Authentic Leadership

What Authentic Leadership does

Authentiek Leiderschap BV, trading as Authentic Leadership, is a Netherlands-based leadership development and executive coaching consultancy founded in 2005 by Bas Blekkingh, a former Royal Netherlands Army officer. The firm operates from a headquarters in Lage Vuursche (Utrecht) and a regional office in Bologna, Italy (Authentic Leadership Italia, operated by Barbara van Bakel), serving Dutch-speaking enterprise and public-sector clients plus a smaller international bookend. Headcount stands at approximately 19, comprising 16 advisors/coaches and 3 office support staff, with new advisor and office hires continuing into 2025.

The service portfolio spans three layers: (1) individual executive coaching (personal mission, burnout prevention and recovery rated 9/10 by clients, leadership journeys in nature, Next Generation Leaders, Let's (re)Connect days); (2) team-level engagements (teamcoaching, the structured 7-step "Teambuilding Met Impact" trajectory, intervisie peer groups of 5 participants); and (3) organizational development (culture change, leadership development at scale, HR partnership, train-the-trainer programs such as the AirPlus engagement covering 450+ commercial staff globally). The offering is anchored in a proprietary methodology — "The Authentic Leadership Way" — built around the 7-Schillen Model (7-Layer Model), the Ego Scan assessment instrument developed over five years of research identifying eight ego archetypes, the Feedforward feedback approach, and a personal Mission Statement framework. Digital products complement services: a 9-module Persoonlijk Leiderschap online training, a 5-module Managementstijlen course priced at 45 EUR with 2-year access, and a 52-module e-learning plus group coaching combination at 3,950 EUR (approximately 195 EUR per participant for teams of 4-6). The firm also monetizes two published books, including the bestseller "Authentiek Leiderschap" (over 45,000 copies; 50,000+ after the 2013 revision).

The business model is predominantly professional services delivered via direct enterprise sales to C-suite, HR, and management teams, supplemented by lower-ticket one-time digital licenses and book royalties. Distribution combines (a) personal outreach and inbound enterprise inquiries, (b) open-enrollment programs, (c) a WooCommerce e-commerce storefront, and (d) third-party marketplaces such as Managementboek and Amazon. Thought-leadership content (blog, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, MailChimp newsletter, books) feeds the top of funnel, while documented client case studies (VGZ, Xelvin, Hallmark, AirPlus) drive referrals. The company is bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and operates as a private Dutch B.V. (Besloten Vennootschap). Co-ownership sits with founder Bas Blekkingh and Carina Mak (former Unilever Finance/Sales/HR executive).

Name

Authentic Leadership

Legal name

Authentiek Leiderschap BV

Website

https://authentiekleiderschap.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Authentiek Leiderschap BV is a Netherlands-based leadership development consultancy serving individuals, management teams, and organizations through executive coaching, team programs, and culture transformation built on its proprietary 7-Schillen Model and Ego Scan methodology, operating from the Netherlands and Italy with 19 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive and Leadership Development Coaching

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Management Consulting Services (54161), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coaching, Feedback & Mentoring Skills (EDABAMAM), Wellness Program Design & Accountability Coaching (HSADAGAC)

Keywords

• Leadership coaching services
• Executive coaching programs
• Team development consulting
• Organizational culture change
• Leadership development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lage Vuursche

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Coaching Services: One-on-one coaching sessions for executives, managers, and professionals addressing personal leadership development, burnout prevention, and career transitions.
2. Team Coaching & Teambuilding Programs: Structured team development programs including teamcoaching, teambuilding with impact, and intervisie (peer consultation) sessions for management teams and professional groups.
3. Organizational Development Consulting: Culture change, leadership development, and organizational transformation programs for enterprises and public sector organizations.
4. E-learning Products: Online training programs including Managementstijlen (45 EUR one-time), Persoonlijk Leiderschap Training (9 modules), and combined coaching + e-learning packages (3,950 EUR). Video content with 2-year access.
5. Book Sales: Sale of published books 'Authentiek Leiderschap' (45,000+ copies) and 'Tuurlijk heb je een Ego' through retail channels including Managementboek and Amazon.
6. Young Professional Programs: Next Generation Leaders programs, individual young professional coaching, and Let\'s (re)Connect day programs targeting emerging talent.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Authentiek Leiderschap delivers individual executive coaching, team coaching/teambuilding, and organizational leadership development and culture-change consulting, built on a proprietary 7-layer (7-Schillen) model, the Ego Scan assessment, and the Feedforward methodology. In parallel, the firm sells a 9-module online Persoonlijk Leiderschap training, a 5-module Managementstijlen e-learning course, a combined e-learning + certified online coaching group program, and two best-selling books authored by founder Bas Blekkingh.

Product overview

Authentiek Leiderschap (Authentic Leadership) is a coaching and leadership development consultancy offering services across three segments: Individuals (personal coaching, leadership journeys, burnout prevention, Next Generation Leaders programs), Teams (teambuilding, intervisie, management team coaching), and Organizations (organizational development, leadership development, culture development, HR partnership). The portfolio includes both service-based offerings and digital products: the 'Authentic Impact' e-learning platform with courses like the 9-module Persoonlijk Leiderschap Training Online and the 5-module Managementstijlen course; combined e-learning + coaching programs; and published books including the bestselling 'Authentiek Leiderschap' (45,000+ copies sold) and 'Tuurlijk heb jij een Ego'. Core proprietary methodology includes the Ego Scan assessment tool, the 7-schillenmodel (7-layer model), and concepts of Mission and Ego types. Services are delivered by approximately 16-20 advisors across the Netherlands (Lage Vuursche headquarters) and Italy (Bologna office).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Persoonlijk Authentiek Leiderschap Coaching

Quantifiable outcome

• Burn-out coaching program rated 9/10 by customers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nyenrode Business UniversiteitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBas Blekkingh serves as part-time lecturer teaching Authentiek Leiderschap. Some AL advisors also lecture at Nyenrode and the Governance University, establishing academic credibility and pipeline for executive education programs.
• Governance UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBas Blekkingh and some Authentiek Leiderschap advisors serve as part-time lecturers at the Governance Academy, integrating the AL philosophy into executive education offerings.
• Foundation for Natural LeadershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNienke den Os is connected to this foundation as a facilitator and takes leadership groups on wilderness trails in Botswana, Africa, integrating outdoor leadership experiences with the AL methodology.
• KNBSB (Koninklijke Nederlandse Baseball en Softbal Bond)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrian Farley, former head coach of the Dutch national baseball team, brought his sports coaching expertise to AL. The partnership for 'Road to Tokyo 2020' leveraged his experience in high-performance team coaching for organizational applications.
• Authentic Leadership ItaliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBarbara van Bakel operates a dedicated Italian branch under franchise/license arrangement, serving the Italian market with AL methodology, programs, and training. Represents significant international expansion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Direct peers

• GITP: Dutch HR and assessment consultancy offering talent assessment, leadership development, and coaching services. Comparable in providing diagnostic assessment tools (similar to Ego Scan) combined with leadership coaching and development programs in the Dutch market.
• Berenschot: Major Dutch management consulting firm with a leadership development and organizational change practice. Comparable in providing organizational development, culture transformation, and leadership development to Dutch enterprise and public-sector clients.
• Twynstra Gudde: Dutch management consulting firm specializing in organizational development, leadership, and change management. Comparable as a Netherlands-based consultancy selling organizational development and leadership programs to enterprise and government clients.
• Schouten & Nelissen: Established Dutch training and personal development organization offering leadership, coaching, and team development programs. Comparable as a Netherlands-headquartered firm selling leadership development, team coaching, and executive education to enterprise and individual buyers, but at much larger scale.
• Krauthammer: European leadership and sales performance training firm headquartered in the Netherlands. Comparable in offering leadership journeys, team coaching, and culture change programs to enterprise clients across multiple European countries.

Emerging players

• CoachHub: European digital coaching platform headquartered in Berlin offering AI-matched executive coaching to enterprises. Comparable in targeting enterprise demand for leadership coaching in European markets and competing for the same buyer category (HR/L&D).
• BetterUp: US-headquartered digital coaching platform offering one-on-one leadership and professional coaching via an online marketplace. Comparable in serving enterprise demand for leadership coaching, but with a tech-enabled, asset-light delivery model versus AL's boutique advisor model.

Broad incumbents

• Dale Carnegie Training: Global training organization offering leadership, communication, and team development programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent with established leadership training content and a licensee network — structurally similar to AL's franchise model but at much larger global scale.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and effectiveness training company with proprietary methodologies (e.g., '7 Habits'). Comparable as a large-scale operator offering branded leadership training, assessments, and coaching content, but at significantly broader geographic and enterprise scale than AL.

Regional players

• Noorderpoort: Dutch education and training provider offering vocational and leadership programs. Comparable as a Netherlands-based provider of leadership and personal development training, though focused more on education-sector delivery than enterprise consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/authentiekleiderschap
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/authentiek-leiderschap
• Instagraminstagram.com/authentiekleiderschap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Authentic Leadership