CreativeLive

How CreativeLive Grew to Over $100 Million in Revenue

February 22nd, 2025

Founded By

Chase Jarvis

Monthly Revenue

$1.17M

Founders

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2010

Founded By
Chase Jarvis: Monthly Revenue
$1.17M

Founders
2: Profitable
Yes

Year Started
2010

Who is Chase Jarvis?

Chase Jarvis, co-founder of CreativeLive, is an accomplished photographer and entrepreneur from Seattle, who initially pursued a career in medicine before dedicating himself to photography and founding multiple creative ventures. He is known for his work with brands like Apple and Nike and has been a key figure in the world of online creative education.

What problem does CreativeLive solve?

CreativeLive solves the problem of inaccessible high-quality creative education by offering on-demand classes from world-class experts, allowing aspiring creatives to learn new skills conveniently from home.

How did Chase come up with the idea for CreativeLive?

Chase Jarvis, an established photographer and creative visionary, felt that traditional education systems didn't cater to people like him—creatives who thrive outside the conventional classroom setting. His experiences working with top brands and being deeply embedded in creative communities led him to notice a gap in accessible, high-quality learning resources for creatives. Inspired by his desire to democratize education and empower creatives globally, he envisioned an online platform where anyone could learn directly from industry leaders in real-time.

Before diving in, Chase teamed up with Craig Swanson, who shared a similar vision based on his own efforts with digital education through his IT company. Together, they validated their concept by testing small creative workshops online, which received an overwhelming positive response. Realizing they were on to something, they dug deeper, engaging in more research and seeking feedback from potential users to refine their approach.

They faced initial challenges in balancing high production values with scalability, but their complementary skills—Chase's eye for quality and Craig's knack for systems and technology—helped them craft a platform that could support large-scale, interactive, and participatory classes. The key to overcoming these challenges was their relentless willingness to iterate based on user feedback, ensuring the platform truly met the needs of their creative audience. Through this process, Chase learned the importance of staying true to the mission while being open to pivoting strategically based on what the market demanded.

How did Chase Jarvis build the initial version of CreativeLive?

Chase Jarvis and Craig Swanson took a unique approach to building CreativeLive, leveraging their blended expertise in technology and creativity. Initially, CreativeLive was incubated in Swanson's IT company where they experimented with online education platforms, often using early versions of Zoom to broadcast live to audiences. They recognized the need for a more engaging teaching experience, leading them to create a setup that combined live audiences with simultaneous global streaming. This setup included robotic cameras and other advanced technologies to ensure high production quality, which was critical to the platform's success.

The team worked intensely to construct their platform, initially using leased spaces and investing up to $30,000 to $40,000 per production, although this later reduced as they invested in their own studio infrastructure. This early phase was fraught with challenges, especially as they aimed to deliver a live-streaming experience that was both visually appealing and technically reliable in an era before widespread live streaming. Despite these hurdles, their commitment to maintaining aesthetic and technical excellence helped CreativeLive quickly gain traction and credibility among creatives worldwide.

What were the initial startup costs for CreativeLive?

Funding: CreativeLive raised over $76 million in funding to date from investors including Richard Branson, Jared Leto, and Greylock Partners.
Production Costs: CreativeLive initially invested $30,000 to $40,000 to produce each event, which included costs like offsite leasing of spaces, according to Craig Swanson's interview.
Early Revenue: During a 10-week free Photoshop course, the company generated $35,000 in revenue through sales of class copies post-broadcast, as mentioned by Craig Swanson.

What was the growth strategy for CreativeLive and how did they scale?

Instructor Partnerships

CreativeLive initially leveraged partnerships with established instructors in photography to quickly build credibility and attract an audience. Chase Jarvis, one of the co-founders, recruited top-tier photography educators who brought their own audiences to the platform. This strategy ensured that CreativeLive's courses were associated with well-known names, providing instant validation and creating a buzz around the new educational platform.

Why it worked: Collaborating with well-known instructors helped CreativeLive tap into their existing follower base, allowing the platform to grow rapidly with minimal upfront customer acquisition costs. The credibility and expertise of these instructors also made the platform attractive to new learners, eager to learn from industry leaders.

Live Classes

Initially, CreativeLive focused on delivering live-streaming educational classes. These classes were free to watch live, creating urgency and a large influx of viewers who would then share the platform with others. The live format created an engaging experience that was more akin to attending an in-person workshop, distinguishing CreativeLive from other online learning platforms at the time.

Why it worked: Live classes fostered a sense of community and excitement, increasing viewer engagement and word-of-mouth promotion. The option to purchase recorded classes provided an additional revenue stream, capturing the long-tail of users who missed the live sessions or wanted to revisit the content.

CreativeLive effectively utilized SEO and social media to extend its reach. They focused on topics and keywords that were popular within their target community, ensuring that their content was discoverable by those seeking creative education online. Through engaging content and strategic SEO practices, they attracted a substantial online audience.

Why it worked: SEO allowed CreativeLive to reach users who were searching for specific educational content, driving organic traffic to their site. Social media engagement, coupled with high-quality visuals and testimonials, helped build brand awareness and authority within creative communities.

User-Generated Promotion

CreativeLive encouraged its community to participate in promoting the platform by incentivizing video submissions for live audience spots and sharing experiences on social media. This not only increased organic reach but also built a sense of belonging among members who were selected to be part of live sessions.

Why it worked: Turning students into active promoters amplified CreativeLive's reach and credibility. User-generated content, especially on social media, served as authentic endorsements, compelling new users to check out the platform due to its perceived value and community engagement.

What's the pricing strategy for CreativeLive?

CreativeLive offers a subscription model starting at $13 per month, with annual plans at $149, giving access to thousands of classes, while also providing select classes for free when streamed live.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building CreativeLive?

Embrace Resilience and Adaptability: CreativeLive faced challenges in scaling operations but managed to operationalize effectively by relying on mastery and surrounding themselves with a capable team. This underscores the importance of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship.
Focus on Community Engagement: Building a community was key to CreativeLive's success. They engaged with the community by hosting live events and involving participants, which fostered loyalty and organic growth. Aspiring founders should prioritize community building to create a sustainable customer base.
Leverage Strategic Partnerships: CreativeLive leveraged strategic partnerships, bringing in well-known instructors to attract their audiences to the platform. Founders should consider partnerships to amplify reach and credibility.
Balance Creativity with Business Needs: CreativeLive initially focused on creativity and aesthetics but recognized the need to balance this with operational efficiency and market demand. Founders should strive for a balance between their creative vision and business practicality to achieve long-term success.

CreativeLive Acquisition: How much did CreativeLive sell for and what was the acquisition price?

In October 2021, CreativeLive was acquired by Fiverr, a leading freelancing platform, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition allowed Fiverr to expand its reach into the online learning space and complemented its existing suite of freelancer services.

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