CreativeLive let people watch classes for free; here's how it built an estimated $100 million business

Chase Jarvis and Craig Swanson had started CreativeLive in 2010. To let people learn creative skills from experienced instructors without having to attend classes in person. So the company first began with live online lessons and later built a business around selling recordings of those classes.

By February 2025 CreativeLive was estimated to be generating $100 million in annual revenue, as per a Starter Story report. As per the publication, its monthly revenue was at $8.33 million. Although the figures were estimates based on the report rather than verified financial results.

Getting the business off the ground required investment in producing classes. CreativeLive reportedly initially spent between $30000 and $40000 on individual productions. That amount refers to the cost of producing events not necessarily the total money invested to start the company.

How Chase Jarvis and Craig Swanson Started CreativeLive

CreativeLive launched in 2010 bringing together Jarvis, a photographer and entrepreneur. And Swanson, who had experience in information technology and digital education.

The idea was to make creative instruction available to people online, instead of requiring students to travel to workshops, the platform let them watch lessons as they happened.

Producing those classes was not cheap. The early events included expenses like renting spaces, buying production equipment including robotic cameras. The company later invested in its own studio infrastructure as it developed the business.

CreativeLive Turned Free Classes Into a Source of Revenue

CreativeLive initially let people watch live classes for free. Then charged for recordings that viewers could purchase afterward. So this gave people chance to experience the lessons before deciding whether to pay for continued access.

One early course helped demonstrate the potential of that approach. A 10 week Photoshop class generated $35000 in recording sales after the lessons had aired, as per Starter Story's interview with Swanson.

The model allowed CreativeLive to earn money from classes even after the live broadcasts ended. Also giving students the option to revisit the material later.

Instructor Partnerships Helped CreativeLive Reach More Learners

CreativeLive worked with established instructors. Particularly in photography to attract people interested in improving their creative skills.

The company used search engine optimization and also social media to help potential students discover its courses. Live classes gave viewers a way to participate in lessons as they happened and recordings offered a more flexible way to learn.

These approaches helped CreativeLive build its online audience, according to Starter Story's account of the business.

CreativeLive's Revenue Reached an Estimated $100 Million a Year

In a breakdown published on February 22, 2025, Starter Story estimated CreativeLive's monthly revenue at $8.33 million. Annualized, that works out to approximately $100 million.

The business is reportedly profitable but its figures were estimates, so should not be treated as audited financial results or confirmation of the company's actual revenue for the full 2025 calendar year.