Monday begins National Business Women's Week. It's an opportunity to focus on the accomplishments women have had on the business world (and if you're a woman reading this that includes you). I encourage you to highlight women-owned businesses in your community on your social media pages, including on your Google Business Profile. Is your local coffee shop owned by a woman? Post about them! What about your local bakery or gift shop? Write a post about their products and be sure to tag them! If you need more ideas on what to post or how to celebrate, please visit https://bpwfoundation.org/bpwf/about/national-business-womens-week-2/ There is all kinds of great info on this website including an activity guide that provides information, tips and tools for celebrating National Women's Week. Let's celebrate all our successes as women in business!

Are we still in a pandemic? It's so hard to tell now, but it was REALLY obvious in early 2020. Everything shut down. We stayed home. And no one knew what the next day would hold. Then, something crazy happened....interest rates dropped to historic lows and practically everyone in the country decided to refinance their mortgage. Cha Ching! Notaries were KILLING IT, and making money hand over fist. It was literally like business was falling out of the sky. There was so much business, we were turning jobs down because we simply didn't have the time. Ahhhhh.....the good ol' days. I joke about it now and tell people that if you were a notary in 2020 and 2021 you could wake up, roll out of bed, not even brush your teeth and still make an easy $10k each month. If you started out as a Notary Signing Agent in the pandemic years, let me be the first to tell you that it was not normal. Now that business is stabilizing, I hear a lot of notaries saying that the "business is dead." It's not. It never will be....people will always need homes and they will purchase homes no matter the interest rate. My parents first home mortgage was 19%, and that was standard back in the late 1970's. The notaries that established relationships with title & escrow companies will be just fine. The volume isn't a great as it was the previous 2 years, but it's very likely it never will be again. Those of us who focused on building relationships to grow our businesses will be the ones left standing after the "pandemic notaries" move on to another get-rich-quick opportunity. I don't say that to be harsh....I actually do have a point to this rant and here it is: learn from the lessons of the near past and be sure you're saving a portion of your income every month for when the market dips again. Today is National Savings Day, and it really got me to thinking about money habits. Most people spend what they make, but when you work on commission (and as notaries, we do work on "commission") you have to plan for the future that isn't always guaranteed. When times are good, be sure you're taking a larger than usual portion of your income and put it away for when times are a bit more lean. Imagine if you had done that over the last 2 years. Would you be as concerned about finances right now? Don't let that get you down...you can start saving immediately. Just commit to putting some money aside from every notary job you accept. Even if that means putting a few dollars in an envelope and hiding it from yourself (a trick I used to employ in my 30's). One of my friends, Selecia Young-Jones, owner of Rainbow Wedding Chapel in Jacksonville, FL has a trick that she uses to pay for the conferences she attends and any learning opportunities that interest her. Every week, she sets aside at least $25 no matter what so when something comes up she wants to be a part of, she has the money available to her. Another friend of mine takes 50% of every notary job and puts it into her savings account automatically. She pays herself first before anyone else, which is a money hack that Suze Orman recommends. Personally, I invest at least 30% of my income and put the other 70% into a joint account that pays our bills. I know that once the 3 kids I have in college right now have graduated, I'll be able to significantly increase that investment amount. I reevaluate my savings percentage every January. What works for me one year, may not work the next so flexibility is important, but so is being determined to save my money. Sure, I'd love to purchase all kinds of things but I know deep down that "stuff" doesn't make me happy. Not stressing over money makes me happy. So on National Savings Day, I encourage you to learn from the not so distant past and think about a money plan that fits your life, and be sure to include how to save your money in that plan. The smallest amounts add up over time with consistency and dedication. If you have a money hack that works for you, I'd love to hear about it! Just respond to this email!

What if you knew exactly what to do EVERY day to help you get more Notary clients, make more money, and boost your confidence? Bill Soroka’s new best selling book, The Notary Business Building Challenge offers you exactly that. Each chapter presents you an opportunity for deeper connection to your ideal customers, enhanced online presence so more customers can find you, and an advanced level of self awareness that can help you communicate better and identify additional ways to be of service. Get the ebook or the print editions in Amazon at https://www.notarycoach.com/books

If you want your business to succeed, you must have Google Business Profile. That's the minimum table stakes to play this game these days. And, while it's relatively simple to set up your free profile with Google, it can certainly help to have some expert guidance that can speak the Notary language. That's Jim Allen, the Marketing Notary. The 5 star reviews he's received from his training are outrageous...this guys knows his stuff! If you would like to join Jim's GBP class (and trust me, it's worth EVERY penny) here is the link: It's on October 17th from 10am to 1pm central time. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/idahonotarysigningagent/r/notary-coach

This Friday, October 7th is National Frappe Day. It's also World Smile Day. These two holidays got me thinking about something that happened to me a few years ago and it gave me an idea for today's post! Put your beautiful smile on Friday morning and go purchase a Frappe To-Go at a local coffee shop (support local businesses)! Let them know you're giving it away to your favorite receptionist at another local business (senior care facility, attorney office, school administrative offices, government offices, etc) and see what happens. Maybe they just look at you funny and wonder why you're telling them why you're purchasing a frappe. Or maybe they'll get in on the fun and give you a discount. Who knows! The last time I did this, my local coffee shop gave me the frappe for free and told me to come visit them any time I wanted to promote my business with their coffee. It was thrilling to feel like I was being supported by another local business, and it made me realize that just by talking to them, I was opening doors to potential new opportunities. So put Friday Frappe on your calendar now. Seriously. Set aside 30 minutes Friday morning and try it. Don't forget to deliver the frappe to your favorite receptionist in town, compliments of your notary business. Then, let me know how it goes via email: SAM@SigningAgentMarketing.com

My friend/colleague/cohort Bill Soroka just released another best selling book that will help Notaries build their business, even in this season of change in our industry. In The Notary Business Building Challenge: 90 Days to More Clients, More Income, and More Confidence, Bill helps answer the question: “What can I do today to move the needle on my business goals?” One thing you can count on Bill for is to stretch your comfort zone and think outside the box. This book does not disappoint. If you’re ready to take yourself on each day, and increase the chances of connecting to your ideal customers and make more money doing it, then get his book today. Both Kindle and print formats are available at www.NotaryCoach.com/books

I draw inspiration from a lot of different places, but on World Podcast Day I thought it was appropriate to share my top 5 favorite podcasts to get my creative juices flowing. Here they are (in no particular order): Akimbo by Seth Godin On Purpose by Jay Shetty Goal Digger by Jenna Kutcher Absolutely Not by Heather McMahan Sign & Thrive Podcast for Notaries by Bill Soroka I listen to podcasts when I'm on my morning walk, need a brain break during the day or driving for long distances. I'd love to hear what you listen to when you need inspiration! Hit me up with your favorite podcasts! SAM@SigningAgentMarketing.com

Today is Bill Soroka's birthday! I'm going to try really hard not to get all sappy about this, but no lie... it'll be tough. You may or may not be aware that several weeks ago Bill suffered a Pulmonary Embolism and came very close to dying. After a week-long stay in ICU, he is recovering at his home in Washington, but it'll be a good while before he's back to himself. It scared the bejesus out of me when I found out what had happened. Not because Bill and I work together, but because he is also my friend. The idea of him not wishing me "good morning, sunshine," or enjoying our daily belly laughs made me incredibly sad. When we first met in Dallas several years ago we discovered that we both firmly believed building authentic relationships was the key to a successful business. I instantly liked him, which (if you ever have met Bill) you know isn't difficult. He helped me promote Signing Agent Marketing when I first launched in July, 2019. And, he trusted me enough to bring me into his inner circle of experts when we launched Notary Business Builder in January 2022. Along the way, we've shared so many ideas I can't even keep up with them (no joke, most of them are listed on a huge poster board in my office so I don't forget) and too many laughs to count. When I get down, he's there to remind me what I'm made of or help me see the forest through the trees. When I'm mad, he level sets my expectations and calms me down. He has watched me grow-up in this notary world and been a much-cherished guiding light for me all along the way. On your birthday (and every day) Bill, I hope you know how important you are to me and so many others. I'm infinitely grateful that you are still here to inspire and teach us all the importance of relationships by being authentically you. Cheers to 45! Sending you love and light on your special day, Jen

One of my favorite TV shows of all time is "Friends." My husband and I watch it entirely too much, and it still makes us laugh. Have you seen the episode where Ross asks Chandler and Rachel help him move his new sofa up the steps to his apartment? He's repeatedly giving the order to "pivot" as they maneuver a sofa up the steps that's too big for the stairwell. It's hilarious. It's also a very good metaphor for what's happening in the notary world these days. We've all been told to PIVOT as interest rates are rising and home sales are "drying up." Let me shed some light on what "pivot" should mean in this transition year we've found ourselves in vs. how it's currently being interpreted. What I've noticed is everyone is coming out with a new training program of one kind or another. **People all of a sudden became "experts" at giving advice to notaries building a business. They took "pivoting" to mean, "come out with a training program," instead of "learn new notary skills to diversify your revenue streams." Is that because they think training and coaching are easier or require less effort? If so, they are mistaken. Coaching and training notaries is hard work and include countless hours of work that may never even see the light of day. What "pivoting" your business should look like is learning new skills to create other streams of revenue besides loan signings. Interested in working with Attorneys? Learn their language and types of specialties (wills, trusts and estates); or family (divorce & custody) or adoption (foreign & domestic). Maybe you'd rather focus on being the "go to" mobile notary in your local community for general/specialty notary work. Then, you'll need to get hyper-localized SEO (search engine optimization) and a Google Business Profile page (and work to build up your 5 star reviews). Perhaps branching out as a wedding officiant is more appealing to you? Or maybe you're interested in learning about fingerprinting or Apostille agent work as a revenue stream? There are many things a notary can do to make more money, and the point is really this: Never put all your eggs into one basket! The mortgage industry is always going to be a roller coaster ride, but the loan closing business hasn't dried up. It's just normalized to the way it was prior to the pandemic rates of 2-3%. This is how the loan signing business really is as a working mobile notary. You've got to create relationships to be successful! Here's the REALLY COOL ending to this post: Notary Business Builder (NBB) has everything you need to diversity your business without wondering if the trainer is knowledgeable or the course is worth the money. It's the first-of-its-kind platform that combines the country's best notary coaches and trainers to teach you everything you need to be a successful notary entrepreneur. No more subscription fatigue, no more feeling of being in this alone, no more fear of competition. NBB has experts on staff that teach you how to level up your business, your mindset and your income. We like to say, Notary Business Builder is an elite community of advanced Notary entrepreneurs that are committed to building a successful business in any economy by leveraging authentic sharing technology and cultivating deeper relationships. Check it out if you haven't already: www.notarycoach.com/nbb **Be wary of anyone selling a training program that you've never heard of or that's priced cheaply. I'm a big believer in "you get what you pay for," so keep that in mind as you're making decisions. There are tried and true trainers out there that have solid reputations in the notary world, including my incredible business partners Bill Soroka (The Notary Coach) and Laura Biewer (The GOAT). There's also Ronnie Mickle with Notary Stars, and Mark Wills with Loan Signing System. If you're uncertain about a new notary trainer, reach out to one of us and we'll shoot you straight.

I had the privilege of speaking at a virtual notary summit last night about the Pillars of a Notary Business. My time was spent talking about the pillar of confidence as a business owner. Confidence is tricky...it can ebb and flow in us throughout the day and is certainly difficult to muster up when we're feeling down or vulnerable. One trick I learned, and shared last night at the summit (and a few weeks ago during my Building Authentic Relationships call inside Notary Business Builder) was learning how to speak more positively to myself. I wanted to share some of that information with you in hopes of improving your self-confidence! *When practiced regularly, positive self-talk has the ability to reduce stress and anxiety, increase happiness, encourage healthy habits, promote self-confidence and decrease negativity and psychological symptoms. Here are some ways to implement positive self-talk into your day: Don't fall into the negative self-talk traps: Personalizing (blaming everything on yourself) Magnifying (focusing only on the negative without acknowledging the positive) Catastrophizing (always expecting the worst) Polarizing (only thinking in black and white with no grey area) 2. Talk to yourself like you'd talk to a friend. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you, and think of all the things you have to be grateful for in your life. 3. Make self-care a priority. Spend a few moments every day doing something you enjoy. This can include meditation, exercise, playing with your kids or reading a book. Nothing is off limits. 4. Limit your exposure to negativity. If social media is bringing you down, remove the app from your phone for a while to take a break. If you have a toxic friend, cut back on the amount of time you spend together. 5. Practice gratitude daily in a journal or with a mental checklist. For me, keeping a daily gratitude journal forces me to look for things in my day be grateful for...and I love that feeling of focusing on good things in my life! 6. Change your vocabulary. Remove the words, "I can't" and replace them with, "I can!" 7. Take a time out if you feel negativity creeping into your day. Check your feelings, and think of ways to put a positive spin on the negative situation. 8. Post positive affirmations around your home to remind yourself to stay in a positive and compassionate frame of mind. 9. Find the humor in a negative situation. Laughter is truly the best medicine. 10. Work with a professional if you've tried everything on this list and you're not successful in changing how you talk to yourself. Mental health professionals can work with you to pinpoint the origins of your self-talk, as well as strategies on how to flip the script. I consider my therapist a valuable part of my team! Til next time... Jen *DPS Staff 4/23/2021