David Rogier | Democratizing Access to Genius with MasterClass
Oct 27, 2020
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David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass, talks about his childhood and early career, the current state of education, finding business ideas, how he started MasterClass, learnings after 7 years, and the future of education and online learning.
MasterClass aims to provide access to the best teachers in various fields, allowing people to learn from experts who are at the top of their craft.
David set the principle of choosing something he would be proud of, even if it failed, guiding his decision-making process.
David noticed existing online learning platforms fell short in engagement and quality, inspiring him to create a captivating learning experience.
MasterClass envisions itself as a school for lifelong learning, empowering individuals to take charge of their education.
Deep dives
Evolution of the Idea
After exploring various ideas, the concept of Masterclass began to take shape for David. He wanted to create a platform that would allow people to learn from the best in the world. Inspired by his grandmother's belief in the power of education, he envisioned an engaging online learning experience that would be accessible to anyone.
Constraints and Principles
David set the principle of choosing something he would be proud of, even if it failed. This constraint guided his decision-making process and helped him narrow down his ideas. He further explored his own needs, posted ads, and engaged in conversations with others to understand their educational needs and preferences. These inputs shaped the direction of his idea.
The Influential Story
A conversation with his grandmother became a pivotal moment for David. She shared a story of her own struggles and the importance of education. This deeply moved him and reaffirmed his commitment to creating something that couldn't be taken away from people. It sparked the idea of providing access to learning from the best in the world.
The Unique Approach
David noticed that existing online learning platforms fell short in terms of engagement and quality. He envisioned a platform that would deliver classes taught by renowned experts, making the learning experience as captivating as watching a film. This unique approach would make it possible for anyone to learn from the best.
Accessing the Best Teachers
MasterClass aims to provide access to the best teachers in various fields, allowing people to learn from experts who are at the top of their craft. By bringing together renowned individuals like Serena Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and James Patterson, MasterClass offers a unique learning experience. The platform focuses on creating engaging and high-quality content that goes beyond traditional classroom settings.
Validating Hypotheses and Testing Assumptions
Before launching MasterClass, the founder and his team focused on validating their core hypotheses and testing their assumptions. They conducted thorough research to determine if they could attract top talent to teach, if they could create exceptional content, and if people would be willing to pay for these classes. They ran test classes, gathered feedback, and iterated to improve the quality of their content. This validation process allowed them to mitigate risk and improve fundraising prospects.
The Future of Education and Lifelong Learning
MasterClass envisions itself not only as an educational platform but also as a school for lifelong learning. The founder believes that education should not stop after college and proposes a shift towards personalized and engaging learning experiences. He suggests reimagining education after school and developing rules of thumb for learning beyond traditional educational institutions. The goal is to empower individuals to take charge of their own education and explore topics they are passionate about, while also gaining insights from experts in specific fields.
David Rogier is the founder and CEO of MasterClass, an online education platform where users can learn pretty much anything from top experts in their fields, including Serena Williams, Martin Scorsese, Hans Zimmer, Wolfgang Puck, Bob Iger, and many more.
In this episode, we chat about everything David’s childhood and early career, his thoughts on the current state of education and what the future looks like, his approach to finding business ideas, how he ultimately got the idea for MasterClass, his biggest learnings and takeaways after 7 years of running the company, and much more.
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