Spread ‘em for the ExcelRainMan
May 28, 2008 by Valerie HelmbreckPosted in: Budgets and spending, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Software, Software shortcuts
Talk about your niche markets, Jennifer Portland (aka the Excel Rain Man, er, Woman) found one: Frustrated Excel spreadsheet users.
Portland claims she’s just the person Excel users need. She’ll solve spreadsheet dilemmas so you don’t have to — for a modest fee.
The company’s no-frills Web site (excelrainman.com) explains the simple process — you submit a request, get a quote for the solution, pay via PayPal and voila, problem solved.
Sounds pretty straight forward, right?
It’s actually Portland’s marketing approach that’s a little quirky. Instead of the usual dry, technical press releases of many software service vendors, ExcelRainMan touts “Ninja-like skills” and the appeal of dumping client work.
Says the press release:
“You’re a pharmaceutical tycoon aggregating addresses of FDA pals. You’re a couch potato charting “innocence lost” on the CW. You’re a middle manager tracking clients 7, 8, and 10. No matter your prerogative, pivot tables with Jennifer Portland, a cell-formatting, formula-postulating, systems-engineering graduate who moonlights as Excel Rain Man. Whether LIFO or FIFO, Portland swears her spreadsheet can beat up your spreadsheet. She honed her skills at a computer camp her parents made her go to on school breaks. Now you can leave the IT guys alone and utilize her “ninja-like skills” for a small fee. Send her your query; she’ll set up templates, solve problems, give tutorials, and share formulas. Turnaround time is ypically one business day (rush available), so you can dump your client work, job chores, or anal-retentive project ideas — and get back to business as a blogger extraordinaire.”
Anal-retentive project ideas? You go girl!
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Tags: Excel, service, Software, solution, spreadsheets

August 11th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Dear Jennifer Portland,
Our company has developed a scheduling system on Excel which is essential to our machine shop business. The system works wonderfully and is helping us acquire new business, but as we add more and more jobs the system has slowed exponentially. It is clear that the systems many long and complex formulas are the problem. Maybe the formulas can be more intelligently written, the system reconfigured, or a combination. We need an expert to help us navigate the fix. Can you help?
Madison Finlay
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Hi Madison!
I just saw your note… over a year leater
Let me know if you need help with anything. Just submit a request @ ExcelRainMan.com. It will go straight to me.
Also, we just put out our FREE 2009 ExcelRainMan Gift Guide. Check it out @ http://excelrainman.com/tips.php