Get Sheet Done: Start Your Business in Sheets

4 Ways Google Sheets Can Help You Start Up

1. Create a list
2. Curate Links
3. Track Something
4. Write Code

In today's digital age, starting a business can be easier than ever before. With tools like Google Sheets, entrepreneurs can create and distribute their products or services in a more efficient way.

In this article, I'll share four ways to start a business using Google Sheets. Curating a list of information. Can just be like text. Curate Links. This is like building a relational database of lists of links. Track something. You can keep track of some actions that others are taking, analyze that information and then gain insights from that info. You can take this kind of sheet to the next level with simple formulas like IMPORTXML by tracking some action or event online. And if you're feeling funky you can always write Apps Script and sell that code to others.

You can create a Minimal Viable Product to test the market's viability. You can sell the sheet to generate initial capital or build a wait list. Selling the sheet for a low price while charging for add-on services can be a great strategy.

Lastly, you can write code in Apps Script or create an add-on to monetize your sheet. So let's get sheet done and start your business in Google Sheets.

We'll get to that at the end of this article. But for now let's dive deeper into each category.

Create a List

This way to start a business in sheets is simple to write down some information. That could be as simple as a checklist. It could be a guide. It could be a sophisticated and structured planner with tips on how to execute a project. Strategically write in some frame or grid. Create essentially a useable ebook in a Google Sheet.

I wrote a whole how to guide about creating sellable sheets in a Google Sheet.

How To Sell Google Sheets For Fun And Profit · Better Sheets

One of the most profound changes in google sheets, for me, was making them sellable. Making the sheet itself useful for coworkers, or myself or a boss is one thing. But creating a sheet that someone pays for, and uses, can be nerve racking. Filled with anxiety I didn’t really know what to do. I

But that's not all.

I also created a sheet that lists 100 ways to get your first 100 newsletter subscribers.

100 Ways To Get Your First 100 Subscribers · Better Sheets

I curated 100 tactics for newsletter writers to gain their first 100 subs. All of the information is curated in a Google Sheet. Are you a newsletter writer struggling to gain your first 100 subscribers? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Building a subscriber base can be challenging, especially when

To me, just writing, is the simplest way to test the viability of a spreadsheet as a product.

Get MVP in Sheets

Creating a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) using Google Sheets is an excellent way to test your business idea.

By using Sheets' features like forms, validation, and simple scripting, you can create a basic version of your product or service and get it in front of your target audience.

You can gather valuable feedback on your MVP, refine your idea and test the market's appetite.

This way, you can make informed decisions regarding the future of your business.

With Google Sheets as your tool, you can quickly iterate and improve your MVP without breaking the bank. So, start building your MVP in Google Sheets and get feedback from your customers before investing your precious time and resources.

Curate Links

One easy thing about Google Sheets is that you can make your sheet publicly available without having to deploy a whole website. And you can have all the benefits of relational database.

Curating links is simple as literally copy pasting links to websites, resources, or anything, into a sheet. I'd recommend adding editorializations and contextually relevant information. Anything you can add from your own experience and expertise means you're building a truly unique database.

I started myself to curate links for my newsletter in a Google Sheet. I built a bookmarketlet that easily captures website title and url into a sheet with a click from your Chrome browser.

You can use that exact same Google Sheet and bookmarklet by buying Better Letters. It's great for building newsletters, but it's also great for merely building epic lists of curated links.

Better Letters · Better Sheets

Curate your newsletter in Google Sheets. Creates a bookmarklet automatically via Google Script and curates your sites saved into a Google Sheet. Better Letters Curate your Newsletter in Google Sheets: Create a Better Newsletter with Ease Are you tired of manually curating content for your

Sheet-Based Business

Selling the sheet for a low price while charging for additional services can be a great strategy for those who want to start a business using Google Sheets.

You can offer a basic version of your sheet for free or a low cost, and then charge for onboarding, advanced features, customer support, or customizations and personalizations.

This business model not only allows you to generate revenue but also helps you to build a loyal customer base who value your product and service.

By providing excellent customer support and adding more features over time, you can establish your brand as a high-quality provider of sheets-based products and superior services. So, start thinking about how you can monetize your Google Sheet and provide value to your customers!

Track Something

Create the structure in which someone will track some action or event. This could be as simple as a habit tracker. But it can be much more. Any workflow you already do and know that others might want to follow a similar path. Creating the elements of the structure of that action, is awesome. And then creating a sheet that helps execute it and track the progress is killer.

This could be creating templates. Create visual elements that help someone accomplish something. Can be a calendar format. You could also reimagine a calendar into a structure you wish would exist. As a fanciful idea create a "Pomodoro Calendar" a set of 3 day sprints instead of a normal 7 day week and 30 or 31 day months. Split a month into 3 day sprints that then are bookended with 1 day set ups and reviews. You can create your own Agile format.

Could be a simple idea like a daily planner with MRR inputs.  Then create graphs that automatically who the track of that MRR and create the stats like percentage gains or losses.

Create a sheet that outputs way more than someone inputs and you'll be selling pure gold.

I'm giving away a "Track Anything" spreadsheet. This has a "button" in A1 that a user can click. It tracks each day you clicked the button in a github style calendar. Great for daily habits and a different format than you might first think of.

Track Anything! In a Google Sheet · Better Sheets

Click once a day to track your progress. Daily habits. Daily writing. Daily reading. Track anything you’d like. View it in a nice block style similar to Github Contributions. Free for everyone. No coupon code needed. Track Anything! In a Google Sheet: Click Once a Day to Track Your Progress Are you

Build Your Waitlist

Another way to start a business using Google Sheets is by building a waitlist for your product or service. You can create a form in Google Sheets to collect email addresses and other relevant information from your potential customers. By offering early access or exclusive offers, you can encourage people to sign up for your waitlist and build a community around your brand. This approach not only helps you gauge demand for your product or service but also creates a buzz around your business before you launch. So, start building your waitlist using Google Sheets and grow your audience!

Write Code

You might be thinking but "I can't code". But that's okay. You can sell a sheet with "code" with some simple formulas. But I do also mean you can write Apps Script and sell it.

Formulas could seem like automation when you do it with the IF() and ISBLANK() formula.

This Seems Like Automation · Better Sheets

4 formulas that make your sheets feel automated. Start with user-started actions, and get automated data flowing in other parts of your sheet.

But yes you can also sell real apps script.

I built a Paywall for Google Sheets in Apps Script. The sold product is a script that you get once you pay, and you have to copy the sheet to your drive then use the Apps Script.

OnlySheets · Better Sheets

When you’re trying to sell google sheets templates, OnlySheets makes sure you’re only adding buyers as viewers. Nobody else. Once OnlySheets is set up, it automatically adds google sheet access to buyers of your Google Sheet Templates. Empowers you to sell sheet templates, sheets full of

Hot Hooks is a tweet writing app in Google Sheets. I sell it as a sheet. You can use your own OpenAI apikey to get it to work.

Hot Hooks · Better Sheets

The sheet that writes tweet hooks for you. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3 (bring your own API KEY). AI writes the hooks based on formats you select. Already preloaded with hook formats. Enter your topic, select your format and hit “Generate Heat”. Write more tweet hooks. Write faster tweet hooks. Write

Monetize with Apps Script

Writing code in Google Apps Script can be a powerful way to monetize your Google Sheets business. With Apps Script, you can add custom functionalities to your sheets, such as automating tasks, creating dashboards, or connecting to external APIs.

Learn how to automate sheets:

Spreadsheet Automation 101 · Better Sheets

Dive into Google Apps Script so that you can automate your business processes. Learn how to automatically send emails to yourself and others with data from inside your sheets. Available for non-members on Udemy → Spreadsheet Automation 101 Spreadsheet Automation 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Google

You can even build add-ons and extensions to your Google Sheets app and sell them on the G Suite Marketplace. Apps Script requires some basic programming knowledge.

By leveraging the full potential of Google Sheets and Apps Script, you can create unique and valuable products for your customers and establish yourself as a tech-savvy entrepreneur. So, if you're up for the challenge, start learning Apps Script and take your Google Sheets game to the next level.

Monetize with Sheets

A great way to make money through Google Sheets is to sell your sheet as a product. People are always looking for quick solutions to their problems.

Whether it's creating a budget, tracking expenses, or building a marketing plan, customers are ready to pay for pre-built Sheets that can help them achieve their goals.

By creating a productized service, you can save people time and provide them with a high-quality solution that they can use immediately. You can use platforms like Gumroad, Sellfy, or SendOwl to sell your sheet and automate the payment and delivery process.

By optimizing your sheet for SEO and social media, you can reach a wider audience and grow your sales. So, start creating your sheet product and launch your Google Sheets business today!

Get Sheet Done

In conclusion, using Google Sheets can be a cost-effective and efficient way to start a business.

You can create a Minimal Viable Product, sell the sheet or build a waitlist.

Sell text. Sell links. Sell tracking. Sell code.

With Google Sheets, entrepreneurs can quickly iterate and improve their business ideas, gather feedback, and monetize their products and services.

By leveraging the power of Google Sheets, you can establish yourself as a tech-savvy entrepreneur and create valuable solutions for your customers.

So, get sheet done and start your business in Google Sheets today!