In this instalment of meeting the team behind Australia’s leading provider of Online Education, we meet Chloe Tsarouhas, Marketing Manager of Learning Online Group.
From the early days supporting our students to success, to now leading the Marketing team for brands including Beauty School, Photography School, Omnia Tattoo Academy and My Learning Online. When you can’t find her buried in Social Media posts launching new brands and courses, you’ll find Chloe dominating adversaries in the Nintendo world or stalking new product releases from Mecca. Here is Chloe!
The Origin Story
Take us back to day one…
When I left my previous role in late 2019 and joined Learning Online in customer support, the timing was honestly terrifying. I resigned, and the very next week COVID hit. Naturally, there was anxiety across the business and I wasn’t sure how stable my job would be. Instead, the opposite happened. With so many people at home reflecting on their lives and what they wanted next, interest in online education actually surged.
I was welcomed by a team of around 16 staff. We had four directors, two in customer support (including me), two tutor and eight course consultants. It felt warm, close, and very people-focused from day one.
What was your “wait, we’re actually doing this?” moment?
When I first started calling graduates to check in on how they found their course. Hearing their stories was incredibly heartwarming. Students were landing jobs, starting home salons, volunteering, building side hustles or even studying just for personal growth. That’s when I realised we weren’t just selling courses. We were changing lives.
Did you ever imagine you’d go from customer support to Marketing Manager across three continents?
Definitely not! I originally came from a wholesale fashion background, so marketing honestly wasn’t even on my radar. I started in customer support and was just focused on helping students.
From there, I naturally started to notice areas where we could be doing better, especially on social media. I identified a gap, put together a pitch for how we could improve our content and audience engagement, and brought it to my manager.
From that day forward, I was given the reins to run our socials, and the role evolved with me. And grew up with me in a way, that’s why it will always have a special place in my heart. My journey into marketing was never planned, it grew because I cared and acted on it.
The Journey & Evolution
What’s the most ridiculous problem you had to solve in the early days that makes you laugh now?
In the early days, we were working with very minimal content and I remember literally asking students to send photos taken on poor quality cameras just so we had something for socials. Now we have full filming days, studio setups and content pipelines… so thinking back on that makes me laugh.
If you had to describe the evolution of Learning Online Group using only cocktails…
A Long Island Iced Tea. A bit of everything mixed together that somehow works perfectly. From animal care to nail tech training, photography, floristry and beyond, we really do have something for everyone.
One small decision that became crucial?
Introducing student testimonials five years ago. At the time it felt like a simple content idea, and now those stories are the backbone of our marketing, our community and our brand identity.
Culture & Team Building
Biggest challenge with social vs traditional media?
The speed. Social media moves fast. Trends shift daily. Styles evolve weekly. You need to produce thoughtful content consistently across multiple platforms, brands and personas, while staying relevant and ahead.
Describe the Learning Online Group culture in three words.
Fun, community, outcomes.
What have your team taught you as the business has grown?
The magic is always in collaboration. One person can have a great seed of an idea, but it’s the team that turns it into something brilliant.
If Learning Online Group employees were a superhero team, what would our superpower be?
Endless knowledge and the willingness to share it.
Our Brands
Most important benefits we offer students?
Our Facebook student group community. We have almost 10,000 students sharing their knowledge, tips and tribulations and I’ve watched those groups change lives. Students find motivation, friendship, support and belonging. That emotional support is just as important as the coursework.
Keys to building a brand in a crowded space?
Creating your own brand identity so people can instantly recognise you. That includes the visual branding, the tone of voice, the content style and, most importantly, showing real outcomes. Our students and their work speak louder than any marketing message ever could.
If you had unlimited budget…
I would love to do large-scale brand events in collaboration with major beauty providers in Australia, think Mecca or NSI. We’d have our students offering free services like nails, lashes and makeup. It promotes the other brand, it spotlights our students’ talent and helps them build clientele, and the content we’d get from it would be incredible. Branded goodie bags, displays, workshops, the energy would be amazing.
The Business Impact
Marketing strategies we now rely on that didn’t exist in year one?
Reels and TikTok. They didn’t exist or weren’t mainstream when I started. Now they’re essential to how we tell stories and reach new audiences.
Most heart warming success story?
Royal Beauty Leeton. Kayla started her salon after studying with us and is now five years in, thriving and growing every year. Watching that journey has been so special.
How do you explain that online training isn’t “just YouTube tutorials”?
Because our tutor support is on a completely different level. Our tutors give one-on-one feedback, mark assignments, support students through challenges and literally watch their technique to help them improve. You can’t get that from YouTube. It’s personalised guidance, accountability and real learning, not just watching someone do something and hoping you can copy it.
Innovation & Future Vision
Innovation that made you go “okay, that was brilliant”?
Launching Australian Beauty School as its own brand. Beauty always performed strongly as a part of My Learning Online, and separating it allowed us to create targeted branding, messaging and community.
If you could steal one thing from traditional education and one from Silicon Valley startups?
From traditional education: structured learning pathways with clear progression.
From Silicon Valley: agility. The willingness to iterate fast, test, learn and evolve.
What industry are we not in yet but should be?
Herbal medicine and holistic wellness. It’s something I personally feel strongly about. So many people are looking into more natural ways to support themselves and their families. Even a hobby-level course that teaches people how to approach everyday ailments in a holistic way could be really empowering. I’d love to see that become part of our offering one day.
Personal & Fun
One early company tradition or quirk we’ve kept?
We’ve always celebrated our students’ wins loudly and proudly. That hasn’t changed.
One you can’t believe happened?
There was a phase where we filmed content using office lamps stacked on cardboard boxes as lighting. Now we have proper studio setups. The glow-up is real.
If you had to recruit yourself today, how would you sell Chloe to Chloe?
I’d say I am someone who deeply cares about people, storytelling and the student journey. I understand the heart behind the brand and bring passion, community focus and creativity with strategy.
The Bigger Picture
How has being part of LO changed your perspective on education and careers?
It taught me that success isn’t linear. People reinvent themselves all the time. Age, background and experience don’t limit you.
What do you want every student to know?
Practice makes perfect. Everyone starts somewhere. I’ve seen students go from struggling to complete first assessments to producing work that belongs on Pinterest boards. Stay consistent.
The Final Word
Complete the sentence:
The best thing about working at Learning Online Group is the people, but if I’m being honest, the coffee machine and being able to bring my office doggo also deserve credit.
