Odd Lots How Microsoft Excel Conquered Corporate America
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Dec 7, 2025 
Max Chafkin, a Businessweek writer with a knack for corporate tech culture, and Dina Bass, a Bloomberg reporter specializing in Microsoft and AI, dive into the fascinating world of Excel. They discuss its rise from VisiCalc to a corporate staple and its role in everyday office life. The duo explores Excel's competitive edge against rivals like Google Sheets and the promise of AI tools, highlighting its unique ability to fulfill essential human needs in business. Excel’s reign may face challenges, but its legacy is firmly entrenched in corporate America.
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Spreadsheet Esports Thrill Crowd
- The XL World Championship turns spreadsheet speed-solving into an esport spectacle with commentators and live play-by-play.
- Max Chafkin and Dina Bass describe pro-spreadsheeters using shortcuts and modeling games at warp speed.
Excel's Cultural And Corporate Grip
- Excel has become one of the most influential programs, powering businesses and seeping into culture despite its drudgery image.
- Experts call it possibly the most important piece of software ever created for organizations.
Ballmer's Life Is A Spreadsheet
- Steve Ballmer keeps an extreme personal spreadsheet tracking budgets, travel nights, and time use down to details like bathroom time.
- Max Chafkin and Dina Bass use Ballmer's habit to show how Excel can morph into a personal life organizer.