Lynda.com is noted as the source for online training on such things as web design, graphics software, animation, video editing, and much more. At lynda.com it is believed that no one should be phased out, that everyone has a “new and improved” version inside, and that comprehensive, straightforward training can make a world of difference.
Lynda.com was completely bootstrapped, from the little town of Ojai, California- by Weinman and Bruce Heavin. Their story was published by Benjamin F. Kuo of Socaltech.com . In an interview this is what the couple had to say when they were asked this question.
We imagine that growing from a small, bootstrapped business, you’ve learned a lot. What are the big takeaways?
Lynda Weinman: We really care about our product. We put our members first, and think in every decision we make–how can we make it a better product. We know our brand really rests on our reputation. And, we’ve protected that, and made a good judgement in knowing what to teach, how to teach it, to make our membership more valuable than its cost.
Bruce Heavin: We’ve stuck to our guns. There’s been a lot of venture money out there looking to grow the business, so that it looks good to sell. The thing is, if you think you are going to be more valuable to sell, you’ll also be more valuable to own.