On November 9, 2012, an up-and-coming entrepreneur came to Shark Tank with his business venture to teach virtual computer education for older adults called PC Classes Online.
Do you know what the status of that business is? Is it still running, or has it closed off like a lot of other businesses that appear on Shark Tank?
In this article, we shall discuss the current status of the PC Classes Online business venture along with:
- What is PC Classes Online?
- The founder of PC Classes Online
- PC Classes online before Shark Tank
- PC Classes Online Shark Tank Pitch
- What happened to PC Classes Online after Shark Tank
- Whether or not PC Classes Online is still in business, and more
Let’s get started!
An Overview of PC Classes Online
| Company | PC Classes Online |
| Founder/Major Shareholder | David A. Cox |
| Product/Service | Online computer classes and video lessons for individuals of the age group over 50 years. |
| Founded in | 2011 |
| Equity pitched | $150,000 for a 15% stake in the company |
| Shark Tank Episode | Season 4 Episode 9 |
| Final Outcome | No deal made |
| Shark | No shark interested |
| Current status | Out of business |
What are PC Classes Online?
The PC Classes Online platform was created by David Cox to spread technology knowledge among older adults. People over 50 can learn basic computer skills through PC Classes Online.
In order to enroll in PC Classes Online, members must pay a full year in advance. The program provides access to all previous video lectures and future live classes to its members for an annual fee of $199.
Who is the founder of PC Classes Online?
The founder of PC Classes Online is David Cox, aka The Mac Guru. He founded the PC Classes Online platform in 2011.
David grew up in Natick, a small town in Massachusetts with Apple’s Macintosh PC all his life. And when he worked at an Apple store in 2009, he would teach PC classes to individuals over 50 years old.
The computer courses taught by him became so popular that there would be a huge line outside his store with older individuals willing to learn about computers.
He also started to be recognized as a Mac Guru. And as his lessons grew in size and popularity, David created an online tutorial library to broaden his reach among his potential audiences.
This was where the concept of his venture, the PC Classes Online was formed.
PC Classes Online Before Shark Tank Pitch
Since his courses became very popular, David started seeing a potential business venture in the making when he created PC Classes Online in 2011.
He and a few of his tech-savvy friends once created a podcast teaching others how to better use electronic gadgets.
However, since a podcast did not show videos of someone actually doing it, David decided to go through his plan of creating a classroom-style course on computer skills.
The PC Classes Online had the slogan
“We use technology to teach technology to everyone who didn’t grow up with it. ”
This slogan summarized what the course would do in a single sentence.
PC Classes Online built a curriculum that would offer live classes in set locations where PCs are sold. Moreover, the course also boasted a huge video lesson library that would teach beginners and intermediates how to use Mac or PC.
The courses would cover a vast set of computer knowledge ranging from setting up your personal computer to cloud integrations and more.
All in all, PC Classes Online was a virtual, online computer school for beginners and old individuals alike.
The annual fee of $199 for a whole set of computer courses as opposed to any specific niche of computer tutorials that are given by other education offerings seemed a pretty good deal.
However, would the sharks buy the pitch? Or would they see it as an outdated idea that was not worth investing in?
What was the Shark Tank Pitch for PC Classes Online?
David and his idea got featured in episode 9 of season 4 of Shark Tank. He came on to the stage with his buddy Bruce Vilanch, who was an Emmy award-winning writer and a celebrity endorser of the product.
David introduced himself as the creator and CEO of PC Classes Online and pitched his idea as a business to teach computer classes to needy individuals.
He asked the sharks for an investment of $150,000 in exchange for equity of 15% of his business which valued his business at $1 million.
He talked about how he would teach public introductory computer classes to individuals as an Apple store manager and how he began to see an opportunity to make money as his classes started becoming popular.
His core audience would be older adults trying to keep pace with technology and are in need of classes to teach them about the latest computer trends.
David further explained how he taught the mother of his buddy Vilanch how to use Skype. And Vilanch reiterated it by saying how David “showed my mother how to Skype and now I can’t get rid of her. ”
Further in the pitch, David talked about the revenue income of his business which was about $35,000, and how he is very interested in growing his membership sales and his business overall.
After his initial pitch, the sharks did what they do best: they started to rip his business apart and nibble at him little by little.
David had a vision of bringing his online course library to the public as an add-on sale in Apple stores.
But when David gets confused about the difference between add-on sales and bundled sales, the sharks start to skewer him one by one.
The first to leave the deal was Mark Cuban. Mark, who ripped David for not knowing the difference, was a big fan of online computer classes in 1985 with many following his example.
However, he mentioned to David about not knowing what he is doing and that online computer classes have been around since the 1980s.
Mark then informs David that he may believe he is leaving which is true and that he is. Then, Mark leaves the deal.
Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, calls David a bozo for not understanding the difference between the two sales types. He also describes him as a computer pimp for free labor and promptly follows to leave.
Daymon John tells David that his idea and pitch are terrible and will not bring him any value. He also shows no interest in the deal and leaves.
Barbara Corcoran, who does believe that the elderly need a computer class, tells David that one must start from the start and get traction for online classes rather than trying to sell it with hardware. She also then promptly leaves the deal.
Robert Herjavec tells that David is 30 years too late with his idea believing that it will not have any value now, and he also exits the deal.
Finally, David has to depart the Shark Tank with no investment and no shark on board.
His celebrity buddy Vilanch has not much help to him other than saying ‘hello
At the beginning, how his mother used Skype with David’s help and made a lighthearted comment “Let’s go eat sushi” to David while departing.
Final Verdict: No deal between David of PC Classes Online and the sharks of Shark Tank.
PC Classes Online After Shark Tank Update: What Happened to it?
Although David did not get the deal he anticipated for PC Classes Online on Shark Tank, the show proved to be good for him overall.
Many Chinese investors contacted and bought Mac stores all over America and asked David for his help in setting up the IT infrastructure in these stores.
David traveled all over America teaching individuals how to use different Apple products.
His company The Mac Guru took off after his appearance on the show. David used the popularity gained from Shark Tank to increase the Mac Guru company to hundreds of members.
However, in 2015, the PC Classes Online business was closed. Even after closing the business, David still continues to teach individuals how to use computers.
David Cox has started a YouTube channel called Tech Talk America that educates users on computers and other latest technologies in more than 10 languages.
So now, the service offered by David is free of cost as opposed to a paid service with PC Classes Online.
PC Classes Online Net Worth 2022
Since the business closed in 2015, one cannot estimate the net worth of PC Classes Online in 2022.
During the Shark Tank Pitch, the business was valued at $1 million by its creator. However, after not getting the deal, we can estimate that the business was grossly overvalued.
In 2022, individuals can learn all about Macs and PCs on the internet easily. So, a virtual online course that comes with the hardware as an extra does not have many prospects.
Is PC Classes Online still in business?
Unfortunately, PC Classes Online is not in business in 2022.
Just as the sharks did not see its future, its outdated business model, unattractive appeal among potential customers, and the rapid change in technology contributed to the closing of this business.
The website of PC Classes Online is closed off. However, its founder is still active on his YouTube channel and basically gives the lessons that PC Classes Online wanted to give to its customers for free.
Final Words
With an outdated idea, lack of common business knowledge, and unappealing performance, PC Classes Online failed to impress any of the sharks on the show.
Moreover, with the advancement of technology and a different direction of business approach by its founder David A Cox, the business venture failed.
However, the founder did manage to increase his fame among many individuals in the online education community which can be said to be a silver lining to the whole Shark Tank debacle of PC Classes Online.
FAQs
What is the PC Classes Online Net worth?
The net worth of PC Classes Online is $0 as the business already closed down in 2015. You cannot make an estimation of its net worth as the business is no longer present.
What’s the PC Classes Online Shark Tank Update?
PC Classes Online appeared on Shark Tank in November 2012. During Shark Tank, PC Classes Online did not get any investment, and 3 years later in 2015, the business was closed and shut down completely.
How can you get PC Classes Online?
PC Classes online is a business that has been shut down. So, you cannot be its member currently. However, back when it ran, you could get PC Classes Online for a total of $199 annual fee. The fee had to be paid upfront if you wanted to be its member.
