Online learning platforms have significantly transformed the way we acquire knowledge, pursue hobbies, and enhance our careers.
Among these, Masterclass, Augment, and Ivy stand out for their unique offerings and specialized content. Each platform caters to different audiences, ranging from individuals seeking to learn from celebrities in various fields, to those looking to dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship or business leadership. Each platform has their own the benefits and distinctions, providing insights tailored to their learning needs.
Masterclass is renowned for its broad array of courses across multiple categories, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Community and Government, Design & Style, Food, Home & Lifestyle, Music, Science & Tech, Sports & Gaming, Wellness, and Writing. With subcategories ranging from three to seven, Masterclass offers an unparalleled depth in each area. The platform distinguishes itself by featuring lessons taught by well-renowned experts and celebrities in their respective fields, ensuring high-quality and inspirational content. Courses on Masterclass average between 4-6 hours of video content, supplemented by mini-lessons for those short on time. Masterclass provides three payment plans: Standard, Plus, and Premium, priced at $7.80, $20.00, and $27.00 CAD per month, respectively, catering to different usage needs and device accessibility. For businesses, Masterclass offers a corporate subscription option, allowing companies to provide their employees with access to its expansive library at a discounted rate.
Augment positions itself as “The MBA for Entrepreneurs,” offering a focused curriculum on business principles. Unlike Masterclass’s diverse categories, Augment zeroes in on entrepreneurship, with courses taught by founders of globally successful companies such as Waze, Shazam, Lime, and YouTube. The platform’s 40-hour course is designed to serve as an alternative to traditional business grad-school programs, making it ideal for current or aspiring entrepreneurs. Priced at a flat rate of $1750.00 USD, it includes a certificate of completion and allows learners to progress at their own pace.
Ivy, similar to Augment, is a business-focused learning platform but sets itself apart with its subscription model. Ivy offers a unique “Rising Leaders” subscription for free, granting access to its entire library, daily motivational introductions, and transformative coaching sessions. Its most popular plan, “Business Leaders,” costs $80.00 USD per month and includes additional benefits such as unlimited access to over 500 experts, a monthly CEO’s journal, and a personal learning concierge. For teams and enterprises, Ivy provides a bespoke subscription option that includes in-person experiences, highlighting its commitment to comprehensive and immersive learning experiences.
CEO Beri Meric describes Ivy as “a community that is designed to enable all of its participants to truly bring the best out of others.” After eleven years, the company’s global reach continues to rapidly grow, bridging together an ever-widening spectrum of professionals.
For Meric, creating Ivy was the natural culmination of overcoming various life challenges.
Born in Turkey to a family of entrepreneurs, by age 11 they moved to Scotland, and opened a corporate branch there. “I went to being a very well-adjusted kid in Turkey to being in a country where I didn’t speak the language. I was the only foreigner in my school,” he told Swagger. “It made me very uncomfortable on the one hand. On the other hand, it was the crucible experience that made me what I am.”
It spurred his obsession to learn “what it takes to adapt to any situation, and how people can connect with each other, no matter how different they might be,” he said. “Learning and connection became a core thing for me.”
“I was fully transformed into a person for whom nothing is weird anymore.”
He moved to the US to attend Brown University in Rhode Island, and later, worked at financial services company Morgan Stanley, in London. It was there he acquired a maxim for success: “if you go above and beyond and pay attention to detail, you will succeed.” Afterward he’d return to the US to study at Harvard Business School.
“That American educational environment gave me the idea for Ivy. I loved my experience. The way I saw it, it is an experience where every day you are learning from the leading minds. You are constantly dreaming about the future, and how you want to chart the course of your life. All day long, you are surrounded by peers, and it is unbelievably fun and inspiring,” he said.
The concern was, that learning ends when the course work ends. “I never understood why that is. Stakes get a lot higher as you get older. You are leading organizations, leading families, you have much bigger roles, and you no longer have this cohesive environment where you are constantly learning and growing with other people.”
Thus, the idea for Ivy developed as “a lifelong university” where participants “learn from the leading minds, alongside people who want to be the best version of themselves, and bring the best out of others, and deeply connect with each other to take transformative action together.”
Covid moved the model online for two years, while they were already serving more than 10,000 business leaders across 100 different countries, from small start ups to large companies. Among the hundreds of guest speakers, they’ve included actors Matt Damon, Steve Martin, and Matthew McConaughey.
Most speakers, and many attendees, have come from the highest echelons of their field, and he’s noted a consistent theme on what are top achievers’ leadership qualities. “Leadership is something not reserved for people with the official title. It’s probably one of the most sacred roles, but the misconception is that a leader is like the Prime Minister or CEO or the VP,” he explained.
“It’s when you leave things better than you found it, intentionally bringing the best out of others. When you uplift everyone, even in your absence, because of the structure you created, people flourish. That, I think, is the essence of leadership.”
Whether lay leader, professional or corporate leader, or simply a member who endeavours to strive for the top, Meric has over the past decade taken note of some of the most successful keys to networking.
“There’s always something you can relate to, something that you can learn from any person in any industry,” and secondly, find out how to help the person you’re meeting.
“It’s not some charitable, philanthropic, do-good thing. It’s actually, I think a law of the universe. If you can deliver for other people, you’ll deliver for yourself. It feels great, and it’s good. Instead of trying to figure out how to win and get more, it’s about figuring out how to get that person to win, and then good things will happen,” he said.
“What I really believe is that at the smallest level, like the butterfly effect – the smallest smile you give someone that lifts their spirits, and creates a chain reaction, can change the world.”
In summary, while Masterclass excels in providing a wide range of courses across various fields with celebrity instructors, Augment offers a concentrated curriculum aimed at entrepreneurs with lessons from successful business founders. Ivy, on the other hand, caters to individuals and businesses seeking in-depth business knowledge and leadership skills, with a flexible subscription model that even includes a free option. Each platform has its unique strengths, making them suitable for different types of learners.
Whether you’re looking to explore a new hobby, dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship, or develop your business leadership skills, there’s an online learning platform tailored to your needs.
