Entrepreneurs of the Month: Russ Stinehour & Troy Tolle of DigitalChalk

The Chamber is pleased to recognize Russ Stinehour and Troy Tolle, co-founders of DigitalChalk, as Entrepreneurs of the Month for January 2012.

“DigitalChalk is exemplary of the type of knowledge-based entrepreneurial companies we wish to nurture, grow and attract here in the Asheville area,” said Pam Lewis, the Chamber’s Director of Entrepreneurship.

Launched in 2007 by Infinity Learning Solutions, Inc., DigitalChalk is an online learning system that offers multimedia-based training as an on-demand service.  The e-learning delivery system, the first of its kind, simplifies the process of creating online trainings so that anyone can publish high quality online trainings without needing to learn or purchase additional complex desktop programs.

“Our vision is to use technology to open the doors to learning for those who could not be reached before,” the company’s web site notes. “We are committed to providing instructors with simple, powerful software tools that bring the online classroom to life.”

While being entrepreneurs themselves, Stinehour and Tolle expressed passion for helping startup businesses succeed. Free instructor accounts have made online learning accessible to companies of all sizes. Unlike traditional hosted services that focus on charging the content author for hosting and bandwidth, DigitalChalk charges a per student course delivery fee which reduces and, in some cases, eliminates out-of-pocket expenses making it an ideal, low risk solution for small businesses, independent consultants and private trainers.

“Our clients epitomize what it means to be entrepreneurial problem solvers. DigitalChalk has literally hundreds of entrepreneurs using the system to deliver training online every day."

Since initially launching DigitalChalk.com, Stinehour and Tolle have constantly innovated to remain focused on delivering quality and cost-effectiveness to their customers. For example, in 2009, DigitalChalk added a professional services group specifically dedicated to assisting training professionals and professors produce high quality video lessons. In 2010, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a world renowned entrepreneurial think tank, in partnership with The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative chose DigitalChalk as the online learning platform for a program targeted at prospective entrepreneurs to overwhelming response.