Treasure Coast News, Business and Community April 2013 | Page 26

26 - TCnbc Magazine

Some useful Microsoft Shortcuts

When I was flying to the US in 1993, having enjoyed a long career as a corporate software instructor and Regional Manager of the largest University on the continent of Africa, I stopped! 'WAIT! What am I doing, thinking that I can 'make it' in this super power called the US, when I have simply been a big fish in a small world'

I so seriously wanted to turn that plane around!

I arrived here, with lots of money, but lost it all to those who wanted everything for 'Free' but expected me to pay for what I got and before I knew it, I was penniless broke!

My son and I went to Wendy's and bought a 99c burger, which was to be our only meal in 3 days and heaven only knew where our next meal would come from!

The next day, I decided that come hell or highwater, I was going to earn an income!

I fired up our used car that we had bought for $500 and drove to the nearest business park. I walk straight past the sign that said 'No Solicitors' and knocked on the door of a CPA.

"If I can teach your staff to do their job fatser and more efficiently by 4.30pm" I asked, "Will you pay me $150?"

The CPA jumped at the opportunity and by 4.30pm 3 of his staff members were doing their clients taxes using Quickbooks!

It was that $150 that started a successful computer training business back in 1994 - a business that provided highly trained instructors to companies like New Horizons and CompUSA. Before long, we were securing our own corporate contracts: 91,000 people in Xerox Corporation, 40,000 people in Allstate Insurance, 1,200 people in the Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles and more, all trained by my company!

Time is money and time cannot be bought, but the saving of time CAN be TAUGHT! Anyone can use software in this day and age, but for most of them, it's like buying a Lamborghini and pushing it on the freeway!

It's not only the program that you use, that creates a successful business owner, but THE WAY YOU USE IT!

I would suggest that you copy and paste this list into a text editor, print it out and keep it near your keyboard. Why not learn a couple of commands every day?

By Althea Garner