Self-Leadership Lab

What Self-Leadership Lab does

Self-Leadership Lab is a Swiss professional services and executive education firm founded by Jean-Yves Mercier in 2008, headquartered in Geneva. The company commercializes a proprietary "Self-Leadership" methodology — a training-coaching program developed over 13 years during Mercier's doctorate at the Université de Genève — that helps managers and professionals clarify their professional identity, identify founding dimensions, and develop actionable career scenarios. The core delivery combines a proprietary 360° diagnostic questionnaire (360° by SLL), e-learning modules, and group coaching sessions, with the methodology codified in the "8 Pillars" framework.

The company operates a dual B2B/B2C go-to-market: enterprise engagements for organizations (with named clients including Vacheron Constantin, Bobst, IATA, Royal Air Maroc, Pictet, Air Liquide, Leclerc, Hirslanden, ISO, and Sita) and direct-to-individual programs for professionals. Revenue is generated through three streams: individual program subscriptions, customized corporate training contracts, and licensing of the methodology to a network of 30+ certified coaches and regional coordinators across 15+ countries. Distribution relies on a hub-and-spoke model with Geneva HQ coordinating international partner delivery, supplemented by university partnerships (Université de Genève, UQAM, Dauphine, UTS) that provide academic validation and alumni pipeline. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contract structures for both individual and enterprise tiers.

The firm is privately held with 7 employees, founder-led, and operates without disclosed external venture capital or private equity investment. The business model is asset-light: methodology IP and brand authority are concentrated at the Geneva headquarters, while last-mile delivery is outsourced to a franchised partner network — a structure that is scalable but caps margin capture and dilutes direct control over the customer experience.

Name

Self-Leadership Lab

Legal name

Self-Leadership Lab S.A.

Website

https://self-leadership-lab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Self-Leadership Lab is a Geneva-based executive education firm that delivers a proprietary leadership development program (360° by SLL diagnostic plus 8 Pillars methodology) to individual professionals and enterprise clients through a network of 30+ certified coaches across 15+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Leadership Development & Coaching Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership Assessment, 360 Feedback & Development Planning (EDABAAAK), Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF), Coaching Leadership & Mentoring Skills (EDABAAAG), Coaching, Feedback & Mentoring Skills (EDABAMAM)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• Executive coaching
• Professional training
• Manager coaching programs
• Career development

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Training Programs: Self-Leadership programs offered directly to individuals seeking professional development and meaning in their careers. Programs combine e-learning, group coaching, and personalized coaching sessions.
2. Corporate Training Solutions: Customized Self-Leadership programs for enterprises, targeting managers and leaders to help them take initiative responsibly. Programs are tailored to organizational needs and delivered through certified coaches.
3. Partner Network Licensing: Licensing and certification of the Self-Leadership methodology to certified coaches and consulting partners who deliver programs in their respective regions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Self-Leadership Lab delivers structured training-coaching programs that combine e-learning modules, group coaching, and personalized development journeys for managers and professionals. Its core is the Self-Leadership program built on the proprietary 360° by SLL diagnostic and the 8 Pillars methodology, packaged into three distinct offerings: individual subscriptions, enterprise training solutions, and a partner certification/licensing program. Since 2008, more than 3,000 participants across 15+ countries have completed the journey with a 92% success rate.

Product overview

Self-Leadership Lab offers a suite of professional development and leadership training products centered on its proprietary Self-Leadership methodology. The core offering consists of the Self-Leadership Program, which combines the 360° by SLL diagnostic questionnaire with an experiential training-coaching journey for individuals and enterprises. The program alternates between individual e-learning reflection and group coaching, with offerings targeted at three segments: individual professionals (Particuliers), organizations (Entreprises), and certified partners/coaches (Partenaires). Additionally, the company publishes the reference book 'Les 8 Piliers pour trouver du sens' as foundational educational content supporting the methodology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 360° by SLL: A diagnostic questionnaire that identifies potential roles participants can play.

Products and services

• Self-Leadership pour particuliers (Self-Leadership for Individuals) A training-coaching program for individual professionals seeking to thrive and give full meaning to their professional life, helping them identify their personal compass and translate it into viable projects. Combines e-learning reflection with group coaching.
• Self-Leadership pour entreprises (Self-Leadership for Businesses) An organizational program enabling managers to take initiative in a responsible way, helping companies develop leadership capabilities among their cadres and middle managers. Customized to enterprise needs and delivered through certified coaches.
• 360° by SLL A diagnostic questionnaire that identifies the potential roles an individual can play, diagnosing personal dimensions and helping participants understand their professional positioning. Core component of the Self-Leadership methodology.
• Devenir partenaire (Becoming a Partner) A partnership program for coaches and consultants seeking to use the Self-Leadership methodology to encourage their clients' engagement with professional change. Includes certification and licensing of the methodology to deliver programs locally.
• Les 8 Piliers pour trouver du sens (The 8 Pillars for Finding Meaning) The foundational reference book on Self-Leadership by Jean-Yves Mercier, presenting 8 pillars that give meaning to personal commitment and help readers ask the right questions throughout their professional career.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of participants successfully implement action plans within 18 months
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Université de GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité de Genève is a key strategic partner. Jean-Yves Mercier serves as Director of the Executive MBA at the university (top 10 European and top 30 worldwide according to AMBA, AACSB, and ARWU). 30 alumni coaches at the Executive MBA are part of the Self-Leadership network. The university provided research power for developing the Self-Leadership methodology.
• UQAMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité du Québec à Montréal is an academic partner in the Self-Leadership network, contributing to the program's reach in the Canadian market.
• Université Paris DauphineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis Dauphine University is an academic partner in the network, supporting program delivery in France.
• UTSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Technology Sydney partnership contributing to the Asia-Pacific network presence.
• Vicario ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSwiss consulting firm and key implementation partner. Stéphane Haefliger serves as partner & coach, and Anne Grandjean as coach in the Swiss network. Provides certified coaches for program delivery.
• Innova ConseilminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner contributing to the partner network for program delivery and coach certification.
• B-StrategyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSwiss strategy consulting firm. Sylvia Babey-Flori serves as coach for Roman/German Swiss network.
• Camellia Dinh / The Brand PromiseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVietnam-based partner for network development and program delivery in Vietnam.
• Growthroom S.A.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNewsletter service provider located at 3 Bd de Sébastopol, 75001 Paris, France. Manages email communications and newsletter distribution for Self-Leadership Lab.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CoachHub: European-headquartered digital coaching platform offering manager and leadership coaching across enterprises globally. Strong peer to SLL on geography (European HQ) and customer segment (European multinational enterprises), with a contrasting tech-platform delivery model.
• BetterUp: Digital coaching platform providing on-demand 1:1 coaching, leadership development content and AI-driven insights to enterprise customers. Comparable to SLL in targeting manager development for global enterprises, but differentiated by technology-enabled, scalable delivery rather than in-person experiential coaching.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Global, research-based leadership development organization offering executive coaching, 360° assessments and leadership programs. Highly comparable to Self-Leadership Lab in methodology (validated 360° instruments, experiential learning, executive coaching) and customer base (multinational enterprises).
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): Research-driven leadership development firm offering leadership assessments, coaching and manager training programs to multinational enterprises. Closely comparable to SLL in evidence-based methodology, 360° diagnostics, and enterprise customer profile.
• Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching: Executive coaching methodology and certification program built around a proprietary stakeholder-centered coaching process and 360° feedback. Directly comparable to SLL in offering a research-validated, branded coaching methodology licensed to certified coaches globally.
• BTS Group: Strategy and leadership development firm using simulations and experiential methods to develop business leaders globally. Comparable to SLL in experiential learning methodology and enterprise leadership programs, with similar founder-led, research-anchored positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Right Management (ManpowerGroup): Global talent and career development firm within ManpowerGroup offering leadership development, coaching and assessment services to enterprises. Comparable as a large-scale provider of corporate leadership development and coaching solutions.
• LHH (Lee Hecht Harrison): Global leadership and talent development firm offering executive coaching, leadership training and assessment solutions. Comparable to SLL as an enterprise-focused leadership development provider, with broader service portfolio and greater geographic scale.
• FranklinCovey: Large-scale leadership and management development firm (The 7 Habits, Leading at the Speed of Trust, etc.) serving global enterprises. Comparable as a corporate leadership development provider targeting managers, but operates at much greater scale and with proprietary content libraries rather than boutique methodologies.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial leadership development and executive coaching practice alongside talent acquisition. Overlaps with SLL in enterprise leadership development and assessment, but operates across a much broader HR/talent portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/self-leadership-lab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Self-Leadership Lab