A 40 year old animator-turned-teacher almost lost it all while bootstrapping a $35 website into a $1.5 BILLION startup.
This is HER amazing story 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
This is HER amazing story 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
1/ In 1982, Lynda Weinman taught herself computers on her boyfriend's Apple II.
She had just started Vertigo, a new wave and punk retail store.
4 years later it had gone nowhere.
She calls it the biggest failure of her life.
But it taught her a billion dollar skill…
She had just started Vertigo, a new wave and punk retail store.
4 years later it had gone nowhere.
She calls it the biggest failure of her life.
But it taught her a billion dollar skill…
2/ How to do graphic design, animation, and automation on a computer.
Recently divorced and a new mother, she worked as an animator and design teacher to pay the bills.
As the internet grew, she searched for a great book on web design... but found nothing.
So she wrote one…
Recently divorced and a new mother, she worked as an animator and design teacher to pay the bills.
As the internet grew, she searched for a great book on web design... but found nothing.
So she wrote one…
3/ Her vision was a non-technical guide to web design.
She labored over a proposal. She pitched scores of publishers.
“No one will buy this”
They all rejected it.
Finally, a magazine agreed gave her a monthly column.
The column was a hit and she got her book deal…
She labored over a proposal. She pitched scores of publishers.
“No one will buy this”
They all rejected it.
Finally, a magazine agreed gave her a monthly column.
The column was a hit and she got her book deal…
4/ In 1996, she published “Designing Web Graphics.”
She received an email from a reader: Debbie@debbie.com
Lynda had been searching for a way to connect with her readers and love the idea of her name .com.
Lynda .com was born! It started as a free resource for web design.
She received an email from a reader: Debbie@debbie.com
Lynda had been searching for a way to connect with her readers and love the idea of her name .com.
Lynda .com was born! It started as a free resource for web design.
5/ Her new husband, Bruce, pushed Lynda to capitalize on her success, renting a computer lab for a 5-day class on web design.
It sold out, with people coming from around the world!
That turned into workshops and then into a whole school.
The 90s tech boom was in full swing…
It sold out, with people coming from around the world!
That turned into workshops and then into a whole school.
The 90s tech boom was in full swing…
6/ Their biggest challenge was finding enough space for classes.
By 2000, the business did $3.5M in revenue with 35 employees.
Then, it all imploded…
By 2000, the business did $3.5M in revenue with 35 employees.
Then, it all imploded…
7/ First, the dotcom bubble burst and they saw revenues tank by 2001.
Just as thought it couldn’t get worse, 9/11 brought them to their knees.
The sold their house.
They broke classroom leases.
They laid off 25+ people.
They were barely surviving when Lynda had an idea…
Just as thought it couldn’t get worse, 9/11 brought them to their knees.
The sold their house.
They broke classroom leases.
They laid off 25+ people.
They were barely surviving when Lynda had an idea…
8/ She recorded some videos and put up a $25/month paywall on Lynda .com
Traffic dropped. People complained.
But then they started signing up… within a year, the site has 1000 subscribers.
Lynda kept the bar high. Personally reviewing all the content made for the site.
Traffic dropped. People complained.
But then they started signing up… within a year, the site has 1000 subscribers.
Lynda kept the bar high. Personally reviewing all the content made for the site.
9/ By 2006, Lynda had 100k subscribers!
They barely spent on marketing but 100xd by having the most in depth content.
They had FT instructors who also received a rev share. This skin in the game incentivized instructors to be the best.
20 video courses became 267k tutorials.
They barely spent on marketing but 100xd by having the most in depth content.
They had FT instructors who also received a rev share. This skin in the game incentivized instructors to be the best.
20 video courses became 267k tutorials.
10/ As they saw sales explode, competitors and “Ed tech” finally started catching up to them.
Udemy, coursera, Edx etc raised tons of venture money.
17 years in, they raised >$100M.
Lynda had more $ than she ever imagined.
Then something even bigger happened…
Udemy, coursera, Edx etc raised tons of venture money.
17 years in, they raised >$100M.
Lynda had more $ than she ever imagined.
Then something even bigger happened…
11/ LinkedIn called. Offering her billions.
She was only 60 and not looking to retire! Her first answer was no.
But her advisors, family and employees convinced her based on 1 thing: Impact.
LinkedIn could reach more people and more could learn from her creation…
She was only 60 and not looking to retire! Her first answer was no.
But her advisors, family and employees convinced her based on 1 thing: Impact.
LinkedIn could reach more people and more could learn from her creation…
12/ in 2015, LinkedIn acquired Lynda .com for $1.5 Billion.
The site and her content reach tens of millions annually.
Last year, at 65, Lynda retired.
The site and her content reach tens of millions annually.
Last year, at 65, Lynda retired.
13/ Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynda_Wei…
fastcompany.com/3045404/from-n…
web.archive.org
techcrunch.com/2013/01/15/aft…
forbes.com/sites/chloesor…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynda_Wei…
fastcompany.com/3045404/from-n…
web.archive.org
techcrunch.com/2013/01/15/aft…
forbes.com/sites/chloesor…
14/ Why I love this story:
1. Never give up
2. Keep iterating
3. You can start at any age
4. Being early isn’t always a bad thing
5. Know yourself, build a business only you can build and know when it’s time to exit
And you don’t need a CS degree to do it…
1. Never give up
2. Keep iterating
3. You can start at any age
4. Being early isn’t always a bad thing
5. Know yourself, build a business only you can build and know when it’s time to exit
And you don’t need a CS degree to do it…
15/ Enjoy the legend of this Bootstrapped Giant?
Follow me @jspujji for more stories about bootstrapped giants, DTC, growth marketing and entrepreneurship!
Read this EPIC story of another early female founder/bootstrapper:
Follow me @jspujji for more stories about bootstrapped giants, DTC, growth marketing and entrepreneurship!
Read this EPIC story of another early female founder/bootstrapper:
https://twitter.com/jspujji/status/1469376439128629254/
16/ And don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter: The 3-1-4. It comes up every other week with 3 links, 1 thought, and 4 opportunities.
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