Genuine Contact™

What Genuine Contact™ does

Genuine Contact™ is a holistic leadership and organizational development methodology, designed by Birgitt Williams and Ward Williams in 1999 and operated by Genuine Contact Co-Owners Group, Inc., a Wyoming-incorporated private membership organization. Its core product, the Genuine Contact Way, is structured around 19 learning modules organized into five learning paths (Aligning With Your Genuine Self, Participatory Methods that Get Results, Designing Thriving Organizations, Simplifying Leadership, and Train the Trainer) and works across six dimensions of organizational culture (development, well-being, service, strategy, accountability, and leadership). Proprietary frameworks include the Medicine Wheel Tool, Deep Essence Tool, 5toFold Collaborative Decision-Making, Whole Person Process Facilitation (WPPF), and a Grief Cycle/Organizational Lifecycle/Storyline toolkit, with methods rooted in both indigenous wisdom traditions and organizational science.

The company monetizes through (a) workshop/module fees charged by a network of independent authorized trainers, (b) a tiered membership model in the International Genuine Contact Organisation (IGCO) ranging from free GC Seeker through full Co-Owner/GC Steward, (c) the Train the Trainer authorization pathway with a complete Trainers' Toolkit, and (d) the newly launching GC Leadership Learning Cohort (September 2026). It serves two primary customer segments: leaders/managers/executives seeking organizational transformation and culture change, and facilitators/consultants/trainers/coaches seeking to deepen their practice with holistic participatory methods. Distribution is executed through authorized trainers in 11+ countries and at least 8 languages, complemented by a blog, a podcast ("The Genuine Contact Way of Working"), and a trainer directory supporting local discovery.

The operating model is distinctive: authorized trainers can become co-owners of the parent entity, creating a participatory governance structure with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no disclosed headcount or revenue. The technology stack is standard commercial tooling (Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce, Mailchimp, Google Analytics) with no AI/ML components. The organization's intellectual property is held as unregistered common-law trademarks (Genuine Contact™, Medicine Wheel Tool©, Deep Essence Tool©), and the organization is actively operating with current website content and upcoming events.

Name

Genuine Contact™

Legal name

Genuine Contact Co-Owners Group, Inc.

Website

https://genuinecontact.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Genuine Contact™ is a holistic leadership and organizational development methodology—19 modules across 5 learning paths—delivered by a global network of authorized trainers to leaders, managers, and facilitators through workshops, membership tiers, and trainer authorization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wyoming

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Workshop/Module Fees: Revenue from individual workshop fees charged by authorized trainers for participation in learning modules. Workshops range from 3-4 hours (self-study) to 5-7 days in length. Pricing varies by trainer and delivery format (in-person vs. online).
2. Membership Subscriptions: Tiered membership model with multiple groups: GC Seeker (free entry level), Green Member, Orange Member, Blue Member, Elder (Gold), Co-Owner/GC Steward (full co-ownership). Each tier offers progressively more benefits and learning opportunities. When completing a first module, participants receive a complimentary year of GC Pathfinder membership in the IGCO.
3. GC Leadership Learning Cohort: A structured cohort-based learning program with small groups of 6-12 people guided by experienced mentors. The cohort follows a structured learning journey with clear goals, launching September 2026.
4. Trainer Authorization Program: Revenue from the Train the Trainer learning path, culminating in Genuine Contact Trainer Authorization. Graduates gain access to the Trainers' Toolkit and authorization to teach modules they have completed.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Genuine Contact™ provides the Genuine Contact Way, a holistic leadership and organizational development methodology designed to help leaders, teams, and organizations improve how they work, meet, and make decisions. The methodology is delivered as 19 learning modules organized into five learning paths, offered through workshops, training programs, and a practitioner membership community. Authentic, original facilitator training and continued support for practitioners are central to the offering.

Product overview

Genuine Contact™ is a holistic leadership and organizational development methodology built over 25 years, delivered as a structured program through the Genuine Contact Way (GC Way). The core offering is the GC Way itself — a unified framework that works across six dimensions of organizational culture (development, well-being, service, strategy, accountability, and leadership) using 19 learning modules organized into five learning paths (Aligning With Your Genuine Self, Participatory Methods that Get Results, Designing Thriving Organisations, Simplifying Leadership, and Train the Trainer). Modules are delivered in-person and online worldwide by authorized GC Trainers. The program is supported by the International Genuine Contact Organisation (IGCO), a global Leadership Learning Incubator with six membership tiers from free GC Seeker to Co-Owner GC Steward. Key named products include the 5toFold Collaborative Decision-Making methodology, Whole Person Process Facilitation (WPPF), Working with Open Space Technology, Holistic Leadership Development, the Genuine Contact Organization operating model, and the Genuine Contact Trainer Authorization pathway. A podcast (The Genuine Contact Way of Working) and blog extend the community's reach. A GC Leadership Learning Cohort launching September 2026 offers a structured cohort-based entry point.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Genuine Contact Way: The holistic approach to leadership and organizational development built over 25 years of practice, working with six dimensions of organizational culture.
• International Genuine Contact Organization (IGCO)
• Genuine Contact Co-Owners Group, Inc.

Products and services

• Genuine Contact Way methodology A holistic leadership and organizational development methodology that helps leaders, teams, and organizations improve meetings, decision-making, and team effectiveness. Sold to organizations and delivered through authorized trainers and consultants.
• 19 Learning Modules (5 Learning Paths) A structured curriculum of 19 learning modules organized into five learning paths that operationalize the Genuine Contact Way for different audiences and contexts. Delivered as workshops and training programs to leaders, teams, and organizations.
• Authentic Original Facilitator Membership An ongoing membership program for consultants, trainers, coaches, and facilitators who have been trained in the Genuine Contact Way and deliver it to clients. Provides continued training, support, and community access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research shows 70-90% of strategic plans fail to be implemented; Genuine Contact's approach builds implementation into the planning process from the beginning, creating join-in rather than requiring buy-in.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• OpenSpaceWorldminorOthersOpenSpaceWorld is a resource connected to Open Space Technology practitioners. The Genuine Contact approach includes working with Open Space Technology, originally developed by Harrison Owen in the 1980s, and they direct practitioners to this community for further connection with OST practitioners globally.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dale Carnegie & Associates: Long-established professional training firm offering courses in leadership, communication, and organizational development delivered through a global network of authorized trainers. Directly comparable methodology-and-trainer-network model serving similar executive and manager segments.
• BTS: Strategy execution and leadership development consultancy offering experiential learning programs and facilitator-led workshops. Comparable in delivering structured leadership and organizational development experiences through a global consultant network.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and organizational performance company offering methodology-based training (e.g., The 7 Habits, Leading at the Speed of Trust). Directly comparable to Genuine Contact as a proprietary, trainer-delivered leadership development curriculum sold to enterprise clients.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Global leadership development firm offering leadership training, assessment, and behavior-based interview systems. Closely comparable to Genuine Contact in delivering structured leadership curricula through certified practitioners to enterprise clients.
• Center for Creative Leadership: Non-profit provider of research-based leadership development programs, executive education, and organizational consulting. Comparable as a leadership and organizational development methodology provider targeting the same leaders, managers, and consultants segment as Genuine Contact.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership training and management education company built around proprietary methodologies (e.g., SLII). Directly comparable as a methodology-anchored, trainer-network-distributed leadership development offering targeting managers and executives.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial leadership development and talent management practice. Comparable end-customers and leadership development focus, but operating at significantly larger scale and broader service breadth than Genuine Contact.
• Senn Delaney (a Heidrick & Struggles company): Culture transformation and organizational development firm operating inside a global executive search and consulting parent. Comparable as a holistic culture-change practice targeting leadership teams, but at significantly larger scale and broader service portfolio.

Emerging players

• Conscious Leadership Group: Boulder-based leadership development and culture transformation firm working with values-driven leaders and organizations. Comparable as a holistic, consciousness-oriented leadership practice, but smaller and more concentrated geographically than Genuine Contact.
• Corentus: Boutique organizational development and leadership coaching firm focused on team and culture transformation in mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable as a participatory, values-centered organizational development practice serving a similar consultant and leadership segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/genuinecontact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/genuinecontact

Compliance1 record

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 Genuine Contact™