LifeHikes 101: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

LifeHikes is one of the best options for career growth, skill development, and improved performance in the workplace. 

We’ll tell you everything you need to know about this organization and its programs, from its features and offerings to the pros and cons. 

What Is LifeHikes?

LifeHikes is an organization that offers programs to improve communication and leadership among communities and individuals. It also provides sales and life skills. LifeHikes programs leverage communication technology, team-based learning, and life coaching to promote a holistic ecosystem for learning. 

This organization also has a coalition of leaders from successful, well-known companies such as:

• Amazon
• LinkedIn
• Ernst & Young
• Massmutual
• Microsoft
• LifeWire
• Johnson & Johnson
• ZARA
• Gallup
• SiriusXM
• Goldman Sachs

What is the LifeHikes foundation?

LifeHikes has a public non-profit known as the LifeHikes Foundation. It’s a partner to LifeHikes and offers both low-cost and free leadership and communication training to communities who are underserved or can’t usually afford this type of training.  

Its mission is to empower communities and society to give more and to do good, with special focus areas for: 

• Educators
• People of color
• High schoolers
• Smaller nonprofit organizations
• Women

LifeHikes clients

The LifeHikes organization has many well-known, large clients that it provides training programs for. For example, some of LifeHikes’ clients include brands like: 

• Meta
• Air BNB
• IBM
• Tesla
• Business Insider
• Pinterest
• Time, Inc.
• Alibaba

LifeHikes Features and Offerings

This organization has many worthwhile features and offerings to take advantage of. For example, LifeHikes offers programs and services including:

• Team-based training
• 1:1 sessions
• Open enrollment
• The Loop

Let’s take a closer look at some of these features.

Team-based training

No matter your organization’s size, location, or skills, LifeHikes has something to offer with regard to team-based training. Teams can pick up essential career skills — from effective communication to leadership abilities and even sales skills — in whatever format is best, whether that’s in person, hybrid, or virtual. 

You can choose training by skill and the level of growth. For example, if you’re looking for some improvement but not a multiple-course training, you can take advantage of the standalone learning experience LifeHikes offers. These bite-sized trainings focus on a specific topic area with a few learning objectives for growth. 

However, for teams looking for a bit more, LifeHikes’ multi-week training might be a better fit. This option offers a whole host of its own benefits, such as:

• Interactive technology
• Intersession practice
• Measurable assessments

For the most growth, LifeHikes offers customers a learning experience called the LifeHikes Loop. This includes all the aforementioned benefits coupled with additional offerings, such as:

• 90-minute sessions for reflection
• 1:1 coaching
• “Campfires,” the self-led book clubs LifeHikes promotes

1:1 Coaching

For a more tailored, personalized experience, LifeHikes’ 1:1 coaching is worth checking out. You’ll be able to build and hone in on your skills in a more customizable way. The way you receive coaching can depend on what skills you want to work on, your industry, where you are in your career, and your schedule. 

For example, some of the categories in which you can improve your skills include:

• Executive presence and influence
• Resilience
• Situational preparation
• Leadership
• Career development
• Effective communication 

Open enrollment

LifeHikes’ open enrollment is a good choice for teams who are looking for a more customizable package. It’s a helpful option for people who want to cater to their team’s schedules and learning needs.

You can choose topic areas to focus on based on what best aligns with your company or organization. There are tons of topics to choose from, including:

• “Connect First”
• “Executive Presence” 
• “Dynamic Delivery”
• “Be Memorable”
• “Engage Your Audience”
• “Powerfully Concise & Better Questions”
• “Deliver Difficult Messages”
• “Storytelling For Impact”
• “Handle Tough Questions & Objections”
• “Consultative Selling”

These training sessions are also really easy to set up. All you have to do is pick a training, choose a date and time, and schedule it.

The Loop

The Loop is LifeHikes’ ongoing training program. It allows you to continuously grow and improve your team’s skills in a lifelong learning approach. The Loop includes both pre- and post-learning AI assessments and coach-led training sessions in a team-based learning environment.

For the most growth and development for teams, the Loop is definitely one of the best learning options out there.

LifeHikes Pros and Advantages 

As you might expect, LifeHikes has many notable advantages to its programs. Some of the most beneficial pros to using LifeHikes include: 

• More career advancement opportunities 
• Skill development 
• Improved performance at and outside of work

Career advancement opportunities

You can use LifeHikes’ programs in many ways, one of which being for career advancement. Using LifeHikes to work on your soft skills will open up more opportunities for career progression, allowing you to do what you like best.

For example, individuals who use LifeHikes not only work on building new skills and improving existing skills, but also see a boost in their confidence. Having more confidence in yourself and at work can help you in a number of ways, such as:

• Negotiating salary
• Taking on more, larger responsibilities and tasks
• Preparing for interviews

This enhanced confidence plus the new skills you’ll learn can bridge the gap between where you want to go in your career and your current skillset.

You’ll also be connected to a huge network of professionals through LifeHikes. The global community of this organization can open your eyes to an entire world of networking opportunities. You can connect to mentors and other professionals who have similar interests.

These connections can even affect your career trajectory.

Skill development

Of course, one of LifeHikes’ biggest (and most obvious) advantages is that you’ll be able to hone your existing skills and build new skills. Teams and individuals get to improve the most essential skills they need in the workplace. For example, some of the most beneficial skills you can pick up and build on include:

• Effective communication
• Critical thinking
• Leadership
• Problem-solving abilities
• Digital literacy 

These are all sought-after skills that employers look for which just adds to your marketability as an employee.

Plus, teams and individuals alike are able to pick up these skills even faster thanks to LifeHikes’ micro-learning format. Instead of lengthy lessons, you’ll get snackable modules that can be completed no matter how busy your schedule is.

Overall improved performance

Using LifeHikes can improve your overall performance at work (and outside of work), too. The skills you acquire and your boosted confidence allow you to do the best work you can and perform better in your job. Employers will see you as a more valuable employee and asset to the company. This can translate to more recognition by your organization as well as raises and promotions. 

LifeHikes Cons and Disadvantages

Like any business or service, LifeHikes definitely has its disadvantages. Though these aren’t necessarily deal breakers, some of the cons of using LifeHikes include:

• Its cost
• The lack of personalization options
• Its overall focus on soft skills

Cost

Although LifeHikes does offer low-cost and even free options, these options aren’t available for everyone. The pricing model could be considered on the higher end compared to other, more generic alternatives. 

With more traditional training options, the cost is often more manageable and accessible than LifeHikes.

Personalization options

Personalized experiences are a huge component of technology and training services. LifeHikes doesn’t offer options that are significantly more personalized from one client to another with its team-based learning (although 1:1s are still an option). 

With traditional training programs, coaches can often personalize the experience based on the individual or team. If you’re looking for more personal interaction, a more generic program might be more your speed.  

Training focus

It’s no secret that LifeHikes’ training focus is on soft skills. However, this can be a significant disadvantage for people looking for training in technical areas or more specific subject areas. LifeHikes doesn’t offer this in-depth expertise in areas other than business development and soft skills. 

To make sure LifeHikes is the right program for you, just make sure that the curriculum and training it offers aligns with the skill gaps and learning objectives you’re looking to bridge for your company or organization. 

Yoodli: A LifeHikes Alternative

If you’re looking for an alternative to LifeHikes, you should explore Yoodli. Yoodli is an AI-powered speech coach that can help both individuals and teams improve their speech.

This app — which can be downloaded for free right to your desktop — is used by Toastmasters and major companies like Microsoft and Google. It has many use cases beyond just improving your public speaking skills. You can use this tool to practice anything from presentations to everyday conversation and online meetings. It even has an interview simulator that provides users with a realistic, sophisticated virtual interview experience that mimics the real thing.

Like LifeHikes, Yoodli can help individuals and teams build their soft skills, especially when it comes to effective communication. Yoodli uses generative AI to analyze your speaking and speech content to suggest actionable feedback based on your habits.

For example, Yoodli might flag that you used 54 filler words during your presentation. It might suggest you implement some natural pauses to reduce how many fillers you use. It can even recommend areas where you can tighten your language and make it more concise.

All of this information and more is accessible to users through an individualized report with metrics and data regarding your speaking. You can use the personalized report it provides to take a hard look at your own speech shortcomings to improve. 

As an AI speech coach, Yoodli’s feedback is detailed and tailored to your abilities. Yoodli can even complement LifeHikes in that you can put your communication skills and techniques you learned through its program to the test.

You can learn more about Yoodli with our overview explainer:

The Bottom Line

LifeHikes is a worthwhile learning program service to consider if you’re in the market for team growth and development. It can lead to career advancement, skill development, and overall improved performance at and outside of work.

You can use Yoodli as a complement to LifeHikes or as an affordable alternative to build and improve your effective communication skills. Just remember that growth isn’t always linear and putting in all the work and effort is worth it in the end.

Sources

• LifeHikes: “The Coalition Advisory Team,” “About LifeHikes,” “Learning Experiences,” “1:1 Coaching,” “Open Enrollment Package,” “The LifeHikes® Loop.”