Savor the Sweet Stuff: Why Every Notary Entrepreneur Needs a Nectar List

Business can be brutal.

I’ve had days where the phone didn’t ring, the bills stacked up, and I caught myself wondering if I should dust off my résumé and beg for a “real job.” I’ve failed more times than I care to admit (twenty-six businesses before this one, if you’re counting). And I’ve had more than one day where the only thing that kept me from quitting was a little something called a nectar list.

What’s a nectar list? Glad you asked.

What is a Nectar List?

At its core, a nectar list is a collection of your sweetest memories, the moments that remind you life is worth savoring, even when business feels sour. They can be funny, tender, or even bittersweet.

For me, the nectar list was originally a lifeline out of burnout. Now it’s a business tool, too. Because when you run a notary business, you will face rejection, dry spells, and days when you wonder if you’re making a difference. A nectar list reminds you that you are.

Nectar in the Notary World

When I reflect on my career as a mobile notary, I realize I’ve been collecting nectar all along:

• The young couple, Jose and Maria, signing their first set of home loan documents, tears of joy streaming down their faces. They hugged me like I’d handed them the keys myself.

• Ruth, a 90-year-old client, who was so lonely that she lingered after the notarization just to talk. Sitting with her that extra 20 minutes was nectar I still savor.

• The delightful chaos of a family trust signing happening on a gentleman’s deathbed, as he and his room full of friends & family cracked jokes the whole time, reminding me that estate planning (and life) isn’t always stiff and serious.

• The elderly gentleman who told me, after I notarized his final estate documents, “You just gave me peace of mind.” Talk about nectar.

These aren’t just rubber stamps and transactions. They’re stories. They’re evidence that our work matters.

How to Create Your Nectar List

You don’t need anything fancy, just a notebook, notes app, or even the back of a napkin. Start jotting down the moments that stick with you. They don’t have to be epic. Sometimes it’s as simple as:

• “The look on a client’s face when I explained I could come to their hospital room at midnight.”

• “The escrow officer who told me I was the most reliable notary she’d ever worked with.”

• “The way a family laughed together in the middle of a trust signing.”

It only takes a line or two. Just enough to spark the memory when you need it.

Why Bother?

Because the nectar list is fuel. When business feels like a grind, your nectar list is proof that you’ve made an impact. It gives you perspective, hope, and sometimes just the push you need to pick up the phone and prospect again.

And here’s the funny part: once you start keeping a nectar list, you start noticing more nectar moments. It’s like your brain tunes in to sweetness. Clients aren’t just names on a calendar anymore, they’re people you get to connect with. That changes everything.

A Little Timing Sweetness

Today also happens to be the official release of my newest book, The Nectar List: Savoring Life’s Sweetest Moments. In it, I share the framework for creating your own nectar list, not just as a notary, but as a human being trying to make it through life with a little more joy. I chose to publish it today, on the third anniversary of the pulmonary embolism that nearly killed me, because I got a new lease on life that day, and I want to savor every moment. 

Get your copy of The Nectar List here

But here’s the thing: you don’t need the book to start. Just grab a pen and jot down one memory from today’s appointments. Do it again tomorrow. Before you know it, you’ll have your own nectar list, your private stockpile of sweetness to pull from when the world (or your business) feels heavy.

Do you have a favorite nectar moment from your business that you’d be willing to share in the comments of the LinkedIn version of this article? 

Share Your Nectar Moments on LinkedIn here