Good morning. This is Laura with CoachmeLaura.com and At Your Service Mobile Notary.

Today I want to talk to you about one particular topic called 'Success is in the Details.' The specific area of detail I'd like to talk about today is identification of the signer.

I took care of a loan signing appointment this last weekend and it should have been easy peasy. No problem. It was close to my house. It was a small refinance package - it all looked good. The problem I had, when I got there, is that the ID he handed me, although it was valid and on my list of IDs, did not have all the requirements for that card to be acceptable for notarization. Now I have to say this guy was shocked. He was upset because he purchased his house using that card, and any refinancing as well.

And now here I am, the third notary to come along and I'm telling him no, it wasn't a valid ID to begin with for notarization. And he's probably thinking, well, 'who's telling me the truth? The first two notaries or...

Hi, this is Laura with At Your Service Mobile Notary and CoachMeLaura.com.

I noticed something recently and thought this would be a good thing to share with you. I want to share something I learned about digital assets and the challenge to manage them in case of incapacity or death.

But first, what is a digital asset?

So we might think of somebody's assets as an estate, and we think of our bank accounts, and we think of our real estate, and we might think of our business interests, and all the personal belongings that are in our house. However, most of us are impacted by, or utilize, information that is stored in electronic form.

So digital assets have changed the way we plan and manage what we own! As usual, technology moves faster than the laws to manage it! So a digital asset means ANY type of stored information on ANY kind of device. It includes content that is uploaded to the internet.

For instance, an internet domain name is an electronic asset. Your commercial loyalty...

Hi, this is Laura. 

I'm with CoachMeLaura.com and At Your Service Mobile Notary (www.atyourservicemobilenotary.com). I have been recently posting announcements about my next meetup on Facebook and LinkedIn. Amongst the RSVPs, we're getting lots of questions about 'when will you have a meetup near me in my area?' So I thought it's a good time to explain what a meetup is and how they work.

First of all, a 'meetup' is just a platform - at www.meetup.com - for people who have a common interest to get together on some kind of basis to have fun with that particular topic. And the idea is to use the internet to actually set things up to meet face to face. It's been around probably since the early two thousands. I started my meetup group in 2009. By the way, I started with three, just three people!

Now the first thing I would do is try to find one - find a group - see if there's one already in your area and join it! 

There's no cost to join. There is a minimal cost to host it,...

 *Partial Transcript Follows, see video for full information*

Welcome!

I am so excited today because I get to do something with you, I feel that I don't get to do very often, which is a one-on-one - just you and me to talk! I love that you're in the position of interviewing somebody - else so now you're in the hot seat and it's a chance for you to share with us some of your thoughts!

What I'd like to do first is introduce myself. My name is Laura and I'm the founder of www.CoachMeLaura.com and At Your Service Mobile Notary.

I've been in this business a long time I have seen quite a few books that have come along to help notaries in one way or another. Many of those authors are notaries themselves but I found when I read yours that it was a little bit different than the others! it wasn't just a technical manual. It really didn't stop at giving some practical ideas or information. It also is only part of what you do - so there's a lot more to you that I'd like to find out about...

Good evening! My name is Laura Biewer and I am the founder of www.CoachMeLaura.com and owner of At Your Service Mobile Notary.

I want to talk to you tonight about last Wills and Testaments, but before I do, I just need to give you the legal disclosure that I'm not an attorney and I cannot give you legal advice.

What I do want to share is based on my experience with customers approaching me about getting their will notarized. What you need to know is that two witnesses are the requirement for wills in almost every single state. Now one state does require three, and there may be a couple of States that require notarization on top of the witnesses, but for the most part, the two witnesses and the will maker's signatures are all that's required.

You can notarize a will under different conditions. One would be that there's an attestation clause. An attestation clause is simply going to state that the will maker and witness one and witness two were all in each other's presence at the...

Hi this is Laura with CoachMeLaura.com and owner of At Your Service Mobile Notary.

Today, I want to talk to you about being a notary.

As the notary, I serve the public. But what makes me a little more special than other notaries, is that I serve my clients whenever and wherever they need me!

As a traditional notary, you usually go to a bank or to a shipping center (during business hours), to take care of their document. With me, I'll go to my clients after hours, on Sunday, I'll meet them wherever it's convenient for them. Now, that could be the mall, their home, their office, it might be a hospital, or it might even mean that I go to jail!

Yeah, I do go to jail, usually a couple times a week. It's a good thing they let me out!

Being mobile gives me some extra ability to serve the public.

You might ask, "what is it that they would need notarized in jail? Well, they might need documents notarized - like a quit claim deed or it might be a permission to for their children to...

Hi notary friends!

This is Laura, with www.CoachMeLaura.com and owner of At Your Service Mobile Notary.

I thought I'd share with you after I completed my sixth hospital assignment just this week.

It went 'smooth as buttah', but it wasn't always that way for me. 

I developed a four-step plan that helps me move through that appointment efficiently without issue. I thought I'd share that with you today.

First of all, I qualify the patient. I want to make sure that they're alert and aware. I also need to make sure they have valid photo ID, and that they can sign unassisted.

Also, the document. The document is a problem.

A lot of times they think I, the notary, will bring them the document. And of course, that's the unauthorized practice of law for me, so I'm going to make recommendations about that, such as go to Legal Zoom or Rocket Lawyer. 

If it's a Power of Attorney for healthcare, check the department of social services, they usually have them there.

The other thing is I...

As we get requests from prospective clients, the best way to provide great customer service is to be a “yes” notary.

“Can you come now?”
“Can you come Saturday?”
“Can you come after 8pm?”

When you are communicating with a potential client, be the service that says yes!

Surely now you’re thinking: What if you can’t accommodate the request? Then be the notary who can connect them with someone who can say yes. Referral work is an effective way to increase both your support system and business as other notaries face the same issues. I am part of an informal network of notaries in Central and Northern California and I have been given many opportunities to share the work. Sometimes the favor is returned with an assignment. Sometimes with a coaching client, or a connection that can help me in another area of business. Sometimes the return is even vendors for big services I need. How awesome is that?

Building...

As a notary, you may travel to many different locations, each with their own unique circumstances and challenges. For example, one common location for notarizations is a medical facility. If you are performing a notarization in a medical facility such as a hospital, long term care facility or hospice care, your signer is much more likely to be in a state that impedes your ability to be certain if they are alert and aware enough to be signing documents. So, how can you be confident that signing the documents is what the signer truly wants, and they are fully aware of what they are signing?

Start with the assumption they are alert and aware. Then look for behavior of the signer that is contrary to that. Do they seem confused or out of sorts? Look for signs that the signer is unable to communicate clearly. Can the signer speak directly to you, or does a family member seem to be doing all the talking? Make sure you have a direct, clear line of communication with your signer without the...