I Make $6K/Mo Teaching People How to Use Excel
Who are you and what business did you start?
My name is Jake Shimota and I started ExcelExercises.com, a hands-on, interactive platform to learn Excel functions and keyboard shortcuts. My customers include anyone trying to get better at Excel, especially new grads, people changing careers or going through job interviews, and anyone trying to get faster and more efficient at their job.
The service is unique because unlike the 99+% of Excel tutorials online, which are just collections of videos, this service is composed of interactive Excel simulations right in the browser. The user builds muscle memory and learns by doing, rather than zoning out watching videos. There's even an AI coach to help the user understand their mistakes while writing formulas.
Today the site brings in $4-6k per month.
Jake Shimota (undisclosed location)
How do you come up with the idea for Excel Exercises?
Jake Shimota came up with the idea for Excel Exercises through his personal struggle with traditional online Excel training courses, which relied heavily on lengthy video tutorials. During his time at a private equity firm, he found these video courses boring and ineffective for him, often losing focus and having to rewatch them without gaining practical skills. The realization that hands-on practice was essential came from conversations with coworkers and his own experience learning through doing.
The inspiration peaked when he was using Duolingo to learn Spanish, leading him to wonder why there wasn't a similar interactive tool for mastering Excel. This comparison sparked the idea of creating a "Duolingo for Excel," focusing on interactive exercises that build muscle memory through practice, rather than passive video watching. Jake's concept was further fueled by his preference for learning by doing, combined with his firsthand struggle and understanding of the problem.
Before diving into development, he ensured his concept had merit by tapping into platforms known for community and user feedback, effectively validating his idea. His early steps included building a prototype while still maintaining his full-time job, embracing a learning-by-doing approach. He faced the challenge of limited resources by independently coding the project, turning the development into a personal learning journey, which kept costs low and provided hands-on experience.
How did you build the initial version of Excel Exercises?
Jake Shimota built the initial version of Excel Exercises using his foundational knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, leveraging Firebase for the backend database and authentication. He purchased the domain for $12 and worked on developing the platform during evenings and weekends while maintaining a full-time job. The initial prototype was created slowly but with minimal costs, aside from a $700 investment for a professional logo and landing page design. The first version, which included a handful of interactive lessons and a subscription option through Stripe Checkout, was ready after about a year. The process was challenging and time-consuming, given his limited coding experience, but Jake enjoyed treating it as a hobby and kept iterating the product based on user feedback.
How did you launch Excel Exercises and get initial traction?
I didn't exactly launch the business. I woke up one day shortly after getting everything working and saw an email from Stripe notifying me that somebody had paid for the annual subscription. At first I thought it was a mistake. I only had four lessons behind the paywall at this point because I didn't dream anybody was going to sign up already. How was I going to keep this guy busy for a year? I started writing new content and lessons right away.
More sales began to trickle in over the next few months. The feedback was positive (people liked what I had built), but they finished all the available lessons pretty quickly and wanted more. I spent a lot of time writing new practice problems and articles about each Excel function. It was a lot of work, but seeing actual money start to roll in (and knowing there were real, paying customers counting on me) kept me going.
I didn't feel ready when that first payment came in, but I'm glad that it forced me to "launch" before I felt completely ready. It was the motivation I needed to build out more content quickly, and I don't think I would have ever felt completely ready if it hadn't happened.
What was the growth strategy for Excel Exercises and how did you scale?
SEO
Excel Exercises found significant growth through organic search. Jake Shimota wrote detailed articles about various Excel functions, making them more engaging and intuitive than typical documentation. This content strategy attracted search engines, leading to increased traffic. The creation of helpful and original content made the website stand out from AI-generated alternatives, ensuring a steady stream of organic visitors.
Why it worked: The unique approach to explaining Excel functions attracted users and search engines alike. The high-quality content was not only useful for users but also improved the site's search ranking, bringing in more organic traffic.
Backlinks
To further boost their SEO efforts, Excel Exercises leveraged backlinks from reputable organizations. By offering free premium access to schools and non-profits, they earned links back to their site from these institutions, which significantly enhanced their search engine ranking.
Why it worked: Backlinks from reputable sources acted as endorsements, improving search engine trust and visibility. These links contributed to higher search rankings, which in turn increased organic traffic.
Word of Mouth
The growth of Excel Exercises was also driven by word-of-mouth. Satisfied users, impressed by the quality and utility of the product, recommended it to others. This organic spread was particularly effective during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were seeking to improve their digital skills.
Why it worked: A high-quality product naturally encouraged users to share their positive experiences with others, creating a strong referral network and increasing user acquisition without direct marketing costs.
What were the biggest lessons learned from building Excel Exercises?
- Start before you feel ready. If sales hadn't just started coming in all those years ago, I might still be putting finishing touches on the site. Figure out what the next step is and do it now.
- Build something you would want. I see a lot of people trying to build a product that solves a problem that they've never experienced. You have a more intimate understanding of the job to be done if you're building something you would use (or would have used at some point in your life).
- Start with something that works. It would have been hard to explain an "interactive hands-on Excel tutorial" to someone when I first created it (though there are a few copy-cat sites now), so by getting the first working version out into the world I was able to validate whether people actually wanted it. I often see entrepreneurs trying to take the "Lean Startup" approach where they put up a lazy landing page describing some great product with a form to collect email addresses. I don't think this works anymore because everyone can sniff out vaporware these days. Build the simplest useful thing you can and get it in someone's hands.
What platform/tools does Excel Exercises use?
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More about Excel Exercises:
Who is the owner of Excel Exercises?
Jake Shimota is the founder of Excel Exercises.
When did Jake Shimota start Excel Exercises?
2020
How much money has Jake Shimota made from Excel Exercises?
Jake Shimota started the business in 2020, and currently makes an average of $52.1K/year.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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