Creative Class
Review

Business Course for Creatives Who Want to Be Valued for Their Expertise

Easy
  • Last updated 05/11/2025
by Paul Jarvis

What you'll learn ? Overview

We discovered Creative Class has quite the backstory. Originally created by Paul Jarvis (the guy behind "Company of One"), it's now owned by Elise Dopson and Michael Keenan at Peak Freelance. Here's what caught our attention, the course takes a refreshingly anti-hustle approach to building a freelance business.

The curriculum breaks down into 15 video lessons across four core modules: Mindset, Management, Connection, and Process. We appreciate how the course tackles both the psychological and practical sides of freelancing. You're not just learning how to price your services, you're also working through the mental blocks that keep you from charging what you're worth.

What sets this apart from typical freelance courses? It's the philosophy. Rather than pushing you to scale into an agency or chase six-figure months, Creative Class focuses on building a sustainable business that fits your lifestyle. The course includes templates, worksheets, and access to a Slack community (though we wonder how active that community remains under new ownership).

Here's an interesting detail, enrollment only opens twice per year, typically for two weeks in Spring/Summer and another two weeks in Autumn/Winter. This limited availability model creates urgency, but also means you can't just jump in whenever inspiration strikes.

The course comes with video lessons, downloadable audio versions, and full transcripts. We noticed they've maintained Paul Jarvis's minimalist approach, no flashy production values or unnecessary fluff. It's straight-to-the-point business education for creatives who'd rather be creating than watching slick marketing videos.

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Is this course for you?

👉

Prior experience needed

Beginner (No Prior Experience Needed)

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Time commitment

light Light (1–5 Hours/Week)

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Learning style

Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)

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Goal

Learn A New Skill

Best suited for:

Ideal for creative professionals (writers, designers, developers) in their first 1-3 years of freelancing who struggle with the business side. Also valuable for experienced creatives who've never formalized their business processes.

Instructor

Paul Jarvis

Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing Expert Legitimacy Score: 9/10
Paul Jarvis is a seasoned entrepreneur, author, and digital marketing expert known for his unconventional approach to business growth. With over two decades of experience, he has become a prominent voice in advocating for intentional, sustainable business practices. Jarvis challenges the traditional notion of constant expansion, instead promoting the idea of 'company of one' - a business model focused on staying small and profitable.
Jarvis began his career as a web designer and developer, working with high-profile clients including Microsoft, Yahoo, and Mercedes-Benz. He transitioned into entrepreneurship, launching successful online courses and authoring multiple books. His most notable work, 'Company of One', published in 2019, has been translated into 16 languages and solidified his position as a thought leader in alternative business strategies.
• Bestselling author of 'Company of One', translated into 16 languages
• Creator of popular online courses including 'Creative Class' and 'Chimp Essentials'
• Developed 'Fathom Analytics', a privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics
• Featured in Forbes, CNBC, Entrepreneur, and other major publications
• Co-host of the 'Invisible Office Hours' podcast
• Speaker at World Domination Summit 2018
• Guest on Tim Ferriss Show podcast
• Interviewed on Indie Hackers podcast
• Featured speaker at CreativeMornings Vancouver
• Presenter at MicroConf Growth 2019
Paul Jarvis cultivates a strong digital footprint, regularly sharing insights on entrepreneurship and digital marketing. He publishes a weekly newsletter, the 'Sunday Dispatches', and frequently contributes articles to his blog. His content often focuses on challenging conventional business wisdom and promoting sustainable growth strategies.

Course Details

  • ⏱ Duration30
  • 📶 DifficultyEasy
  • ⌛ Access Monthly
  • ⏰ Time investmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)

🧠 Prerequisites

No formal prerequisites, but you should have a creative skill to sell (writing, design, development, etc.)


💻 Requirements

Computer with internet access, basic business setup (bank account, legal structure)


💸 Hidden Costs

None identified. All materials and community access included in the base price.


🙋‍♂️ Support Options

Slack community access, though activity levels under new ownership are unclear

Course content

  • Module 1 - Mindset: Overcoming imposter syndrome, positioning yourself as an expert, developing professional confidence
  • Module 2 - Management: Client management systems, project workflows, time management for creatives
  • Module 3 - Connection: Finding ideal clients, networking strategies, building lasting professional relationships
  • Module 4 - Process: Proposal writing, value-based pricing, contract negotiation, invoicing systems

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Feedbacks

Overall sentiment

The freelance community holds Creative Class in high regard, particularly those who took it during the Paul Jarvis era. Current sentiment remains positive, though there's curiosity about how the new owners have maintained or evolved the content.

Praised points

  • Practical business systems that actually work for solo freelancers
  • Value-based pricing strategies that help creatives escape the hourly rate trap
  • Sustainable growth philosophy that prioritizes lifestyle over hustle

Criticisms

  • Limited enrollment windows frustrate eager learners who miss the deadline
  • Best suited for beginners, experienced freelancers find content too foundational
  • Uncertainty about updates since the ownership change in 2022

Testimonials

"Your Creative Class is still, by far, the best educational investment I've made in my business. Ever." - Jamie Leigh

"Through the Creative Class I've increased my income by 250% in eight months." - Michael Suen

"Creative Class is by far the best money I've ever spent on an online class, six months in and I'm booked four months in advance." - Erica Houston

"I literally soaked up everything you taught in that course. Just wanted to say thank you." - Toby Nwazor

"A part of me felt like, 'what are they really going to teach me that I don't know already?' How wrong could I be?" - Toby Nwazor

Social insights

On Reddit's r/freelance, Creative Class frequently appears in "best course" discussions. Users particularly praise its focus on the business side of creative work. We found multiple threads where alumni credit the course with helping them triple their rates or land better clients. The main complaint? People wishing it was available year-round.

Video review

Marketing Analysis

Claim Verification

The course promises to help creatives build sustainable freelance businesses. Based on verified testimonials (250% income increase, fully booked calendars), these claims appear legitimate for students who implement the teachings.

Price History

Originally $299 under Paul Jarvis, now $274 with occasional $30 discounts using code "THEWRITELIFE"

Upsell Practices

No aggressive upsells found. The course stands alone without pushing additional products.

Student Success

Jamie Leigh calls it her "best educational investment ever." Michael Suen reports a 250% income increase in eight months. Erica Houston went from struggling to being booked four months in advance.

Platform & Delivery

Learning Platform

Custom online platform with clean, distraction-free interface

Content Accessibility

Video lessons with full transcripts and downloadable audio versions. Access duration under new ownership needs clarification.

Mobile Compatibility

Platform is mobile-responsive, though video learning works best on larger screens

Technical Requirements

Standard internet connection, modern web browser

Red flags check

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Complaints

We found minimal complaints about content quality or delivery. The main frustration centers on the limited enrollment windows, which isn't really a red flag, just an inconvenience.

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Refund policy issues

The current refund policy under Peak Freelance ownership isn't publicly visible, which is concerning. We couldn't verify their stance on refunds.

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Marketing practices

Refreshingly transparent. No income claims, no "make six figures in 30 days" nonsense. The marketing focuses on building a sustainable business, not overnight success.

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Community feedback

Alumni consistently praise the course's integrity and practical value. No patterns of dissatisfaction or scam allegations emerged in our research.

Is this course legit?

Value For Money

At $274, Creative Class sits comfortably in the Mid Ticket range. You're getting proven business systems that many freelancers spend years figuring out through expensive trial and error. The ROI potential is significant if you implement even half the strategies taught.

Conclusion

We found Creative Class to be a legitimate, valuable investment for creative freelancers. Its anti-hustle philosophy and focus on sustainable business practices set it apart in a market flooded with get-rich-quick schemes. The course delivers exactly what it promises, practical business education for creatives who want to be valued and paid appropriately for their expertise. The ownership transition from Paul Jarvis to Peak Freelance raised initial concerns, but the core content remains strong. Our main reservation? The limited enrollment windows feel unnecessarily restrictive in today's on-demand learning environment. For creatives serious about building a professional freelance practice (not just picking up gigs), Creative Class provides the roadmap. Just make sure you catch one of those enrollment windows.

FAQs about this course

Enrollment opens twice yearly, typically for two weeks in Spring/Summer and two weeks in Autumn/Winter. Check the website for exact dates.

No, Creative Class is now owned by Peak Freelance (Elise Dopson and Michael Keenan) as of 2022. The core content remains based on Paul's original curriculum.

No prerequisites required. The course is designed for creatives at any stage, from complete beginners to those looking to formalize their existing freelance work.

You get 15 video lessons, downloadable audio versions, full transcripts, worksheets, templates, and access to the Slack community.

The current refund policy under Peak Freelance ownership isn't publicly stated. Contact them directly before purchasing if this is a concern.

Access duration under the new ownership needs clarification. The original course offered lifetime access, but current terms may differ.

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Creative Class screenshot
Creative Class Review
$ 274
Total score: 8,6/10 ⭐
  • Duration30
  • DifficultyEasy
  • Release Date01/2014
  • Format Self-Paced
  • AccessMonthly
  • Time InvestmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)
  • Payment Options One-Time
  • LanguageEnglish
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At IsThisCourseLegit, we're committed to providing objective and transparent evaluations. Our rating system is based on rigorous criteria evaluated by experienced entrepreneurs who have built and sold successful online businesses.

Our Rating System

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Creative Class Review