 JANUARY 21 • 2021 | 23

A

year ago, few would 
have imagined so 
many of our personal 
and business interactions would 
be conducted online, using our 
computers, iPads and smart-
phones to “meet” and socialize 
safely during the pandemic. 
Various online platforms — 
Zoom, Skype, FaceTime and 
Microsoft Teams, to name a 
few of the most popular — are 
now a common way to celebrate 
family birthdays, have medical 
appointments and attend classes 
and concerts.
 But not everyone was familiar 
with this technology before 
COVID-19, and the use of these 
platforms can be challenging. 
That’s where Katie Wallace 
comes in — she is a tech-savvy 
coach for using this technology 
at home. 
 Wallace, 31, was living in 
Royal Oak and working at a 
nonprofit in Eastern Market 
when the pandemic lockdown 
began. She temporarily moved 
back home with her parents in 
Huntington Woods. Soon they 
and their friends were asking 
for help with Zoom meetings. 
Often they didn’t know to mute 
their computers or adjust the 
cameras. 
 “Zoom wasn’t really for con-
sumers. I want to empower 

people to use their technology,
” 
she explains. 
 With some patient one-on-
one instruction, she was able to 
“reduce their anger and irrita-
tion.
” Through word of mouth, 
requests increased for technolo-
gy help from two demographics 
— adult children and their par-
ents. Wallace, who was laid off 
in May, officially launched her 
business, Boom Chicka Zoom, 
LLC, in November. She credits 
the clever name to Gilda Jacobs, 
her parents’ neighbor. 
 Wallace’s clients are mostly 
Baby Boomers (ages 59 to 74) 
and older adults who want to 
communicate with family mem-
bers who often live out of town. 
Some have IT services available 
through their workplace but are 
grateful for her help.
 Gregg Orley of Bloomfield 
Hills is one of Wallace’s satisfied 

clients. Orley thought it would 
be much more professional 
and easy to work with her than 
asking family members for 
help. “She is amazing. I write 
out questions and she makes it 
all clear for me. We meet over 
Zoom,
” explains Orley. 
 He wanted to download a 
fitness app and by holding up 
his phone, Wallace was able to 
help him while communicat-
ing through Zoom. “I am so 
appreciative of her warmth and 
patience,
” Orley says. 
 Wallace, who graduated from 
U-M, expects to receive an 
MBA with a co-major in man-
agement and entrepreneurship 
and innovation from Wayne 
State University this year. She 
has worked as an intern at 
Federation, at the American 
Diabetes Association and Yad 
Ezra. 

A NATURAL TECHIE 
While her academic background 
hasn’t focused on information 
technology, she was the “go-to 
tech person” at some of her 
workplaces. Boom Chicka 
Zoom combines what she is 
good at with what she likes, 
Wallace explains. 
“I’m providing support for 
people, not trying to replace 
IT,
” she explains. That support 
can mean helping people set 
up wireless printers, Alexa and 
smart TVs. If clients want, 
she will store their computer 
serial numbers and passwords, 
and often helps with iPhone, 
WordPress and electronic cal-
endars. 
Wallace works online with 
clients, sometimes using soft-
ware that enables her to “take 
over” their computers and 
show them how to do things. 
Sometimes she works through 
Apple chat on their behalf.
Coaching/consulting can 
be for a few sessions or on an 
ongoing basis. Wallace’s hourly 
fee is $40; a package of three 
hours can be spread out over 
time and costs $100. Typically, 
the first half-hour of needs 
assessment is free. Visit 
boomchickazoom.com for more 
information. 

Entrepreneur helps mature 
homebodies become tech tigers.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Senior Living

STEVEN KATZ

“I WANT TO 
EMPOWER 
PEOPLE TO 
USE THEIR 
TECHNOLOGY.”

— KATIE WALLACE

Turning 
Boomers into 
Zoomers

HOME | HEALTH | LIFE

