn common behavioral issues such as picky eating, bedtime fears, meltdowns, and sibling rivalry into opportunities to promote life skills in children. Available as free downloadable resources.
• Skill Building Book Tips Free downloadable resources offering tips for building children's life skills based on classic and diverse children's books, available in English and Spanish for three age groups (infants/toddlers, preschoolers, school-age). Also accessible through First Book's platform for educators serving children in need.
• Book Club Guide and Workbook A companion discussion guide and workbook for readers to reflect on how executive function skills take shape in their own lives, designed for parents and educators.
• Keystones of Development Curriculum A free online curriculum created in partnership with Mount Sinai Parenting Center to train pediatric residents on promoting brain development and strengthening parent-child relationships within routine well-child visits.
• Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program A six-module certification program for district leaders featuring Ellen Galinsky, grounded in decades of research on how children learn and thrive, designed for district leadership. Offered through AASA (The School Superintendents Association).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 educators, community leaders, families and professionals trained over 10+ years

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AASA (The School Superintendents Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2026AASA offers the Real Skills for Real Life Certification Program featuring Ellen Galinsky. The six-module program is grounded in decades of research on how children learn and thrive, designed for district leadership. This partnership extends MITM's reach into K-12 educational leadership.
• Mount Sinai Parenting CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMITM partnered with Mount Sinai Parenting Center to create a free, online Keystones of Development curriculum to train pediatric residents on promoting brain development and helping strengthen parent-child relationships within routine well-child visits.
• First BookcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides books and educational materials for educators serving children in need, provides access to MITM's Skill Building Book Tips through their platform, expanding reach to underserved communities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reach Out and Read: Pediatric literacy nonprofit that leverages well-child visits to promote early literacy through books and parent guidance. Comparable to MITM's pediatric-channel approach via Mount Sinai and similar focus on family-facing skill-building during early childhood.
• ZERO TO THREE: National nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life through research-based information, training, and advocacy. Directly comparable to Mind in the Making in mission, audience (parents and professionals of children 0-8), and research-translation model.
• Harvard Center on the Developing Child: Translates developmental neuroscience research into policies and practices for educators, clinicians, and policymakers working with young children. Closely comparable to MITM in research-to-practice translation for executive function and child development.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Professional organization focused on high-quality early learning for children birth through age 8, providing accreditation, professional development, and learning resources for educators. Directly comparable to MITM as a primary source of ECE professional development and curriculum standards.
• Fred Rogers Center: Organization promoting the healthy development of children through research, resources, and professional development for early childhood educators, focused on social-emotional learning. Comparable to MITM as a research-backed provider of educator training and family resources in early childhood SEL.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons: Large provider of early education and childcare services with employer-sponsored programs and a research-informed curriculum backbone. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving young children and the educators who work with them, with overlapping content on executive function and SEL.
• Child Trends: Major nonprofit research organization studying child and youth development, producing reports and resources used by practitioners and policymakers. Comparable as a broader incumbent that conducts and disseminates early-childhood research feeding into practice, with overlapping content topics.

Emerging players

• Vroom: Brain-building program providing parents and caregivers with science-based tips and tools to support early brain development in young children. Comparable as an emerging player focused on translating early-childhood science into accessible family-facing content, with overlap on SEL/EF domains.
• Council for Professional Recognition: Administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and provides professional development resources for early childhood educators. Comparable as an emerging player in ECE professional certification, intersecting with MITM's AASA certification expansion strategy.

Regional players

• Parent Possible: Colorado-based nonprofit working to advance parent engagement and high-quality early childhood experiences through programs like HIPPY and community partnerships. Comparable as a regional player providing parent-education curricula and professional development to early-childhood providers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/fwinews.bsky.social
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mindinthemaking
• Instagraminstagram.com/familiesandworkinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Mind in the Making