Are your training programs falling flat—or worse, failing to stick? If you're struggling to decide whether to build learning programs internally or bring in a third-party partner, this episode is for you. HR and L&D professionals will walk away with a clear decision-making framework and two essential action steps to choose partners that drive real change.

In this episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Kayla Wilson, a seasoned organizational development professional from Horizon Farm Credit, to unpack the real decision-making process behind choosing a learning partner. From cost-effectiveness to culture fit, Kayla shares the exact criteria she uses to evaluate training providers—along with hard-won lessons on what makes partnerships truly effective. Whether you’re considering outsourcing for the first time or looking to refresh your approach, this episode offers thoughtful, practical guidance on how to select the right learning partners and get real impact from your L&D investment.

This Episode Covers:

• Six must-have criteria to evaluate external training providers
• Why customization isn’t just “nice to have”—and how to ask for it effectively
• Why internal teams sometimes lack the innovation spark—and how outside experts can help
• When outsourcing makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
• The biggest misconceptions about training ROI—and what to track instead

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Why choosing the right learning partner is more important than ever

03:10 – Six criteria for evaluating external training partners

04:50 – Why cost-effectiveness isn’t just about the invoice

06:20 – The “naughty word” of L&D: what customization really means (and why it matters)

08:00 – Real-life example: how Learnit adapted a session mid-week to address organizational change

09:45 – Co-creating training: the power of collaborative design and feedback loops

12:50 – Trust as the foundation of effective learning partnerships

14:15 – The real pros and cons of outsourcing vs. building programs in-house

17:25 – Why “you’re never an expert in your own territory”—and how outside voices can help

18:15 – Assessing a learning partner’s ability to scale and evolve with you

21:20 – How to evaluate cultural fit with an external learning partner

25:00 – Questions you should be asking potential partners—but probably aren’t

27:35 – Common challenges with insourcing vs outsourcing (and how to mitigate them)

32:10 – Leadership lesson: You own your experience (and how to help others own theirs)

35:15 – Uncomfortable truth: Not all training leads to real behavior change

36:00 – How to design for engagement when the average attention span is 20 minutes

37:40 – Measuring impact, aligning with business goals, and involving leadership

38:30 – Action Step 1: Know your culture and choose partners who align with it

39:45 – Action Step 2: Don’t just look at cost—evaluate the full value of training

41:10 – Where to find Kayla and how to keep the conversation going

41:45 – Outro: Subscribe,...