Make Your Business Our Business: An Interactive, Step-by-Step Guide to Policies, Procedures, & Profits

Copyright © 2018 by Daniel C. Lewis and Judith P. Lawrence

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The information provided in this book is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. The authors and publishers of this book are not lawyers, they do not profess to be lawyers and nothing in the book should be purported as constituting legal advice. Should the readers have any legal questions, the authors and publishers encourage the readers to seek legal counsel in their respective jurisdictions. Although the authors and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the authors and publishers do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

References are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources. Readers should be aware that the websites and links listed in this book may change.

Print ISBN: 978-1-54392-908-9

eBook ISBN: 978-1-54392-909-6

Table of Contents

Dedication From Judi Lawrence

Dedication From Daniel Lewis

So, You Have An Idea!

A Message To Our Readers:

Forward

Why You Should Read This Book

How To Use This Book

I. General Business

Financial Planning For The Notary Entrepreneur

Tax Advantages

Opportunity for Increased Retirement Savings

Unlimited Income Potential

Better Career Security Than a Job

How To Write Your Business Plan

How To Write Your Mission Statement

Starting A New Business

Local Governing Bodies Of Each State For Notary Publics

Should You Start A Business?

Be Prepared For Some Hard Work

Should You Have A Home-Based Business, Or Must You Have An Office?

How To Apply For An EIN Number (Employer Identification Number)

IRS Instructions For A Misplaced EIN:

Should You Register Your Business as a Minority?

The Benefits of Being a Minority-Owned Business with Certification

7 Benefits to Becoming Certified as a Minority-Owned Business:

Choosing An Accountant

Ask Your Accountant

Limited Liability Company

S Corporation

C Corporation

Partnership

Limited Partnerships

Do You Need To Get A Business License?

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wyoming

How To Choose A Name For Your Business

How To Create Business Cards

How To Purchase A Domanin Name(s)

How To Select Your Logo

All About Branding

Do Not Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

Landline vs. Wireless?

All About Smartphones

Answering the Phone

Email

Texting

Contacts

Calendar

Notifications and Alerts

Answering Phones

Customer Sevice - Or Lack Of It

If You Did Not Write It, Your Did Not Say It And IF You Did Write It, You'd Best Do It

Invoicing

PayPal

Accepting Credit Cards

Documenting Passwords and Serial Numbers

How To Create An Effective Website

Best Practices

Reviews

Take A Moment And Give Back

Interesting About Notaries Fact Or Fiction?

Section I - General Business Checklist

II. How To Become A Notary Public

Understanding Your Job As A Notary Public

France - The Role Of The Notaire

Notaries In China

Notaries In Denmark

Notaries In Brazil

Notaries In Italy

Notaries In The USA

Watch For Signs Of Fraud!

What Do You Need To Do To Become A Notary Public?

Find Yourself A Mentor

About Notary Public Fees

Notary Fee Comparison Throughout The United States

Notary Seals

Appearances of Seal Impressions

Correcting Seal Errors

Notary Seal Requirements For U.S. States and Territories

Notary Stamps

Notary Journals

Electronic Notary Journals

State By State Notary Journal Requirements

Confidentiality

A Notary Must Never Give Legal Advice

Professionalism

Know How To Establish Yourself As An Expert

Accepting Proper Identification

Making Changes To A Document...Or Not

Should You Notarize A Document That Has Already Been Signed?

Joining Organizations

Joining Notary Websites

What Is Remote Notarization?

Knowledge Based Authentication

Static Knowledge Based Authentication

Dynamic Knowledge Based Authentication

States that Enacted Laws

Companies that Offer the Service

Electronic Signatures

Electronic Notarization

Webcam Notarization

e-Closing

Online Closing

iClose

Section II - How To Become A Notary Public

III. Let's Talk Technology Equipment Needed To Start Your Business

WiFi Connection

Computers

Laser Printers

Fax Machines

Why And How To Use Outlook

In-Box

Folders

Contacts

Calendar

How To Work From A Remote Location

How To Use Google Drive

Backup - One Of Your #1 Priorities

Are You Prepared For A Massive Amount Of Email And Texting?

Social Media

Facebook

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram

Blogging

Create A YouTube Channel

Section III - Technology

IV. Did You Know?

Which States Are Authorized To Certify Copies Of Documents?

In Which States Can Notaries Perform Marriages?

Can You Notarize Documents In A Foreign Language?

Can A Notary Notarize For Family Members?

Which States Permit Remote Notarization?

How To Change Your Name On Your Notary Commission

How To Order A New Birth Certificate / Death Certificate

Requesting Copies Of Death Certificates

How To Correct A Birth Certificate

How To Notarize In A Prison

How To Notarize For The Rich And Famous

Why Do Banks Hire Outside Notaries?

What Is A Notary Authentication?

What Steps Must Be Taken When A Notary Dies?

Section IV - Did You Know

V. Estate Planning Documents

Notarizing Last Wills And Testaments

I Need A Witness

What Is A Power Of Attorney?

What Is A Credible Witness?

VI. Emploment Documents

I-9 Verification

VII. Insurance

Protecting Your Notary Business

Errors And Omissions Insurance (E&O)

VIII. How To Become A Certified Signing Agent

Professional Signing Companies

How you get assignments

You accept the assignment

Confirming the appointment.

Receiving documents and directions

What credentials you will need

What are the pitfalls?

Deeds

Deed Packages

Section VIII - How To Become A Certified Notary Signing Agent

IX. How To Become A Mobile Signing Agent

Your Notary Toolbox

Section IX - How To Become A Mobile Signing Agent

About The Author - Daniel C. Lewis

About The Author - Judith Lawrence

Certified Notary Signing Agent

Apostilles

Auto Tags

Financial Planning

References

What Law Governs Notarization Throughout The United States

Specific State Information For Notaries

California

Colorado

Florida

Illinois

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Minnesota

Montana

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Utah

Virginia

Washington

Wyoming

Some Controversies

The Military

Acknowledgments From Judi

A long long time ago …

The Playpen

5th grade, Parkside School, Camden, NJ

Not sure of year but about 30 years ago at Wolf Block

Appx. 30 years ago

December 2005 (I think)

Appx 10 years ago

April 2007

April 2007

2012

4 months ago

Acknowledgements From Daniel

Professional Acknowledgments

Thank you for reading our book.

Readers:

To four wonderful women who each contributed to my being the woman I am;

My Mom, Aunt Bev, Aunt Mick and Aunt Ruth.

And to my Uncle Chuck, who led by example, teaching me that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything.

I miss them.

This book is dedicated to all those notaries and business people who have inspired me to write this book but will never read it.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it."

–Steve Jobs

A six-foot purple dinosaur named Barney stars in the children’s TV show Barney and Friends. The character got his start in 1987 in direct-sale videos created by Dallas teacher Sheryl Leach. The tapes caught the eye of the Public Broadcasting System, who put Barney and Friends on the air in 1992.

Xavier Roberts, a 21-year-old art student, used quilting skills he learned from his mother to develop a line of hand-stitched, one-of-a-kind, soft fabric sculptures he called The Little People, found in a magical cabbage patch. They were not offered for sale, but were adopted, each with his or her own individual name and birth certificate. Cabbage Patch Kids are now one of the longest-running doll franchises in the country.

YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, California. The service was created by three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—in February 2005. Google bought the site in November 2006 for $1.65 billion; YouTube now operates as one of Google’s subsidiaries.

Most business begin with an idea – it is what you do with that idea that makes the difference.

I was at a crossroads in my own life and didn’t know what to do. I was selling my home and needed a notary, which I paid for. That was a light bulb for me and that is how my first company was born. Starting a notary company was easy for me because I was in familiar territory. Moving into mortgages and refinances was comfortable because I had worked for attorneys all my adult life and I had familiarity with such documents.

Daniel Lewis and Judith Lawrence will teach you our PPP theory— Policies, Procedures and Profits.

Talk to your family and friends. You have the Internet to help you. There are sites that will listen to your ideas and offer you their assistance.

You are about to read how to create your new business.

We want you to know that many of the topics you will read about tell you to seek advice from experts, including an accountant, a technology expert and a webmaster, to name a few. These people will become important to you as you take this journey, but it is important to remember that this is YOUR BUSINESS and YOU make the final decisions.

When you decide on who you are going to work with, it is important that you choose people who get you and who you feel comfortable talking to. You will need to show your accountant how much money you are spending, and you will need to tell your website designer that you just don’t like the new design he or she slaved over. Take your time, interview these people and try to make the best decisions you can. And should you make a wrong decision, as we all do, cut your losses and move on as soon as you know.

It should be an exciting time. Especially in the beginning, you will feel overwhelmed by the decisions that need to be made. Keep a notebook; jot down what people tell you. Later, that will become an invaluable resource.

At MAKE YOUR BUSINESS OUR BUSINESS, our advice to you is to listen carefully, do your own research, and make not only well-informed decisions, but decisions you feel will be congruent with the vision you see for your business.

We are available to answer questions and consult with you every step along the way.

Contact Daniel and Judith at MakeYourBusinessOurBusiness@gmail.com

When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.

-John F. Kennedy

I want to tell you that it is never too late. Sometimes it feels hopeless but do not give up. Let your family and friends support you. Focus on what it is you want and need and then, most importantly, if an opportunity knocks on your door, smile and invite it in. You will be glad you did.

For almost 30 years I worked as a legal secretary. In most instances I was much more than just a secretary, I was the one that they gave the most difficult projects to because I worked tirelessly and diligently to accomplish whatever tasks they gave me. Since I’m an extremely outgoing person by nature, everyone was comfortable with me. I was the go-to girl for committees, coordinating firm events, I was a member of the Firm Diversity Committee and I often was asked to work additional hours. Sixty years young, still attractive and single, I was basically a happy person—until Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at 12:00 noon when I was told that my long-term position with my firm was finished.

I later described the next six months as being much like having anesthesia; if you are working it keeps you from feeling or thinking about things that hurt. For me, when this happened, and the anesthesia was suddenly removed, that pain was front and center.

I was a miserable person. I no longer had a destination. I have many friends but almost all of them still worked. I watched a lot of television; looking back I recall that my conversations were mostly about the People’s Court. It was during those long days that I thought about things that I simply never had time to dwell on - never having children, being alone. And of course, I was obsessed with what would happen to me because I did not have a lot of savings and now I had no income. I used my 401(k) account to live on and I knew that if I didn’t work, one day I would have no choice but to sell my beautiful condo. I gave it six