NewSchool Learning Closed for Business

It was nine years ago that I launched NewSchool Learning, a small Moodle design company that has produced just shy of 1,000 custom themes for clients across the planet. As of this past December, sadly, NewSchool Learning is no more.

The reason I decided to close shop is simple: the company stopped making money. Revenue had fallen 50% each year for the past three years. This last quarter, expenses exceeded revenue and I knew it was time to call it quits.

The reason for the decline in revenue? I honestly cannot say. I’ve been too distant for too long from the day-to-day operations of the business and the Moodle community to even guess. I just know that the accounting stopped making sense and that meant it was time to call it quits.

The fact that NewSchool Learning lasted as long as it did is pretty amazing, and credit certainly belongs to Lead Designer and Developer, John Stabinger. As I moved from teacher to school administrator over the past five years, I stepped farther away from my work with and on the company. John has kept the lights on while I’ve paid the bills, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.

I’d be lying if I said I was wholly sad to see the company close; part of me is happy to be free of dealing with payroll, accounts, and corporate taxes. At the same time, nine years of relatively passive income from a company that started as a curiosity makes it challenging to say goodbye.

Here’s to other adventures.