ICLI RISING - a Coach Training & Leadership Development Company

What ICLI RISING - a Coach Training & Leadership Development Company does

ICLI RISING (International Coaching & Leadership Institute Rising) is a privately-held, virtual-first coach training school headquartered in Columbia, MD and operating globally. Founded by Chief Empowerment Officer Sophia Casey, MCC, the company delivers International Coaching Federation (ICF)-aligned certification programs for aspiring and professional coaches, structured around its proprietary three-pronged model of Leadership, Ownership, and Accountability. Its product ladder includes the Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching (CFC, $1,875), the Expert Coach Immersion-Intensive (ECI-I, $6,197), and the Expert Coach Immersion-Extended (ECI-E, $7,597), with the core ECI comprising 72 hours of live synchronous instruction plus 16 hours of independent study. A region-specific Caribbean CFC variant and the EMCC ESQA + ICF-accredited Diploma in Coach SUPER-Vision (40 ICF CCEUs over five months) extend the offering into geography-specific entry points and advanced supervisor credentials.

The underlying technology is a relatively conventional virtual learning delivery stack: live synchronous sessions via video conferencing paired with asynchronous independent study, accessed through Calendly-scheduled enrollment consultations. There is no proprietary platform, mobile app, or public API; differentiation rests on ICF curriculum alignment, mentor coaching intensity, and instructor credentials rather than software infrastructure. Recurring touchpoints — weekly CORE For Coaches on LinkedIn Live (Tuesdays 1pm EST) and the free 'Got the Certificate. Still Waiting on Paying Clients?' training (Tuesdays 7pm EST) — function as a top-of-funnel engine that converts prospective students into paid enrollment.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time program fees ($1,875-$7,597 per student), supplemented by recurring revenue from ICF CCEU-bearing continuing education and free top-of-funnel webinars. The customer base is predominantly a long-tail of individual aspiring and growing coaches, with secondary segments in corporate teams, professional certified coaches seeking advanced credentials, and individual leaders. The company claims 200+ coaches trained cumulatively with a 93% graduate client-acquisition rate within 90 days, and holds 2024 ICF Level 1 and Level 2 CCE provider accreditations, alongside 2023-2024 industry awards (Coach Awards Gold, Brainz Magazine, Crea Global).

Name

ICLI RISING - a Coach Training & Leadership Development Company

Legal name

International Coaching & Leadership Institute Rising

Website

https://iclirising.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICLI RISING is a global, virtual-first coach training school offering ICF-accredited certification programs for aspiring and professional coaches. Founded by Sophia Casey, MCC, it delivers live and asynchronous training and monetizes via one-time program fees and ICF continuing education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Coaching Training

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

DEI, Inclusive Leadership & Cultural Intelligence Coaching (EDABANAJ)

Keywords

• Coach training programs
• Leadership development
• ICF accreditation
• Executive coaching
• Professional coaching certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Global/Virtual

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Certification Programs: Revenue from intensive coach training certification programs including the Expert Coach Immersion (ECI) and Expert Coach Immersion-Extended programs, as well as the Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching.
2. Continuing Education Credits: ICF CCEUs (Coaching Continuing Education Units) offered through Level 2 and other continuing education programs, providing additional revenue streams for credential maintenance.
3. Free Information Sessions and Webinars: Top-of-funnel free training sessions (CORE For Coaches, Got the Certificate. Still Waiting on Paying Clients?) that nurture prospects toward paid program enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICLI RISING provides ICF-accredited coach training and certification programs, including the Expert Coach Immersion (ECI) suite (ECI, ECI-I, ECI-E), the Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching, and the Diploma in Coach SUPER-vision. It also delivers leadership development training and 1-on-1 coaching for individual leaders and corporate teams through virtual live instruction.

Product overview

ICLI RISING is a global coach training school offering a portfolio of credential-aligned coaching programs. The core offering is the Expert Coach Immersion (ECI) Program family—including the standard ECI, the intensive ECI-I, and the extended ECI-E—which provides comprehensive ICF-aligned certification. Supporting these are the Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching for beginners, ongoing live sessions like CORE For Coaches and the 'Got the Certificate. Still Waiting on Paying Clients?' program for business development, plus the advanced Diploma in Coach SUPER-Vision for supervisor credentials. The company also publishes the 'Intention. Curiosity. Flow.' coaching framework book and offers the PARTNER Coaching Framework guide. All programs emphasize the three-pronged model of Leadership, Ownership, and Accountability, with curricula designed by award-winning ICF-credentialed educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of graduates land paying clients within 90 days
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Diploma in Coach SUPER-VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICLI RISING is proud to be in partnership with the Diploma in Coaching SUPER-Vision program, an EMCC ESQA + ICF-accredited program. This is described as one of the most powerful next steps an experienced coach can take, providing a deeply reflective, highly experiential journey into coaching AND coach supervision with Master Coaches and Coach Supervisors Jo Searle, Mike Clark, and Judith Underhill.
• The Peaces CollectiveminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• The Love CampminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• The Gathering SpotminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• The Creative ColonyminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• CoachingforEveryoneminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• The Coaching Tools CominorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• BNA CoachingminorOthersCommunity partner organization featured in the community partners section of the ICLI RISING website.
• International Black Coaches Alliance (IBCA)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFemi Odelusi's work with ICLI RISING aligns with the vision of increasing opportunities and the number of Black certified and credentialed coaches globally, aligned with IBCA's mission.
• ICF Nigeria Charter ChaptermoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerFemi Odelusi serves as Chapter Leader for ICF Nigeria Charter Chapter, supporting ICLI RISING's mission in Africa.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coach U: Long-established ICF-accredited coach training school with multi-level certification. Directly comparable to ICLI RISING in target customer (aspiring professional coaches) and ICF credentialing pathway.
• Co-Active Training Institute (CTI): One of the largest ICF-accredited coach training schools globally, offering multi-level certification programs similar to ICLI RISING's ECI family. Directly comparable as both deliver virtual/hybrid ICF-aligned coach training to aspiring professional coaches.
• New Ventures West: ICF-accredited coach training program with an integrative, leadership-oriented curriculum. Comparable to ICLI RISING's leadership development emphasis and ICF-aligned certification structure.
• Erickson Coaching International: ICF-accredited coach training school with global delivery and solution-focused curriculum. Comparable to ICLI RISING on credentialing, virtual delivery, and international coach audience.
• Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC): ICF-accredited coach training program offering Level 1 and Level 2 certification paths plus specialty tracks. Directly comparable to ICLI RISING's ECI and Diploma in Coach SUPER-Vision offerings.
• Accomplishment Coaching: ICF-accredited coach training school targeting aspiring coaches seeking credentialing and business launch. Comparable to ICLI RISING's graduate-launch outcomes focus (93% placement metric).

Broad incumbents

• CoachHub: Global digital coaching platform providing enterprise leadership development. Comparable to ICLI RISING at the corporate/enterprise segment level, though operating at much larger scale.
• BetterUp: Enterprise-scale coaching and leadership development platform serving large corporations. Overlaps with ICLI RISING's corporate team coaching segment and trains a portion of its coach workforce through ICF pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iclirising
• Instagraminstagram.com/icli_rising
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICLIRising

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 ICLI RISING - a Coach Training & Leadership Development Company