Meet Refat
I’m Refat Ametov, and I am the CEO & Co-Founder of SpreadSimple. With our powerful no-code website builder, you can turn your Google Sheets into a website without coding.
Hi, please introduce yourself to our audience and tell us a bit about your industry experience?
Hi! I’m Refat Ametov, the CEO and co-founder of SpreadSimple, a bootstrapped global startup that’s already attracted over 50k customers and counting. SpreadSimple is a browser-based no-code website builder that uses Google Sheets for content management.
My background is in computer science, which has given me a deep understanding of technology. Besides, I’m passionate about business, as it amplifies impact and allows us to scale solutions globally. I co-founded a digital product agency that not only worked with top-tier enterprises like Porsche but also supported startups from inception to Series C funding.
What inspired the creation of SpreadSimple?
Our passion for spreadsheets, both as users and developers, led to creation of SpreadSimple during an internal hackathon. The initial traction revealed a strong demand for no-code solutions, inspiring us to develop a tool that simplifies turning spreadsheet data into functional websites.
Can you describe some of the key features of SpreadSimple?
SpreadSimple allows users to build websites without using any code. Any website created with our tool uses a Google Sheets document as its content management system. We consider this our most important feature, as it makes it extremely easy and accessible to anyone to update their website.
Other key features include various e-commerce tools that allow creating a user-friendly online shop. You can add a shopping cart, order collection feature, multiple payment methods, promo codes, tipping options, taxes, and shipping fees to a website created with SpreadSimple.
Aside from that, we created tools for adding a map view to display items on the interactive map, added the opportunity to create multiple pages, enabled URL aliases for creating category pages with unique content, and ensured SEO-related settings. Our newest key feature are secret columns that allow selling digital products online while keeping the links safely protected.
What sets SpreadSimple apart from other no-code website builders?
SpreadSimple differentiates itself with its simplicity, smart defaults, and a focus on rapid content updates, allowing users to quickly adapt to market changes without getting bogged down in complex configurations.
What kind of customization options are available for users when building their websites?
Customization is great, but the other side of that coin is complexity: the more flexible a product is, the more complex its setup becomes. For a product meant to be user-friendly and accessible, it’s important to keep things simple. A great way to achieve simplicity is by providing smart defaults and a strong starting point for the user.
Our goal at SpreadSimple is to provide a lot of options for customization while keeping the tool user-friendly and accessible to people with no coding skills. Users can upload their design and adjust the way the content is configured on the page. This can be achieved with built-in features, and further customization is possible with custom styles.
Additionally, while developing SpreadSimple, we aim to create features that can be customized to fit the various needs of our users. This approach allows for the use of e-commerce-related features, such as an order form, product variations, and stock limitation, even for non-commercial projects with a few tweaks.
Can users add custom code or third-party integrations to their SpreadSimple websites?
Yes, absolutely. Our users can add custom scripts and CSS code to their websites. Additionally, there is a long list of built-in integrations, including various chats, analytics, payment systems, and email marketing services. Users can easily set them up and add to their websites without using any embed codes or scripts – it literally takes a couple of clicks.
It is also possible to automate workflows and integrate the website with third-party tools like CRMs using webhooks and automation services.
Who are your primary target users, and what problems does SpreadSimple solve for them?
Our primary target users are small and medium-sized business owners in the e-commerce industry, as well as digital creators and enthusiasts. We aim to provide everyone with a simple, straightforward tool for website creation, regardless of their coding skills. SpreadSimple solves multiple problems: it allows businesses to optimize their efforts and resources in building a digital presence and provides a feature-rich tool to create an e-commerce platform.
How do you see the no-code movement evolving in the next few years?
The no-code movement is poised to revolutionize software development and automation, particularly with AI’s recent impact. We’re just beginning to democratize technology, making it accessible to everyone, which will unlock immense creative potential.
What advice would you give to startups entering the SaaS industry?
In my opinion, SaaS startups should focus on product-led growth and maintaining close communication with their audiences. These strategies ensure your product meets market needs and builds a loyal customer base.
Did you enjoy our interview? Do you have anything to say to our community?
I truly enjoyed this interview! Thank you for the interesting conversation and for providing a platform to share more about SpreadSimple.
