# Lynda.com: Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-09-06
- Length: 1h 14m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin

## Summary

Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin, co-founders of Lynda.com, recount their journey from teaching graphic design to building a $1.5 billion online learning platform. They discuss the pivot from a brick-and-mortar school in Ojai to a video subscription service, the challenges of bootstrapping versus taking venture capital, and the eventual acquisition by LinkedIn. The episode highlights their lack of business background, the cultural clash with investors, and the personal toll of scaling a company they built on passion rather than profit motives.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=0) Introduction: Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin
- [4:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=286) Lynda's Early Life and Failed Retail Business
- [14:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=847) Discovering the Mac and Teaching Graphics
- [21:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=1272) Meeting Bruce and Starting the Ojai School
- [34:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=2044) The 9/11 Crash and Pivot to Online Video
- [48:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=2908) Scaling Lynda.com and Hiring a CEO
- [56:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=3405) Taking Venture Capital and Losing Control
- [1:05:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-06-lynda-com-lynda-weinman-and-bruce-heavin#t=3948) Acquisition by LinkedIn and Aftermath

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Apple (company)
- Macintosh (product)
- Lynda.com (company)
- LinkedIn (company)
- Macromedia (company)
- Adobe (company)
- Dreamweaver (product)
- Flash (product)
- Photoshop (product)
- Illustrator (product)
- VHS (product)
- DVD (product)
- YouTube (company)
- Skillsoft (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
- [The Reluctant Entrepreneur: Mike Konrad's Journey Through Entrepreneurship, Networking and SMTA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-14-the-reluctant-entrepreneur-mike-konrads-journey-through-entrepreneurship-network) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [S7E18 Aaron Moncur | Building Pipeline, the Being An Engineer Podcast, and Engineering Communities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-24-s7e18-aaron-moncur-building-pipeline-the-being-an-engineer-podcast-and-engineeri) (Being an Engineer)
- [Hatch Duo: Industrial Design, Navigating AI, Branding, Hardware Innovation | Hard Tech Podcast #16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-03-20-hatch-duo-industrial-design-navigating-ai-branding-hardware-innovation-hard-tech) (Hard Tech Podcast)

## Citing this page

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