Outdoor Training Services

What Outdoor Training Services does

Outdoor Training Services LLC is a privately held Minnesota LLC founded in June 2023 by Annika Spriggs and based in Silver Bay, Minnesota. It provides training and certification courses for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts, including First Aid, CPR/AED, Wilderness and Remote First Aid, kayak instruction and certification, challenge-course training, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) training, Bloodborne Pathogens training, and Babysitter's Training. Its customers include outdoor instructors, guides, camp counselors, recreation enthusiasts, resorts, outdoor recreation facilities, non-profits, and organizations needing staff development or team building.

OTS reviews and incorporates requirements from standards and industry organizations including the American Red Cross, American Canoe Association, Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), Leave No Trace, American National Standards Institute, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Scouts BSA. Courses are delivered in online, in-person, and hybrid formats through open enrollment, client sites, and public venues; its American Red Cross certifications are valid for two years, while its kayak and Challenge Course Training Institute offerings are aligned with the relevant standards bodies. The company operates primarily as a service-based training company without disclosed proprietary technology platforms: its disclosed technical footprint is Squarespace for website hosting and e-commerce and Google Forms for registration and scholarship applications.

Revenue is generated through fee-for-service training and certification courses, with three self-selected pricing tiers, pay-as-you-go enrollment, group bookings, volume discounts, and corporate team-building sessions. Scholarships cover 50-100% of course fees for 24 individuals and 1-2 non-profit organizations annually, with support for up to 10 staff members at participating non-profits. The go-to-market model is sales-led and direct, combining website e-commerce, a public course calendar, custom course requests, client-site and public-venue delivery, organic content, social media, newsletters, virtual sessions, and partnerships with standards bodies. Disclosed headcount is 1-10 employees, and the founder is described as a one-woman army.

Name

Outdoor Training Services

Legal name

Outdoor Training Services LLC

Website

https://outdoortrainingservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Outdoor Training Services LLC provides standards-aligned training, certification, and continuing education for outdoor professionals, enthusiasts, and organizations through in-person, online, and hybrid courses, including medical, kayak, challenge-course, and DEIJ programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Professional Training and Certification

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification & Training Providers (Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguard, Guide Training) (THAAAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Medical Services (EMT/Paramedic) Training (EDAOAMAC), Ropes Courses & High/Low Challenge Courses (THAAACAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor professional training
• Wilderness first aid certification
• Kayak certification courses
• Challenge course training
• DEIJ outdoor training

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training and Certification Courses: OTS generates revenue through fee-for-service training and certification courses. Courses are priced using a tiered model (Tier I-III) allowing participants to self-select based on budget. Additional revenue comes from group bookings with volume discounts and corporate team building sessions. Scholarships are provided to 24 individuals and 1-2 non-profits annually at 50-100% coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Outdoor Training Services delivers fee-for-service training and certification courses for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts, including American Red Cross-accredited Medical Certifications (First Aid, CPR, AED, Wilderness First Aid), American Canoe Association-aligned Kayak Training, ACCT-aligned Challenge Course Training Institute (CCTI), DEIJ Training, Babysitter's Training, and Bloodborne Pathogens Training. Courses are delivered online, in-person, or hybrid at client sites, public venues along Lake Superior, and via the website. Pricing follows a Tier I–III model with group discounts and an annual scholarship program covering 24 individuals and 1–2 non-profits.

Product overview

Outdoor Training Services is a training services company offering a portfolio of certification and continuing education programs for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts. The core offerings include Medical Certifications (First Aid, CPR, AED, Wilderness First Aid through American Red Cross), Kayak Training (American Canoe Association-aligned programs), Challenge Course Training Institute (CCTI) with facilitation, inspection, and leadership tracks, DEIJ Training, Babysitter's Training, and Bloodborne Pathogens training. These programs are delivered through flexible formats (online, in-person, and hybrid) and supported by supplementary services including tiered pricing, scholarship programs, industry briefings, and resource libraries. The company positions itself as a one-stop destination for training needs, aligning courses with industry standards from organizations like the American Red Cross, American Canoe Association, ACA, ACCT, Leave No Trace, NSAA, OSHA, and Scouts BSA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training & Certification Courses Comprehensive training and certification courses for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts covering industry standards from the American Red Cross, American Canoe Association, and other recognized bodies.
• Medical Certifications

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-year certifications through American Red Cross for First Aid, CPR, AED, and Wilderness First Aid
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS delivers American Red Cross certification courses including First Aid, CPR, AED, and Wilderness First Aid. Certifications are valid for 2 years and accredited by the American Red Cross.
• American Canoe Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS provides ACA kayak certifications and trip leader training/assessment. Programs include Introduction to Kayaking, Essentials of Kayak Touring, Coastal Kayaking courses, and overnight kayak trips along Lake Superior.
• American Canoe AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS leverages ACA standards for paddlesports training and certification programs.
• Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS delivers the Challenge Course Training Institute (CCTI) aligned with ACCT standards. Programs include Facilitation Institute (Level I/II), Inspection Institute, and Leadership Institute. OTS is pursuing ACCT Accredited Vendor status.
• Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor EthicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS is a Leave No Trace Community Partner, integrating environmental stewardship principles into all training programs and helping instill responsible outdoor practices in participants.
• American Camping AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS reviews and incorporates ACA standards in training course development, helping camp professionals meet certification requirements.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS monitors ANSI standards and incorporates relevant requirements into training curricula.
• National Ski Area Association (NSAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS tracks NSAA educational resources and regulatory updates for mountain-inspired recreation training.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS incorporates OSHA standards and safety requirements into training programs for outdoor professionals.
• Scouts BSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS monitors Scouts BSA training resources and incorporates relevant standards for youth outdoor programming.
• The Avarna GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTS uses The Avarna Group's definitions for DEIJ terminology in training program development.
• Certified B CorporationminorOthersOTS is evaluating B Corp certification as part of sustainability commitment, along with 1% for the Planet membership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Canoe Association: National paddlesports standards body that also directly delivers kayak and canoe instructor/certification courses. OTS partners with ACA for kayak certifications while ACA itself is the incumbent competitor in paddlesports instruction.
• Outward Bound USA: National outdoor education provider offering instructor development and wilderness programming across the U.S. Broad incumbent in the outdoor professional training space overlapping with OTS's offerings.
• American Red Cross Training Services: National incumbent delivering First Aid, CPR, AED, and Wilderness First Aid certifications through a vast instructor network. Competes with OTS for the same Red Cross-branded certifications OTS delivers.

Regional players

• The Mountaineers: Pacific Northwest-based outdoor education and outdoor skills training nonprofit offering courses in climbing, navigation, and wilderness travel. Adjacent peer sharing OTS's outdoor-skills instruction model in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Wilderness Medical Associates International: Provider of wilderness medical certification courses (WFR, WFA, WAFA) widely used by outdoor guides and educators. Directly competes with OTS in the outdoor-medical certification category.
• Project Adventure: Long-standing challenge course and experiential education training provider delivering facilitator and leadership curricula for adventure operators. Directly comparable to OTS's ACCT-aligned CCTI track.
• NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School): Long-established provider of wilderness and outdoor professional training, including Wilderness First Aid and instructor courses. Directly comparable to OTS as a fee-for-service outdoor certification school targeting professionals and enthusiasts.
• High 5 Adventure Learning: Provider of challenge course facilitation, inspection, and leadership training aligned with ACCT standards. Directly comparable to OTS's Challenge Course Training Institute programs.
• SOLO Schools: Specialist provider of wilderness medical training (WFR, WFA, WEMT) courses for outdoor professionals. Highly comparable to OTS's Wilderness First Aid and Red Cross-aligned medical certification offerings.
• Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: National organization providing outdoor ethics training and certification that OTS partners with as a Community Partner. LNT runs its own direct training offerings that compete with OTS's ethics curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/outdoortrainingservices23
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outdoortrainingservices
• Instagraminstagram.com/outdoortrainingservices
• TikToktiktok.com/@outdoortrainingservices?

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 Outdoor Training Services