What Performance Learning Inc. does

Performance Learning, Inc. is a private, founder-owned coaching and consulting firm established in 1987 by Dr. Don Steele and headquartered in Saginaw, Michigan. The firm delivers neuroscience- and cognitive psychology-based coaching to enterprise organizations, executives, professional athletes, educational institutions, and individuals seeking performance optimization and balanced well-being. Core offerings include customized organizational coaching programs, remote individual coaching via Microsoft Teams and Zoom, the 14-unit Achieving Balanced Well-Being (ABW) self-paced online curriculum (co-developed with The Pacific Institute and built on Seligman's PERMA model), keynote speaking, legacy book authoring services, and music and entertainment offerings through the Practice Pad studio.

The business operates with a small team (1-10 employees) and a multi-channel go-to-market that combines direct enterprise sales by the founder, contact-form-driven remote coaching inquiries, a self-serve ABW enrollment link, and consumer channels (Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube) for books and music. Pricing is predominantly professional-services-based and quote-driven; the only publicly disclosed unit prices are a $6,000 all-inclusive fee for Legacy Book chapter participation and a $100 booking fee at the Practice Pad studio. Marquee historical client logos include Microsoft, Boeing, Ford, Chrysler, and Merrill Lynch, alongside NFL organizations, NASCAR, Sylvester Stallone, and the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The company carries no external funding, has no parent or subsidiary entities, and reports no recent M&A, leadership changes, or regulatory actions. Strategically, the firm has been stable rather than high-growth: the only material product and partnership expansions occurred in 2020 (ABW and Practice Pad, both launched during the COVID-19 pandemic), with subsequent activity concentrated in continued book publishing and music releases through consumer streaming channels.

Name

Performance Learning Inc.

Legal name

Performance Learning, Inc.

Website

https://www.performancelearninginc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Performance Learning, Inc. is a Saginaw, Michigan-based coaching and consulting firm founded in 1987 by Dr. Don Steele, delivering neuroscience-based organizational and individual coaching, the ABW well-being program, legacy book authoring, and music services to enterprises, executives, athletes, and individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Coaching & Leadership Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Management & Coaching Training (EDABAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership & People Skills (Influence, Managing Up, Supervisory Readiness) (EDAAAKAI), Operational Excellence (OPEX) & Performance Management (KPI/OKR) (EDABAKAH), Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Executive coaching services
• Leadership development programs
• Organizational consulting services
• Performance psychology coaching
• Well-being training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saginaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Organizational Coaching & Consulting: Direct coaching engagements with organizations, teams, and leaders. Customized seminars and workshops designed to address client-specific needs. Includes in-person and remote (video conference) delivery options.
2. Individual Coaching: Remote individual coaching sessions via video conference platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom). Focus on personal and professional optimal performance across topics including mindset shifting, powerful conversations, self-efficacy, and work-life balance.
3. Legacy Book Publishing: Co-authoring and publishing life story books for individuals. The 'It Factor' chapter participation is priced at an all-inclusive $6,000 fee. Dr. Steele writes and publishes books on behalf of clients.
4. ABW Program (Achieving Balanced Well-Being): Online self-paced program delivered in collaboration with The Pacific Institute. Includes video curriculum, study clubs, and options for live facilitation by Dr. Steele or trained internal facilitators.
5. Music & Entertainment: Album sales and live performances. Albums include 'Under the Gun' (proceeds to Honor Flight organizations) and 'Help Them Find a Soft Place to Fall' (proceeds to Mustard Seed Shelter). Practice Pad facility with $100 usage fee.
6. Keynote Speaking: Keynote speaking engagements at corporate, educational, and leadership conferences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Performance Learning, Inc. provides high-performance coaching, leadership development, and organizational consulting services grounded in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Its core offerings are customized Organizational Coaching and Individual Coaching delivered via video conference, the Achieving Balanced Well-Being (ABW) online program built in partnership with The Pacific Institute, Legacy Book authoring, Keynote Speaking, and music/recording services via the Practice Pad studio and streaming platforms.

Product overview

Performance Learning, Inc. is a coaching and consulting firm founded in 1987 by Dr. Don Steele, offering a portfolio of services centered on high-performance psychology and leadership development. The core offerings include: Organization Coaching (customized programs for building core competencies, leadership development, and achieving bounce-back ability), Individual Coaching (remote coaching via video conference for athletes, entertainers, educators, and executives), and the Achieving Balanced Well-Being (ABW) Program (a 14-unit self-paced online curriculum developed with The Pacific Institute using Martin Seligman's PERMA model). The company also provides Legacy Book Authoring services for capturing life stories, Music & Entertainment offerings including album recordings and live performances at the Practice Pad studio, Keynote Speaking services, and specialized coaching modalities (Ontological, Self-Efficacy, and Mindfulness). The company serves clients across education, professional sports, and corporate sectors, including Fortune 500 companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Practice Pad: A fully equipped music studio located in Saginaw, Michigan, providing an exclusive setting for musicians, bands, and vocal performers to practice and prepare for studio recordings and live performances.
• ABW Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Methods taught to 50,000+ people in multiple countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Terry DuperonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Terry Duperon supported the launch of the Performance Practice Pad in 2020. Duperon is associated with the legacy book 'Undefeated: The True Story of How the Family-Owned Shepler'S Mackinac Island Ferry Service Survived and Advanced Through Three Generations' as the subject of that publication.
• The Pacific InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLI collaborates with The Pacific Institute to offer the Achieving Balanced Well-Being (ABW) program. The partnership leverages The Pacific Institute's mind-setting curriculum combined with Martin Seligman's PERMA model. The ABW program is a completely self-contained online format developed in response to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, freeing organizations from gathering people together, serving meals, purchasing books, and training facilitators.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BetterUp: BetterUp is the leading enterprise coaching and mental wellness platform, offering 1:1 coaching, AI-driven insights, and leadership development to Fortune 500 and global employers — directly comparable to PLI's enterprise coaching and ABW program motion.
• CoachHub: CoachHub provides a digital coaching platform for enterprise leadership development, with curated global coach networks and self-paced content tools — overlapping with PLI's organizational coaching and the self-paced ABW curriculum.
• Marshall Goldsmith Group: Marshall Goldsmith Group is a globally recognized executive coaching and leadership development firm serving C-suite executives — a direct peer in the high-end executive coaching and thought leadership space.

Broad incumbents

• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is an established leadership and organizational performance training company (The 7 Habits, Leading at the Speed of Trust) serving Fortune 500 enterprises — a broad incumbent competitor in the same leadership development category.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a long-established research-backed leadership development institution offering executive coaching, assessments, and training programs to enterprises — a broader incumbent peer in leadership development.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm offering leadership development, executive coaching, and talent management services to large enterprises — overlapping with PLI's organizational coaching and Fortune 500 client base.
• Gallup: Gallup provides leadership and employee engagement research, assessments, and coaching services to organizations worldwide — a broader incumbent in the engagement and well-being space adjacent to PLI's ABW program.
• Tony Robbins Companies: Tony Robbins Companies offers peak performance coaching, leadership training, and business seminars for individuals and enterprises — comparable to PLI's individual coaching and high-performance psychology positioning.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): DDI is a global leadership and assessment firm delivering leadership development, executive coaching, and selection solutions to enterprises — a broader incumbent in the leadership training category.

Others

• The Pacific Institute: The Pacific Institute is PLI's strategic content partner for the ABW program and Dr. Steele's former employer; it provides mind-setting and well-being curricula consumed by global organizations — a content partner and adjacent methodology peer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0s8Y5fhKEMXCpo2nb640Cg
• Facebookfacebook.com/PerformanceLearningInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/performance-learning-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Performance Learning Inc.