About MOSTraining, Incorporated
MOSTraining started in 2004 helping businesses learn how to increase the productivity of their workforce using Microsoft Office applications. MOSTraining has extended its reach to help businesses and entrepreneurs strategically market and grow their business using social media. MOSTraining also helps companies increase their workforce productivity using cloud computing tools.
About Donna Gilliland, President of MOSTraining
I am an award-winning technology instructor, a social media specialist and certified technology trainer. My technology teaching career spans over 18 years. I hold certifications in Microsoft, IBM and CompTia.
Teaching, speaking and marketing are my passions. I speak and teach regularly on social media marketing for small business. I help small businesses strategically market their business using social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. In addition, I provide training to the marketing and support staff of companies in how to use the features of these very technical platforms.
MOSTraining, has been spotlighted in the Birmingham Business Journal in both their previous Entrepreneur’s section and most recently in their section on Ideas for Growing Your Business Strategies. I have also been featured in OfficePro magazine. I have a new article coming out in OfficePro in Spring of 2011.
I am a proud member of the National Speaker’s Association.
My Personal Story
I began my career in technology back when DOS was the King of computer operating systems for the personal computer, floppies were actually floppy and the Internet had just begun to explode. At that time in my career there were no training companies – you either learned it on your own or went back to school to learn all about these new technologies – I did both.
My career in the corporate world started as an executive assistant. I worked in a programming department supporting a staff of programmers and the VP of IT. This particular company was just going to the personal computer, as it was called. On my first week into the job, I was given a purchase order to go downtown to the IBM store and pickup my new IBM computer. Little did I know that I would be the person who would be responsible for setting it all up and that included installation of all the software. Oh my, what a stressful day that was being a true novice. However, this painful task would serve me well later. I had to learn all about word processors, databases and spreadsheets, all without formal training. Before I could install software, I had to to learn about the hardware first – that was a challenge. Learning the hard way does make you remember more of what you learn. Little did I know just how much my learning of hardware and software would mean for my career in teaching.
I realized soon that I had an aptitude for learning software technologies and the ability to communicate to others in terms that all could understand. I thank my Father for those skills – he was strong on his children learning effective communication skills. My love of helping people, business and technology made a great fit for my future career in teaching and speaking.
How I started my professional speaking and teaching
One day, a flyer came in the mail from a local high school offering community classes such as art, accounting, etc., but there were no computer classes on the list; so I phoned the school and asked for the Director. I told her about my technical skills and how I would like to design a word processing class for their community program. They had Apple computers and the word processing application was Apple Writer, which I learned when I went back to college for classes to update my skill sets to include using a computer. The rest is history; I designed and taught the word processing class, which began my technology teaching career. Through that journey in my life I realized how much I loved technology and helping others to learn what they thought they could not.
Later, I went to work for ExecuTrain, a national training company. I was awarded the coveted Trainer of the Year award several times during my career at ExecuTrain. They later closed the franchise in the city that I live and worked in.
Prior to opening my company, I worked as a Product Manager and technical writer for Kaplan IT. I wrote certification practice exams for various industry certifications such as Microsoft and IBM. As a technical writer, my job was to learn technical platforms and then write certification practice exams used to assist those preparing for various industry certifications. It didn’t stop there, I was required to take the real exam and pass to prove I knew what I was writing about. The products I developed were very sold successfully throughout North America and became very popular among those who were studying for their certifications. During my career with Self Test Software (also known as Kaplan IT), I won many awards for the products I developed.
In 2004, I decided to take my love of technology, teaching, marketing, professional speaking and branch out on my own, which began the start of MOSTraining. The initial focus of the company was all about corporate training in Microsoft Office Solutions thus the name MOST. However, as technology evolved so did MOSTraining, which now includes training and consulting for businesses in developing a social media marketing strategy, followed by learning to use the technical aspects of these social media platforms such as, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and more.
Now you know about my company and my story. I would like to learn more about you and your company so I can help your company and staff excel in using social media, Microsoft and cloud productivity technologies. Let’s get started!
To your success! ~ Donna Gilliland, President of MOSTraining
