Featured Customer: John Wynne
When COVID-19 accelerated the shift to digital learning, John was already one step ahead. With over a decade of experience in test preparation—and a family legacy in the education space—he launched his own test prep business in 2018, focused on helping students prepare for entrance exams, particularly for nursing school.
What began as a collection of printed study guides sold on Amazon quickly transformed into a high-performance test prep online learning platform, powered by LearnDash.
From Books to a Fully Digital Test Prep Platform
John had a clear roadmap: start with physical test prep books, expand into online courses, and eventually build a mobile experience. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it fast-tracked his vision for digital transformation.
“COVID coming along was a catalyst. Online education started becoming more widely adopted.”
As he searched for a learning management system (LMS), John needed a solution that could manage complex content—especially in subjects like math and science—and grow with his business.
“I had looked around for quite some time… and then came across LearnDash. It fit all of our criteria.”
Why LearnDash Was the Right Choice
John’s use case was more advanced than the average course creator. He needed a platform capable of delivering:
- Realistic, customizable practice tests that mimic real exams
- Seamless user experience across both web and mobile
- Support for complex formulas, multimedia, and adaptive content
“If you have any complexity or want to do more, LearnDash is great for that.”
Today, his online learning platform includes:
- Interactive content built with H5P
- Custom quizzes using import/export tools and LaTeX formatting
- Searchable video lessons for easier navigation and retention
- AI-powered chat assistant embedded directly in courses
- Mobile app integration via BuddyBoss
- SEO-optimized content previews to increase traffic and conversions
The Tech Stack Behind the Success
John’s system goes beyond standard LMS setups. He uses a carefully curated mix of LearnDash features and third-party integrations:
- Design Upgrade Pro for a polished, user-friendly interface
- Zapier + Klaviyo to automate emails and nurture leads
- SureCart to simplify eCommerce and recurring subscriptions
- BuddyBoss mobile app, giving learners an on-the-go experience
- Custom-built SEO tools, including flexible content sampling and transcribed videos
“We’ve definitely maxed it out for everything it can do.”
Creating a Mobile Learning Experience Students Expect
While LearnDash works seamlessly on mobile browsers, John realized his users expected a dedicated mobile app. Using BuddyBoss, he launched a custom app that supports rich media, complex math questions, and interactive quizzes.
“Customers love it. They love having a mobile app. It’s almost like a requirement in our space.”
Although mobile app revenue brings in around $3,000/month—compared to $40,000/month on the web—the app is a valuable differentiator in a competitive industry.
Converting Free Users into Paid Subscribers
John’s platform is optimized for lead generation and conversion. Here’s how his funnel works:
- Free practice tests act as lead magnets.
- Registrants are added to automated email flows using Klaviyo.
- Learners receive in-course support from a built-in AI chatbot.
- Performance-based feedback is being developed to personalize outreach.
“If someone scores 40% instead of 80%, we want to trigger a message like: ‘Hey, check out the video lessons.’”
Building Community and Driving Retention
To keep learners engaged and reduce churn, John blends automation with community:
- Weekly live study sessions hosted on TikTok
- A 33,000+ member Facebook group for real-time Q&A
- Ongoing plans to improve onboarding and add gamification
“People cancel and say ‘I’m not using it,’ so we’re looking at ways to improve engagement early on.”
Driving Organic Growth with SEO
One of the most impactful improvements John made was developing a flexible sampling system. This lets visitors—and search engines—preview course content before purchasing, similar to reading a portion of a paywalled article.
Combined with video transcriptions, the result was a dramatic SEO increase.
“A month or two later, we just skyrocketed in the search results. Anybody with a closed course should be doing that.”
A Scalable Model for Modern Learning
John’s journey demonstrates what’s possible with the right platform, the right vision, and the right tools. By combining instructional design best practices with LearnDash’s advanced capabilities, he’s built a test prep learning platform that delivers real results—and stands out in a crowded market.
“I think what we’ve done is more than probably 98% of what people do with LearnDash.”
We couldn’t agree more.
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