In 2012, Isaac Tolpin and Chris Behnke set out to provide a positive disruption in education technology. The following year, they gathered a team highly skilled in graphic design and video production, launched Choose Growth and became pioneers in e-Learning. Originally centered in Portland’s Pearl District, the digital media company outgrew its space and moved east to Bend to join in Central Oregon’s exceptional lifestyle and burgeoning technology scene.
“The move here has been fantastic, says CEO Tolpin. “Everyone involved has been very receptive. There is incredible local talent. But, that’s not why we are here.”
Choose Growth completed the move in early April and settled on their SW Bonnett Way location above the Old Mill District. They insist the move was solely based upon personal preferences, as their internet-based business could provide interactive learning experiences from anywhere.
“We have a great space in a welcoming community,” reiterates Tolpin. “And, once you get clients here the first time, they want to come back.”
Over the course of the last decade, the e-Learning movement has gained traction in quantity and legitimacy in quality. However, as with any content-driven technology, the problem of an overabundance of information has lead to a desire to navigate to pertinent material.
“People care about information in the way that it is relevant to themselves,” explains COO Behnke. “There is a lack of safety on the internet. They want to trust the experts.”
“High quality e-Learning is tough to find,” reiterates Tolpin. “It’s a curated world, as people are more purposeful than ever in seeking out information from resources they trust.”
An understanding that society is shifting from the elitism of traditional higher education has helped shaped Choose Growth’s business model. They are attempting to satisfy people’s need to learn at their own pace by creating online interactive learning courses that address specific needs.
“We are creating e-learning that is easy to consume and retain, at a fraction of the price,” says Tolpin.
Choose Growth works with their clients, or partners, by bringing the experts’ in-demand information to targeted audiences through mixed media e-learning. They develop multiple approaches including interactive videos, quizzes, information graphics, gamification and downloadable materials built into their client’s brands.
Their business model is centered around partnering with their clients to create a productive community. The partnership allows the experts to have their own platform, keep their brand, and participate in strategic marketing. Meanwhile, Choose Growth creates a community and positive disruption in e-Learning. Choose Growth designs a complete experience for the experts, including multimedia, accountability, gamification and an online social community.
“We are all about our client’s platform,” says Tolpin. “We are the implementation company that turns their brilliance into interactive and engaging experiences. It is the new kind of e-learning that works.”
“It’s about trust,” adds Behnke. “It has to work for both of us. The partnerships ensure we are together for the long run.”
By bringing their partners, who span all industries, to Bend for the video production work, Tolpin and Behnke get to show off what Central Oregon has to offer while helping to build our economy. This allows them to reach one of their goals of becoming a significant asset to their community.
Their approach is working. They have seen a 335 percent growth in clients over the last year, bringing the number to almost fifty. Upon arriving in Bend, Choose Growth had sixteen employees. That number has almost doubled in seven months. The Choose Growth team is centered around a collaborative effort of maintaining consistency in their product. Employees get ownership after six months, which makes them want to be involved in the expansion of the company.
“We are very proud of our employee talent,” says Tolpin. “We are finding that many people in Bend left their lives to move here for the lifestyle, which has helped us build a company of strong, purposeful, and happy people. They are loyal and committed to our culture.”
Choose Growth is using cloud-based distribution methods as a means for powerful co-branding and affiliate marketing. The content produced appears on the client’s website and the Choose Growth website allowing a wider audience reach. They are able to build a trust with their strong audience base by ensuring the high level of quality in all their videos.
New to Choose Growth’s interactive learning arsenal is their strategic partnership with ConveYour. Through their website, www.conveyour.com, ConveYour creates mobile engagement experiences by turning content into games. This allows Choose Growth to offer another learning tool to their client’s audience. ConveYour also collects contact information from its users to grow the overall community.
Choose Growth has lofty goals for the future. As they build their foundation, they have set a course for becoming a powerful media company with a focus of education technology. By early next year, they will offer live stream content to pair with their previously produced e-learning courses.
By the end of 2015, they aspire to be a company with 50 employees, 135 partners, and revenues of $4.6 million. Over the course of the next couple of years, they hope to have over 500 partners and well over 100 employees.
“Every decision has been based on honoring the independent thought leader, buildingonline learning experiences people love to consume, and having an indelible impact on the world,” explains Tolpin.
Choose Growth continues to actively hire as the business grows.
Choose Growth
Location: 705 SW Bonnett Way, suite 1100
Bend, Oregon 97702
Website: www.choosegrowth.com
CEO: Isaac Tolpin
COO: Chris Behnke
Employees: 31
Year established: 2013
Product/services: creates platforms for experts centered around e- Learning. Hot News: Recently hired their 30th employee and nearing their 50th client. Outlook for Growth: Projecting to reach 135 clients and a revenue of $4.6 million by the end of next year.
