Excel University
Excel University is an online e-learning company that delivers structured Excel training and NASBA-accredited CPE credits to accounting and finance professionals. Founded in 2012 by CPA Jeff Lenning, it operates with a three-person team in Harrisburg, South Dakota.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersHarrisburg, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Excel University does
Excel University is a privately held e-learning company founded in 2012 by Jeff Lenning, CPA, that delivers structured online Excel training to accounting and finance professionals. The company operates from Harrisburg, South Dakota, with a lean team of approximately three people. Its primary audience is CPAs and accounting/finance professionals seeking to improve Excel proficiency, earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits, and automate recurring workbook tasks. Founder Jeff Lenning, a Microsoft MVP, MOS Expert, and Microsoft Certified Trainer with 20+ years of national teaching experience, serves as the primary instructor and content creator.
The core platform offers three subscription tiers: Study Pass ($29/month, videos and practice files only), Campus Pass ($40/month paid annually, full catalog with quizzes, certificates, live office hours, and AI/automation training), and CPE Pass ($52/month, includes 124 NASBA-accredited CPE credits). Curriculum is organized into Undergraduate and Masters programs covering Excel fundamentals through advanced Power Query and Power Pivot. Proprietary offerings include the Speed Loop methodology (a workbook optimization framework), a four-volume book series sold on Amazon, group coaching programs starting at $750, and an AI and Automation training module covering Copilot, ChatGPT, Airtable, Zapier, and Power Automate. The company is a NASBA CPE Sponsor (ID 124370), giving it regulatory standing to issue CPE credits to CPAs.
Excel University monetizes through recurring subscriptions, one-time book sales, professional services (Speed Loop coaching), sponsored content ($1,000 per blog post to 50,000+ subscribers), and affiliate channel revenue (20% commission). Customer acquisition is community-led: a 50,000+ email subscriber base, hundreds of free blog posts recognized as a top-10 Excel blog, a free Excel 100 course, a free Speed Loop webinar, a Skills Survey personalization tool, and active social media presence (LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X) drive organic inbound. The founder has publicly stated the business has scaled to approximately $6 million in annual revenue with a three-person team.
Excel University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Excel University
- Legal name
- Excel University, Inc.
- Website
- https://excel-university.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Excel University is an online e-learning company that delivers structured Excel training and NASBA-accredited CPE credits to accounting and finance professionals. Founded in 2012 by CPA Jeff Lenning, it operates with a three-person team in Harrisburg, South Dakota.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Excel University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Professional Education
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Productivity & Office Software Skills (EDAAAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)
Keywords
Where Excel University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Harrisburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Excel University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Training Passes: Monthly and annual subscription revenue from three training pass tiers: Study Pass ($29/month), Campus Pass ($40/month or $480/year), and CPE Pass ($52/month or $620/year). Recurring subscription model with monthly or annual billing.
- Book Sales: Revenue from four-volume Excel University book series sold through Amazon and other retailers. Progressive volumes covering foundational to advanced Excel skills for accounting professionals.
- Speed Loop Coaching Program: Group and individual coaching sessions led by Jeff Lenning using the Speed Loop methodology. Various plans starting from $750, with 5 students per coaching team.
- Sponsored Content: Sponsored blog posts ($1,000 each) reaching 50,000+ email subscribers. Companies can include their product/service in blog post and email newsletter.
- Affiliate Referrals: 20% affiliate commission on course sales paid to bloggers, consultants, and organizations that refer customers. Commission tracked per sale with monthly payouts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Study Pass: Videos and files only for basic Excel learning |
| Subscription | Annual | Campus Pass: Most popular subscription with quizzes, certificates, live office hours, and AI/automation lessons |
| Subscription | Annual | CPE Pass: For CPAs earning 124 continuing professional education credits |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Speed Loop Coaching: Hands-on assistance implementing Speed Loop methodology |
| Other | Monthly | Affiliate Commission: 20% commission for course referrals |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Excel University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Excel University is an e-learning company that delivers online Microsoft Excel training to accounting and finance professionals through three subscription tiers (Study Pass, Campus Pass, CPE Pass). The platform provides on-demand video lessons, downloadable practice files, quizzes, certificates, live office hours, and an AI/automation electives curriculum, with a separate NASBA-accredited CPE program offering 124 CPE credits for CPAs.
Product overview
Excel University is an online Excel training platform offering structured learning programs for accounting and finance professionals. The core offerings include three subscription tiers: Study Pass (videos and files only), Campus Pass (full catalog access with office hours and AI training), and CPE Pass (similar to Campus with 124 CPE credits for CPAs). The curriculum is organized into Undergraduate and Masters programs, with free resources including the Excel 100 beginner course and Speed Loop methodology. Additional offerings include a four-volume Excel University book series, coaching programs, scholarship opportunities, group training options, and an AI and Automation Electives module teaching tools like Copilot, ChatGPT, Airtable, and Zapier.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Study Pass Entry-level subscription providing access to Excel training videos and downloadable practice files for individuals starting to learn Excel. Does not include live office hours, quizzes, certificates, or AI/automation lessons.
- Campus Pass Subscription training program providing access to the full undergraduate and masters Excel lessons, quizzes, certificates, live office hours with Q&A, AI and Automation training lessons, and the Student Union community for non-CPA professionals.
- CPE Pass Training subscription for CPAs that offers 124 continuing professional education (CPE) credits through 32 lessons. Includes all undergraduate and masters Excel lessons plus live office hours. Note: no CPE awarded for AI lessons.
- Excel 100 Free Course Free on-demand video course for new Excel users teaching fundamentals such as formulas, cell references, and Excel structure with downloadable practice files. No registration required.
- AI and Automation Training Training module included with Campus Pass and CPE Pass teaching AI and automation tools including Copilot, ChatGPT, Airtable, Zapier, and Power Automate for workflow automation tailored to accounting and finance needs.
- Speed Loop Coaching Program Group coaching program in which students work through the Speed Loop method on their own workbooks with 5 team meetings via Zoom, team discussion forums, and 5 students per coaching team. MVPs receive additional 1-on-1 meetings with Jeff Lenning.
- Excel University Book Series Four-volume book series (Volumes 1-4) covering Excel features, functions, and techniques for accounting and finance professionals, with each volume including online resource libraries with sample files and solution videos.
- Group Training Discounted group training subscriptions for organizations with 2 or more students, including Campus Pass Group and CPE Pass Group with annual renewal and manual seat-count adjustments. CPE group rate is $540/year per student.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students have saved over 100,000 hours by delegating manual tasks to Excel
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Excel University
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Excel University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Excel University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Amplio SolutionsminorIndependent consultant Jay Mathewson listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Offers custom Excel solutions including reports, scorecards, data analytics, performance management. Free consultation available. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
- P3 AdaptiveminorIndependent consultant firm listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Specializes in larger projects, reporting, Power BI, Power Pivot, database work. Microsoft Gold Partner. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
- SumProductminorIndependent consulting firm listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Offers Excel, Power BI and strategic consulting including Best Practice models, dashboards, analysis, and automation. Free no-obligation consultation. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
- Excel Your Business (Brenda)minorIndependent consultant listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Offers Excel consulting, process improvement, custom spreadsheet solutions. Free consultation available. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
- Custom Excel SpreadsheetsminorIndependent service listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Offers custom Excel solutions, VBA and Google App Scripts programming, Zapier integration, APIs. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
- Someka Excel TemplatesminorReady-to-use Excel and Google Sheets template provider listed on Excel University's consultant referral page. Excel solutions tailored to customer needs. Affiliate link used. Not affiliated or endorsed by Excel University.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Excel University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MrExcel: Long-running Excel training community and forum founded by Bill Jelen, offering paid books, videos, and add-ins. Directly comparable to Excel University as a content-led Excel training brand serving power users and finance professionals.
- Corporate Finance Institute (CFI): Online training provider for finance and accounting professionals with extensive Excel, financial modeling, and valuation courses plus certifications. Comparable target customer (CPAs/finance professionals), similar subscription model, and overlapping curriculum.
- CPAacademy.com: NASBA-registered CPE provider offering self-study and webinar-based continuing education for CPAs. Most direct competitor in the regulated CPE-credit niche that anchors Excel University's CPE Pass offering.
- Surgent CPE: Major CPE and CPA exam prep provider with structured subscription learning. Comparable as a CPE-credit subscription business targeting the same CPA buyer with a broader accounting curriculum.
- Wiley Efficient Learning (CPAexcel): Wiley's CPA prep and CPE platform with structured courses and credentials. Comparable as a subscription-based CPA professional development and exam prep business overlapping with Excel University's CPE Pass audience.
Broad incumbents
- Becker Professional Education: Long-established CPA exam prep and CPE provider owned by Adtalem. Larger, broader portfolio targeting the same CPA professional audience; overlaps with Excel University's CPE Pass in continuing professional education.
- LinkedIn Learning: Microsoft-owned professional development platform with broad Excel, accounting, and finance course catalog. A larger incumbent competing for the same professionals' training dollars but without deep accounting-specific specialization.
- Udemy: Global course marketplace with thousands of Excel and accounting courses from third-party instructors. Comparable as a broad, lower-cost distribution channel for Excel/accounting content competing for the same professional learner.
- Pluralsight: Tech skills training platform with assessment-based learning paths covering Excel, Power BI, and automation tools. Comparable as a B2B-leaning subscription learning platform overlapping on Excel and adjacent productivity tooling.
- AICPA (CPExpress / webinars): Professional association offering CPE-eligible self-study and webinar content to its CPA membership. A higher-authority incumbent in the same CPE-credit niche that Excel University competes in for CPA training dollars.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Excel University social profiles
Digital presenceExcel University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Excel University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Excel University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Excel University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Excel University
What does Excel University do?
Excel University is an e-learning company that delivers online Microsoft Excel training to accounting and finance professionals through three subscription tiers (Study Pass, Campus Pass, CPE Pass). The platform provides on-demand video lessons, downloadable practice files, quizzes, certificates, live office hours, and an AI/automation electives curriculum, with a separate NASBA-accredited CPE program offering 124 CPE credits for CPAs.
Is Excel University a public or private company?
Excel University is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Excel University founded?
Excel University was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Excel University based?
Excel University is headquartered in Harrisburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Excel University make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Subscription Training Passes are the primary driver. The others are book Sales, speed Loop Coaching Program, sponsored Content and affiliate Referrals.
Who are Excel University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MrExcel, Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), CPAacademy.com, Surgent CPE and Wiley Efficient Learning (CPAexcel). Broad incumbents are Becker Professional Education, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Pluralsight and AICPA (CPExpress / webinars).
Does Excel University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Excel University.
What industry is Excel University in?
Excel University's product category is Online Professional Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAIAC, Productivity & Office Software Skills, with a secondary code of EDAFADAG, Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 8200.