Newbie Notary - signing services

[cNsa5]

@polk1745 Concur with LindaH-FL insights/wisdom.

Launching & marketing a business out can prove to be frustrating . . .

Remember that launching a business for general notary work [GNW] or as a Signing Agent isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon!

As such, I’d like to offer a simple comparison: There is a very large difference between being an employee and becoming a business owner.

===>>> As a business owner, from the onset, you’re going to be pretty much flying solo; that is, unless you have a family member that is within this business sector. There are no Manuals of Desk Instructions [MDIs] as one may find as an employee nor any more experienced fellow employees there to train you.

The standards of practice that you’re seeking are to be found by being curious and seeking training & certifications on your own as a professional business owner who strives to provide professional services to your clients.

I can strongly recommend a comprehensive training program that also has an option of mentorship with a proven track record of success. I’ve successfully completed a myriad of training courses/programs through about ten different training organizations. The one that has served me the best over the years has been the Notary2Pro Training & Mentorship. I’ve successfully completed all Carol Ray’s [owner] certifications. If you’re seeking guidance & insights that are broad-sweeping and that will steer your course appropriately covering all the topics for a successful business via mentoring, it’s Carol Ray’s team at Notary2Pro hands down [as Carol left this early plane in February of 2022].

DISCLAIMER: I’ve paid the full fee for all the training I’ve successfully completed with Carol. I receive no compensation or remuneration of any kind for sharing my experience utilizing what she taught me.

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There are many answers to this question as well as a plethora of other answers to questions you may (or may not) have thought of found right here within the GOLMINE of a database on Notary Cafe. The information available in this database is very insightful & helpful, too! It can easily & nearly effortlessly be accessed without much fuss by utilizing the Search Function.

Also, when you’re at the juncture to receive Signing Orders, it’s always wise to research & vet a new client prior to providing a definitive confirmation to them for your initial Signing Order for them. A great start of research is ALSO within the Notary Cafe forums Search Function via the Magnifying Glass.

Many members do mention that it’s difficult/nearly impossible to locate the Magnifying Glass for the Search Function. To be helpful, I’ve inserted an image for you & others [see below] to help members locate it to unlock the wisdom & knowledge of other members on the forums.

Accessing the database to locate info about potential clients has saved many of us an inordinate amount of time ‘chasing’ payments for Services professionally provided to potential non-payers . . .

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Here are a few threads that will benefit you/your business greatly. Recommend not just reading/reviewing the information found within them, but print out the important elements or create a “Notes to Self” document so you can reference the golden nuggets in the future during this development process & gain further insights.

Finally..a reality check as to how much a notary earns

The NNA has completed a survey of income. Here’s the link: How much can I earn as a mobile Notary or Signing Agent? | NNA

My Initial Tips/Advice to New People

I hope the following helps you getting started If you’re going to set yourself up as a business, go to irs.gov and get an EIN - takes 5 minutes - NEVER NEVER NEVER give your personal social security number to anyone - use your EIN for all your notary work, including using it to report your notary income on our tax return; Set up a separate checking/banking account for your notary income - keep your personal finances and your business finances separate; Get some business cards and start …

Temper your expectations

To preface this, I’ve been a lurker on these forums for quite some time and I’ve noticed a ton of expectations lately that seem too unrealistic. I’m a NSA out of Michigan and have been one for the past 7 years. I usually pull in at least 8k worth of business every month but it takes a LONG time to get to that point. I see a ton of newer notaries looking to make fast money or expecting SS or TC to come to them over seasoned notaries while they have very little experience. A few tips that I’d sug…

IMPORTANT: A Seven-Step Guide to help you Achieve Success => Insights regarding whether to start a business (or not . . .) or to CONTINUE (or not . . .)

If you’re seeking the unadulterated truth, then please read further. If, on the other hand, you’re seeking sugar-coated, misleading, & prevaricating statements, then by all means, please SKIP this Thread . . . ====== STEP 1: There’s a paradigm shift that needs to occur when one charts their course to become a Business Owner by moving away from being an employee. If you’re CERTAIN that you’re ready & have got what it takes to chart your own course and be an independent contractor & business ow…

I need help with calculating the true costs of doing business

It would be in your best interest to jot down all of the expenses associated with performing the services you provide within your service region to determine a baseline operating cost. Then, at that point, you can calculate the fees that will generate a net profit to determine if you’ll have a Profit or sustain a Loss at that rate. There are many items to consider within your Overhead calculations. Here are a few to get you started: • telephone expenses including cell phone equipment and month…

IMPORTANT STEP: Ensuring the Reputation of your Business by Obtaining A Receipt for Each Package

FYI: To all Notary Cafe Members regarding obtaining a receipt at the time of package handoff to the Shipper; i.e., FedEx, UPS, etc. => Obtaining a RECEIPT at the time of handoff is certainly NOT in any way for the benefit of the client . . . The client usually NEVER mentions obtaining a receipt, except in rare instances with lowball Signing Services [SSs]. ====== Of course, if it’s not for the benefit of your client, one might ask: “Why take the time, gas, effort, etc. to obtain a receipt at…

Assignments

@realtydocusigning No, you’re not doing anything “wrong.” As with most businesses that are starting out, it’s a SLOW process. In general, most do find building a business within this business sector to be a MARATHON, not a sprint. Well, that is unless you live in a region that isn’t already saturated with Trained, Certified, & experienced Notary Signing Agents [NSAs] who are also seeking out Signing Orders OR if you have a family member who works at a Title/Escrow Company [T/EC]. …