I run a small, expertise-based business called Stringfest Analytics, focused on Excel, analytics, and practical data skills for professionals. Over time, friends, family, and acquaintances have asked how they can support my work if they don’t need Excel training themselves and aren’t in my target audience.
This post exists mainly as documentation, and as a place I can point people when that question comes up. Like any small business owner, I appreciate and welcome support in all its forms. At the same time, I realize that I work in a fairly niche space, and it’s not always obvious what this “support” looks like if you don’t live in the world of Excel, analytics, or professional training.
Because of that, this isn’t a request or an expectation, and it’s not aimed at converting anyone into a customer. It’s simply a clear explanation of how support tends to show up for a business like mine, particularly when someone wants to be helpful but isn’t part of my core audience.
Request my books through your local library
This one is straightforward. Check whether your local library carries my books, and if it doesn’t, you can submit a request for them to be added. I’ve written separate posts that walk through this process in more detail, along with other ways to support my books.
Libraries pay attention to reader requests, and this helps extend the reach of my work without requiring a personal purchase.
Refer people to my free LinkedIn Learning courses
If someone mentions struggling with Excel, reporting, or working with data, pointing them to my free LinkedIn Learning content is an easy and effective way to help.
In many states and municipalities, anyone with a library card can access the entire LinkedIn Learning library at no cost. I have written a separate post below that explains which libraries offer this and how to get access. If you are aware of other areas where this is available, feel free to let me know so I can keep that list updated.
It is also worth checking whether a workplace or university provides LinkedIn Learning access, since many do.
Even without library or institutional access, my Copilot in Excel course is completely free to take courtesy of Microsoft. That makes this one of the simplest, lowest-friction ways to support my work.
I do not expect anyone to promote or sell on my behalf. I know how awkward that can be. Simply pointing someone toward a free and genuinely useful resource is more than enough.
Share selectively
There is no need to share everything I post, and I do not expect that. If something genuinely resonates with you, passing it along helps more than most people realize.
A single thoughtful share can put my work in front of people who would never otherwise encounter Stringfest Analytics. That kind of quiet amplification is often how the right people find their way to niche businesses like mine.
Leave brief feedback if you’ve used my work
If you have watched a course, read a book, or attended a free session I have run, a short comment or review can be very helpful. Feedback gives future learners a clearer sense of whether the work is relevant to them and worth their time.
This only applies if you have genuinely engaged with the material. I would never expect someone to review an Excel book if they do not use Excel.
Bonus: the Stringfest Analytics newsletter
One optional way to stay connected to my work is the Stringfest Analytics newsletter:
This is where I share what is currently on my radar, including new tools, ideas I am testing, upcoming projects, and occasionally a bit of what is going on personally as I build this business. If you are curious about how Stringfest Analytics evolves over time, this is the easiest way to keep up.
Subscribing only makes sense if you actually want to read it. There is no expectation otherwise.
If you are on the newsletter, forwarding a single email to the right person is incredibly powerful.
Unlike social media posts, forwarded emails arrive with built-in trust. A short note like “This reminded me of you” often does more than any algorithm ever could. Many of the most meaningful connections and opportunities I have had started this way.
Conclusion
None of the above is required. I know people are busy, and as the saying goes, no one owes me anything.
That said, when someone does ask how they can support my work and genuinely wants to be helpful, I do feel like I owe them a clear and honest answer. Writing this down serves that purpose and helps define what support actually means in a niche, expertise-driven business like Stringfest Analytics.
Thanks for reading and for taking the time to understand how this kind of work actually gets supported.