How I Became A Notary
by Alyice Edrich
I have an in-home notary business. Well, actually it is a little more than just "notary" work, as I also walk borrowers through the process of signing their loan documents. I began by searching the net for any and everything I could find regarding notary publics and loan documents. It took months of research before I would even allow myself to start looking for clients and then a few more months to get up enough nerve to make those "cold contact" calls. But with each call, things became a little easier. I'll have to admit that sometimes I wish I took the easy way out and begged my friend for all the information, but I saw too many friendships end because of petty rivalry once business picked up, so I decided to start from scratch and learn everything I could. And boy am I glad that I did. Because all that research paid off in more ways that I can count. As I learned, I grew more knowledgeable and more confident in my abilities, which has allowed me to expand beyond my own limitations.
At first I was excited about this new venture, but when I learned that there were well over 72,000 notaries in the state of California alone I began to get really worried. I thought I had better jump on this wagon fast, before there were no more jobs left for me. I was on the computer every moment of every day. I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for, but I knew it was out there somewhere. Eventually I began to hit pay day and all my efforts began to pay off. But I still felt pressure as I waited for clients to call for my services. Then one day, I got a taste of what it would be like to be gone all day and all night. I didn't get to see my babies (5 and 9) and by the time I got home, even my husband was in bed. That's when I realized that as much as I wanted this business to take off ground floor, I wanted to be a stay at home mommy more.
So, I sat down and re-evaluated what I wanted out of life. I realized that I wanted to be readily available for my kids and husband, but I also wanted a career I could call my own. So, I decided to continue to pursue this business, but do so on my own terms. I would only accept jobs that worked around my family life and I would not take more than two jobs in one day. And to this day, I am glad that I made that choice.
California still has 72,000 notaries, but what I learned is that not all notaries are in my line of work. In fact, there are only about a third that do my line of work. And of that third, I can still choose how much money I make in any given month by how many hours I am willing to put into it. And best of all, succeeding in this business adventure has allowed me the strength and courage to try other avenues, such as writing a book entitled, "Tid-Bits for New Signing Agents".
Whatever you do in life, do it on your own terms. If you want to work less hours and spend more time with the family, you can do it. It's all about choices.
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