Not a happy camper today

In addition, the time could have been used to grow and expand your business. Doing that has a value too that many do not calculate.

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That is another element (location and region) that impacts the compensation being offered.

@Notarycalvin Research & Development should be a core component in one’s business strategy. A business owner should never become complacent in their business endeavors.

Thank you for the “catch”, obliviously a mistake. I made the correction.

What did you mean by SOS? Just wondering. I can’t even find the original post though.

I have not been able to land any jobs yet and a new notary. The only jobs I am offered if for $35-$75 dollars that would be in the middle of the week (I have a full time job from 6am-6pm) that would be over a 3 hour round trip not including signing time. Is this something I’m going to have to bite the bullet and accept one of these jobs to be able to viable for reasonable jobs?

No, please don’t believe the “tall tale” that is advanced by some Signing Services [SSs] that advocate for that aberrant ‘philosophy.’

As an Entrepreneur, one should investigate the potential competition in the immediate region.

How would you check that out?

It’s Easy! Just review the steps within this thread I created:

After you’ve completed that effort, you’ll have a better understanding of:

  • The potential competition in your region
  • A better comprehension of the amount of effort required & funds to invest in Marketing to potential clients in your region

It’s also a very good idea to take a well-respected Training & Certification program. Here’s one that provides the student with MUCH MORE than a Certification after successful completion:

There are many scams to be wary of . . .

This is what is meant when we reference that “it’s a very small world” in this business sector.

Someone new can make an inadvertent (or simple) error on their initial few signings and VOILA! Their name is “out for publication” between & among lenders, title/escrow companies [T/ECs], etc. and those individuals are avoided for possible Signing Orders.

Another reason we advocate for ensuring you receive some professional, reliable, & trustworthy training (not YouTube) prior to accepting your initial Signing Order. Just looking out for your successful Business Launch!

As new members seek insights regarding launching their business, a Key Element to Success is providing themselves with an appropriate foundation and undergirding that will serve & support their business.

There are multiple factors to consider:

  • What is your background?
  • Do you have experience in Real Estate?
  • Do you have experience in Mortgage Lending?
  • Do you have experience in Banking?

Etc. ad nauseam . . . => just know that you’re launching a business and the onus is upon you to create the best foundation possible from the onset.

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My personal experience:

When I initially started performing this work, I successfully completed MULTIPLE training/certification programs including Notary2Pro & NNA and many others. I have extensive experience in skill sets that require certification and recurrent evaluation tests; i.e., I’ve maintained my Project Management Professional [PMP] certification for more than 20 years. So, I understand what it usually entails and the elements that should be included within a comprehensive training program.

Regarding the NNA training specifically, it’s lacking across multiple topics & categories. Many NNA “graduates” choose to take additional training courses elsewhere, because they sense they’re insufficiently prepared. Their primer has errors throughout. Their hotline is less than reliable for accurate responses.

In my experience with undergoing the multiple training programs for certified notary signing agent [CNSA] certification, hands-down without question, Carol Ray’s Notary2Pro training programs are optimum in this industry. I’ve successfully completed ALL of the multiple training/certification programs that Carol offers through her company Notary2Pro. Her programs are thorough & detailed. These also prepare the business owner to operate a business. In addition, she offers Mentoring services. I found those to be excellent & INVALUABLE when I was initially starting out in this business sector. The prices are surprisingly reasonable. :white_check_mark:

I’ve professionally compared the training/certification programs available at Notary2Pro with the others I’ve successfully completed. The ONLY training/certification program I recommend is Notary2Pro.

A list of companies that hire Notary2Pro graduates (with minimal or no experience) is provided to successful course graduates. => This list is pure GOLD! Study up, refresh your notes, & let Carol know when your initial few signings are scheduled. She is a wonderful mentor & can be on standby in case you encounter difficulties or have questions during your first few signings. She’s the Best! Her support will help you Build your Confidence in providing this service. :trophy::white_check_mark:

In addition, Notary2Pro works diligently to keep this list up-to-date regarding vetting and viability. As we all know, some reliable clients can encounter financial difficulties and that, in turn, can negatively impact CNSAs directly.

Of course, your best bet would be to visit their website at https://www.notary2pro.com/ , research, and make the choices appropriate for your situation. The training programs by Carol Ray are comprehensive & thorough. :sparkles::tada::sunglasses:

P.S. I receive no compensation or remuneration of any type or kind as a result of my first-hand experiential review above.

P.P.S. Unfortunately, Carol passed (February, 2022) from our earthly plane. I hope she Rests In Peace. I’m grateful to have made her acquaintance and studied under her tutelage.

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ADDITIONAL NOTE: Here are 2 separate threads (see direct url links below) that will serve you well. Read them carefully & take notes. There is pure gold within these words . . .

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:swan:

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145 pages is not unheard of for a re-fi, particularly a CEMA. Most likely was a re-fi.

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@crk.notary The hours that you have to work limits your availability to accept assignments. Keep in mind that you will be able to serve people who schedule appointments on or after 7pm during the week and those that desires weekend appointments. Stay focus and know the fee that you need to negoiate for profitability. Keep an open mind and be on the lookout for unexpected opportunity. I have been in your “shoes”. The market that I work it’s geographic/region is a very saturated with competition, fees are suppressed, and loan signing volumes are down. So I had to become creative to develop a thriving business. You can do so too.

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@cfletcher Thank You :tada: for sharing your direct experience - mirroring what you’ve expressed multiple times in this regard.

This summation is an accurate assessment of “how things are” for the MAJORITY of business owners within this business sector.

Of course, there will always be a select few that are “killin’ it” with regard to raking in Signing Orders [SOs].

Most do find themselves in the framework of a market saturated with competition, low fees, and low SO volumes. To survive, many will perform Research to create a niche market for themselves with the professional services they provide (as you & many other ‘thrivers’ have done successfully) to level out the peaks & valleys of the market tides.

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:swan:

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Welcome! We have all been there! We are in a time that can be slow but please, don’t sell yourself short. You don’t want another part time job to support being a notary! Give it time, maybe a middle of the road offer but never a low ball where you are doing it at a loss. (that’s just to get a reference or two) When you get a job, do it right, and provide excellent service. It will come around. Patience! Listen to our leader here…cNsa5…always very good advice and always willing to listen! There are many of us here!

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You are so right in many instances. In the beginning I had a scanner for office and portable one for the vehicle. Now I’m never asked for scans and the companies I work with on a regular basis don’t ask for drop receipts. Those that do are a pain in the rear! I think they need to work with the newer notaries who learn to be accurate to avoid those signing companies! LOL

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Good for you for standing your ground. I’ve been in this business since 2011, and here in California, the cost of doing business has increased significantly due to inflation—yet notary fees have remained the same or even gone down compared to a decade ago. I haven’t seen this kind of trend in any other industry.**

Not all states have the same notary fee structure, but in California, the maximum is still $15 per signature per person. I’ve done signings where, based on the number of notarizations required—sometimes duplicated for two signers—the notary fees alone should have totaled over $300.*It just doesn’t add up. Being new to the field doesn’t mean your time is any less valuable. By standing firm and requesting fair compensation, you’re helping set a standard that benefits all of us in the profession. Notarizing documents comes with real liability and responsibility, and we deserve to be compensated fairly for that. Keep it up!"

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@susana Concur :100: percent! :dizzy::tada: It’s VITAL to the success of the entrepreneurial venture to ensure that the professional services provided are at a Fee that will support all of your expenses & TIME as well!

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NOTE: To all Notary Cafe members who are new to this business sector, please Review this thread:

:swan:

I’m in St. Louis and $85 is average for allll Signings now or less. FYI I never print the full 2nd package just the essential docs because they got the Edocs ahead of time anyway. So print, tag and sign in like 20 mins or less.

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Wow. They are pocketing all the money for themselves. There are standards even for “new” people. Are new doctors paid significantly less because they are new? We deserve living compensation for the expenses incurred and the time spent at least. Printing out 145 page documented for $15 is not feasible. This is an example of cost shifting.

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I’m glad you think that the high amount is what you should get, I can tell you that while I don’t want to get less than you by any means, holding your ground too hard can see someone replace you on any day. There’s always someone willing to do it for less.

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I 100% agree with you, I let those lowball offers keep right on going.

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The race to the bottom is ALWAYS there. Run that race.

At the tune of 7-8k a month I’m doing ok, I work way less than the average person and even at 75 for something 5 minutes from my home, I’m pulling much more than the common job around here making 15-20 an hour. You aren’t gonna get 200.00 form lowball companies like Coast2Coast, CX choice and the majority of those on Snap or SO .com (Link modified, original led to foreign owned domain- Notary Cafe moderators), just not. I figure in enough to make a decent living without being greedy, I have GNW as well and never physically work more than 25 hours a week. I don’t know what preparation you do but I print and go. That easy. Maybe you’re working yourself too hard? Either way, I do it as a notary alone, I don’t need to do insurance or other things.

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