01/07/2022
Hi, I'm Julie!
I graduated from Iowa City West High in 1982 and then Cornell College in 1986. I promptly shelved my degrees in Politics and History, not once having used a computer, and headed off to my first "real" job working at CCC Information Services, an upstart computer company in Chicago providing insurance information. I was terrified of computers. I didn't think my brain could go there.
During those 6 years at CCC I discovered I was wrong, in fact I had an aptitude for computers. I worked my way up doing various jobs, including training, customer service and management, beta testing, troubleshooting, and working in the insurance world of total loss automobiles and collision estimating. I decided to leave the corporate environment to attend the Montessori Teacher Training School in Hinsdale, IL in 1992.
In 1993 I discovered that the parents of my Montessori students were in need of computer help in their homes. My entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I started "KidComp! In-Home Computer Learning" for Parents, Children and Small Businesses. My business took off. I went into clients homes and upgraded their modems, sound cards, memory, CD-ROM drives.. I sold the hardware and the software and then I trained them how to use it. Quicken, Quickbooks, MicroSoft Word, Reader Rabbit, AOL... you get the picture if you're of a certain age.
In 1994 I was written up in the Chicago Tribune with the headline "Computer Nursemaid." Yes, it was a different time. Shortly after that I appeared on the cover of the Chicago Tribune Sunday Business Section. The headline read "Computer Nerds Race to High Tech Brushfires." According to the Trib I will always be a Nursemaid and a Nerd. Oh well, the publicity was nice.
Since then, life happened. I was able to step back and raise my two boys, born in 1998 and 2000. I renovated and flipped a few houses. I went back to my maiden name. And I travel. A lot. I have collected and sold French Posters and unique antiques for 25 years and I'm also a big Ancestry fan. I also have a passion for photography. If you peruse my photographs you will see the emphasis on the visual including well thought out, positive content.
Technology evolved and I have evolved with it. Over the years I have maintained some clients for training and consulting purposes, and now my business focus is on Social Media Marketing, bookkeeping, training and consulting. One of my favorite parts of this evolution process is that I also work teaching seniors. They need to keep in touch with the kids.
I come to you. I help you grow your business. I cater to your needs.
Send me a private message or call/text me at 630-730-2320. My rates are reasonable.
