Do these lyrics ring a bell? “A gathering of angels appeared above my head They sang to me this song of hope, and this is what they said They said come sail away, come sail away Come sail away with me now Come sail away, come sail away Come sail away with me” I might be dating myself sharing these lyrics to the Styx classic, “Come Sail Away,” but it’s the song that runs through my head every time I think about the 3 upcoming notary cruises. A few years ago, no one was talking about gathering the notary community for workshops and networking on a cruise, but 2024 has ushered in this new era of notary events, and I am here for it! In case you’re not aware, cruising is the newest way for notaries to network and get in a bit of fun and relaxation! Here I highlight the 3 different upcoming cruises and provide you with the information you need to be a part of these incredible opportunities. Embark on a Notary Adventure with 2024 Level Up Notary Cruise! Brought to you by Lori Morgan with Sign Here and There Notary in Indiana. Set sail on a transformative journey from Orlando, Florida, to the captivating shores of Nassau, Bahamas, on our 3 nights, 4 days on the Inaugural 2024 Level Up Notary Cruise, departing on September 6-9, 2024. This is an exclusive opportunity to network with fellow Notaries and receive top-notch training from some of the best Notary Trainers from across the USA. The theme is "Level Up and Change Your Life," and the cruise is hosted by the dynamic Level Up Team. If you're interested in joining us on the cruise for the 2024 Level Up Notary Summit, it's a 2-step process. A. To secure your spot on this unforgettable cruise, contact Carnival Cruise at 1-866-721- 3225, mention Group Reference Number D5HQ98. Carnival Group Booking is open Mon - Fri. Full payment is due by June 21, so time is of the essence if you want to attend this cruise. All room quotes are based on double occupancy. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to elevate your notary skills while enjoying the beauty of the Bahamas! B. For those eager to participate in the Notary Summit aboard the cruise, register on Eventbrite. (Link below).  Booking the cruise does NOT give you entrance to the on-board notary summit.  You must register for that here: https://www.eventbrite.com/.../the-level-up-notary-cruise. What you will learn on the cruise:  APOSTILLE, LOAN SIGNING, MARKETING, REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATION (RON), MOCKING SIGNING, GENERAL NOTARY WORK (GNW), WEDDING OFFICIATIANT AND BEST PRACTICES. Total cost for cruise and conference is approximately $475 per person, based on double occupancy. A very special THANK YOU to the cruise event sponsors: CYBERIZEIT INTEGRITY JOURNAL NOTARY ASSIST Up next, we have an event on a Royal Caribbean Notary Mastermind cruise, hosted by Daniel C. Lewis, also from Indiana and a former National Notary Association Notary of the Year and current podcast host of The Notary Podcast (click the link to see my presentation on Daniel’s podcast and to subscribe to his YouTube channel). I’m also preparing a workshop for this cruise and am thrilled to be attending! This exclusive and educational experience departs from New Orleans and sails to the stunning destinations of Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico and Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Get ready for an unforgettable journey filled with training workshops, networking, and adventure! Cruise Details: Departure Date from New Orleans, LA: November 2, 2024 Return Date to New Orleans, LA: November 9, 2024 During our cruise, you'll have the opportunity to enhance your notary skills through a series of comprehensive training workshops. The knowledgeable instructors, Daniel Lewis and Laura Jones, will lead these sessions on the days we're at sea, ensuring that you leave the cruise with valuable insights and new expertise. Itinerary: Day 1: Departure from New Orleans Day 2: At Sea - Training Workshops Day 3: Cozumel, Mexico Day 4: Costa Maya, Mexico Day 5: Georgetown, Grand Cayman Day 6: At Sea - Training Workshops Day 7: At Sea - Training Workshops Day 8: Return to New Orleans Our Travel Agent Host, Dennis Tooley of Fun Cruise and Travel, will ensure your cruise experience is seamless and enjoyable. If you have any questions or want to book your room, please contact Dennis at 317-430-7455. Why Attend: Expand your notary knowledge and skills with expert-led workshops. Network with fellow notary professionals in a relaxed and picturesque setting. Explore stunning destinations and create lasting memories. Don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity to combine professional growth with a fantastic vacation experience. Space is limited, so secure your spot today and take advantage of early booking benefits! Inside Cabins start at $576 per person (based on double occupancy), Ocean View Cabins start at $613 per person (based on double occupancy) and Balcony Cabins start at $745 per person (based on double occupancy).  A Deposit of $500 per Cabin is required.  Payments can be set up after the deposit is secured. To book your spot or get more information, contact Dennis Tooley at 317-430-7455 (Call or Text) or via email at dennistooley@gmail.com. And last, but certainly not least is the Notary Business Builder Celebrity Cruise to Alaska in September, 2025.  Vacation to Alaska from September 5-12, 2025 (16 months from now). It's a popular time and a popular destination, so this cruise is selling out fast (and the ship will completely sell out well before the departure date)!  If you want to join Bill, Laura, myself and the rest of the faculty of Notary Business Builder, I encourage you to book it now (and set up a payment plan like I did)!  There are currently 45 people already booked! We've put together a great group of notaries, trainers, and influencers that will join us for a shared experience that you'll remember for the rest of your life. So if Alaska is on your bucket list, click here to Join us! And yes, friends and family are welcome to join us too! My husband is coming with me. This is not necessarily a "seminar at sea." Sure, we'll have some programming, but most of this cruise is networking and connection-based. If you want to join us on this adventure, you need to make a deposit on your cabin now. In most cases, there is a $500 deposit per cabin. And here’s the amazing news:  You can make ANY payment plan you want, as long as your final payment is received by June 1, 2025 (a year from now). Our amazing travel agent, Jennifer Myers, of Expedia CruiseShipCenters Scottsdale, will handle all your reservations and payments, assuring you get the best price available. Connect with her here. Wow!  That is a lot to look forward to for notaries!  And you know what?  After the last two years of struggling to pivot and learn new skills to bolster our businesses beyond loan signings, we deserve to treat ourselves to a tax-deductible cruise while learning new things and meeting new people.  Remember, I recommend attending at least 3 notary-centered events a year! I’m curious…which cruise interests you the most?  Are you attending any of them?  Comment below so I know to look for you on the Mexico and Alaska cruises!

Sales. Marketing. These are usually two words that send notaries running for cover! At the very least it prompts them to tell me during my one-on-one coaching calls, “I’m an introvert, so I’m scared to death to promote my business.”  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that! In an effort to support national “Entrepreneurs Do It Yourself Marketing,” month in June, I wanted to share the framework I used to build my business. I speak to very few notaries who actually enjoy the process of building their know, like and trust factor in their communities, but the truth is you’re the only one who is going to do that! Unless you hire someone, of course. Let’s look at that scenario for a moment. Pretend, if you will, that you’re an “introvert” who is too shy to attend networking meetings, do any direct marketing or make phone calls to local businesses. You’re convinced that you just want to be a notary, not a salesperson.  Besides, no one wants to feel like a used car salesman!  What if you started calling around to find someone to do it for you? I mean, let’s be honest; I say it all the time, “hire your weaknesses.” In fact, I tried to hire someone to do my marketing for me.  I was feeling very overwhelmed with all the tasks I needed to complete in a day, so I sat down one afternoon to give thought to what I could hire out.  I picked up the phone and started calling marketing firms in my hometown of Dallas.  I talked to the big marketing firms, the mid-size ones and a guy who handles it all himself.  In the end, the cheapest quote I got for a monthly fee was $5,000! $5,000?? And that didn’t include any social media posts beyond Facebook.  I was floored!  The bigger firm wanted $10,500 a month which was the discount for a year-long contract. Both were a “bit” out of my budget! So, next time you’re telling yourself you “can’t” lead the sales and marketing efforts of your small business, just remember you can hire someone to do it for you!  It’ll just cost you a pretty penny…. OR you can take the more economical route and do it yourself. And as it turns out, I happen to have a whole framework that will help you market your business around town.  I call it The 5 Point Marketing System and it’s available to Marketing4Notaries.com members and Notary Business Builders, too.  This program isn’t revolutionary or mind-blowing, but it is ridiculously effective.  I took the steps I used to increase my business revenue by 75% and put it on a website to share with notaries around the country. And it’s been hugely successful!  So many people have told me how much they appreciate having a step-by-step system to help them be the “go-to” notary in their community. The simple, but time-honored steps are: PopIns! This is when you visit businesses and introduce yourself and your business Follow up:  The truth is, lots of people will work up the courage to PopIn, but then they drop the ball and forget to follow up!  In my opinion, it’s the most important step in the 5 Point System. Monthly Shout Outs:  You followed up, now you need to stay in touch once a month with value-added information. Social Media:  Yes, it’s a pain in the a$$, but it’s also free advertising. If you use social media anyway, you should absolutely leverage its power to promote your business and grow relationships. Networking:  Perhaps the most powerful step in the system, networking with the right groups will speed-up the growth of your “know, like and trust” factor and expand your referral network. When I write these steps down, they seem so clear and easy to understand.  Upon execution, I know it requires additional information, training and support.  Especially if you’ve never PoppedIn before or been to a networking meeting. That’s why I go beyond the basic steps and really dig deep discussing the fear and resistance we all experience when it comes to building our businesses.  With the proper coaching that comes along with membership for each program, you can begin to do the internal work it takes to be a marketing pro! If you’re a Marketing4Notaries member or Notary Business Builder, I’d love to see your comments below about The 5 Point Marketing System and how it’s helped your business! Who knows…you might even see your review on my social media accounts! P.S. If you’d like to see a comparison between memberships at Marketing4Notaries.com and Notary Business Builder, click here!

Oversaturation. I hear this word often when I am reading notary-specific Facebook posts or comments on Instagram.  I have heard notaries from all different walks of life, living in vastly different parts of the country tell me the notary business is oversaturated. “There are too many Loan Signing Agents in this city.  You’ll never find work.” “This business is dead.  Too many notaries means too little work.” “Signing services aren’t paying me what I’m worth because there are too many notaries desperate for business and they will take anything.” “Title companies already have their preferred notaries, so if you’re not on the list then you can forget getting direct business from them.” Do any of these sound familiar to you?  If so, listen up!  I have one word to describe all of these statements and the idea that the market is oversaturated:  Bullsh*t! The notary business is anything but dead! And if you’re still clinging to the idea of only being a loan signing agent, then you’re not paying attention to what’s happening in the market! YOU MUST DIVERSIFY YOUR NOTARY BUSINESS IF YOU WANT TO STAY IN BUSINESS FOR THE LONG HAUL. That means, you need to let go of the idea that you can sit on your sofa waiting for signing services to do the marketing work for you and send you assignments. I mean, if you want to do that then great, but we’ve proven over the last 2 years that it doesn’t provide a sustainable income (and if you need more proof than that I’m afraid I can’t help you). The idea of “oversaturation in the notary business” is actually your resistance.  That resistance is holding you back from doing what you know needs to be done:  diversifying your skills and building your "know, like & trust" factor in your community. That resistance is your brain protecting you from stepping outside of your comfort zone, and it’s perfectly normal to feel that way. When I say “resistance” I’m referring to the stories we tell ourselves to keep us safe from doing scary things like going to a networking meeting or directly marketing your business. Admit it….you’ve talked yourself out of going to a networking meeting or from direct marketing.  I know I did when I started my notary business in 2017!  I had all kinds of excuses, too. I’m not feeling my best, or I don’t have my elevator pitch perfected, or it’s raining and I don’t want to drive in the traffic across town, or my business cards aren’t back from the printer yet.  Blah, blah, blah…they were all resistant excuses! For far too long, notaries all over the country (myself included) believed that we could rely on signing services sending out mortgage closing assignments to make a living.  I know I personally justified receiving only a portion of the notary fee on the closing disclosure as a marketing fee.  It helped me feel less guilty about not spreading the word about my business myself. Did you know you can hire someone to market your business for you?  For a cool $5-10k per month you can sit back and have someone else market your business for you.  On the off chance that isn’t in your budget, I have some good news! I created a 5 Point Marketing System that will help you better understand why you’re scared to market your business in your community! I know when you start to understand the “why,” you will begin to incorporate techniques to help you get out of your own way. The 5 Point Marketing System will also help you build your confidence in yourself and your business, teach you how to market without feeling like a used car salesman, and how to follow-up and stay in touch with your prospects.  You will learn you proper networking techniques so you’re armed and ready to network (a very powerful business building tool), and it will teach you how to use social media as free advertising for your business.  Here’s the coolest part….the 5 Point Marketing System does all of this for $20 per month! I've coached so many notaries through the 5 Point Marketing System and watched their businesses thrive. If you're looking for a proven system to help your business that includes free one-on-one coaching with me then look no further! You can find the 5 Point Marketing System at www.Marketing4Notaries.com. All my best, Jen P.S. If you’re looking for a training platform to help you build additional skills as a notary entrepreneur, I highly recommend Notary Business Builder because it offers multiple subject matter experts to help you dial in on the exact training you need for the specialities that interest you the most.  It’s widely considered the one-stop-shop for everything a notary entrepreneur needs to run a successful business! P.S.S.  Marketing4Notaries.com will increase monthly subscription pricing to $24.99/month effective May 17, 2024.  Keep your $20 fee for a lifetime by signing up today!

If you’ve been a notary entrepreneur for any length of time, you already know Notary Business Builder is the one-stop-shop to build a successful business that lasts in any economy.  I am thrilled to announce an exclusive new benefit for Notary Business Builders; The Innovator Spotlight. This labor of love started at the National Notary Association conference in 2023.  Bill, Laura and I had been speaking about the amazing offerings several Notary Business Builders (NBB) had available.  There were notary journals, intake forms and courses, but there were also more creative products like tshirts, mugs and social media templates.  We were determined to show off the NBB group’s creative pursuits, so I created a powerpoint presentation of the incredible innovators that were a part of NBB.  We played it before each of our 3 different presentations last year as a way to honor members' creativity and help support their businesses.  As founders of Notary Business Builder, we want nothing more than to see you succeed and we will support that any way we can. So many attendees at the National Notary Association conference thought it was a great idea! From this, we decided to create an entire website devoted to highlighting the offerings of NBB members.  Zion Brock (the genius who brought you gotary.com) got to work developing an application process and website that features your genius and leverages our resources to be your promotional partner. And it’s FREE for our NBB family! You're a creative person…I know this because all entrepreneurs find creative ways to solve problems.  It’s what we do, and that’s creativity at work.  And if you've taken the extra step to innovate or create something beautiful for the world, Notary Business Builder (NBB) wants to help spread the word. We want to help you promote and sell your products and services, even if they're not necessarily under the "notary umbrella." That's another step in our mission to help you serve more customers, make more money, and build a business that will thrive no matter what mortgage interest rates are doing. We want to be your promotional partner! What have you created? Notary journal? Recission calendar? Templates? Sweaters? Books? Courses? Non-profit organizations? The Innovator Spotlight helps you answer the question we love to ask: How can I support your business? When you're approved as an Innovator, you'll be included in the NBB Innovator Marketplace, where you'll be shared across platforms with thousands of potential customers. You'll be highlighted on shows, be given interviews on YouTube, broadcasted on social media channels, and so much more. Have you ever been supported like that before? I know you've poured your heart and resources into your dream. I know you're more than "just" a notary. Let us help the WHOLE you come alive. It doesn't matter that your product is “Magnetic Mantras” (an actual product featured on www.NBBSpotlight.com) It's okay if your handmade sweaters are made of Alpaca and designed for expectant mothers. Your Italian cooking course is welcome here. We want to support all of who you are and what you're doing to make an impact on the world. The Innovator Spotlight application is available only to members of Notary Business Builder. We want to support your idea. More than that, we want to support you. NBB is far more than Innovator Spotlight too. Yes, you get access to the Innovator Spotlight application, but did you know that some of the industry's most popular courses are also included in NBB? Check out these NBB inclusions: A $70 discount for the hottest new training & certification available for notaries: Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent program Laura Biewer Presents...Specialty Training and Replay Library Marketing4Notaries 5 Point Marketing System framework Notary Coach’s Sign & Thrive Notary Training Course Government Affairs and Advocacy The World of Apostille Course and Certification program LinkedIn training and branding Google Business Profile training Reverse Mortgage certification Search Engine Optimization training Content creation for blogs and social media posts Morning Mastery for Notaries The Five Star Notary Course But did you know... There are two major tech platforms included in NBB too: NotaryAssist bookkeeping software membership My Life & Wishes Legacy Vault (Lifetime membership to protect your family's most valuable information- a $697 VALUE!) And, there are ELEVEN faculty members that hold regular LIVE virtual training events that give you the most current and relevant training in the industry.  We built Notary Business Builder to be your one-stop-shop for everything you need to succeed as a notary entrepreneur. And it's all just $58 per month. Everything! $58 per month... We can't do that price forever. There's just too much value in here. But that's the price right now. And it will stay $58 per month for you as long as you're a member. We'll never raise it up on you. There's no risk. If you join and hate it, cancel within thirty days and we'll give your money back. Plus, there is no contract or minimum term. You can cancel anytime. And, we don't make you jump through hoops to cancel. You can do it yourself in your account. I even made a video to show you how to cancel in the NBB Dashboard. Or, if you prefer, you can send an email to my team at orders@notarycoach.com and they'll help you cancel. It's easy. We want you to succeed. All the way. To soar in '24 and beyond.

As the creator of The 5 Point Marketing System featured at Marketing4Notaries.com and co-creator of Notary Business Builder, I take my commitment to the notary community very seriously.  It’s my goal to provide a safe place for notary entrepreneurs to learn the skills necessary to build a successful business no matter what the economy is doing.  Part of that commitment is meeting with my co-founders, Bill Soroka and Laura Biewer at least 3 times a year to evaluate our systems, plan for the future and dream big!  We also like to have a little fun along the way.  And as  Bill always says, “there’s no better way to build a deeper relationship than shared experiences!” We kicked off 2024 with a week-long planning retreat in beautiful Monterey, CA.  I’ve never been to that area of California before, but I assure you I will be back.  I loved everything about it.  The breathtaking scenery, the food, the activities…honestly, I felt like I was born to be a California girl, and I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could convince my husband and kids to move, too! As we drove around the area taking in the gorgeous scenery, I found myself wondering if the people who live there and see the stunning views every single day take it for granted.  I hope they don’t. While in Monterey, we worked hard building out new tools for notaries during the first part of the day gathered in the communal lodge of Asilomar Conference Center.  When afternoon hit,  we had so much fun together experiencing all the best that this part of California offers. That includes an awesome dinner with several Notary Business Builders (a few who drove for hours) to meet us for dinner one evening. It was so wonderful spending quality time together! We had such a good time at dinner, we decided to meet for breakfast the next morning before everyone left for home. There was a whale watching tour where we followed a pack of Orcas, shopping and eating our way around Cannery Row, finding a small area winery with the BEST Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio ever (Bargetto Winery - check it out if you find yourself on Cannery Row and hopefully Tiffany, an aspiring author will be your server, too). We traveled the 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach not once, but twice because we loved it so much - and we may have even stopped at an Open House in Pebble Beach to be “lookie-lou’s”, but no photographic evidence exists!  The drive out to Big Sur and back was so peaceful and the afternoon spent wandering in and out of the shops and restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea was the perfect place to celebrate the launch of Bill’s first non-notary book, Dandelions. There are so many lessons I take away from these meetings with my colleagues-turned-friends.  The first of which is always GRATITUDE.  I still have to pinch myself that I get to sit around a table and create with Bill and Laura!  Like the beautiful views in Monterey, I hope I never take that for granted.  Their partnership has given me so much more than a spot in time as a “notary influencer.”  It’s given me confidence in my abilities to lead, to create and to dream big.  Really big!  I am confident that what we’ve already provided the notary community like Notary Business Builder and the Certified Trust Delivery Agent program are changing the entire landscape of our industry.  I also know there are some big things coming, and I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store. The second lesson I learned while at our leadership retreat is ABUNDANCE. Everything we do, we approach with the mindset of abundance.  There is no limit to what we can do when the three of us work together, and it will always start with bringing notaries what they need to succeed.  It’s remarkable to me that the three of us, despite any successes we’ve had, can agree that providing notaries with the best opportunities for growth is our top priority.  It’s never been about money or influence.  It’s about a love of the notary community and the amazing people that make it up. We are constantly looking for opportunities to share with notaries and there is nothing we love more than experiencing your wins!  In fact, my favorite part of the week is listening to notaries share their professional and personal wins on our Tuesday afternoon accountability call inside Notary Business Builder. Finally, the lesson of SYNCHRONICITY always follows the 3 of us when we are together.  There is a sort of “magic” that happens when we’re in a room together and it’s definitely noticeable by anyone who is nearby.  If you don’t know, here is a lovely definition of synchronicity: “it is a phenomenon in which people interpret two separate—and seemingly unrelated—experiences as being meaningfully intertwined, even though there is no evidence that one led to the other or that the two events are linked in any other causal way.”  I think that’s a perfect way to describe the three of us.  Just a few short years ago we didn’t even know each other.  Now, we’ve created a safe place for notaries to gather, learn and grow as professionals and individuals. We were also lucky enough along our notary journey together to become supportive friends who genuinely care about each other.  Both Bill and Laura have been not only professional influences in my life, but they have each provided me with the inspiration to grow as an individual. It’s one of the greatest gifts of my life, and I will do my best to never take either of them for granted!!

What’s the one thing everyone asks at the start of a new year?  WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?? The question is actually asking, “What are the things in your life you want to change (usually improve)”?  For me, like so many others, it’s about continuing to improve my physical and mental health by eating whole foods and increasing my exercise routine.  This year is a bit different though. I actually feel confident in my ability to achieve my resolution. What is it about a new year that makes people think they’re going to magically change overnight?  They rush to the gym every morning with gusto, only to burn themselves out quickly. Yes, it’s a new year and therefore we can consider it a new beginning, but isn’t that the truth at the beginning of every month, week or day?  We spend time relaxing and overindulging during the holiday season then WHAM!  We’re expected to suddenly wake up at 6am and go to the gym for an hour? It’s madness to expect such significant changes to happen overnight! I see no reason why my resolutions can’t begin on January 15th or May 2nd or October 26th.  Just because it’s what’s considered “normal” to set a new year’s resolution on January 1st, doesn’t mean it makes sense.  Every day is a chance to start fresh, and on days that are particularly stressful I often remind myself that every hour is a chance to start fresh. The truth is, human beings aren’t the best with change.  According to research from Columbia University, our brains don’t like change (this is also why it can be so difficult to begin direct marketing - our brains will resist the changes in mindset you need to make to get out and meet new business owners). Routine is our friend and most of us (all of us) are resistant to change.  Have you noticed that in your life or business?  I know I have!  It’s becoming clear to me as so many notaries across the country are re-entering hustle mode to build relationships with estate planning attorneys how resistant we are to change.  They’ve forgotten the effort it takes to build authentic relationships with new people, and how exhausting significant change is (and therefore, quit their efforts before making any real progress). Still, we pressure ourselves to change overnight because the calendar changes from December 31st to January 1st.  Then, we beat ourselves up when we fall short of our resolution. It seems so ridiculous to me! I’ve fallen into the resolution trap for as long as I can remember, but this year I am feeling more confident about my ability to stick to new routines after spending the last year working on improving my health (both physically and mentally).  My “resolution” includes adding meditation to my daily health routine, but guess what?  I’m not starting until January 15th (edited to February 1st because the gym is still too crowded for my liking).  I will be waking up at 6:30am and will start my day in meditation, then hit the gym for 45 minutes on the treadmill with weight training 2 times a week…working up to 3 times per week.  I knew if I started on January 1st I’d be setting myself up for failure.  I’d wake up early and try to meditate all the while thinking about how crowded the gym will be because of all the “resolutioners,” and how I should probably leave NOW instead of working through my meditation practice. Then, I’d get to the gym and be mad that there is no treadmill or row machine available, and I’d have to settle for a bike or elliptical (I hate both of those things).  Then, I’d have to fight for a spot on the weight machines to complete my strength training. Why set myself up to start my year/my day feeling frustrated?  That’s no way to begin a day, and it’s a surefire path to failure.  So, I’m going to let everyone else peter themselves out and THEN I’ll start. I’m looking for longevity with my new routines and I know myself well enough to know that it doesn’t matter when I start new routines, it’s about starting in an environment that will support my goals. I want to hear from you…Did you start your resolutions on January 1st and if so, are they still in place? P.S. I know many notaries are considering adding new revenue streams to their business as their resolution, and I encourage you to check out the Trust Delivery Agent Certification program. It’s the perfect addition to your business that will allow you to earn as much or more than loan signings (and not be dependent on mortgage interest rates and signing services for business)!

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season.  A new year brings renewed enthusiasm about our businesses and the opportunities that lie ahead, and I don’t know about you, but I am definitely feeling the buzz of excitement in the air! Then, there’s the shock of a new year…After a couple of weeks off to spend time with my family, I am also feeling a bit overwhelmed by my very lengthy to-do list.  That’s a very common feeling.  One lesson I learned last year is reminding myself that overwhelm happens when I am putting pressure on myself, so deep breathing helps keep my brain from spiraling out of control.  I also remind myself daily that as long as I complete my top 3 tasks for the day, then I’ve made a positive difference in my business.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, stop and take 10 deep breaths (7 seconds inhale, hold for 1 second and exhale for 8 seconds/ the exhale has to be a beat or two longer than the inhale).  Then, focus on the top 3 things you can achieve before the end of the day. Back to the point of this blog post… I want to encourage you to spend some time looking at networking events happening in your community this month.  In my experience, January is an excellent time to get out and meet other business owners.  Just like you, they are renewing their commitment to their business and that involves networking with like-minded people.  I recommend attending at least 2 client-getting events in January because you are likely to meet more people in January than you might later in the year. Here’s a quick guide to help you locate events in your area.  Visit any of the websites below (I didn’t link Facebook and LinkedIn because those are personal to you) and search for your notary specialty.  For example, if you are a new Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent and you want to mix and mingle with estate planning attorneys, search for “estate plan” in your city.  If you live in a suburb of a large city you may want to change the location to that larger city.  I found more results with that strategy. These are the top 4 social calendars I use to identify networking opportunities. https://www.meetup.com/ https://www.eventbrite.com/ facebook.com/events LinkedIn search bar at top left of screen next to the logo I am also a very big believer in identifying notary-related events, but I didn’t always see the value in it.  Many years ago, I (falsely) believed that it was a waste of my time networking with other notaries. I didn’t see the value in it.  I thought other notaries were my competition.  Man, I was green! And then my business took off after I began working the 5 Point Marketing System.  Suddenly, I was having to turn jobs away, and I quickly realized that had I been spending time with other notaries in my area, I could have identified someone to refer my customers to when I was already booked with another appointment.  It became clear that I needed to find some trusted notaries in Dallas that I could rely on, and who could rely on me when needed.  You see, even if I refer a job to someone else, I am still serving my client.  I am saving them time by filling their need with a trusted referral partner.  For the record, something wonderfully unexpected happened in seeking out other notaries…I found some amazing new friends! I encourage you to identify at least 2 notary networking events in 2024 to attend to begin identifying new potential partnerships (and hopefully, supportive friendships). To help you make that decision, I am hosting a call inside Notary Business Builder (NBB) on January 10th at 10am central (8am pacific/11am eastern) to review all the upcoming notary-centered events in 2024.  My goal is to help you identify which event meets your specific needs so you are spending your money wisely (y’all know I don’t like wasting money).  You’ll hear about everything from the National Notary Association conference in May to the Philly Social in October.  I’ve done all the research so you don’t have to! Have a great rest of your week, friends!  I’ll see you on tomorrow’s zoom call! P.S. If you didn’t know already, 2024 is a leap year so we all get an extra day to accomplish our goals!

As 2023 winds down, it's time for you to start thinking about the improvements you can make to your business to help you stay organized in 2024. One way to do that is with a notary-specific planner. Wendy Diem, of Diem Notary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania has created an undated planner for both new and seasoned notaries. A self-admitted "planner and organizational nerd," Wendy couldn't find a planner that met her needs. So, she got busy creating one! I love it when notaries get innovative and find ways to not only help themselves, but the community as a whole. Here is a list of features that make this planner stand out from the rest: ✦Undated pages – start using at any time; ✦Spiral Bound design to lay flat (462 pages); ✦Durable laminated covers; ✦Common legal definitions; ✦Samples of Notarial Certificates; ✦Printed on 60# paper for no-bleed through; ✦Daily pages – more space for your busy schedule; ✦Two Page monthly layout; ✦Quarterly & Annual Goal Sheets; and ✦Inspiring Quotes from special Notary colleagues My personal favorite part of the planner is the space to write down your monthly goals with steps on how you plan to accomplish them. I recommend the planner to any notary that values organization, their time and wants to keep themselves on a schedule to meet their goals. Wendy is happy to answer any questions you might have about her notary planner. Simply reach out to her via email at diemnotary@gmail.com. Interested in ordering? Simply click here to get it in time to kick off the new year organized!

I am 51 years old today. I'm not quite sure how that happened because I don't feel 51, and I do my best not to look 51 (thank you, botox & Hidden Door Med Spa)...but here I am! A full-grown 51-year-old woman! And you know what, I've never been happier to grow older! As I reflect on the last year, I am astonished at what I've accomplished with my health. I spent my 50th birthday in bed with covid, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. After a health scare in August, 2022 my health started to take a nose dive. I found out I had an auto-immune disorder. Then, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Then, menopause. Then, I discovered I had type 2 diabetes. And each new "discovery" felt like a huge blow because they just kept coming one after the other. I do NOT want to be the old lady who sits in front of her television when she retires watching soap operas and Wheel of Fortune. I want to LIVE my life. I want to travel, I want to meet new people and experience new things. I want to be energetic and vivacious when I'm in my older years. But if I was going to be that kind of person, I knew I had to make some changes to my lifestyle. So I did. After years of yo-yo dieting, I finally set out to fix my health through functional medicine (food and exercise). I ordered a glucose monitor and wore it religiously. I tracked my food intake, exercise and weight. I started exercising 5 times a week. I read some incredible books (but this one was by far the most impactful because it teaches you how to properly eat food and my doctor called it the "nutritional information we should all be taught,") and partnered with a functional medicine doctor/hormone specialist who draws an extensive blood panel every 3 months so I can track my progress. It wasn't easy. In fact, it was/is extremely difficult to break patterns that have existed for 50 years...but I did it because after years and years of trying to make changes, it finally became important enough to me to live a well-balanced life. With the help of my functional medicine doctor, I got my hormones balanced (which helped a lot with my ADHD), got on a sleep schedule, started exercising, found the proper supplements for my body and started eating properly. I've eliminated most processed foods from my diet, and I focus on lean protein and organic vegetables (the side effects of my auto-immune disorder show up less if I eat a low-carb diet and stay gluten-free). I am so proud to say that I am no longer a type 2 diabetic! I took my insulin resistance from 79% to 20% and my a1c is 5.2! The health plan I started has me down 25 lbs, too (which is finally a side-note for me instead of being the only thing I worry about). I feel fantastic! And I'm just getting started, because I realize that my health is a daily work-in-progress. I'll continue to exercise, eat right and live by a new rule: Enjoying the 80/20 life. That means I am disciplined about my food intake and exercise routine 80% of the time, but I give myself a bit of grace for special occasions and holidays. This new mindset has helped me significantly increase my energy levels and for the first time in a very, very long time I can honestly say I am the healthiest I've ever been! That's the best birthday present I can think of to give my family and all the notaries around the country who mean so much to me!

Let me start by saying I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love that it allows me to keep up with friends in different cities, but I hate that it acts as a cheat sheet to peek into someone else’s life so we rob ourselves of creating genuine connections. I love that it’s free advertising for my business, but I hate that it’s time consuming, and my ADHD brain always gets distracted and I lose 30 minutes in the blink of an eye while I’m mindlessly scrolling. *SQUIRREL*! I love catching up with new trends, new influencers and new ideas, but I hate how I can literally feel my brain turn to mush after being on social media for more than 20 minutes. I’m a busy gal and with each new project I take on, my time becomes more limited. Managing Marketing4Notaries, Notary Business Builder and the Notary Trust Delivery Agent Certification program are my priorities, and I’m also serving my community as a working mobile notary. A few months ago, I started feeling overwhelmed. I had too many things on my to-do list. There are only so many hours in the day and something had to give. I was phoning in my social media posts which was basically a big waste of time because hardly anyone was paying attention to my posts. Something had to change. I decided to begin the search for a social media manager. It was the one area I felt I could most easily transition to someone else’s control. I set out to find help. I interviewed 5 different people from the big $5k/month firm to the $20/hour freelancer at Fiverr. I wasn’t connecting with anyone because they all seemed either too sales-y or too boring… and I was getting tired of constantly being upsold products and services I didn’t need. For months, my daughter had been telling me how she thought I should manage my accounts, but I didn’t listen. You know how as parents we complain that our kids don’t listen to us because they think we’re old and unhip? The truth is…I wasn’t listening to my daughter and taking her experience into account. She grew up with social media. It was “normal,” to her where it’s an added task for me. She kept talking about aesthetics, branding, stories…I started to notice that it sounded like she knew what she was talking about. So, I called her one day and asked her if she’d be interested in managing my social media, but because I’m her mom and I don’t believe in just giving my kids things I asked her to pitch me. I wanted to see her ideas written out to be sure we were aligned in our vision. Yes, I’m that mom who is a bit harder on her own kids. What I expected was a one-page list of ways she could help improve my engagement and reach. What I got blew me away. She did her research! She had a whole page on my current analytics with a plan to include everything I felt it is important to share with a step-by step guide on how to do that. The minute I saw her presentation I knew I would hire her to manage my social media accounts and not because she is my daughter, but because she listened to what my wants and needs are and created a plan to achieve my goals. She earned her seat at the table. I am thrilled to introduce all of you to Katie Cox, Marketing4Notaries, social media manager. Not only is she my daughter, but she’s also a 2022 graduate of Texas State University. She lives in Houston with her boyfriend, Max and is a dog-mom to Ricky (mini-weenie) and Kai (black lab). Katie has made a huge impact on my social media accounts. In one week, she increased my engagement over 350%! Of all the markers one looks at to analyze accounts, she has increased all of them across the board. I’m so impressed with what she’s managed to accomplish in a relatively short amount of time that I’ve invited her to be a part of my deep dive call into step 4 of the 5 Point Marketing System/social media. I know if her tips can work to build my social media following, it will work for you, too! Katie will be sharing her top 5 tips for increasing social media traffic atour rescheduled call on Thursday, November 16th at 12:30pm central/10:30am pacific/1:30pm eastern. No doubt about it…Social media is a necessity and as my business has grown over the years, I am more and more convinced that it’s an excellent tool for expanding your audience when done properly. I am so thankful that I finally found the right person to manage my accounts and I learned a valuable lesson in the process: the younger generations have many talents to share and we shouldn’t overlook their contributions because we think we're older and wiser. There is always more to learn, and the older I get the more I appreciate that!