Alliance for Leadership Acceleration

What Alliance for Leadership Acceleration does

Alliance for Leadership Acceleration is a private professional services and executive education firm founded in 2008 by Lynda Silsbee and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, with a collaborative network of certified coaches concentrated in the Pacific Northwest. The company's flagship product is LEAP (Leadership Acceleration Program), a 12-month, cohort-based leadership development program designed for mid-level, mid-career managers that combines monthly facilitated sessions, proprietary 360 multi-rater feedback surveys, and a Leadership Impact Measurement system that documents pre/post growth in confidence and competence. LEAP is positioned as the first program to bring Fortune 500-caliber leadership development to small and mid-size organizations, with reported graduate outcomes ranging from 15% to 70% improvement in measured leadership metrics and an average 30% improvement in emotional intelligence indicators.

The firm monetizes through a multi-stream model: individual cohort seats priced at $850 (Affiliate track) or $1,450 (University track) per participant; one-time coach certification licenses ranging from $2,000 to $9,200; annual Masters Forum membership for alumni at $4,900; and standalone executive briefings and half-day workshops priced from $450 to $2,800. Distribution is hybrid — direct enterprise sales to executive sponsors sit alongside a channel/reseller model in which certified LEAP coaches recruit and run cohorts in their own markets, and an in-house licensing model (LEAP University) allows larger organizations to deliver the program with their own certified internal facilitators. By 2015 the Alliance had grown its certified coach network from 2 to 10 across the Pacific Northwest, and has since added national reach through conference presence (Training 2016 in Orlando) and a shift to virtual executive briefings beginning in 2020.

The underlying technology is human-facilitation-led rather than software-native: delivery depends on certified coaches, in-person and virtual cohort sessions, and a portfolio of established psychometric instruments (CheckPoint 360, ProfileXT, PXT Beta, Emotional Intelligence assessments). The company has no mobile application, no public API, and no disclosed AI or machine learning components. The Alliance is privately held with no external institutional funding disclosed, and customer logos span Healthcare, Architecture/Engineering/Construction, Media/Entertainment, Professional Services, and Manufacturing — including Talyst, Northwest Edison (a repeat sponsor since 2013 with 9 graduates), and Davinci Gourmet.

Name

Alliance for Leadership Acceleration

Legal name

Alliance for Leadership Acceleration

Website

https://www.leadership-acceleration.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alliance for Leadership Acceleration is a Pacific Northwest-based executive education firm that delivers LEAP, a 12-month cohort-based leadership development program for mid-level managers at small and mid-size organizations, monetizing through individual cohort fees, coach certification licensing, alumni memberships, and executive briefings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership Assessment, 360 Feedback & Development Planning (EDABAAAK), Leadership Transition & Onboarding Coaching (New Role, New Manager, Promotion) (EDABANAB), Strategic Leadership & Business Acumen (EDABAAAC)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• Executive coaching
• Cohort learning
• Management training
• 360 assessments

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. LEAP Cohort Program Fees: Individual and organizational fees for participation in the 12-month LEAP Leadership Acceleration Program. Cohort packages are sold at $850 (Affiliate) and $1,450 (University), with organizations licensing the program for in-house delivery.
2. Coach Certification and Licensing: Revenue from certifying and licensing coaches to deliver the LEAP program. LEAP Coach Affiliate Master License (3-Day) at $4,500; LEAP Coach Affiliate Coach License (2-Day) at $3,000; LEAP University Master Corporate License (3-Day) at $9,200; LEAP University Certified Coach/Facilitator at $2,000.
3. Executive Briefings and Workshops: Fees for live and virtual executive briefings on topics including Emotional Intelligence, Strategy Execution, Performance Management, and Change. Half-day action workshops at $2,800. Reinventing Performance Management module priced at $450.
4. LEAP Masters Forum Membership: Annual membership ($4,900) for LEAP graduates providing ongoing peer learning combining LEAP practices with C-level forum group best practices (CEO Masters Forum, Vistage).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Alliance delivers the LEAP Leadership Acceleration Program, a 12-month cohort-based leadership development experience designed for middle managers. The curriculum combines peer learning, executive coaching, 360 feedback, and assessment instruments, and is offered to organizations through executive-sponsored cohorts as well as to individual managers. Graduates can earn Masters-level college credits (recommended by NCCRS) and continue in an annual Masters Forum membership.

Product overview

Alliance for Leadership Acceleration offers a portfolio of leadership development products and services centered around the LEAP Leadership Acceleration Program. The core offering is the LEAP Leadership Acceleration Program, a 12-month cohort-based program that transforms mid-level, mid-career managers into confident, competent leaders. This core program is complemented by: LEAP Coach Certification for training coaches; LEAP University for organizations with larger groups; an Executive Briefings series covering topics like emotional intelligence, strategy execution, and performance management; various workshop offerings; and Assessment Services including 360 surveys and emotional intelligence assessments. The company also offers licensing programs (Affiliate Master License at $4,500, Affiliate Coach License at $3,000, LEAP University Master Corporate License at $9,200) for coaches and consultants to deliver LEAP training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEAP Masters Forum: An annual membership forum bringing best practices from LEAP monthly experience combined with C-level forum groups like CEO Masters Forum and Vistage for exponential professional growth. Only available to LEAP program graduates.
• LEAP University
• Executive Briefings

Products and services

• LEAP Leadership Acceleration Program A 12-month cohort-based leadership development program for middle managers. Participants engage in peer learning, executive coaching, 360-degree feedback, and assessment work. Cohorts are typically sponsored by a participating organization with an executive sponsor, and individual enrollment is also offered. Graduates can earn Masters-level college credit (recommended by NCCRS).
• LEAP University An in-house delivery model that lets larger organizations license the LEAP curriculum and deliver it internally using their own certified coaches under a Master Corporate License. Designed for organizations that want to run multiple cohorts over time without repurchasing from the Alliance.
• LEAP Coach Certification A certification program for executive coaches and consultants that licenses them to deliver the LEAP curriculum to their own clients. Offered in two tiers — an Affiliate Coach License covering the 2-day format and an Affiliate Master License covering the 3-day format — with annual renewal fees for continued use of the materials.
• LEAP Masters Forum An annual membership-based peer learning forum for LEAP graduates and invited senior leaders. Members convene for facilitated discussion of leadership topics including purpose-led leadership, business growth, team excellence, well-being, and strategy execution, with activities typically held in the Pacific Northwest.
• Executive Briefings Focused short-format sessions on discrete leadership topics for executives and managers, offered individually for purchase. Examples include sessions on emotional intelligence in leadership. Designed as an entry-level engagement that can lead to a full LEAP cohort or membership.
• Action Workshops Half-day, fixed-price team workshops for organizations seeking a lighter-weight leadership engagement than a full LEAP cohort. Designed for intact teams that need a facilitated working session on a specific leadership or collaboration topic.
• Leadership Assessment Services Standalone and bundled leadership assessment packages combining Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i based), Leadership 360 Survey, and ProfileXT behavioral assessments. Sold to organizations and individual managers either as a cohort add-on or as a standalone diagnostic engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15%-70% measurable increase in confidence and competence among LEAP graduates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 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

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vistage: Peer-advisory and executive coaching organization for SMB and mid-market CEOs/leaders combining monthly group forums with 1:1 executive coaching. Directly comparable to the LEAP Masters Forum model referenced in Alliance's own offerings.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Nonprofit leadership development provider offering cohort-based leadership programs, assessments (360s), and executive education. Highly comparable to LEAP in using cohort/peer learning plus 360 feedback for manager-to-leader development, particularly across mid-career managers.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Leadership training and coaching firm built around foundational leadership curricula with licensing, certifications, and executive briefings. Overlaps with LEAP on blended cohort learning, coach certification programs, and mid-market corporate buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm whose Korn Ferry Institute and Leadership & Talent practice provide leadership development, executive coaching, and assessment at scale. Comparable in offering overlap (leadership development and 360s) but much broader in scope.
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): Major leadership development and selection firm serving mid-market and enterprise clients worldwide with leader development curricula, assessments, and certification. Closely comparable in product category, customer base, and certification model.
• FranklinCovey: Global leadership and effectiveness firm offering The 7 Habits, leadership development programs, and executive coaching. Directly overlaps with LEAP's mid-market leadership training niche but operates at much greater scale and broader portfolio scope.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with significant leadership assessment and coaching practices. Comparable in addressing senior-manager-to-leader transition coaching and talent development offerings, though anchored in search.

Emerging players

• GiANT Worldwide: Coaching and leadership development firm offering cohort-based '5 Voices' and team leadership programs with certified partner coaches and licensing model. Closely mirrors LEAP's cohort+certified-coach+licensing architecture.
• BetterUp: Tech-enabled coaching platform combining AI-driven development plans with 1:1 coaching for managers and leaders across mid-market and enterprise. Adjacent competitor bringing a digital, analytics-led approach to a market LEAP serves via traditional cohort coaching.
• Marshall Goldsmith Coaching: Executive coaching offering built around the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching methodology, serving senior leaders and C-suite with measurable coaching engagements and a global certified-coach network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leap®-leadership-acceleration-program

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 Alliance for Leadership Acceleration