We’re the
Negotiation People

At RED BEAR, negotiation isn’t a skill. It’s a system. A mindset. A competitive advantage.

We exist to turn teams into elite negotiators—people who walk into any room, on any deal, and know exactly what to do.

Our legacy of negotiation greatness spans 40+ years, from our roots at BayGroup International to today. 

Explore Our Training

Our Story, Our Founder

Everyone has a story and we are no different. Here's how our founder, Chad Mulligan got his start in the negotiation training space and how a passion for negotiating led to the creation of RED BEAR Negotiation

RED BEAR began with a belief: negotiation training should be built for real people solving real problems.

Chad Mulligan saw that firsthand while leading sales at BayGroup International (BGI). He noticed an entire audience being underserved—procurement teams navigating high-pressure supplier negotiations without a playbook. So he built one.

Starting with just a handful of clients, Chad quickly grew BGI’s portfolio of procurement clients into a significant source of revenue for the firm, which expanded until BayGroup International was sold.
 
Shortly after, Chad seized another opportunity and successfully negotiated a deal with the company that acquired BGI, launching RED BEAR Negotiation Company as the exclusive distributor for all procurement-focused training programs.

Over the next several years, RED BEAR continued to experience significant growth and in 2017, gained full ownership of the content that now forms the core of RED BEAR’s negotiation and collaboration training offerings.

What started as a procurement-focused training firm is now a global negotiation company helping teams across sales, supply chain, customer success, and beyond.
 
To date, RED BEAR has worked with 45% of the Fortune 500. And we’re just getting started.

 

“We’re not here to just train people to negotiate. We’re here to change how the best teams in the world perform. That’s the RED BEAR standard—and we’re just getting started.”
CHAD MULLIGAN, FOUNDER & CEO.

our-story

SO WHAT'S IN A NAME?

WE GET ASKED ALL THE TIME, “WHERE DOES THE NAME
“RED BEAR’’ COME FROM? HERE’S THE STORY BEHIND IT…

“Coming up with a name for the company was a real struggle for me. I came up with over 100 different names that I shared with everyone I knew. The one that everyone kept coming back to and I ultimately chose, was RED BEAR.

The name RED BEAR pays homage to two things that are near and dear to me….Nebraska where I was born and raised (never forget where you come from) and the Chicago Bears, my favorite NFL team and where I’ve lived for the past 20 years. If you’ve ever been around Nebraska fans you’ve heard the chant “GO BIG RED”, this is where the “RED” comes from. If you look closely at the red colored “N” in the word “negotiation”, it is the same “N” that is on the side of Nebraska football helmets. The “BEAR” of course comes from the Chicago Bears. The bear logo symbolizes strength and power which is critical in negotiations. Chad jokes, it wasn’t a very strategic approach to naming the company but it means a lot to him personally and in the end, it’s the name that stuck with people the most."

-Chad Mulligan, Founder & CEO of RED BEAR Negotiation Company

What Sets Us Apart?
The Way We Show Up.

 

At RED BEAR, how we train is just as important as what we teach.

We’re not here to coast—neither are you. 

We’re here to transform teams, and that means operating with conviction, heart, and a relentless focus on client impact. 

Our core values aren’t poster words. They’re behaviors our clients feel every time they work with us.

Here’s what you can expect when you partner with RED BEAR:

Gratitude

 

We never take a seat at your table for granted. Every client, every team, every deal matters.

Clients’ Needs First—Always

 

Your goals drive our approach. We listen, adapt, and deliver solutions built for your world.

Can Do. Will Do.

 

Complex challenges? Tight timelines? We show up with energy, accountability, and a solutions-first mindset.

Growth Mindset

 

We believe world-class negotiators are made—not born. That includes us. We’re always improving, learning, evolving.

Pride & Passion

 

We love what we do. We love who we do it for. And it shows in every conversation, workshop, and follow-up call.

Integrity—No Compromise

 

Your goals drive our approach. We listen, adapt, and deliver solutions built for your world.

The Culture Test

 

Our work is serious—but we believe in being human, kind, and easy to work with.

Strive for the “WOW”

 

We don’t just want to meet expectations—we want to blow them away. If clients aren’t saying “WOW,” we’re not done.

Our Negotiation Philosophy

 

If we were in your shoes, the first question we’d ask is “What’s your model?” Because if that doesn’t resonate, we’ll run into all kinds of tension (not the good kind). 

The heart of our negotiation model lies in understanding and harnessing the three dimensions of tension: competitive, collaborative, and creative. 

We train teams to understand that tension is a healthy and inherent part of negotiations. By knowing how to leverage it, they can effectively use their power, ask better questions, and surface more creative, value-for-value solutions that drive profitable agreements.


Our History

We are just getting started. Here’s a quick snapshot of the journey we’ve been on — from our humble beginnings in Larkspur, CA to our present day.

The concept for BayGroup International is hatched in hot tub in Larkspur, CA. Based on research from the Stanford Negotiation Project, Situational Negotiation Skills becomes the first negotiation program offered by BayGroup.

JANUARY 1980

BayGroup International establishes its second office in Darien, CT. The firm counts notable companies like AT&T, UPS, HP, and Dell among its largest clients.

NOVEMBER 1989

Expanding its global footprint, BayGroup International opens its first European office in Esher, UK

SEPTEMBER 2006

The Last Link: Closing the Gap that is sabotaging your Business is published, debuting at #5 on the New York Times best seller list

NOVEMBER 2007

BayGroup International is sold, closing one chapter and opening up a brand new one

APRIL 2013

RED BEAR Negotiation Company is founded as an exclusive distributor for BayGroup International negotiation content

DECEMBER 2013

RED BEAR Negotiation Company acquires full ownership of all BayGroup negotiation IP

JUNE 2017

Negotiation Changes Everything

When you know how to negotiate well, you build trust. You build alignment. You build better outcomes.

We started RED BEAR because we saw what happens when teams rely on instinct instead of process—when high-stakes conversations get derailed by pressure, confusion, or the wrong assumptions.

And we knew there was a better way.

We believe great negotiators aren’t born. They’re trained.

And we train them.