Posted by just passing through on 6/13/05 1:47am
Msg #44206

Wish you well

Bridget you ask :
Are there any Notaries in Southern California willing to "train" a new notary? Or does anyone know of a good resource to go to for some extra knowledge? Thank you!

Its appox 3 or more million people in So. Ca. and I would say at least 1/5 of them will need some kind of signing this mo. If you got your commission, move like the professional you are , and go for it

Dont let any one discourage you.I say

GO GIRL !

Reply by JanetK/CA on 6/13/05 4:51am
Msg #44207

Another Point of View

I'm more than a little bit stunned by the "California Notary" thread below. People come here asking for favors (often the same kind of things, over and over again which is why people frequently refer back to previous threads or advise others to do a search), then get indignant if it isn't presented politely enough? Rather than say what's really on my mind, I'm going to repost a slightly edited copy of something I posted on another message board on a similar thread, when I was in a less tired, kinder state of mind... This is at least as true here as it is there (and related more to comments down the thread than to the original question):

"When I first started coming here, it seemed that the topics were mostly about unusual (or out of state) documents or situations, companies to avoid, etc. The change may have something to do with why some people have become a bit testy in their replies (although I agree that rudeness is uncalled for on a public forum).

"I have always viewed this as a board for professional signing agents to exchange information. It seems that recently there has been a steady stream of new posters, who are not only new to the signing business, but are freshly minted notaries. Too many have asked the most basic of questions, obviously without having tried to find the answer on their own - because they certainly would have been able to find them (for the most part) had they even tried. This is certainly not true of everyone, but it has happened often enough to become very tiresome. What is also becoming tiresome are messages such as this one complaining about the answers received or the tone of the message. As I've said before, sometimes the best advice is hard to take.

"No one here has any obligation to help anyone else, but many do so in the interest of bettering the profession as a whole. I agree with [other poster] that we should be grateful for the support that Sylvia [and others] offer(s), but I believe it should be viewed as a valuable gift - not an expectation. Off the top of my head I can think of several highly experienced posters who no longer bother coming to this board. They were already very busy, so perhaps they came to feel that their input was no longer appreciated, so why bother - and that is everyone's loss.

"This message isn't intended to criticize (and isn't intended for just this poster), but rather to present another point of view and remind everyone that tools like this are what we make them. If we abuse them, they can lose their value (like a car that's never had its oil changed...) or disappear altogether.

"My suggestion would be to not worry about how nicely (or not) someone says something and just try to learn what you can from what is offered. Just imagine trying to build your business without the benefit of forums like this (like some of us did) and maybe you'll appreciate it more. And for those of you who do take the time to search out your own answers, you may find yourselves learning something else valuable that you didn't expect!"

I'd like to add that you should be very cautious about who you listen to. With a few notable exceptions, it seems like this board has sometimes sunk to the blind leading the blind, if you'll forgive a slight overstatement. Some of the people offering advice don't have much more experience than the new people asking the questions. I come to this board less and less lately, but I've seen lots of misinformation posted here. And there just isn't enough time to get into trying to straighten things out. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way. It reminds me of a favorite quote of mine: "Beware those who are often wrong, never in doubt"!! ;>)

For what it's worth, I was wire-brushed in posts I made a couple of times when I first found a message board for signing agents, but those were some of the most valuable lessons I learned. If you dismiss the content because the poster's style doesn't fit your sensibilities, you can miss out on a lot. If you manage to develop a thick skin in the process, you'll have a much better chance of making it in this business. And we'd do well to remember that we are in business - not members of a benevolent society - in our roles as signing agents. (My non-profit activities are limited to several worthy charities - NOT my notary business!!)

[I should probably know better than to try to post something coherent at this hour, but I'll take my lumps!]

Reply by JanetK/CA on 6/13/05 5:03am
Msg #44209

Re: Another Point of View

This may not have been the most appropriate place to post this, but this is where it happened to end up...

Reply by Dogmonger, Ca on 6/13/05 8:45am
Msg #44230

I can't disagree with anything you said

I would add that if you have difficulty taking criticism on a internet chat board, you may have extreme difficulty in surviving in the world of self employment:-)

Reply by Merry_CA on 6/13/05 11:37am
Msg #44253

Re: Another Point of View

Why not just respond to questions here the same way you would if the person asking the question was face-to-face with you? Just a thought.

This is just a convenient place to get your rage out without being seen.

Go to the gym!

Reply by BrendaTX on 6/13/05 12:01pm
Msg #44263

Everyone should answer Merry's question for themselves!

***Why not just respond to questions here the same way you would if the person asking the question was face-to-face with you? ***

Thank you Merry! That was a wake up call for me. I am a little happier now that I went through this exercise. No kidding.

Good question and I thought this one over...took a reality break...okay, answer for face to face for me:
=====================================================
Question: How do I get started doing what you do?

Answer: I am not the best one to ask as you can see, I'd be working in direct competition to you.

However, if you are truly interested, I will not train you but offer this alternative--->I'll sell you my business on the spot for $40,000 -- I'll give you my client list, my contacts, I'll train you, answer your questions free - 30 hours per month for one month (after that, $50 per hour for a year...after that, if I am available I will answer at $50 per hour). I will guarantee you $XXXX per month if you do exactly as I tell you - money back guarantee. I will also agree not to do this for two years.

Let's get a contract and I'll sign it under those terms.

=====================================================

***This is just a convenient place to get your rage out without being seen. ***
Janet is probably one of the kindest and calmest people who post here. Since you mention "rage" . . .I'd guess you are "projecting" your rage at her. But, my opinion is just a shot in the dark. I know as little about you as you do about Janet.


=====================================================
***Go to the gym!***

Or try inspections!

Reply by BRAVO on 6/13/05 12:05pm
Msg #44265

Re: Everyone should answer Merry's question for themselves!

Reply by JanetK/CA on 6/13/05 7:41pm
Msg #44411

Re: Everyone should answer Merry's question for themselves!

Thanks for your nice comments, Brenda. I also liked your version of your face-to-face reply. Excellent analogy. In most businesses, when people are looking for the answers to some of the kinds of questions that are being asked here, they hire a consultant for a hefty fee! Actually, I wouldn't have any problem saying anything in my post to someone's face, except it would probably take lots more words to get the point across. ;>) (I did take a few minutes to organize my thoughts...)

BTW, good advice about going to the gym! It's something I definitely need to do, but not for the reasons stated... (Gee... Where did I leave my gym bag??)

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/13/05 8:19pm
Msg #44419

Re: Everyone should answer Merry's question for themselves!

I was glad to think through Merry's question. It was very thought provoking.

It made me realize how much harder nosed I would be in a face to face.

I don't care how ugly anyone thinks my honest and logical responses are--I live in the real world where you have to be responsible for yourself.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 6/14/05 1:00pm
Msg #44554

Re: Another Point of View - really?

"I have always viewed this as a board for professional signing agents to exchange information"

And here I thought it was a NOTARY board. Turns out the signing agents think it's a signing agent board, so maybe Harry should change the name of the board.

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/14/05 1:13pm
Msg #44562

Re: Another Point of View - really?


Janet: "I have always viewed this as a board for professional signing agents to exchange information"

Eatha: "And here I thought it was a NOTARY board. Turns out the signing agents think it's a signing agent board, so maybe Harry should change the name of the board."

Brenda: Okay... "professional notaries" which is what Harry calls it. ("Notary Rotary: the premier web site for professional notaries")

With that in mind: I view this as a board for professional notaries to chat. "Professional" being the operative word: Notaries who are professionals and earning money with their notary skills...and, all that involves. I do a lot of professional notary work, as well as signing agent work, as well as inspection work.

Reply by JanetK/CA on 6/14/05 3:53pm
Msg #44615

Re: Another Point of View - really?

Actually, the point is well taken. That part of the message was a quote from a post originally made on another board for *mobile* notaries - almost exclusively SAs. I didn't bother editing that part. However, as you point out, Brenda, if you substitute "Notary" for "Signing Agent", I think the point is still valid... And I'm glad you seem to share that view.

Reply by Anonymous on 6/13/05 7:35am
Msg #44216

Re: there's a shortage of notaries in CA, you should go far

Reply by Nicole_NCali on 6/13/05 12:13pm
Msg #44273

As a new NSA..here is my perspective

After reading alot of the posts below and from the past, I do have to agree that the questions are redundant at best. Most of the knowledge that I have gleaned has been from reading the posts on here, gomobilenotary and the signing registry. I also pick out messages by Paw, sylviafl, Brendatx, calinotary, shoshana, hishughness, etc..

What the newbies fail to realize is, this is business, nothing personal, but business. I have worked for private industry for a couple of years, and I have never seen my company ask it's competitor for mentoring and vice versa. That is stupid, what you can do is look at how the other company functions and incorporate their ideas into yours.

As a business, you must be able to deliver a better product, at a competitive price, after studying your market. Once you understand your market, that is when you start the marketing. If you don't have a solid business plan, then you will not be successful, no matter how much mentoring you request. Essentially, you must find your niche and research you endeavor for yourself. Go to the market that you want to attain business from and find out what they require, not your competition. (Ever heard of focus groups)

I was a new SA, but not a new notary. I have notarized documents aside from Loan documents for over 5 years now. I came to this board for the loan document perspective. I did take the NNA Signing Agent certification, but it was incomplete at best. The best information that I have attained and retained has been from researching the information for myself.

As an aside, this trend of newbies is also prevalent on the appraiser forums too. I signed up with this website to understand exactly what is expected from appraisers and to understand the market. I have been reading their forum for over 4 months and I have not posted a question yet. The idea is to glean as much information using my own sweat, without posting silly questions..

This is just from a newbie's perspective

Reply by BrendaTX on 6/13/05 12:27pm
Msg #44279

Re: As a new NSA..here is my perspective

Can we add your comments to the helpful #33325, Nicole?

I don't want to squash people's dreams, but I do want to be realistic. You have given another wonderful rendition of why it is arrogant (and stupidly arrogant at that) to expect others to allow more than gleaning from experienced chatter of others.

Yes, that's right: stupid arrogance is what we see in new people asking questions like "Can I get a ride-along?" And I see capricious thinking by those who do it for free...now, in certain circumstances, if you are charging to give away your secrets that's different (Teaching for $$ Types).

I am working like a dog to make my business thrive. It's going very well and exactly as it should.

About Christian Love/giving and getting...It's often conveniently slanted that the Christian thing to do is to give and get back. On the other hand, there's also the parable of "pearls before swine."

Yes...giving is good, but you don't yammer away at a deaf (by choice) person who cannot hear you.

You don't give a pyromaniac matches to set fire to your home! Give him a ride to a hotel, or even give him hotel money if he needs a place to stay, but don't take him in and show him where the gasoline is.

How dumb would it be for me to give away the God given blessings I have received from my business by providing specific training like ride-alongs?

God might think I needed to learn a hard lesson about wisdom before He gave me another opportunity to build a business.

Being blessed is not all about cake and ice cream. There's common sense to be used as well.

Reply by Nicole_NCali on 6/13/05 12:32pm
Msg #44280

Sure pass it along...it is just Business 101

Unlike others, I take the signings that I do very seriously. I have even instituted a feedback to questionairre to my lenders and title companies. This allows me to correct oversights and to get an idea of what they want or will want in the future.

If I want information, I go to school or pick up a book. I don't ask my competitors, not very smart...

Reply by Ernest_CT on 6/13/05 8:47pm
Msg #44437

Hear, hear!

Thank you, Nicole_NCali and BrendaTX, for voicing great opinions!

For one paragraph I'm going to climb on my Christian soapbox. Yes, God blesses each of us differently. To some He gives good looks, to some brawn, to some a pleasing personality, to some an above-average intelligence, to some patience, and so on. We are responsible for taking care of ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. If we don't take care of ourselves, we won't have anything left to care for other people. Giving away my list of clients to someone five miles away will hurt my chances of earning a living. If a Notary Signing Agent is stuck on a form she has never seen before and can't fathom, it is my responsibility to help her. She needs to get her job done so that the borrower's loan will fund. It's not a zero-sum game; I don't lose the information I give her. It will be her responsibility to help the next notary when she can. Then three people will know. If somebody wants a legal-size test fax to see whether their fax machine will receive it correctly, then my cost of one outbound fax call doesn't matter. Will the recipient repay me?r I hope NOT. Will they remember when someone else needs help?r I believe so! And they'll be happy to provide that help. It's not charity; it's cooperation among peers. Of course, I must practice charity, too! (That's a whole 'nother topic.) There's no Christian symbol on my car because I don't always behave in a Christian manner when driving. If I have to proclaim myself Christian, then I'm not behaving as one. "By their acts you will know them."

Are we doing the best thing FOR THEM if we spoon-feed a victim of one of the get-rich-quick courses?r No, in my opinion. We are giving them false expectations. "You'll do fine." is hogwash. They'll screw up the signing, maybe losing the interest rate lock-in, and maybe getting sued. Tell the truth. If they have to ask whether they have to administer an oath for an affivavit, then they are not a notary, no matter how much they paid or what the piece of paper says.

I'm very glad that I took seriously the advice that I should have completed 75 signings (at least!) before I solicited the first title company. (Thank you, Bobbi, Charm, Brenda, Hugh, sue, Paul, CaliNotary, or whoever posted it! [In fact, thank you, each and all, anyway!]) Every day I thank the people on this Forum for sharing their wisdom. Especially some of the very people that some newbies have found offensive.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 6/13/05 9:11pm
Msg #44443

Re: Hear, hear!

Very well said Ernest

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/13/05 9:28pm
Msg #44446

Re: Hear, hear!

Yeah! -- What Ernest said!
- - - -
You said it much better! Thank you!

Reply by HisHughness on 6/13/05 10:19pm
Msg #44461

Re: Hear, hear!

Ernest posted the Christian perspective on helping others in business. Surprisingly, it was quite similar to what I believe the caring non-believer's perspective should be. That view is summed up nicely in a couple of verses from William Ernest Henley's "Invictus":

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed...

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Reply by Dorothy/MI on 6/13/05 11:20pm
Msg #44470

Re: Hear, hear!

Hugh, now I'm sure we're contemporaries! I had to memorize that poem in high school. However you left off the first verse. If memory serves me correctly:

Out of the dark night that covers me
Deep as the pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul