BTS acquires leadership coaching platform Sounding Board

Global consulting firm BTS has expanded its offerings in the leadership coaching market with the acquisition of US-based Sounding Board.

Founded in 2016, Sounding Board is a Silicon Valley-based start-up. The company’s technology offers companies a single platform to manage their coaching programs for leaders from different functions, offering solutions such as leadership learning, group coaching, 1:1 coaching, and mentoring.

In its latest financial year, Sounding Board generated revenues of $7 million. The company is backed by a number of investors, having landed Series A and Series B investments totalling over $45 million.

The acquisition will see Sounding Board become a full subsidiary of BTS, a global consulting firm specializing in strategy execution, change, and people development. BTS has over 35 offices worldwide, with Sounding Board now becoming part of its Coaching service line.

“This acquisition allows us to create and take to market a very differentiated offering and to faster expand BTS’ current $40 million coaching services, taking advantage of the growing $7 billion coaching market,” said Jessica Skon, CEO of BTS Group.

With the addition of Sounding Board’s coach network, BTS now has a network of 700 credentialled coaches.

“Sounding Board’s innovative coaching platform, efficient and scalable operating model, combined with both firms’ global reach of world class, consistent top 5 percent coaches, is exactly what our clients have been asking for. They are tired of inconsistent coaching quality from competitors and platforms that don’t reinforce their organization’s unique strategy and culture,” noted Katrin Mulford, Partner and Global Head of Coaching at BTS.

Christine Tao, Co-founder and CEO of Sounding Board, said that joining forces with the global consulting firm will enable the team to amplify its impact and accelerate its growth. “BTS’s global reach, broader leader development solutions, and expertise in strategic plays and culture shifts are exactly the additional tools clients are looking for to complement our coaching. Together, we will redefine how companies develop leaders who drive transformation.”

As part of the integration, BTS will adopt Sounding Board’s technology platform for all its coaching-related projects. “By replacing our platform with theirs, the handling of all the steps in the coaching process will become significantly more effective, from scheduling to coaching to insights and billing. It will be easier, faster, and less resource intensive to manage large programs with tens of thousands of leaders”, said Skon.

“In addition, Sounding Board’s operating model will serve as an example inside BTS as a more tech-forward way of working.”

Last year BTS acquired a talent development and learning business in Thailand, while in 2021, the firm bought Netmind, which had operations in Spain, the US and Latin America.