Who Am I
Hi, my name is Pauline, but my mum always
called me Polly. As in ‘Polly put the
kettle on’. Because my name was McGowan,
often shortened to Mac, I became known as
PollyMac. A nickname that stuck and
ultimately inspired my website and my
domain name.
I left grammar school at 15 years old
without a single qualification to my name.
This made it impossible to find the type
of employment I was looking for, and as a
result, I jumped from job to job. I even
worked outside on a market stall for a
time; the cold winters were the worst.
I Finally Saw The Light
Eventually, I realized the importance of
education and began studying at night
school, where I gained 5 General
Certificates of Education (GCEs) in
English Language, English Literature,
Mathematics, Computer Studies, and
Accountancy.
Finally, with those qualifications, I was
able to apply for and obtain employment in
a chartered accountant’s office. My duties
while there included bookkeeping, managing
clients’ accounts, payroll, and preparing
financial statements up to the trial
balance. Very satisfying.
Computers Are A Go
At that time, computers were just being
introduced into the firm. Although we did
have a computer at home, we couldn’t keep
the kids away from it every chance they
got. It wasn’t what we would call a
computer today; it was more of a games
machine, with games such as Space
Invaders, Pac-Man and Jet Boot Jack
(remember them?). However, you could still
program it yourself, with a lot of patience.
At the office, the receptionist was the
first to trade in her typewriter for a
word processor, and she loved it! Over
that same year, we were gradually
introduced to using computers for all the
different aspects of our work. From
processing payrolls for numerous clients
to bookkeeping and managing both financial
and management accounts, computers have
helped make the work significantly more
efficient. Of course, that was when we
were all fully trained to use them.
By the time I retired, every employee had
their own computer, and over the years,
new employees joined us who had never had
to do such work manually. I truly enjoyed
my time there, and I have many fond memories
of those thirty-three years.
While working, I continued my studies at
John Moores University in Liverpool,
earning my Association of Accounting
Technicians (AAT) qualification through
a day-release program.
I also attended night school to study
computer programming. As you can probably
tell, I developed a deep love for
learning, and that passion continues to
this day! I am now 75 years old and
struggling with ill health. But nothing
will stop me now from following my latest
dream.
On To The Future
My latest focus is on understanding
Generative AI and an Online Success
Coaching (OSC) course led by John
Thornhill and Randy Smith. This program is
guiding me through the process of creating
a digital product, building a sales page,
developing a lead magnet, crafting email
sequences, and, of course, launching my blog.
Through my blog, I hope to share my
journey, insights, and lessons learned
along the way. Whether you’re here to
explore new opportunities, learn about
digital marketing, or simply follow along
with my experiences, I’m thrilled
to have you here!
My thoughts are with you all.
PollyMac
p.s. Don’t forget to check out John & Randy’s course