When we think of Google Sheets, I’m sure most of us picture tricky and finicky data sorting and complex formulas that can be hard to master – that’s why having good tutorials and resources for understanding Sheets is so crucial for those who need to use it.
Having learned Google Sheets the hard way while working at a startup, Andrew Kamphey noticed he had a knack for building and managing the software in an intuitive way.
Wanting to venture out on his own and also to help others avoid having to go through hours of confusion, during covid lockdown Andrew put his skills to the test and launched a bespoke Google Sheets tutorial and template business, Better Sheets. Although at first a side project with a simple landing page, Better Sheets quickly became a fully-fledged business after finding success on AppSumo, gaining popularity as a go-to tool for business owners to master their Google Sheets organization and management. Now a 6-figure business, Andrew continues to keep growing Better Sheets with new tools and services, providing unique add-ons and developing them based on user need.
Allow me to introduce Andrew Kamphey…
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I am Andrew, the creator, the wizard, the guru, behind Better Sheets, a comprehensive platform that includes Tools, Templates, and Tutorials for Google Sheets users.
Initially, Better Sheets was a collection of video tutorials. However, it has evolved to offer a broad range of Templates and Tools specifically designed for Google Sheets users.
My journey started by creating spreadsheet-based tools for newsletter creators and Twitter writer. I marketed as products, alongside providing instructional content. At times I gave away templates, and tried to sell tutorials.
Over the last year, there’s been a significant adjustment of Better Sheets. I’ve shifted focus from merely selling these templates to developing bespoke tools for Google Sheets users. In 2023 alone, I released 6 unique Google Sheets Add-ons. Additionally, I developed a comprehensive toolset available at BetterSheets.co. This includes a specialized PDF URL generator (find it at BetterSheets.co/pdf), a Formula Generator (accessible at BetterSheets.co/google-sheets-formula-generator), and even unique offerings like a Screenshot Image Generator for Spreadsheets, named SheetShot, available at BetterSheets.co/sheetshot.
After managing Google Sheets, as Director of Digital Operations at a startup for five years, I ventured out on my own.
Initially, I created a newsletter about Influencer Marketing, then attempted to start a SaaS with a technical co-founder, but it didn’t reach a sustainable profit. Despite not considering myself a Google Sheets expert, others noticed my unique skills in it. During the Covid lockdown in April 2020, I challenged myself to launch a project within 24 hours.
This led to the idea of Better Sheets, initially envisioned as a collection of outstanding Google Sheets. Unable to find any great sheets, I decided, instead, to create tutorials to help others make them. I made eight videos in one day, offering half for free and the rest behind a paywall – the first version of BetterSheets.
BetterSheets launched on a Saturday, and I made my first sale by Monday, with the second sale following two weeks later. Initially a side project with a one-time payment model, BetterSheets still offers a lifetime payment option, albeit at a higher price now with more content.
I started as a little Carrd site, and a Gumroad page. Uploaded my videos from Loom directly to Gumroad.
It took a month before I saw significant sales. It was only when I listed my product on AppSumo Marketplace that I saw any huge numbers. At the time I had sold maybe 10 memberships which came out to $300. IF this kept on as a side-project great. But when I launched on AppSumo I ended up with hundreds of sales.
And now to this day it would have been a side-project if it weren’t for AppSumo.
Starting on my own was awesome though.
The best thing that has worked is everything. I just keep trying new tactics, new strategies. I made one video a day on Youtube. I launched courses on Udemy. I made videos on Tiktok. Gosh you name it, I’ve tried it.
I think the only thing I haven’t done yet is billboards.
The business model is crazy. I offer freebies, and low cost tools, monthly memberships and a lifetime deal that includes literally everything I made and everything I’ll make in the future.
If you use Google Sheets, I’ll find a way to make your life better.
Launch! By Jeff Walker is one of the most underrated business books ever. It helped me do email marketing, create workshops, and ultimately craft compelling courses people actually like.
Influence by Robert Cialdini is probably the only book you’ll ever need if you’re suffering with Conversion Rate Optimization. I took a course on CXL.com which ultimately is something like $1,500 a year and literally the whole course was a distillation of that book into how people buy things online. Instead of paying for a year’s membership, I reread that book.
I see a bright and innovative future for Better Sheets. Here’s how I envision the path forward:
Expanding Your Toolbox: I’m committed to developing even more user-friendly tools for Google Sheets users. My aim is to transform complex spreadsheet tasks into simple, one-click solutions.
Hope to both enhance both functionality (do more) and user experience (in less time).
Enhancing Educational Content: I’m excited about building more educational courses, such as “Selling Spreadsheets.” This not only helps our users upskill but also fosters a vibrant community
of new ideas around Google Sheets. I want to encourage more people to discover the power and versatility of spreadsheets and then monetize spreadsheets in weird and wonderful ways.
Utilizing Online Marketplaces: My success on platforms like AppSumo and Udemy has been phenomenal. These marketplaces are integral to my strategy for reaching new users and will continue be my main path of customer acquisition and revenue growth. That is unless I get TikTok Famous.
Here’s one piece of advice about advice. If you end up asking friends or online peers about your idea, your site, your product. If they have any critique or criticism they are almost always correct about what is wrong and almost always wrong about how to fix it.
Instead of focusing on what they say, make sure you note what they are talking about. What is the feature, the text, the wording, the thing they are speaking about. What they are pointing out is more important than what they might think about to change it to.
And you can always ask 5 whys. This is an old way to get to root cause of accidents. When something goes wrong, ask “why?” 5 times. Why did you point that out? Oh so then why is that? Oh, okay, why do you think that? Keep going 5 times and then you’ll know what is wrong, and how to fix it yourself.
Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bettersheets.co
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