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At this week’s Notary Symposium, I was asked a question during the Q & A portion of my presentation. I had posited that when I finally took my notary business seriously, and decided to grow it, I had to stop doing the things that a $30,000 earner did, and start doing the things that a $100,000 earner did.  

The question one viewer posed was, “what are some examples of what a $100,000 earner does?” 

I was on the spot in front of a couple hundred notaries, still basking in the glow after sharing the stage with Hal Elrod, and I answered, “remove the naysayers and fortify your network with your believers.” 

And I am not entirely satisfied with my answer.  

It’s certainly true. And it’s definitely important. Entrepreneurship is hard enough as it is, and your inner critic probably handles more than your share of negativity within, so you certainly...

As per usual, NBB members gathered on Monday evening, this time to celebrate Notary Public Day together. 

Instead of the usual Orientation and Sorting Ceremony we usually do, esteemed faculty member, Jen Neitzel, led a discussion she calls Pit & Peak, aptly named after an exercise the Kardashians do on their show. 

Jen originally started this when her kids were young and in school, and she called it, Best & Worst. You know those family dinners where you sit around and ask, “how was your day, dear?” and the only answer you get is, “fine.”

Jen and her husband, Tommy, decided they would do things differently. They asked their kids, “What was the best part of your day…and what was your worst?” 

That ignited conversation that moved beyond just, “fine” to true authentic sharing. 

We got to do that on the NBB call too, and it was fascinating to listen to, as well as participate in. 

The question?

...

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There’s still a little piece of me that can’t believe how much being a Notary Public has changed my life.

I remember in that first year of implementing my Daily Do’s, when those $20,000-$30,000 months started stacking up, I’d wake up-no, I’d pop out of bed, each morning and pinch myself. Could this be real? Legal? Legit? Are we allowed to enjoy what we do this much, helping people,  and making more money than we ever had in our lives? 

I’ve been able to help clients in ways I never knew existed, and I was able to do so when they needed me most-their best days…and their worst. 

The evolution of my role and business as a Notary Public also brought me to you, my fellow notaries across the country. Through the years, there have been thousands of connections, inspirations, collaborations, and, my favorite, friendships. 

I am grateful. 

And further, I am surrounded by other...

I’m finally at a point again where I can start doing more intense exercise. The last few months, I’ve been walking the dogs every day, but anyone with dogs knows who really sets the pace there. 

And I can get the occasional bike ride in too, after recently being gifted a periwinkle adult tricycle (basket and all). I am not exactly Captain Graceful, so my family thought the extra support & balance would serve me better. After I wrecked and hurt my knee on the test drive of the last two-wheeled bike, in the first 30 seconds no less, I am not arguing anymore. They know me well. 

Exercise has never been a strong suit of mine anyway. I am sweat-averse. Not allergic, I am just…not...that into it. If I could burn calories just by thinking, reading, or worrying about stuff that will probably never happen, I would be all bones by now.

Since that doesn’t work, I’ve been on the lookout for something that could get me back into shape, at a...

I Almost Died That Day

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The idea was to rent an AirBnB in Washington for six months until I found a house to buy. I scored with a pet friendly home right on the water in Shelter Bay, a small coastal community in La Conner. 

My host, Annie, is delightful and lives just a few streets over. She and her husband are in their early 60’s, and while they love Shelter Bay, they plan to move when they retire, seeking a more… vibrant community. While not officially a retirement community, it has the vibe.

Oh, okay, I’ll just say it! It’s like heaven’s waiting room. They even have a street they call “widow’s lane.” It’s sad, but…true. 

Several of my neighbors are well into their 90’s and still driving, watering plants, and one guy even works on his own roof. Let’s just say I am on the younger end of the spectrum, even at 45 years old. 

Which is why what happened...

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See what I did there for this Halloween post? 

We’re wrapping up another month, today in fact, October 31, 2022. I checked my book sales from October 1 thru right now, and this is what I found:

 1,100 notary books sold…in just 31 days. 

If you have an inner critic like mine, you might be frozen with thoughts like:

• “Who the hell are you to write a book?”
• “No one will read a book about that?”
• “You’re NOT an expert!”
• “You’re not a good writer.”

That’s just negative chatter from an inner voice trying to protect you from heartbreak and discomfort. That’s the ego’s job-to protect the status quo. Change is scary to our ego. And writing and publishing a book can change everything.

It did for me. And it lit a fire inside. I had hoped to publish two books this year, but will likely just publish one. Next year? Big goals again. One, two, maybe...

I'm not much for fads. It's not always a conscious decision, but it seems that I come into them either before their fads, or (more likely) after their fads.

Still, I think the Spirit Halloween Meme could be an opportunity to have some fun, even self-deprecating fun, to help spread the word about your notary business. 

Below, is the Michael Myers sized stab I took at my own meme. And then after that, I included the original image that everyone else is using to create their memes. 

I used Canva to create this. Simply download the original image I provided. Upload it into Canva. If you have the premium version of Canva, use the background remover feature to "clean" your image. Add a textbox for what is included in the costume package. Then add a text box for what is sold separately.

Have fun with this! 

You could  add branding, phone numbers, etc, but I've found that it takes away from the fun and authenticity. Try doing it just because. See what...

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Business Plans Are Useless.

Okay, okay, okay,! Before you throw your right hook, hear me out. When it comes to business plans, I subscribe to Eisenhower’s perspective: 

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

Formal business plans can prove useful if you want government contracts, or you’re trying to get a loan or grant, but when it comes to your day-to-day operations as a solo-preneur, it’s of minimal impact. It’s so inconsequential, in fact, that I’d call it a distraction. Or, what Steven Pressfield would call, “resistance.” 

Like spending months developing a logo, or a website, or choosing the perfect name for your company, a business plan can act as an excuse to avoid doing the actual work. 

The road to hell (and failure) is paved with business plans. 

Let’s be real. Some people spend weeks, maybe...

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We work so hard to fill our pipeline with appointments. Think about all the energy, money, and effort we put into:

• Cultivating referral relationships
• Building websites
• Having social media pages
• Adding more directory listings
• Signing up with hiring companies
• Creating a Google Business Profile
• Networking meetings and events
• Creating and distributing content
• Training (so we’re good at what we do)

All this work to get our phone to ring and ding, and then what? 

Most notaries finish an appointment and then just hop right back on the hamster wheel again and start all over, hustling for their next customer-another new customer. 

Now, there’s nothing wrong with new customers, don’t get me wrong. But they're expensive to acquire. The Harvard Business Review suggests that it is 5-25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to sell your services to an existing client. 

Your database of previous notary...

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One of the most dangerous ways of thinking for a small business is, “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” A dangerous pitfall, for sure, but sometimes it feels like it’s the mantra for this ancient notary industry. 

Oh sure, we’re coming around, finally after a thousand years or so: ballpoint pens, gel pens, electronic signatures, Remote Online Notarization, In-person Electronic Notarization, and now even electronic notary journals. 

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In an industry with 4.5 million participants, most of whom are unaware of the potential contained in their notary commission, innovation & change is ripe and ready for the picking. 

This last June, in Las Vegas for the National Notary Association’s Conference, I had the honor of facilitating a panel discussion of eight industry pioneers and innovators that are literally changing the landscape for...