This article is part of my ↗️ where I share insights on building things in tech. Join me :)‍ Note: resource newsletters 👋 I’m , a product builder. I’ve built multiple apps using the method: , , , , , , +more Zoe Chew rapid MVP sneaker app personal FAQ meal kit app virtual event app SaaS tracker food delivery content app I’m on a quest to understand the . Each week, I analyze profitable industries, and how you can compete and monetize—at the intersection of Internet platforms & consumer tech. future of the Internet Today’s post is about . Read here if you’re interested in the , , , or the future of SaaS Web3 creators economy future of social networks FinTech & wellness tech B2C online marketplaces . 1. Excel is SaaS’s Biggest Competitor In a pre-SaaS (software-as-a-service) world, nearly . Accountants relied on it for finance management. Managers used it for project management. HR used it for payrolls and employee directories. The sales team used it for lead management and CRM. Individuals used it for to-do list planning. every industry relied on Microsoft Excel As companies adopt digitization, operations and workflows become more complicated. Businesses need to find a way to automate and scale efficiently. Teams need to collaborate internally and externally. Specific use cases gave rise to the —businesses are created to replace spreadsheets with alternative tools that cater to a niche target audience, interest, and job-to-be-done. unbundling of Excel 2. Turning Excel Templates into Software Companies Despite new players arise, Excel has yet to be replaced due to its decade-long usage, programming capabilities (i.e., Excel formula), and reliability. completely In fact, most SaaS apps are simply products unbundled from Excel. These are businesses that turn spreadsheets into profitable software companies: , one of the earliest SaaS businesses founded in 1999 replaced CRM spreadsheets in Excel Salesforce and replaced project management and Gantt chart Excel templates Trello , Jira , Asana replaced bookkeeping in spreadsheets Xero, QuickBooks 3 more business categories are born out to replace Excel templates (📥 Full version) 14 more company examples across business categories (📥 Full version) 3. Unbundling of Excel: Era 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 To understand the future of SaaS, we need to zoom into the transition of Excel unbundling. I call it Excel 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 of Excel unbundling: The Internet was born. Rise of cloud-based apps such as cloud-based CRM ( , ), document management ( , , ), and cloud accounting ( ). Softwares are created to replace spreadsheet functionalities with a better interface, user experience, integration, and workflow optimization. Unbundling of Excel 1.0: Salesforce Hubspot Dropbox Google Drive Microsoft Online Xero Rise of collaboration tools. Softwares are created to empower team collaboration. For example, project management ( , ), document collaboration, communication tools. 9 more company examples across segments. Unbundling of Excel 2.0: Trello Asana (📥 Full version) Rise of no-code, low-code tools. Softwares are created to turn spreadsheets into apps without any technical knowledge. & turns spreadsheets into interactive databases. , turns spreadsheets into mobile apps. 5 more company examples across segments. Unbundling of Excel 3.0: Airtable Coda Glide Adalo (📥 Full version) 4. What Problems Do They Solve? No-code and low-code tools empower non-technical developers to build websites, apps, automated workflow, and infrastructure. Break down technical barriers. Most team collaboration apps solve this problem by allowing internal collaboration within an organization. Reduce blockers. 3 more valid problems existing players are solving. Understand these problem statements will help you build something people want. You’ll also learn: (📥 Full version) What problems does Firebase solve? Problem definition 1: What problems do collaboration apps solve? Problem definition 2: What problems do low-code apps solve? Problem definition 3: 5. Business Models A SaaS typically makes money through a monthly or yearly membership model by providing access to the product features. There are different ways to charge access for users, for example: recurring subscription Charging for additional tasks, workflows, and API calls. Common in automation tools, i.e. , , , . Usage-based pricing: Zapier Parabola Integromat Paragon 4 more strategies to help you layer different revenue streams and build a profitable SaaS. You’ll also learn: (📥 Full version) If you’re just starting out with a SaaS MVP, you can monetize immediately using this pricing model, then add more revenue layers as you go. Strategy 1: If you want to scale the pricing, this model is a good addition. Strategy 2: If you’re creating a SaaS for creators monetization, this is a strategic business model. Strategy 3: Most common way to create additional revenue streams on top of your core SaaS features. Strategy 4: 6. Why Now? There are massive opportunities to build in the SaaS space. This section explores the key takeaways, the future of SaaS, and the “why now” questions (most important slide in a pitch deck!) for your investors: To compete in today’s SaaS world, it’s not enough to create a SaaS business by offering better UI and UX. Customers have —does it offer automation? Integration? Speed? API? All-in-one feature for the price of one? rising expectations 4 more market evidence in detail to help you answer the “why now” questions. You’ll also learn: (📥 Full version) new problems that are emerged from remote work and why new SaaS solutions are needed Evidence 1: new problems that are emerged from freelancing entrepreneurship and why it matters for SaaS businesses Evidence 2: why this cultural shift in the workplace will give rise to new SaaS solutions? Evidence 3: where the future of SaaS is heading? Evidence 4: Business Opportunities 3 specific product ideas and business opportunities that are solving problems. You’ll unlock: (📥 Full version) SaaS idea that helps cross-functional teams collaborate Opportunity 1: SaaS idea that helps product team build the right product features Opportunity 2: SaaS idea in automation Opportunity 3: 👉 Get the full report : here [1] Find me on my Personal Site / Twitter / LinkedIn 🔥 [2] Weekly market insights in your inbox — Click here to join my newsletter 💌 Also Published At: https://whizzoe.substack.com/p/unbundling-of-excel-and-the-future

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The Unbundling of Excel: How SaaS Businesses Are Replacing Excel

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