Business simulations For leadership development
Your executives expect results from your leadership program.
We help you deliver them with an executive-led business simulation.
Your name is on the program. We make sure it delivers.
We build around your program and your content, not the other way around. Sometimes that means telling you that you don’t need a custom build, or a simulation at all. You stay in control, and it’s our job to make you look really good.
Only as much simulation as you actually need
Ready-to-Go
A proven simulation that fits into your existing program with minimal setup.
Learn more →Tailored
A proven simulation adapted to your leadership model, terminology and content.
Learn more →What people say
Thinking about a simulation for your program?
What to look for, what to avoid, and when a simulation isn’t the right fit.
As seen in
Simulations built or tailored
Years building business simulations
Sessions facilitated
Years: our longest client relationships
How it works
Talk it through
Tell us about your program, your audience and what success looks like to you.
Build it
We fit the simulation to your program, content and goals. Only as much as you need.
Run it
We facilitate on the day and tie every decision back to your business.
Measure it
We gather feedback and results so you can show your executives what changed.
Useful business training simulation resources
Featured in
Article written by Bill Hall
Business Simulations Can Be A Powerful Tool For Leadership Development – But Proceed with Caution
Available at
Book written by Bill Hall
Shift: Using Business Simulations and Serious Games: A Straightforward Guide for Corporate Training and Development
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Business simulation FAQs
What is a business simulation?
A business simulation is a hands-on exercise in which a team runs a simulated company over several rounds, each representing a year, and sees the financial results of its decisions. Teams make the calls a leadership team makes, such as pricing, investment and trade-offs between functions. After each round, a facilitator walks them through what happened and why.
Ready-to-go, tailored or custom: which do I need?
Most programs don’t need custom. A ready-to-go simulation fits into an existing program with minimal setup, and a tailored simulation adapts a proven engine to your leadership model, terminology and content. A custom build starts from scratch and makes sense only when nothing existing can do the job. We’ll tell you which one fits, including when the answer is not to use a simulation at all.
How much does a business simulation cost?
It ranges widely. The biggest cost driver is the underlying financial model: whether a proven one can be adapted or a new one has to be built. After that come the number of learning objectives and how facilitation is handled. Graphics rarely drive the price. For real numbers and the questions to ask any provider, read What a Business Simulation Actually Costs.
Do business simulations have to be computer-based?
No. Paper-based simulations are often the best value. They cost less, adapt more easily, and keep attention on the decisions instead of the screen. We build both and will recommend whichever fits your program and budget.
Who facilitates the simulation?
Every session is facilitated by a former executive who has run a P&L outside the training industry, the same person who builds the simulation. There are no junior facilitators and no hand-offs. If you’d like your own team involved, we encourage and support co-facilitation.
Five tips for using a business simulation in leadership development
Question whether you need one. A simulation isn’t the right tool for every program. It earns its place when people need to practice making decisions and see the consequences. If the goal is mostly sharing knowledge, a strong workshop may do the job for less.
Keep it simple. Three learning objectives is about the ceiling. Write them down before any design starts. Every objective you add makes the model more complex, the build longer and the learning harder to follow.
Put most of your budget into great training content. The simulation supports your program; it doesn’t replace it. Money spent on strong content goes further than money spent on graphics and features.
Don’t skimp on facilitation. The learning happens in the debrief, and facilitating it well takes real skill and experience. If your own team will run it, co-facilitate the first sessions with someone who has done it before.
Be wary of anyone who says you need custom. Most programs don’t. A provider who leads with a custom build may be solving their problem, not yours.