Awaken
Awaken is a founder-led social enterprise providing keynote speaking, fireside chats, retreats, and book-based learning experiences on leadership, equity, and social justice to enterprise clients, conferences, and intact teams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Awaken does
Awaken is a privately held social enterprise founded in 2017 by Michelle MiJung Kim, operating primarily as a personal-brand-led speaking, publishing, and learning experience business. The company partners with enterprise organizations across technology, media, universities, and nonprofits on diversity, equity, inclusion, leadership, and social justice topics, delivered through keynotes, fireside chats, and multi-day retreats. Supporting products include the award-winning book 'The Wake Up,' the Signal Award-winning podcast 'I Feel That Way Too,' a Substack-based newsletter with 8,000+ subscribers, and a 6-week Interactive Book Club Series limited to 35 participants per cohort.
The business model combines professional services (speaking and facilitation), one-time book sales priced at $18.99 (sale) and $29.00 (list), and cohort-based learning experiences priced on a quote basis. Distribution runs through direct booking via the website (3–4 business day response time), own e-commerce book storefront, podcast platforms, and earned media coverage in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The New York Times, NPR, and MSNBC. Customer segments span enterprise organizations seeking inclusive culture work, conferences and event organizers, intact teams purchasing book club cohorts, individual readers, and AAPI communities.
The company's technology stack is minimal, consisting of a Squarespace-hosted website, a Substack newsletter, and standard podcast distribution channels; there is no proprietary platform, AI/ML capability, or app. With 13 employees and operations based in Oakland, California, Awaken is structurally a founder-dependent consultancy monetized through content IP, personal brand visibility, and high-touch speaking engagements rather than scalable software.
Awaken firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Awaken
- Website
- https://visionawaken.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Awaken is a founder-led social enterprise providing keynote speaking, fireside chats, retreats, and book-based learning experiences on leadership, equity, and social justice to enterprise clients, conferences, and intact teams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Awaken industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Speaking and Leadership Consulting
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Audio Q&A, Coaching & Mentorship Platforms (MPACAEAI), Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK)
Keywords
Where Awaken is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Awaken business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Speaking Engagements: Revenue from keynote speeches, fireside chats, and retreat facilitation at corporate events, conferences, universities, and nonprofits.
- Book Sales: Sales of 'The Wake Up' hardcover book, available for $18.99 (sale) or $29.00 (original price) through the website.
- Interactive Book Club Series: 6-week guided learning experience limited to 35 participants per cohort, targeting intact teams. Book talk and signing events with optional meet & greet.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Wake Up Hardcover Book |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Interactive Book Club Series |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Awaken product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Awaken is a social enterprise founded by Michelle MiJung Kim that provides keynote speaking, fireside chats, and multi-day retreats to enterprise clients, conferences, universities, and nonprofits focused on leadership, courage, and social justice. The company supports these services with an award-winning book ('The Wake Up'), a Signal Award-winning podcast ('I Feel That Way Too'), a monthly newsletter with 8,000+ subscribers, and a 6-week interactive book club series for intact teams.
Product overview
Awaken is a social enterprise founded by Michelle MiJung Kim that provides speaking services and learning experiences centered on courage, leadership, and social justice. The core offerings include keynote speaking engagements, fireside chats, and retreats covering topics such as leadership during political turmoil, courage in the age of AI, collective care, and AAPI mobilization. Supporting products include the award-winning book 'The Wake Up,' the Signal Award-winning podcast 'I Feel That Way Too,' a monthly newsletter with 8,000+ subscribers, and The Wake Up Learning Experiences featuring an interactive 6-week book club series and book talk & signing events. The portfolio forms an integrated ecosystem for personal and organizational transformation in equity and inclusion work.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- I Feel That Way Too: A narrative podcast exploring life's trickiest questions, hosted by Michelle MiJung Kim. The podcast has won Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast and Best Host.
Products and services
- The Wake Up Award-winning hardcover book titled 'The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change' providing four-part frameworks (Grounding, Orienting, Showing Up, Moving Together) for pursuing equity and justice; sold for $18.99 (sale) or $29.00 (original) with signed and personalized copies available.
- I Feel That Way Too Narrative podcast exploring life's trickiest questions through candid storytelling and conversations with experts and everyday people; won Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast and Best Host.
- Interactive Book Club Series 6-week guided learning experience exploring 'The Wake Up' book with Michelle MiJung Kim, limited to 35 participants per cohort, designed specifically for intact teams seeking sustained organizational transformation.
- Book Talk & Signing In-person or virtual event featuring Michelle MiJung Kim discussing her book with audiences, with optional meet & greet and book signing.
- Keynote Speaking Keynote speeches for opening or closing important gatherings, covering leadership, courage, AI, political trauma, collective care, and AAPI empowerment, delivered by Michelle MiJung Kim.
- Fireside Chats Moderated conversational format where Michelle engages in honest, dynamic exchange on complex topics, making large venues feel like intimate gatherings.
- Retreats Multi-day experiential workshops combining reflective discussions and practical application for deep organizational transformation, allowing deep-seated challenges to become breakthrough opportunities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trusted by 8k+ newsletter subscribers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Awaken
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Awaken technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Awaken partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE)coreMichelle MiJung Kim currently serves on the board of AACRE (Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality), a coalition focused on social justice and civil rights advocacy. This board position reflects her ongoing commitment to collective liberation and community empowerment beyond her commercial work.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Awaken competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Radical Candor (Kim Scott): Author of the bestselling 'Radical Candor' books and a globally booked keynote speaker on workplace culture and leadership — overlapping content territory with Awaken's leadership and courage work, and operating a similar speaking + book + training business model.
- Korn Ferry (DEI Practice): Global organizational consulting firm with an established DEI advisory practice serving enterprise leadership teams. Competes with Awaken for enterprise DEI and leadership development budgets, though at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Brené Brown: Research professor and bestselling author whose keynote-and-book business model closely mirrors Awaken's: a personal brand built around courage/vulnerability, with a Netflix special, podcast, and corporate speaking engagements. Comparable in GTM motion, content monetization, and founder-dependent scaling dynamics.
- Robin DiAngelo: Author of 'White Fragility' and a long-standing DEI keynote speaker and corporate trainer. Direct functional overlap with Awaken on DEI speaking and enterprise training, though operating at a larger established scale.
- Race Forward: National racial justice organization that produces training, publications, and convenings for institutions pursuing equity work — overlapping audience and topic space with Awaken, though structured as a nonprofit rather than a personal-brand enterprise.
Direct peers
- Paradigm Strategy: Diversity and inclusion consulting firm offering keynote speaking, retreats, and sustained organizational change engagements to enterprise clients — directly comparable service portfolio and buyer segment to Awaken.
- The Winters Group: DEI consulting firm offering keynote speaking, leadership development, and organizational equity training to enterprise clients — directly comparable service mix to Awaken's retreats and speaking engagements and competing for the same enterprise buyer.
- Cook Ross: DEI consultancy specializing in coaching, leadership development, and inclusion training for enterprise clients. Comparable in workshop/retreat format and enterprise buyer segment to Awaken's intact-team engagements.
- Avenir Consulting: DEI and leadership development consultancy serving Fortune 500 clients with workshops and executive coaching — directly comparable in customer segment (enterprise leadership teams) and offering type (workshops, retreats, coaching).
Emerging players
- Trudy Bourgeois: Leadership keynote speaker and executive coach focused on inclusion, courage, and corporate culture — partial overlap with Awaken's courage/leadership speaking practice, though smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Awaken social profiles
Digital presenceAwaken financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Awaken leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Awaken funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Awaken M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Awaken
What does Awaken do?
Awaken is a social enterprise founded by Michelle MiJung Kim that provides keynote speaking, fireside chats, and multi-day retreats to enterprise clients, conferences, universities, and nonprofits focused on leadership, courage, and social justice. The company supports these services with an award-winning book ('The Wake Up'), a Signal Award-winning podcast ('I Feel That Way Too'), a monthly newsletter with 8,000+ subscribers, and a 6-week interactive book club series for intact teams.
Is Awaken a public or private company?
Awaken is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Awaken founded?
Awaken was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Awaken based?
Awaken is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Awaken make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Speaking Engagements are the primary driver. The others are book Sales and interactive Book Club Series.
Who are Awaken's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Radical Candor (Kim Scott), Korn Ferry (DEI Practice), Brené Brown, Robin DiAngelo and Race Forward. Direct peers are Paradigm Strategy, The Winters Group, Cook Ross and Avenir Consulting. Trudy Bourgeois is listed as an emerging player.
Does Awaken have an API?
No public API is recorded for Awaken.
What industry is Awaken in?
Awaken's product category is Professional Speaking and Leadership Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAL, Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs, with a secondary code of MPACAEAI, Live Audio Q&A, Coaching & Mentorship Platforms. Its NAICS code is 61143 and its SIC code is 8742.