JKJL’s company mission is to provide Excel solutions (consulting and training) to companies and individuals. Those solutions are designed to fit the needs of the client in a way that maximizes client satisfaction.
My consulting solutions are based on gaining an in-depth understanding of what the client wants and needs. Sometimes those can be at odds with each other, so effective communication is of utmost importance.
My training solutions are detailed on my website; I deliver nine established training programs and courses targeted to Excel users at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Tell us about yourself?
After graduating from the University of Toronto with a Commerce degree, I worked for Price Waterhouse for five years before launching my career as a consultant.
Over 25 years in private consulting (mostly with SAP) and eight years in public service with the US Department of Agriculture have afforded me the privilege of working with thousands of Excel users over the years. I was able to obtain a unique perspective on their needs as well as how to develop the most effective way to design and deliver my Excel solutions to address those needs.
After over 30 years of implementing various Executive Information Systems, Activity Analysis, and Predictive Planning consulting solutions for large companies, I wanted to work more with a smaller focus, targeting specific needs that users had with Excel – the world’s most popular software tool (after email).
I’m also a Microsoft-accredited Excel Expert.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Talk less.
Listen more.
Document clearly what the client wants, match it to what the client really needs, then come to an agreement with the client so as to set expectations. This will maximize client satisfaction because that will always be the bottom line.
What problem does your business solve?
People everywhere, in their business and personal lives, sometimes have to work with data, whether that data contains numbers and/or just a list of things. Excel is used by over half a billion people around the world; that many people can’t be wrong. Therefore, people either need to learn Excel or enhance their current comfort level with it.
Most people aren’t interested or well-served by the generic (often irrelevant) solutions they can find for free on platforms like YouTube. They want solutions that are focused on precisely what they need. That means they need someone who knows how to listen, understand, and respond to direct questions. Ultimately, they need a solution they can implement with their own data as quickly and inexpensively as possible.
This is the problem that JKJL Excel Solutions solves.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
I was inspired by the many Excel users I’ve had the pleasure of working with for many years. I learned that even highly experienced and advanced users of Excel sometimes need help. It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to help users at all levels of Excel.
What is your magic sauce?
Listening isn’t just a necessary skill; it’s an art. That, and being able to fit a client’s need to a relevant and effective solution, is the cornerstone of my business.
I greatly encourage people taking my training courses to provide their own data when possible. Additionally, I provide unlimited after-session support at no cost.
My competitors don’t usually have the experience in consulting and dealing with people at all levels of business that I have. My competitors don’t usually have the communication and leadership know-how gained through many years at Toastmasters that I have.
Most importantly, my competitors are usually younger than I am and are driven by profit; I am driven more by selfish motives – I want my clients to be so happy that they would not hesitate to recommend me to their colleagues and friends.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
While the pandemic has changed the dynamic of working from home, it has also driven more people to search for online solutions to their needs. Prior to the pandemic, my business was always conducted either at client sites or at my training centers. Now, the majority of my business is done via Microsoft Teams or Zoom. I’m seeing an increase in interest in my services. In response, I have designed more focused training programs and am looking to expand my reach anywhere within North America and beyond. My vision is to grow my business such that I can serve more people.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The pandemic forced me to change how I deliver my solutions to my clients, both from a consulting and training perspective. Working with groups of people gathered around a computer screen has been challenging, but there are pros and cons. The negative is the lack of personal interaction that’s only possible when everyone is face-to-face; people often turn their webcams off. But the positive is enabling more people to take advantage of what I have to offer from the comfort of their computer, no matter where they are.
How can people get involved?
My focused training programs are well detailed on my website: www.jkjl.com/training-programs. As well a list of my clients and examples of work done are also on the website. Anybody interested in learning more can email me directly at asb@jkjl.com or call me directly at 647-992-9544.