Nora Junaid: How I Became an Excel Ninja

As a lecturer in the Department of Operations and Information Management, I found myself standing in large classrooms every semester with students who needed to master Excel. As important and crucial as this tool is in today's workplace, it is notoriously associated with drudgery! Spreadsheets, endless rows of data, and the kind of tedium that makes eyes glaze over. But I was adamant about making it appealing, because this is a lifelong skill. No matter the major or the job, Excel proficiency is highly demanded.

The challenge was real: how do you make pivot tables, data cleanup, and XLOOKUP feel like superpowers rather than chores?

That’s when I thought: let's meet Gen Z where they are. These students are attracted to snappy, bite-sized content over traditional lecturing. So I started by creating a series of short, simplified, and fun videos designed to teach Excel skills and shortcuts in a way that was visual, accessible, and actually memorable to them. 

I started posting the videos on Instagram under the handle @Excel.Ninja, and the world responded. What began as a TikTok style aid for sharing tips and tricks with my Isenberg students soon found a life of its own, reaching millions of people around the world, building a community of over 250,000 followers. The account was no longer just a classroom supplement; it had become a global voice for accessible data literacy.

As the community grew, recognition followed. I was invited by Microsoft to become an Excel Insider and Ambassador, and in June 2025, I received the Microsoft MVP Award, which is an honor recognizing exceptional community leaders for their technical expertise, leadership, online influence, and commitment to solving real-world problems. I also worked to connect communities beyond the screen: In April 2025, I organized the Northeast's first Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge at Isenberg, bringing together approximately 150 students from nine colleges and universities to compete in the ultimate test of Excel skills.

But perhaps the most meaningful milestone came in May 2025, when the digital community I had built began asking for something more permanent. My students wanted me to compile all the simplified tips, tricks, and hacks I had been sharing into a book. They wanted something practical they could use in their internships and other courses. When my followers started asking for the same thing, I thought, "Why not?"

And so the book was born. I self-published Excel Ninja: A Guide from Zero to Hero, and it quickly became a bestseller across four categories on Amazon: Microsoft Office Guides, Microsoft Programming, Microsoft C&C++ Windows Programming, and Spreadsheets Books. The paperback edition also achieved bestseller status in the Spreadsheet Books category. The learning method had already been tested and proven by more than 5,000 students across both online and face-to-face courses, so the reception felt like a natural outcome.

The philosophy at the book's heart is as much about mindset as it is about software. Students who master these skills are called "ninjas." This is a metaphor for discipline, agility, and mastery that reflects a simple truth: achieving Excel proficiency, like a ninja honing their craft, requires consistent practice and ongoing growth.

As business demands are changing, the book will adapt. A sequel is already in the works, one that will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and Excel. AI is no longer a side feature—it's actually becoming the core interface. This next book will not be about Excel formulas anymore; it's going to be more about conversations with intelligent systems.

For me, the journey from classroom instructor to Excel Insider, Microsoft MVP, and Amazon bestselling author is a testament to what happens when genuine passion for teaching meets the reach of the modern internet. To see this work reach such a wide audience and gain that level of recognition has been incredibly rewarding. It reassures me that the content I am building truly resonates with learners.

The funny part about all of this is that none of this was intentional, and I never thought I’d be here today. I just wanted my students to stop being afraid of a spreadsheet. The rest, as they say, is data.

Nora Junaid, PhD, is a senior lecturer I and course coordinator in the Department of Operations and Information Management at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.