The 7 Types of Businesses that Make the Most Money from eLearning

When most people think about eLearning, they picture online courses, digital classrooms, or corporate training videos. But in reality, eLearning is far more than that—it’s one of the most profitable, scalable, and impactful tools available to any business today. I’ve spent years working with organizations ranging from startups to S&P 500 companies, helping them transform training into a powerful source of savings and revenue. Along the way, I’ve discovered seven specific types of businesses that consistently see the highest return on investment from eLearning.

These aren’t theories. They’re real-world examples pulled from my work with companies like CoStar Group, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and dozens of entrepreneurial ventures that have saved six figures or more annually while scaling globally. In this post (and in the YouTube video linked here and podcast episode linked here), I’ll walk you through each business type and how eLearning helps them not only make more money but also deliver deeper impact.

1. Mission-Driven Businesses: Expanding Global Impact

If your business is rooted in a mission—saving lives, spreading hope, or creating opportunities—eLearning is one of the most effective ways to multiply your reach. When I founded eLearning Partners, our mission was to help mission-driven organizations use learning to change the world. Our vision is to empower 100 million people through learning. There’s no way we could come close to that number without eLearning.

Take one of my VIP coaching clients, Mario from Australia, for example. He created the Support Over Suicide (SOS) program with the ambitious goal of cutting the global suicide rate in half by 2028. Through eLearning, Mario is able to extend his program beyond Australia, reaching individuals and communities across the world. eLearning doesn’t just deliver lessons—it delivers transformation at scale. For mission-driven organizations, that’s priceless.

2. Software Companies: Creating a Self-Sustaining Growth Engine

If you run a software company, you know one of your biggest challenges isn’t selling your product—it’s getting people to use it effectively. Adoption is everything. That’s where eLearning comes in.

I’ve worked with CoStar Group, a leading software and data analytics company in the commercial real estate industry. We helped them design multiple certification programs and user training systems that allow clients, students, and industry professionals to master their software quickly. When users know how to use a product, they stick around longer, buy more, and become advocates for it.

For software businesses, an eLearning program can do more than train customers—it can create an entirely new revenue stream through certifications. When someone earns a “Certified CoStar Professional” badge or a Salesforce certification, they’re not just learning; they’re helping promote the platform. The combination of software plus certification creates a self-sustaining growth engine.

3. Medical Organizations: Educating to Save Lives

Few industries benefit more from eLearning than healthcare. I’ve had the privilege of working with both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to create global microlearning programs focused on critical health communication.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the world needed accurate information fast. Together with these organizations, my team created eLearning modules that reached millions of people in multiple languages on YouTube, the world’s largest learning platform. These weren’t programs designed for profit—they were designed to save lives.

However, not all medical organizations are nonprofits. Some, like Kazmira, are pioneering new pharmaceutical-grade CBD products that need to educate both doctors and patients about the science behind their innovations. eLearning helps bridge the knowledge gap between cutting-edge medical technology and the consumers who benefit from it. When people understand value, they invest in it—and that drives revenue and trust.

4. Certification Organizations: Scaling Knowledge and Revenue

If your business revolves around providing certifications, eLearning isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Certification programs thrive on accessibility, and online delivery makes that possible at a global scale.

One of my long-term clients, GeoTol, offers certifications in geometric tolerancing for manufacturing professionals. Their training serves top companies like Tesla and Facebook. With eLearning, they can train thousands of professionals worldwide without increasing delivery costs. The math is simple: if you sell a $300 certification to 100 people, that’s $30,000. Sell it to 1,000 people online, and you’ve just created a six-figure revenue stream without additional overhead.

The real magic happens when certification organizations adopt a B2B approach. Instead of selling individual seats, they sell to entire companies. A single sale can jump from $300 to $30,000 or even $60,000. That’s how you turn knowledge into a scalable, recurring revenue source.

5. Coaching and Consulting Businesses: Scaling Expertise

Coaches and consultants live on the value of their expertise, but that value often depends on their time. eLearning breaks that limitation. By transforming knowledge into an online course or hybrid program, coaches can serve hundreds—or even thousands—without sacrificing personalization.

At eLearning Partners, my company operates as both a coaching and consulting business. We partner with organizations to optimize their eLearning systems, often saving them six figures per year, even after paying us. To support our coaching programs, I’ve created on-demand courses that guide clients step by step through our frameworks. These resources allow me to focus on high-impact strategy sessions while clients progress at their own pace.

Another client, Arc Quality Solutions, took a similar approach. They built internal training for their coaches and consultants to deliver consistent results and external programs to scale their customer service training to more organizations. By blending live coaching with eLearning, they multiplied both impact and income.

6. Franchises: Creating Consistency and New Revenue

Franchises face a unique challenge—maintaining consistency across locations. Whether you have 5 franchises or 500, eLearning ensures everyone gets the same training, the same messaging, and the same brand experience.

I’ve worked with Crestcom, a global leadership development franchise operating in over 40 countries. They’ve used eLearning for years to train franchise owners and deliver standardized programs. But they didn’t stop there. Crestcom also empowers franchises to resell their eLearning programs, turning training into a revenue stream.

When you build eLearning into your franchise model, you’re not just saving time—you’re creating products your network can sell. It’s a win for your business, your franchisees, and your learners.

7. Manufacturing and Technical Trades: Building Skilled Teams

Manufacturing companies thrive on precision, safety, and efficiency—all of which rely on consistent training. My client, MAPCO, a manufacturing company with its own internal university, uses eLearning to train employees across departments.

Technical industries are some of the biggest beneficiaries of digital learning because they deal with complex, skill-based work. With eLearning, MAPCO can teach new procedures, share updates, and even create external training for customers who use their products. This builds loyalty, reduces errors, and strengthens brand trust.

For manufacturing and trades, eLearning isn’t just education—it’s insurance against inefficiency. Every well-trained worker improves quality and reduces costly mistakes, creating a direct path to higher profitability.

Partnering for Global Impact

After more than a decade in this field, I can confidently say that eLearning isn’t just a tool for education—it’s a tool for transformation. The seven types of businesses I’ve highlighted all share one thing in common: they use eLearning to amplify their mission, scale their impact, and improve their bottom line.

Whether you’re trying to expand a mission-driven initiative, increase software adoption, train global medical professionals, or turn your expertise into a product, eLearning gives you the framework to do it efficiently and profitably.

If you’re ready to see what eLearning could do for your organization, I invite you to explore my Enterprise Learning Accelerator™ partnership program. Together, we can help you save six figures annually, scale your programs globally, and build a learning engine that makes money while making an impact.