Former Corporate Computer Tech Builds His Business in Sunnyside

Angus B. Grieve-Smith Computer Consultant

39-65 51st Street, Apt. 3B Woodside, NY 11377 Email: angus@grieve-smith.com		Phone: (718) 205-8665 Mobile: (917) 916-7469 Website: http://www.grieve-smith.com

The following article appeared in the Woodside Herald

Former Corporate Computer Tech Builds His Business in Sunnyside

August 27, 2004. After more than ten years of experience in information technology, Angus Grieve-Smith has established a computer consulting business in his home neighborhood of Woodside. "I think of myself as one of the neighborhood problem-solvers," he says.

Angus started working in computers when he was in junior high school, writing BASIC programs on his friend's Radio Shack Color Computer. He started his technology career at @cafe, one of New York's first internet cafes, where his job was to help customers feel comfortable with the new technology. He then moved into a position as a one-on-one trainer for Userfriendly Computer Resources. From there, he built up his skills at a number of large institutions: at the American Express help desk, as the desktop support technician for the Capital Group.s New York Office and in the LAN Operations Group at the Chase Manhattan Bank. "They were demanding jobs, but I got to work alongside some of the sharpest technicians in the business and see how they solved all the hard problems," he says.

During two years in Albuquerque, New Mexico and a year in Greenville, North Carolina, Angus broadened his experience working for the telecommunications company US West, the US Postal Service, a local law firm, and the University of New Mexico's Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering Department and Cancer Research and Treatment Center. "Working for a diverse group of customers allowed me to keep my skill set broad, develop skills that work in almost any situation, and not get trapped in one subset of the industry," says Angus. He installed hundreds of new computers for the Wayne County, North Carolina Public School System. More recently, he set up test servers for the computational linguistics start-up LexiQuest and worked as Information Technology Support Engineer for the Fund for the City of New York.

"Small businesses, individuals and families have their own specific needs," Angus says, and he learned how to take care of them as well. For most of his career, he has had a number of individual and small-business clients that he worked for independently. As part of Userfriendly's on-site consulting program, he fixed computer problems in homes and businesses around New York. Later, as a service technician for Computer Geeks, a popular computer store in small-town Winterville, North Carolina, he fixed computer problems both in the store and at customers' sites.

At the beginning of this year, Angus decided to establish a consulting business serving Woodside and Sunnyside. "I wanted some flexibility to take care of my son Nicholas," he says, "and a stronger connection to my neighborhood." He started the business in the spring, and has found a significant demand for his services among local businesses, families and individuals. "People need computer support, with all the spyware and viruses," he says. "Why shouldn.t they get the same kind of quality service that Chase Manhattan gets?"

Next time you have a problem with your computer, why not call a neighbor. Call Angus at: (718) 205-8665 or cell: (917) 916-7469.