Leading with Heart Inc.

What Leading with Heart Inc. does

Leading with Heart Inc. is a Philadelphia-based executive coaching and leadership development firm founded in 1996 by Dr. Jeff Kaplan. The company partners with executives, founders, senior leaders, HR professionals, and professional coaches to build clarity, confidence, and courage in leadership through evidence-based coaching grounded in neuroscience, organizational psychology, and International Coach Federation (ICF) standards. Its proprietary Leading with Heart Framework — five tenets (Purposeful, Engaged, Empathetic, Understanding, Humble) — anchors the service delivery, supported by the proprietary LwH-360 assessment and a bench of 22+ expert coaches averaging 30+ years of experience. Founder Dr. Kaplan holds the ICF Master Certified Coach credential, held by fewer than 4% of coaches globally.

The firm's product surface spans one-on-one executive coaching engagements (typically three to twelve months), managed coaching services for HR departments (covering coach selection, scheduling, payment, and quality assurance), ICF-accredited coach training programs for professional coaches (including AI integration workshops), and proprietary assessments (Hogan, DISC, EQ-i 2.0, MBTI, CliftonStrengths, and the LwH-360). In 2025, the company extended its methodology into a digital channel via the LWH AI Coach platform at leadingwithheart.ai, a text-based AI tool trained on the proprietary framework and 30 years of coaching practice. Supporting IP includes the published book "Leading with Heart: The Human Advantage in the Age of Automation" (Kaplan and Young) and a free Co-Creating the Working Alliance Tool.

The business operates on a custom engagement-based pricing model with quote-based proposals and multi-year contracts at the enterprise end. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct discovery conversations, contact form inquiries, phone consultations, and email outreach, complemented by content marketing (21+ blog articles), organic social (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), email newsletter, TEDxWilmington speaking, and a strong referral engine from 78+ documented client testimonials. The company has served 189+ organizations across 14 industries — including Amazon, Pfizer, Vanguard, Morgan Stanley, Merck, Comcast, Verizon, Capital One, AstraZeneca, and multiple large health systems — and operates domestically in the United States with cross-border delivery to the United Kingdom. Academic partnerships with Wharton Executive Education, Penn State Smeal College of Business, and Saint Joseph's University provide a recurring pipeline of MBA and EMBA cohorts.

Name

Leading with Heart Inc.

Legal name

Leading with Heart, Inc.

Website

https://leadingwithheart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leading with Heart Inc. is a Philadelphia-based executive coaching firm, founded in 1996, that delivers one-on-one leadership coaching, proprietary 360 assessments, ICF-accredited training, and managed coaching services to executives, founders, HR professionals, and professional coaches across 14 industries using a proprietary five-tenet framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Coaching Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA), Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH), Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA), Leadership Transition & Onboarding Coaching (New Role, New Manager, Promotion) (EDABANAB)

Keywords

• Executive coaching services
• Leadership development
• 360 leadership assessments
• ICF-accredited coach training
• Managed coaching services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Coaching Services: One-on-one coaching engagements with individual leaders, typically spanning three to twelve months, using evidence-based assessments and personalized development plans.
2. Leadership Training Programs: ICF-accredited training programs for professional coaches including continuing education credits, residency experiences, AI integration workshops, and specialized modules.
3. Proprietary Assessments: Suite of assessments including Hogan, DISC, EQ-i 2.0, MBTI, CliftonStrengths, and the proprietary LwH-360, tailored to each engagement.
4. Managed Coaching Services: End-to-end coaching management for larger organizations covering coach matching, onboarding, and progress tracking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leading with Heart Inc. provides one-on-one executive coaching and leadership development engagements for executives, founders, and leadership teams, anchored in its proprietary Leading with Heart Framework and supported by 360-degree assessments, ICF-accredited coach training, and managed coaching services for HR departments. The practice was founded in 1996 by Dr. Jeff Kaplan and has delivered coaching to 1,000+ leaders and 189+ organizations across 14 industries.

Product overview

Leading with Heart Inc. offers executive coaching and leadership development services centered on its proprietary five-tenet framework (Purposeful, Engaged, Empathetic, Understanding, Humble). The core offering is individual executive coaching engagements supported by the proprietary LwH-360 assessment tool. The company has expanded into AI-powered coaching via the LwH AI Coach, which brings the framework to on-demand digital delivery. Supporting offerings include a free Working Alliance Tool, ICF-accredited coach training programs for professional coaches, and managed coaching services for HR professionals. The company also publishes the book "Leading with Heart: The Human Advantage in the Age of Automation."

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LWH AI Coach: AI coaching tools built on Dr. Jeff's framework, trained on the Leading with Heart framework, Five Tenets, and 30 years of coaching practice, accessible at www.leadingwithheart.ai
• Leading with Heart 360™
• Co-Creating the Working Alliance Tool
• Leading with Heart Framework
• Leading with Heart: The Human Advantage in the Age of Automation

Products and services

• Executive Coaching and Leadership Development One-on-one executive coaching and leadership development engagements for executives, founders, and leadership teams, grounded in the Leading with Heart Framework. Engagements typically span three to twelve months and incorporate 360 assessments, evidence-based coaching methodology, and personalized development plans.
• LWH AI Coach AI-powered text-based coaching tool trained on the proprietary Leading with Heart Framework, Five Tenets, and 30 years of coaching practice. Delivers on-demand leadership guidance for managers and HR professionals between coaching sessions, generating personalized coaching recommendations and advice in response to leadership challenges.
• Leading with Heart Framework Proprietary five-tenet leadership methodology consisting of the principles Purposeful, Engaged, Empathetic, Understanding, and Humble. Built to define effective leadership in complex organizations under pressure and serves as the foundation for all of the firm's coaching programs and the LWH AI Coach product.
• LwH-360 Assessment Proprietary online feedback survey tool that helps leaders see how they impact others, providing comprehensive 360-degree qualitative feedback interviews on leadership behaviors.
• ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs ICF-accredited training programs for professional coaches including continuing education credits, residency experiences, AI integration workshops, and specialized modules to advance coach credentials and skill sets.
• Managed Coaching Services End-to-end coaching management for larger organizations covering coach matching, onboarding, standardization, scheduling, payment processing, progress tracking, and quality assurance for organization-wide coaching programs.
• Services for Managers & Emerging Leaders Coaching and training programs for front-line managers to seasoned executives, featuring proprietary assessments and tailored training programs for manager-level leadership development.
• Leading with Heart: The Human Advantage in the Age of Automation Published book by Jeff Kaplan, PhD, MBA and Dan Young, PhD, MBA exploring heart-centered leadership in the age of AI and automation, walking through the firm's five-tenet framework.

Quantifiable outcome

• 189+ organizations served across 14 industries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• TEDxWilmingtonnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Dr. Jeff Kaplan delivered the 'Leading with Heart' TEDx talk on November 13, 2025, at EastSide Charter School in Wilmington, DE. The talk explored heart-centered leadership principles and how leaders can transform difficult relationships into opportunities for understanding, trust, and growth. This partnership extends Leading with Heart's reach to a global audience through the TEDx platform.
• Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple coaches serve as executive coaches for Wharton Executive Education, MBA, and EMBA programs. Laurie Carrick, Karen DiNunzio, Lisa Kramer, Mario DiCioccio, and others provide coaching services for Wharton programs, including a program providing individual coaching to over 500 students with 50+ professional coaches.
• Penn State University Executive MBA ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoaches provide executive coaching services for Penn State University's Executive MBA program and Smeal College of Business. Jeff Kaplan developed coaching programs for Penn State's Smeal College of Business.
• Saint Joseph's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClare Sautter is an affiliate professor in Organization Development and Leadership, and Mario DiCioccio serves as adjunct faculty in the Master's in Organizational Development and Leadership program. Coaching Leader program partnership with Associate Director role.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BetterUp: BetterUp is the largest AI- and human-coaching platform targeting enterprise leaders and managers, combining a coach marketplace with an AI coach. It is the most direct comparable to Leading with Heart's combination of 1:1 executive coaching, managed coaching services, and the new LWH AI Coach product.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a globally recognized leadership development provider offering executive coaching, 360 feedback, and cohort programs. It is a direct comparable in terms of evidence-based methodology, executive focus, and use of proprietary 360 assessments similar to LwH-360.
• Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching: Marshall Goldsmith is one of the most prominent individual executive coaches globally, with a proprietary stakeholder-centered coaching methodology, multiple books, and an elite enterprise client base — directly comparable to Leading with Heart's founder-led, methodology-anchored C-suite coaching model.
• CoachHub: CoachHub is a digital coaching platform that pairs enterprise clients with a global pool of credentialed coaches and pairs with AI-enabled tools — directly overlapping with Leading with Heart's managed coaching services plus LWH AI Coach offering to HR and enterprise buyers.

Broad incumbents

• DDI (Development Dimensions International): DDI is an established leadership development firm offering executive coaching, leadership assessments, and training at global enterprise scale. It competes for the same HR-led coaching and leadership program budgets that Leading with Heart targets via its HR Professionals track.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global leadership advisory and executive search firm that provides executive coaching and leadership development to C-suite clients. It overlaps with Leading with Heart's C-suite coaching focus and enterprise buyer base.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm that includes leadership assessment, coaching, and onboarding services. It is comparable as an enterprise-tier leadership advisory competitor serving similar C-suite buyer profiles.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is a large incumbent leadership and organizational development firm selling training, coaching, and assessments to enterprises. Its content- and certification-led model parallels Leading with Heart's framework and ICF-accredited training approach at much greater scale.
• K Blanchard Companies: The Ken Blanchard Companies is a long-standing leadership training and coaching provider with proprietary methodologies (e.g., SLII) and an ICF-affiliated coach training program — comparable to Leading with Heart's framework-led training and ICF-accredited programs.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a major global organizational consulting firm with a sizable leadership development and executive coaching practice. It competes for the same enterprise HR budgets via managed coaching and executive development engagements.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LeadingwithHeartInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leadingwithheart
• Instagraminstagram.com/leadingwithheartinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Leading with Heart Inc.