Q&A: Tell us more about the spreadsheet guy… why did it work?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1152

Nearly a decade ago I published a book called The $100 Startup. Two of the stories I told in that book have been particularly interesting because they come from parts of the world that aren’t often featured in business profiles.

One of them was from Rhett, my tuk-tuk driver in Cambodia. I listed Rhett’s phone number in the back of the book and said “Next time you’re in Cambodia and need a ride, give him a call” - since then, dozens of people have emailed me or posted photos of meeting Rhett the driver.

The other story in this vein is a little different, but it was about Purna Duggirala, a guy from India who branded himself as BFF for Excel. In other words, he was helping people with spreadsheets and making a lot of money from it. Today’s caller is wondering a bit about Purna. What was so compelling about his business idea?

"I’ve heard you tell the story about the guy in India who makes six-figures showing people how to use spreadsheets. Can you explain more about why this is so compelling? I don’t think it’s what most people, including myself, would think about when trying to decide on a business idea."

Listen to today's episode to learn more...

 

 

SEE ALSO:

• Excel Spreadsheet Guru Earns $3,500/Month: An IBM employee in India creates a series of Microsoft Excel tutorials, earning hundreds of dollars per sale.
• CPA Earns Six-Figures Selling Spreadsheets to Etsy Sellers: This CPA was burned out on office work, so she turned her efforts to an Etsy business—but it wasn’t long before she was hitting the books again, just in a more creative way. Her new spreadsheets help Etsy sellers and earn a six-figure income for her.
• Project Manager Discovers a Better Way to Ship Worldwide: A Hong Kong-based IT employee creates a new way for global e-commerce sellers to fulfill their orders.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,