Justin Ferriman didn’t originally plan to create one of the most successful WordPress plugins ever. He didn’t even think of himself as a developer.
However, with extensive experience in eLearning and a keen sense for market trends, he transformed a void in the WordPress environment into a multi-million dollar enterprise.
LearnDash, the popular learning management system (LMS) plugin for WordPress, wasn’t born in a startup environment. Instead, it came from a hotel room, a blog with a signup form, and a simple idea: “What if WordPress could power online courses?”
“I was more resourceful and had deeper industry knowledge… As an eLearning specialist, I could communicate effectively, focus my marketing efforts, and adapt more quickly… that significantly contributed to our success.”
Justin Ferriman – Founder of LearnDash
In this interview, Justin shares how he went from blogging about eLearning in his spare time to building a global product used by course creators, universities, and Fortune 500 companies.
His narrative is a perfect example of effective market research, consistent marketing strategies, and attentive customer service. Continue reading to discover more!
📣 This is our series, #MyWordPressStory, offering insights from prominent figures in the WordPress community.
If you’d like to be featured in our interview series – whether you’re a plugin developer, founder, or SEO expert – feel free to reach out and let us know through our contact form.
Alternatively, explore these links for further reading:
- 🙋 Meet Justin Ferriman: From eLearning Consultant to WordPress Founder
- 💡 Genesis: A Corporate Consultant Identifies an Unmet Need
- 🚀 Investing in an Idea: A Late-Night Release and Initial Success
- 📈 Scaling Intelligently: Delegating Tasks and Improving Performance
- 🧠 Candid Guidance: Essential Knowledge for Every WordPress Creator
- 🚚 Selling LearnDash: Key Takeaways and Recognizing the Right Time to Exit
- 💭 Concluding Remarks: The Significance of Persistence and Strategic Thinking
- 📚 Additional Material: WordPress Resources Tailored for Future Founders
🙋 Meet Justin Ferriman: From eLearning Consultant to WordPress Founder
Prior to establishing LearnDash, Justin Ferriman’s experience was outside the tech sector, and he certainly didn’t view himself as a programmer.
His professional life began in corporate eLearning, where he assisted large corporations and federal entities in developing online learning initiatives.
He initially engaged with WordPress during his college years, utilizing it to publish his thoughts on political and religious topics.
Subsequently, he experimented with themes and plugins to create basic websites for relatives.
However, it took several years for those abilities and passions to coalesce meaningfully and aid him in realizing his aspiration of transitioning out of the corporate environment.
💡 Early Days: A Corporate Consultant Finds a Market Gap
Justin’s background in eLearning consultancy gave him a thorough understanding of how organizations perceive LMS platforms and their pain points.
Following a client meeting, he considered whether WordPress could facilitate a more adaptable LMS. He checked the plugin directory, but his search yielded no results.
Justin recalls initially searching for a WordPress LMS solution but finding nothing available in the plugin repository.
The founder’s name is Justin Ferriman.
In 2012, recognizing a potential market, Justin Ferriman launched a blog to delve into the concept of developing a Learning Management System (LMS) on WordPress.
The blog primarily focused on emerging trends within online education and instructional design principles.
While traveling for work, Justin dedicated his spare moments, often in hotel rooms, to writing about innovative eLearning topics such as gamification.
Crucially, he included a prominent call-to-action at the beginning of the site, stating:“Enter your email to be notified when WP LMS releases.”
“I didn’t know if I was going to create it, but I just put this up there, and I started getting people signing up.”
The person referenced in this section is Justin Ferriman.
Potential users began subscribing to receive updates about a software product that was still in the conceptual stage.
Initially, there were a handful of sign-ups, then dozens, and eventually the subscriber count exceeded one thousand.
“After getting like 1,000 or 1,500 people, I was like, this is something serious.”
The individual mentioned is Justin Ferriman.
The team at CanadaCreate has observed numerous founders successfully employing this method: consistently creating content to evaluate an idea and cultivate an audience before the product’s creation.
Public growth is a reliable way to confirm demand.
The positive feedback Justin received confirmed the demand for his concept. His next step was to develop the initial WordPress LMS.
🚀 Idea Confirmation: A Midnight Launch and Early Success
Encouraged by the response, Justin began outlining how the product should work. He wasn’t a developer, so he created detailed specs and hired an agency to bring the vision to life.
In January 2013, LearnDash launched at midnight.
“I launched my product at like, midnight… I woke up to thousands of dollars.”
Justin Ferriman
Still, the early days weren’t all smooth sailing.
Justin watched sales go down after the initial launch buzz. But then, on an ordinary weekday, things shifted.
“One day in March, I made $690 with no promotion. That’s when I knew – if I can do that without giving it full-time attention, imagine what could happen if I did.”
Justin Ferriman
Four months after launch, Justin left his corporate job to fully dedicate his time to growing LearnDash.
📈 Scaling Smart: Letting Go and Leveling Up
At first, Justin handled everything: marketing, support, and strategy. That hands-on approach helped him deeply understand his customers.
It also gave him direct insight into the pain points that needed fixing, both in the product and the messaging. “It created a connection between me and the customer”, Justin told us.
But over time, that level of involvement became a bottleneck. So Justin did what many solo founders struggle with – he started to delegate.
“I tell people now, hire quicker than I did.”
Justin Ferriman
Letting go of support tasks allowed him to focus on big-picture strategy, like the release of LearnDash 3.0 in 2019.
With more space to focus, he led one of LearnDash’s biggest product updates: version 3.0. This release was about more than features. Instead, it reflected a deeper understanding of how people learn online.
He introduced “Focus Mode,” a clean, immersive experience that put the learner front and center. LearnDash also made it easier for course creators to deliver structured content more efficiently.
“I wanted to know what was working in online education – not just what was trendy in WordPress.”
Justin Ferriman
The result? Soon after, LearnDash 3.0 launched alongside a reasonable price increase, resulting in a 22% revenue jump.
🧠 Unfiltered Advice: What Every WordPress Founder Should Know
For Justin Ferriman, the success of LearnDash wasn’t about perfect code. In fact, he freely admits the early versions were rough under the hood.
But that didn’t matter. What did matter was clear messaging, consistency, and building trust with customers from day one.
“Code doesn’t matter 100%… the marketing did what it was supposed to do.”
Justin Ferriman
He didn’t have the technical skills to build the plugin himself, but he understood the problem better than anyone. And he knew how to communicate the solution in a way that resonated with the user base.
“It’s easier to learn to market than it is to code,” Justin explained.
That may sound controversial, especially to seasoned developers.
But if you’re a non-technical entrepreneur with a strong idea and a deep understanding of your audience, this should be empowering.
That said, taking this approach doesn’t mean your journey will be faster or easier.
Justin blogged for nearly a year before he ever launched LearnDash. He wrote every line of sales copy himself. He personally answered emails from early users.
And most importantly, he spoke their language – something no amount of clean code could replace.
“The thing that will sell somebody is not an AI conversation – it’s the human part.”
Justin Ferriman
That human-first approach wasn’t just smart – it helped LearnDash stand out in a growing crowd of LMS tools.
In fact, the products that stand out aren’t always the ones with the most features—they’re the ones built with clarity, purpose, and a human touch.
💥 Related Post: Looking for more inspirational founder stories? Check out our interview with Tobias Bäthge.
🚚 Selling LearnDash: Lessons Learned and Knowing When to Leave
In 2021, Justin sold LearnDash to Liquid Web. The plugin was still growing, but behind the scenes, he felt a shift.
“My heart was not in it… I dreaded doing the LearnDash thing.”
Justin Ferriman
He realized that continuing without passion wasn’t fair to his team or his customers.
So, he made the decision many founders struggle with – he decided to leave.
Looking back, Justin credits that move to intuition and timing. He exited during the post-COVID eLearning spike, just before tech acquisitions began to slow down.
“I exited at a great time… but more importantly, I knew the company deserved fresh energy.”
Justin Ferriman
After leaving LearnDash, Justin pursued other ventures, including Gap Scout, a software solution. However, he discontinued it when he realized his enthusiasm was lacking.
He mentioned that Gap Scout still attracts daily registrations, yet his passion lay elsewhere, disconnected from AI or the software itself. He wasn’t invested in solving that particular problem.
When questioned about his approach if starting over and the advice he’d offer, he emphasized selecting a field aligned with your passions or deep interests.
For Justin, this was eLearning. He remains connected to this field via LinkedIn and continuous industry research.
In addition to his eLearning interests, Justin is now a business coach, sharing his extensive knowledge. He has also made time for relaxation and enjoyment.
He mentioned delving into mindfulness practices, noting the entrepreneurial tendency to constantly plan ahead, while emphasizing the importance of pausing.
Justin Ferriman
He continues to explore new ventures, now prioritizing ideas that resonate with his core values, talents, and purpose.
Many founders eventually reach this point. Stepping back isn’t a failure; it’s often the catalyst for clarity, innovation, and lasting influence.
👉 Related Post: Wondering about LearnDash competitors today? Check out our list of the best WordPress LMS plugins.
💭 Final Thoughts: The Power of Consistency and Vision
Justin Ferriman’s success with LearnDash stemmed from consistent effort and a clear vision, rather than following trends or imitating others.
Justin Ferriman achieved growth by focusing on often-overlooked aspects: attentive listening, consistent presence, and addressing a genuine need for a well-understood, specific audience.
Beyond pursuing a passion, Justin emphasizes the significant impact of an engaged audience.
“If you build an audience, you can build anything.”
Justin Ferriman
While not the most technically skilled founder, his deep understanding of the market enabled him to develop a product and brand reflecting that insight.
Even after a successful exit, Justin continues to learn, actively participating in the eLearning sector, providing insights on industry evolution.
Today, you can find him on LinkedIn, where he regularly posts about online learning, product strategy, and the realities of founder life.
If you’re developing something within WordPress, or simply strategizing your next career step, he is a valuable leader to follow.
📚 Bonus: WordPress Resources for Aspiring Founders
Are you prepared to establish your initial WordPress business? Consider these beginner guides and inspirational articles to aid your launch:
- How to Learn WordPress for Free (Step by Step)
- Best WordPress Developer Job Sites (+ Example Job Template)
- WordPress Career Options – How to Make a Living With WordPress
- How Ben Rojas Rose From a Developer to the President of AIOSEO
- Blogger Turned WordPress VIP Partner: How WordPress Continues to Inspire Rahul Bansal
- From Freelancer to Founder: Ionut Neagu’s Journey to Building a Successful WordPress Business
- Nicolas Lecocq of OceanWP demonstrates methods for using AI to create six new WordPress products.
- Robert Abela’s story details how he developed security plugins that are now relied upon by a large user base.
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