Posted by Jersey_Boy on 10/5/06 8:26am
Msg #150428

Flooded w/ newbie email

What is going on? It's perfectly normal for me to get email from the local newbies asking me to hand them my clients or tell them the magic words they need to make $100K a year working as a Notary Signing Agent..... BUT

5? In one day? What's going on here? I am used to getting these once or twice a month, but 5 in one day is a record breakor.

Maybe this is my cue to get out of the business, but what will I do? Ooo... I know, I'm make balloon animals at all the local resturants. Little ponies and hats for the kids, and more adult balloon sculptures for the mommies and daddies.

I think I'll find the balloon animal guy's email and send him a message:

Dear Mr. Balloon Guy,
What's all your secrets? How do you make balloon animals? Can you make money making animal balloons? Please send me an Excel Spreadsheet of all your clients and how much you charge them so I can undercut your fees and drive you out of business?
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Jersey_Boy, NSA, NP, DB, PITA, Balloon Sculptor Extroidanairre.

Reply by lenelle/FL on 10/5/06 8:34am
Msg #150429

That is funny since I have also gotten three inquiries from newbies asking if we can meet and discuss them getting into this business. Is it the new ploy for the NNA to tell them to call notaries in their area and ask for help? I don't know. I referred these three to the network meeting coming up and told them to start there. More saturation - Just what we need!

Reply by Lee/AR on 10/5/06 8:42am
Msg #150431

'Tis but one of 2 reasons I don't link to my profile. The 2nd being that I got hit with some virus that generated my receiving over 600 e-mails from 'spoofed' notary message board addys while I was looking for edocs. Norton's caught 'em just fine, told me, had to manually delete each one, wait while the next was caught, delete it, ad nausem. Needless to say, I was late for the appointment that day. Never ever again! And now you know...the rest of the story.

Reply by John_NorCal on 10/5/06 9:14am
Msg #150438

You must have been busy when the newbie from New Jersey called me instead. She didn't know where to stamp her acknowledgement.

Reply by Jersey_Boy on 10/5/06 9:15am
Msg #150439

-->Banging head on desk<-- n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 10/5/06 9:16am
Msg #150440

Re: She was kidding, right?... n/m

Reply by John_NorCal on 10/5/06 9:41am
Msg #150443

No she wasn't, she was quite upset, was going to call

the signing service that hired her.

Reply by Teddog/CO on 10/5/06 10:34am
Msg #150453

John, Sorry I could not resist this one.

Where do I stamp ? Why on my forehead of course. lol

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 10/5/06 10:53am
Msg #150458

I can do you one better, Jersey_Boy...

I had a friend (Note: past tense)... a bored 'desperate housewife' sort... who sang a pitiful song to me about how she needed a new car, husband wouldn't spring for one, needed "just a little extra cash each month" and asked if she could work with me (note: WITH me) and take my leftovers. Leftovers = SS's, as I work almost solely for TC's.
Can you see where this is going?
She worked WITH me long enough to feel comfortable conducting signings, promptly stopped speaking to me and undercut my fees to an extent that 5 months later I am STILL recovering from the shock. One of the last conversations I had with her was when she called to ask me how to go about opening a Signing Service so that she could "corner the market" in my area. She has a pair of danglers, doesn't she?? What's more, she's recruited her friends and family members and jumped on the NNA Bandwagon of '$100K per yr.' SA's. Whatever... reminds me of the classic Supertramp song "Dreamer... you stupid little dreamer..."
That's ok... I know what the cost of gas, time, wear and tear, toner, drums, paper, ancillary office supplies cost. Once tax time comes around, methinks she's going to regret her actions in spades.

Reply by Teddog/CO on 10/5/06 11:11am
Msg #150469

Lisa

Did the same thing and lived to regret it. Until she realized this is actually Hard Work. lol She's now going to college. lol < by the way, she may not realize that's also hard work. What a Jerk.

"What comes around, goes around!" Lisa she'll get her's. Probably from one of the relatives to boot! Just hang in there. All this experience proves is that you are a nice gal. That doesn't make you stupid. But it sure makes her a "Full Blown Snake!" We all "live and learn."

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 10/5/06 11:23am
Msg #150483

a 'Paul Harvey - Rest of the Story' side note...

one of the friends she brought into the loop is the wife of a disbarred attorney. Any guesses as to why he was disbarred? Hmmm... he owned a Title Company here in my town and, you guessed it, misappropriated Escrow money. When she asked me about starting a SS, it became crystal clear to me what she had done... she brought them into her folds.
Now, silly me... I begged, pleaded and sternly advised her not to bring this person into a business such as ours, because we handle sensitive client information on a daily basis. I told her it was akin to giving an arsonist a match, and ethically it was just wrong. Did she listen? Nope. So much for BGC's. Florida does them... unfortunately, it doesn't give red flags and sirens if your spouse is a louse or if your friend is an idiot.

Reply by janCA on 10/5/06 12:20pm
Msg #150497

What's the name of the SS?

I want to make sure that if this SS calls me that I don't take the assignment. If you don't want to post, click my link for my email address. As the old cliche' goes, "with friends like her, who needs enemies". I really find this disgusting and as stated, what comes around, goes around. This will be a fly-by nighter!

Reply by Teddog/CO on 10/5/06 11:03am
Msg #150467

Yeah, sure. If nothing else they are good for a laugh Jersey_Boy. And the next time you're in Mac Donalds be sure to demand their "secret sauce" recipe. lol Personally there's a great Mexican restaurant near me I'm going to demand their "secret" tomato,avocato and onion recipe. Yummy!! Now if you don't ever hear from me again. You can just use your imagination as to what happened me. LOL

Reply by BrendaTx on 10/5/06 1:02pm
Msg #150508

Response from Mrs. Balloon Guy...

Dear Jersey Boy Balloon Guy Wannabee...

I have worked my @$$ off learning how to be a good, dependable, 99.9% error free balloon guy.

How stupid do you think I am to give you a hand up on taking my business away from me?

You must think I am right in there with notaries who want to learn all they can from their next door neighbor notary and then take THEIR business.

By the way, I got a letter from your cousin in Florida the other day. He's a balloon guy too...wrote and asked me to give him my best clients because, after all...I am not competition to him. Yeah but you are!

Oh...and I also heard you and that cousin of yours might be interested in contracting out balloon guys all over the country.

You must really think all the oldie balloon guys are dumb as dirt. How about you and your cousin pay me $30,000.00 and I'll tell you every client I have. Otherwise, forget it. I might be old, but I don't vomit up my clients for free, you know.

Get on the internet, do your own research and stop asking for handouts. There's free information everywhere. Do your time and if you survive a year, after you do at least 100 balloon sculpting appointments, and if you establish yourself by the own sweat of your brow I might be interested in "networking" with you.

Think I'm a *itch? Nope. Just not as dumb as I look. I just have a little sense about *honest* business and the pride in my own work and accomplishments which is what it takes in this business.

Mrs. Balloon Guy

Reply by Charles_Ca on 10/5/06 2:21pm
Msg #150516

And are we filling our balloons with Nitrous oxide ;-)? n/m

Reply by MistarellaFL on 10/5/06 3:43pm
Msg #150530

Re: And are we filling our balloons with Nitrous oxide ;-)?

If so, pass the balloon this way.
New boss is driving me bananas.
I am going to give him a hit, too.

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 10/5/06 2:37pm
Msg #150522

Dear Mrs. Balloon Guy...

Thank you for so eloquently addressing Mr. Balloon Guy wannabee and his cousin in Florida. Quite a pair, aren't they?
Thanks for the giggle, Brenda. If ever you tire of the Signing Business, you most certainly have a bright future as a syndicated columnist. (think Erma Bombeck)