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Now that I think about it, I think you planted the seed about that idea through one of your blog posts last year. Thanks! :)

jasonlbaptiste 16y ago
Ha, really? This post I'm assuming: http://jasonlbaptiste.com/startups/microsoft-excel-is-the-worlds-most-used-database/ http://jasonlbaptiste.com/startups/microsoft-excel-is-the-wo... TONS of Micro opportunities here.
- paulsingh 16y ago
  Yep, this is definitely the post I was referring to. FWIW, I fundamentally believe that smart people tackling brick-and-mortar-businesses-using-spreadsheets will make obscene amounts of money over the long term. (Not only are my products examples of this but, few people know this about me, I actually bought a gas station earlier this year to force myself to feel the pain.) For anyone thinking about doing anything like this, feel free to reach out - I want to help you. :)
  - eduardo_f 16y ago
    I'm sending you an email.
  - brianbreslin 16y ago
    Paul, have you found any significant points in the gas station business you think could be improved by leveraging soft-tech?
    - paulsingh 16y ago
      Abso-f*cking-lutely. :) CRM: who's buying from me, what are they buying and what should I market to them so that I can make more money. Inventory Management: what's in stock, what do I need to re-order, are my employees stealing from me? I can keep going... :)
      - brianbreslin 16y ago
        interesting. i'd love to hear more about this.
- Luyt 16y ago
  I maintain an in-house developed 'enterprise database app'. When someone suggests new additions to this app, I tell him/her to use Excel to test their idea for a few weeks first, and then ask again. This gives a pretty good idea what they really want, because if people have to track stuff themselves they'll do only the barest minimum, and that's eventually what should go into the enterprise application.
  - chime 16y ago
    That is exactly what I do and it has worked out pretty well. If they don't use the Excel sheet, then I know they wouldn't much care to use my ERP module either. Saves time and resources.

jasonlbaptiste 16y ago

Ha, really? This post I'm assuming: http://jasonlbaptiste.com/startups/microsoft-excel-is-the-worlds-most-used-database/ http://jasonlbaptiste.com/startups/microsoft-excel-is-the-wo... TONS of Micro opportunities here.

paulsingh 16y ago
Yep, this is definitely the post I was referring to. FWIW, I fundamentally believe that smart people tackling brick-and-mortar-businesses-using-spreadsheets will make obscene amounts of money over the long term. (Not only are my products examples of this but, few people know this about me, I actually bought a gas station earlier this year to force myself to feel the pain.) For anyone thinking about doing anything like this, feel free to reach out - I want to help you. :)
- eduardo_f 16y ago
  I'm sending you an email.
- brianbreslin 16y ago
  Paul, have you found any significant points in the gas station business you think could be improved by leveraging soft-tech?
  - paulsingh 16y ago
    Abso-f*cking-lutely. :) CRM: who's buying from me, what are they buying and what should I market to them so that I can make more money. Inventory Management: what's in stock, what do I need to re-order, are my employees stealing from me? I can keep going... :)
    - brianbreslin 16y ago
      interesting. i'd love to hear more about this.
Luyt 16y ago
I maintain an in-house developed 'enterprise database app'. When someone suggests new additions to this app, I tell him/her to use Excel to test their idea for a few weeks first, and then ask again. This gives a pretty good idea what they really want, because if people have to track stuff themselves they'll do only the barest minimum, and that's eventually what should go into the enterprise application.
- chime 16y ago
  That is exactly what I do and it has worked out pretty well. If they don't use the Excel sheet, then I know they wouldn't much care to use my ERP module either. Saves time and resources.