Introduction
Lynda Weinman is a name that is synonymous with success in the world of e-learning. She is the co-founder of Lynda.com, a website that provides high-quality online courses to professionals and students worldwide. Lynda.com has become a household name because of its vast array of courses that cater to a variety of topics, from technology to business to creative skills. Over the years, Lynda Weinman has not only built an impressive e-learning platform but has also amassed a net worth of millions. In this blog post, we will discuss how she achieved this remarkable feat.
Her Early Life and Career
Lynda Weinman was born in New Jersey in 1955 and grew up in Pennsylvania. She attended the Art Center College of Design in California and went on to work as an animator and graphic designer. She then went on to teach design technology at the Art Center College of Design, where she discovered her passion for teaching.
Creation of Lynda.com
In 1995, Lynda Weinman, along with her husband, Bruce Heavin, founded Lynda.com. Initially, the website provided training videos for web designers and graphic artists. However, with time, the platform expanded its course offerings to include topics like business, technology, and programming.
Strategic Acquisitions
Over the years, Lynda.com has made strategic acquisitions, which have contributed significantly to its growth. In 2012, the website acquired video2brain, a European-based e-learning platform. This acquisition helped Lynda.com expand its reach in the European market. In 2013, the company acquired Compilr, a Canadian-based online code editor. This acquisition allowed the platform to add coding courses to its list of offerings.
Partnerships
Lynda.com has partnered with several universities, including the University of Southern California, to offer its courses to their students. These partnerships have helped the platform gain credibility and attract a wider audience.
Acquisition by LinkedIn
In 2015, LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com for $1.5 billion. This acquisition was a game-changer for the e-learning platform, as it provided access to LinkedIn’s massive user base of professionals. It also allowed Lynda.com to add more courses to its offerings and improve its user interface.
Diversification of Course Offerings
Under the ownership of LinkedIn, Lynda.com continued to diversify its course offerings. It added courses in fields like marketing, data science, and project management, to name a few.
Introduction of Premium Memberships
In 2016, Lynda.com introduced premium memberships. These memberships provided users with unlimited access to all courses, project files, and practice exercises. The introduction of premium memberships helped the platform generate recurring revenue.
Awards and Recognition
Lynda Weinman and her platform have received numerous awards and recognitions over the years. In 2019, she was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of the most influential people in the internet’s development.
Conclusion
Lynda Weinman’s journey from an animator and graphic designer to a successful entrepreneur and e-learning pioneer is an inspiration to many. Her passion for teaching, strategic acquisitions, partnerships, and the diversification of the course offerings has helped her build an e-learning platform that is both credible and profitable.
FAQs
Q1. How did Lynda Weinman get into teaching?
A1. Lynda Weinman discovered her passion for teaching while working as a technology educator at the Art Center College of Design.
Q2. What was the motive behind the creation of Lynda.com?
A2. Lynda Weinman and her husband, Bruce Heavin, founded Lynda.com to provide training videos for web designers and graphic artists.
Q3. Has Lynda.com won any awards?
A3. Yes, Lynda.com and its co-founder Lynda Weinman have received numerous awards and recognitions, including induction into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2019.
Q4. What is the significance of the LinkedIn acquisition of Lynda.com?
A4. The LinkedIn acquisition of Lynda.com provided access to LinkedIn’s massive user base of professionals, added more courses to its offerings, and improved its user interface.
Q5. How did Lynda.com generate recurring revenue after the introduction of premium memberships?
A5. Lynda.com generated recurring revenue by providing premium members with unlimited access to all courses, project files, and practice exercises.