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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...

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Taking my own advice, I started diversifying my own mobile notary work back in Phoenix (before the move to Washington). In the Valley of the Sun, we’ve been insulated from the economic shift (until very recently), as most of my clients are home builders, or specialize in commercial transactions, but I wanted to get ahead of what’s to come. 

I asked myself which appointments I’ve enjoyed most through the years, and which I thought could also be the most lucrative, considering the legislative bindings in the state of Arizona. 

The answer: Living Trust Presentations.

These living trust presentations fall under the more general category of estate planning, but similar to loan signings, you can command a higher, bundled fee because you actually present documents, gather signatures, and perform notarization (if required). 

If you need some training on living trusts, last wills and testaments, powers...

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Think about the three basic tools you must have for every Notary appointment. I am not talking about all the things we consider a best practice to carry with you, or the fun office supplies we carry to make us more efficient or professional, Just the basics. 

What must you have to perform your duties as a Notary Public?

• Your Notary Seal
• A Pen
• The Notary Journal (even if your state doesn’t require it-come on, don’t get me started)
• Ink pad for fingerprints (if you’re in a state that requires it-okay, you get four things)

I remember being at the end of 14 or 15 hour days, at appointment number ten or eleven, exhausted, and just plain refusing to carry my Notary bag across even one more threshold. I’d grab three blue pens, my stamp, and my journal, and keep my fingers crossed that everything went smooth and easy for that appointment. I mean, worst case scenario,...

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With a population of around 1,000 people, La Conner is the 386th largest city in Washington. And located on Morris Street, right next door to the best Mexican food in Washington, sits Rowdy Dog Antique Lighting.

Even in a charming town, such as La Conner, it was hard for me to picture myself even entering an entire store committed to antique lighting. As it is when shopping (which is rare for me), I feel like a crotchety old man, calculating the rent and labor expenses, judging product displays, and evaluating employee performance. I just wander around muttering, “How do these guys stay in business???”

Yep, I am turning into my grandmother.

But the allure of Rowdy Dog’s beautiful lamps, flirting, twinkling their little lights through the shop window was too much to deny, even for me. I found myself actually waiting for them to open up shop one Thursday morning at 11. I practically camped in the parking lot, like it was an...

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One of the many gifts we have as we work our mobile notary and loan signing business is meeting incredible people. Still, when I first started out, I was terrified of the kind of people I would meet. Were they angry? Sad? Mean? 

Turns out, very few of them were any of those. And my friend Bobbi Illing said it best anyway, “You can like anyone for an hour.”

For the most part (luckily) we aren’t counting down the minutes until we can escape an appointment. People are pretty cool. And some of these connections we have with our signers are magical. 

And even when we think we may have found a “bestie” or an awesome referral source, we can struggle to stay connected and often lose touch. 

No matter how powerful the spark during the appointment, the energy wanes as life goes on and we get distracted. Especially, when the phone is ringin’ and dingin’ like crazy. It’s easy to...

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I just moved into a new home in northern Washington after living the last 18 months in fully furnished AirBnB's.  I find myself needing everything from coasters, lamps, & garbage cans, to landscapers and exterminators (Did you know Washington has a “spider season”? They certainly didn’t mention that in the sales brochure).

When I need something, a service especially, I go to two places- my network for referrals, and/or a Google search. My network up here in Washington is nothing like it was in Phoenix, so if my real estate agent or AirBnB host don’t have a referral for me, guess what-off to Uncle Google I go.

Most consumers skip the referral part and go straight to Google, where they make a decision on who to call based mainly on whose information appears on their screen and the quality and number of their reviews. 

When a consumer types in their search for say, “Notary Near Me,”...

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Turo is like AirBnB, but for cars. I know it drives Turo crazy to describe this way, but it seems to paint the picture better than their own website’s “Find Your Drive: Explore the World’s Largest Car Sharing Marketplace.” 

On Turo, car owners list their vehicles for rent so approved and semi-vetted drivers, like you and me, can rent them on a legit, consumer-protected platform. 

I was introduced to Turo over ten years ago as a solution to renting a car without a credit card. You can prepay for your rentals with a debit card, and without deposits, so that problem was solved for me. 

As my mobile Notary and loan signing business gained steam, Turo also helped me when I was in a jam with an automobile. Whether a flat tire, a breakdown, or even during a break-up, renting a car on Turo was so easy I could have a car at my doorstep in as less as an hour (yep, some owners...

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I looked up “Quiet Quitting” to find out what, exactly, it means. Several websites later, I’m still not sure. News outlets, bloggers, and influencers, seem to use it how they want and make it mean what they need.  It looks like a cross between those employees looking to establish a better work-life balance and those who just simply don’t want to work in their position anymore. 

The essence of quiet quitting is to do the bare minimum within the job description, so you’re not working too hard and have time to enjoy life, or work on your own thing. 

I can maybe get behind that in many cases. Why burn yourself out building someone else’s dream? Conserve some energy for hobbies, family, and yes, even building your own dream, right? 

But, I am also a huge proponent of taking 100% responsibility for your life and your results. If you’re not happy there, make a plan to leave. If your...

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As of this moment, I am the self-published author of three best selling books in the micro niche industry of the Notary Public, and I am working on the fourth with my esteemed colleague, Laura Biewer (The Notary & Motivation G.O.A.T.). 

Once I published my first book, Sign & Thrive: How to Make Six Figures as a Mobile Notary and Loan Signing Agent, my life, and business, changed forever. It has sold over 30,000 copies (and rising). Here’s what that first book did for me:

First, I checked something pretty major off my bucket list. I had dreamed of writing and publishing a book since I was six years old. Actually doing it was a priceless contribution to my own esteem and confidence level. 

Second, having a book that I wrote and published gave me something to talk about, leave behind after meetings, and kick down doors that otherwise would have remained sealed. When done correctly, a book can add credibility to...

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I’m sure it was quite the hullabaloo back in the day as Thomas Edison and Alexander Bell argued the best way to answer the newly invented telephone. To think we were just one creative ad campaign away from answering the phone as, “Ahoy!”, a nautical term Bell petitioned for. 

Alas, “Hello?” won the day and Thomas Edison had yet another big win to brag about. 

For 150 years people have been answering the phone the same way. 

Might it be time for a change? I think so. Especially for business owners like you and me. I am surprised at the number of notaries we call for jobs that still answer the phone with a simple hello. Nevermind that they’re using a greeting that has celebrated its centennial, but when I hear it I immediately wonder if I’ve dialed the right number. 

• Did I just call a professional business? 
• Can this person actually help me? 

I’d rather hear a...