Retail shop owner teaches himself Python to replace his spreadsheet with small tools

Eric, who ran a small retail shop for eleven years and does not code professionally, introduces himself to the DEV Community. He began by managing cash flow, stock, and pricing in a large spreadsheet that only he understood. Last year he started learning basic Python to organize that workbook and became interested in building small tools that each answer a specific business question. He describes himself as a beginner who relies heavily on lookups, but says the community's supportive tone drew him in. He plans to mostly read and ask questions, and invites others who built tools for small businesses or switched into coding from other trades to share their experiences.