Justin Ferriman didn’t got down to construct one of the crucial profitable CMS plugins of all time. Actually, he didn’t even take into account himself a developer.
However with a deep background in eLearning and a pointy eye for market alternatives, he turned a niche within the CMS ecosystem right into a multi-million-dollar enterprise.
LearnDash, the favored studying administration system (LMS) plugin for CMS, wasn’t born in a startup atmosphere. As an alternative, it got here from a resort room, a weblog with a signup kind, and a easy concept: “What if CMS might energy on-line programs?”
“I used to be extra scrappy and I knew the trade higher … I used to be an eLearning skilled, so I used to be in a position to communicate the language, be extra pointed in my advertising and marketing, after which additionally transfer somewhat bit faster… that was an enormous a part of why we did so nicely.”
Justin Ferriman – Founding father of LearnDash
On this interview, Justin shares how he went from running a blog about eLearning in his spare time to constructing a worldwide product utilized by course creators, universities, and Fortune 500 firms.
His story is a masterclass in market analysis, constant advertising and marketing, and paying shut consideration to your clients. Preserve studying to be taught all about it!
📣 That is our sequence, #MyWordPressStory, which brings you insights from a number of the most profitable leaders within the CMS trade.
When you’d prefer to be featured in our interview sequence – whether or not you’re a plugin developer, founder, or Visibility skilled – be happy to achieve out and tell us via our contact kind.
Video Interview with Justin Ferriman
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🙋 Meet Justin Ferriman: From eLearning Marketing consultant to CMS Founder
Earlier than founding LearnDash, Justin Ferriman didn’t work in tech, and he positively didn’t take into account himself a developer.
His profession started within the company eLearning world, the place he helped Fortune 500 firms and U.S. authorities companies construct on-line coaching packages.
He first began utilizing CMS in faculty to weblog about politics and faith.
Later, he tinkered with themes and plugins to construct easy web sites for relations.
Nevertheless it wasn’t till years later that these abilities and pursuits would come collectively in a significant means and assist him obtain his dream of leaving the company world.
💡 Early Days: A Company Marketing consultant Finds a Market Hole
As a result of his background in eLearning consulting, Justin had deep perception into how organizations take into consideration LMS instruments – and what they discover irritating.
In the future, after a consumer assembly, he began questioning if CMS may very well be used to construct a extra versatile LMS. He searched the plugin listing, however nothing got here up.
“I type of googled CMS LMS. I went to the plugin repo, there was nothing.”
Sensing a possibility, Justin began a weblog in 2012 to discover the thought of constructing an LMS on CMS.
The weblog was largely about developments in on-line training and tutorial design.
Throughout his free time, usually in resort rooms whereas touring for work, Justin lined eLearning matters that had been innovative on the time, like gamification.
And he added one essential element, a call-to-action on the high that mentioned: “Enter your e-mail to be notified when WP LMS releases.”
“I didn’t know if I used to be going to create it, however I simply put this up there, and I began getting folks signing up.”
Guests began subscribing to be taught extra a couple of piece of software program that didn’t even exist but.
First a couple of, then dozens, and finally over a thousand.
“After getting like 1,000 or 1,500 folks, I used to be like, that is one thing severe.”
At WPBeginner, we’ve seen many profitable founders begin this fashion: testing an concept via constant content material and constructing an viewers earlier than there’s even a product.
It’s one of many smartest methods to validate demand, since you’re rising in public.
So, for Justin, the suggestions was clear. Individuals wished what he was imagining. Now, he simply needed to construct the primary CMS LMS.
🚀 Betting on the Thought: A Midnight Launch and Early Momentum
Inspired by the response, Justin started outlining how the product ought to work. He wasn’t a developer, so he created detailed specs and employed an company to convey the imaginative and prescient to life.
In January 2013, LearnDash launched at midnight.
“I launched my product at like, midnight… I woke as much as 1000’s of {dollars}.”
Nonetheless, the early days weren’t all easy crusing.
Justin watched gross sales go down after the preliminary launch buzz. However then, on an strange weekday, issues shifted.
“In the future in March, I made $690 with no promotion. That’s after I knew – if I can do this with out giving it full-time consideration, think about what might occur if I did.”
4 months after launch, Justin left his company job to completely dedicate his time to rising LearnDash.
📈 Scaling Sensible: Letting Go and Leveling Up
At first, Justin dealt with every thing: advertising and marketing, assist, and technique. That hands-on method helped him deeply perceive his clients.
It additionally gave him direct perception into the ache factors that wanted fixing, each within the product and the messaging. “It created a connection between me and the shopper”, Justin advised us.
However over time, that degree of involvement grew to become a bottleneck. So Justin did what many solo founders wrestle with – he began to delegate.
“I inform folks now, rent faster than I did.”
Letting go of assist duties allowed him to deal with big-picture technique, like the discharge of LearnDash 3.0 in 2019.
With extra space to focus, he led considered one of LearnDash’s largest product updates: model 3.0. This launch was about greater than options. As an alternative, it mirrored a deeper understanding of how folks be taught on-line.
He launched “Focus Mode,” a clear, immersive expertise that put the learner entrance and heart. LearnDash additionally made it simpler for course creators to ship structured content material extra effectively.
“I wished to know what was working in on-line training – not simply what was stylish in CMS.”
The consequence? Quickly after, LearnDash 3.0 launched alongside an affordable value enhance, leading to a 22% income bounce.
🧠 Unfiltered Recommendation: What Each CMS Founder Ought to Know
For Justin Ferriman, the success of LearnDash wasn’t about excellent code. Actually, he freely admits the early variations had been tough beneath the hood.
However that didn’t matter. What did matter was clear messaging, consistency, and constructing belief with clients from day one.
“Code doesn’t matter 100%… the advertising and marketing did what it was presupposed to do.”
He didn’t have the technical abilities to construct the plugin himself, however he understood the issue higher than anybody. And he knew tips on how to talk the answer in a means that resonated with the consumer base.
“It’s simpler to be taught to market than it’s to code,” Justin defined.
Which will sound controversial, particularly to seasoned builders.
However for those who’re a non-technical entrepreneur with a robust concept and a deep understanding of your viewers, this ought to be empowering.
That mentioned, taking this method doesn’t imply your journey will likely be sooner or simpler.
Justin blogged for practically a yr earlier than he ever launched LearnDash. He wrote each line of gross sales copy himself. He personally answered emails from early customers.
And most significantly, he spoke their language – one thing no quantity of fresh code might change.
“The factor that can promote any individual just isn’t an AI dialog – it’s the human half.”
That human-first method wasn’t simply good – it helped LearnDash stand out in a rising crowd of LMS instruments.
Actually, the merchandise that stand out aren’t at all times those with probably the most options—they’re those constructed with readability, objective, and a human contact.
💥 Associated Article: In search of extra inspirational founder tales? Try our interview with Tobias Bäthge.
🚚 Promoting LearnDash: Classes Discovered and Understanding When to Depart
In 2021, Justin offered LearnDash to Liquid Net. The plugin was nonetheless rising, however behind the scenes, he felt a shift.
“My coronary heart was not in it… I dreaded doing the LearnDash factor.”
He realized that persevering with with out ardour wasn’t truthful to his staff or his clients.
So, he made the choice many founders wrestle with – he determined to go away.
Trying again, Justin credit that transfer to instinct and timing. He exited throughout the post-COVID eLearning spike, simply earlier than tech acquisitions started to decelerate.
“I exited at a good time… however extra importantly, I knew the corporate deserved contemporary vitality.”
After stepping away, Justin explored different concepts – together with a software program instrument known as Hole Scout. However he shut it down after realizing one thing was lacking: pleasure.
“It nonetheless will get signups day by day,” he shared, “however I didn’t actually care about AI or the software program. I wasn’t captivated with the issue.”
We then requested what he would do if he needed to do all of it once more, and what recommendation he would give to others. In response, he mentioned you must be sure that to decide on one thing you’re captivated with or deeply excited about.
For him, that was eLearning, and he nonetheless stays linked to the area at this time, via LinkedIn and trade analysis.
Aside from that, Justin additionally now works as a enterprise coach, sharing his priceless expertise with others. He’s additionally taken time to decelerate and luxuriate in life a bit extra.
“I’ve type of gotten into, like, simply mindfulness and issues like that… it’s straightforward to at all times be pondering forward as an entrepreneur. Nevertheless it’s essential to cease.”
He’s not finished constructing. However he’s extra selective now and centered on concepts that align together with his values, strengths, and sense of objective.
This can be a stage many founders attain. Strolling away isn’t a loss—it’s usually the place readability, creativity, and long-term affect actually start.
👉 Associated Article: Questioning about LearnDash rivals at this time? Try our listing of the perfect CMS LMS plugins.
💭 Closing Ideas: The Energy of Consistency and Imaginative and prescient
Justin Ferriman didn’t develop LearnDash by chasing developments or copying rivals.
He grew it by doing one thing that always will get neglected: he listened, he confirmed up persistently, and he solved an actual downside for a particular viewers he knew nicely.
Apart from selecting one thing you’re genuinely captivated with, considered one of Justin’s largest takeaways was the facility of an engaged viewers.
“When you construct an viewers, you’ll be able to construct something.”
He wasn’t probably the most technical founder. However he understood his market higher than anybody, and he constructed a product and model that mirrored that empathy.
And even after a profitable exit, Justin hasn’t stopped studying. He stays energetic within the eLearning area, sharing insights and observations about the place the trade must evolve.
As we speak, yow will discover him on LinkedIn, the place he repeatedly posts about on-line studying, product technique, and the realities of founder life.
When you’re constructing one thing in CMS – or simply determining your subsequent transfer – he’s a frontrunner value following.
📚 Bonus: CMS Sources for Aspiring Founders
Are you able to construct your first CMS enterprise? Listed below are some newbie’s guides and inspirational articles that will help you get began:
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