About Me
Hey, it's Abraham (the host of "The Notary Entrepreneur" podcast):
So glad you've stopped by to read this page.
Ever read the book Atlas Shrugged?
It’s listed as one of the top 20 books according to "The Great American Read" (PBS).
If you haven't, you should, because it presents a proper philosophy for businessman (and woman). It's brilliant.
In business there are two strategy choices:
1. Do (copy) what everyone else is doing, only slightly better, or slightly cheaper, or slightly faster.
2. Or do something DIFFERENT and truly distinctive. Something that stands out. Something that produces exponential, not marginal results.
Disruptive strategies begin with the courage to zag where others zig. If your competitors are all starting to turn left, you look right.
There’s so much more value for you, and the people you seek to serve, when you choose to turn the other way.
And it’s actually not that hard to do.
It takes no brilliant foresight.
It does not require seeing what others don’t.
It simply requires reading the herd.
When your competitors all start running in one direction, you just need to ask:
What if I ran in the opposite direction?
But it’s not a path for everyone.
Because it takes guts.
Guts to stop copying the masses and incumbents, and to move in the opposite (more “risky”) direction.
It’s scary as hell.
But this is a good signal. A signal you should lean into, not seek to avoid.
It’s the only way forward if your desire is to be NOTICED and stand out in our ever crowded online world of distracted masses.
This is what truly gets me all excited and hot and sweaty under the collar. Helping people who value their clients and want to offer them the best possible business experience.
... not the majority who just "think about doing something" or "talk about doing something", yet never do anything meaningful or significant in their business.
I value intentional practice (the act of doing) over theory (just consuming more information).
“If more information were the answer, we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” — Derek Sivers
My brand (Notary Marketing System) was born 2 years ago (although I’ve been growing and marketing my own notary and wedding minister business for the last 19 years (since 2000).
If you care to discover a little more, read my origin story below. It’s an interesting read. It involves losing a finger at work and getting fired from said job.
I passionately love what I do.
I wake up every day, excited with the possibilities of helping others build, level up, and optimize their businesses and lives.
Our work is what gives meaning to our life.
That’s what we choose; it’s purposefully how we’ve rigged our business.
You may be here simply out of curiosity (hey!).
Or you may be here out of need (great; maybe I've got something that’s perfect for you).
Or get in touch with me directly, and let’s get a discussion going about helping you solve what you need solving.
ORIGIN STORY: I lost my finger and my job! What do I do now?
My story starts in 1998 when I worked at a shoe store. I was 18 years old, had a car and my own place. Life was good!
I got this job two year earlier when I was 16. I had just told my dad "I don't want to work for your construction company, I want to do my own thing".
My dad, who always dreamed I would help him with the family business, did not take this news very well. This created friction between us, and on my 18th birthday...I left home.
This job meant a lot to me. It represented my freedom.
I worked hard to be the best at my work. So when I was offered a management position, I thought to myself "holy moly...I'm going places!"
At that point, I made the decision to make retail my career.
"Yes sir... my life was all planned out." It gave me peace of mind knowing what I was going to do with my life.
[Tragedy]...It was a Tuesday in August during back to school season. It was very busy and I was tired. During this time, we extended our hours and it was 10 pm, closing time.
I began to clean up, climbing up and down a ladder to put shoe boxes back in their place (a little warehouse we had at the back of the store).
Then I felt a wobble under my feet. After a few seconds, I realized the ladder was tipping over and I was about to fall.
I tried to grab on to something, but I ended up getting a ring I was wearing caught on a hook from a vertical rail that held up the shelfs in the warehouse.
As I fell, the pressure of the fall pulled on my ring and took my finger with it.
Two months later, after recovering, my manager, Stacy called me and said "I'm sorry, but I no longer have your old position available, you no longer work here". And just like that...my future plans were destroyed.
After that, I took odd jobs. I made enough to pay the bills. But I wasn't excited about my work anymore.
I told my mom, "I worked so hard for this company and they just let me go. How can I ever trust another employer again?"
And my mom said "If that's how you feel, why don't you break free? Why don't you start your own business and take control of your future?" (by the way, this is why she gets flowers every mothers day)
So I did and after doing some research, I decided to get my notary license and start a Notary business.
So glad you've stopped by to read this page.
Ever read the book Atlas Shrugged?
It’s listed as one of the top 20 books according to "The Great American Read" (PBS).
If you haven't, you should, because it presents a proper philosophy for businessman (and woman). It's brilliant.
In business there are two strategy choices:
1. Do (copy) what everyone else is doing, only slightly better, or slightly cheaper, or slightly faster.
2. Or do something DIFFERENT and truly distinctive. Something that stands out. Something that produces exponential, not marginal results.
Disruptive strategies begin with the courage to zag where others zig. If your competitors are all starting to turn left, you look right.
There’s so much more value for you, and the people you seek to serve, when you choose to turn the other way.
And it’s actually not that hard to do.
It takes no brilliant foresight.
It does not require seeing what others don’t.
It simply requires reading the herd.
When your competitors all start running in one direction, you just need to ask:
What if I ran in the opposite direction?
But it’s not a path for everyone.
Because it takes guts.
Guts to stop copying the masses and incumbents, and to move in the opposite (more “risky”) direction.
It’s scary as hell.
But this is a good signal. A signal you should lean into, not seek to avoid.
It’s the only way forward if your desire is to be NOTICED and stand out in our ever crowded online world of distracted masses.
This is what truly gets me all excited and hot and sweaty under the collar. Helping people who value their clients and want to offer them the best possible business experience.
... not the majority who just "think about doing something" or "talk about doing something", yet never do anything meaningful or significant in their business.
I value intentional practice (the act of doing) over theory (just consuming more information).
“If more information were the answer, we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” — Derek Sivers
My brand (Notary Marketing System) was born 2 years ago (although I’ve been growing and marketing my own notary and wedding minister business for the last 19 years (since 2000).
If you care to discover a little more, read my origin story below. It’s an interesting read. It involves losing a finger at work and getting fired from said job.
I passionately love what I do.
I wake up every day, excited with the possibilities of helping others build, level up, and optimize their businesses and lives.
Our work is what gives meaning to our life.
That’s what we choose; it’s purposefully how we’ve rigged our business.
You may be here simply out of curiosity (hey!).
Or you may be here out of need (great; maybe I've got something that’s perfect for you).
Or get in touch with me directly, and let’s get a discussion going about helping you solve what you need solving.
ORIGIN STORY: I lost my finger and my job! What do I do now?
My story starts in 1998 when I worked at a shoe store. I was 18 years old, had a car and my own place. Life was good!
I got this job two year earlier when I was 16. I had just told my dad "I don't want to work for your construction company, I want to do my own thing".
My dad, who always dreamed I would help him with the family business, did not take this news very well. This created friction between us, and on my 18th birthday...I left home.
This job meant a lot to me. It represented my freedom.
I worked hard to be the best at my work. So when I was offered a management position, I thought to myself "holy moly...I'm going places!"
At that point, I made the decision to make retail my career.
"Yes sir... my life was all planned out." It gave me peace of mind knowing what I was going to do with my life.
[Tragedy]...It was a Tuesday in August during back to school season. It was very busy and I was tired. During this time, we extended our hours and it was 10 pm, closing time.
I began to clean up, climbing up and down a ladder to put shoe boxes back in their place (a little warehouse we had at the back of the store).
Then I felt a wobble under my feet. After a few seconds, I realized the ladder was tipping over and I was about to fall.
I tried to grab on to something, but I ended up getting a ring I was wearing caught on a hook from a vertical rail that held up the shelfs in the warehouse.
As I fell, the pressure of the fall pulled on my ring and took my finger with it.
Two months later, after recovering, my manager, Stacy called me and said "I'm sorry, but I no longer have your old position available, you no longer work here". And just like that...my future plans were destroyed.
After that, I took odd jobs. I made enough to pay the bills. But I wasn't excited about my work anymore.
I told my mom, "I worked so hard for this company and they just let me go. How can I ever trust another employer again?"
And my mom said "If that's how you feel, why don't you break free? Why don't you start your own business and take control of your future?" (by the way, this is why she gets flowers every mothers day)
So I did and after doing some research, I decided to get my notary license and start a Notary business.
How did I do? I failed and didn't make any money the first year.
I wanted to leave my soul-sucking job but I needed to find a way to make money as a notary.
The problem was I had never started a business before and had no idea where to begin.
I went to my dad "I feel so overwhelmed...I don't know where to start".
"I'm in the construction business, which is very different than being a notary. I suggest you find a notary who is willing help you and ask them" he said.
What I soon found out is that most notaries aren't really willing to help you out.
This makes sense, since technically, they'd be training their competition. I got frustrated and eventually gave up. life went on.
I was going to school. In one of my classes the professor gave us a group project where we had to team up with other students in our class.
We were to work on the project outside of class and we all agreed that we would meet a my house once a week.
On the second week, one of the students noticed my notary commission hanging on the wall. "Your a notary?" she asked
"Yes" I answered.
"Is that what you do for work?" she asked
"No" I said "I've been trying to but haven't made any money since I got my license a year ago".
"You know" she said "my mom is a notary and she does it full-time, maybe she can help you!"
"You think she would do that?" I asked, excited.
She replied "I'll ask her and let you know".
The next day I was at her house and in one hour, she told me exactly what to do.
She was a signing agent. She showed me how to sign up with signing companies. She also when over a set of loan documents and briefly explained how to get them signed.
This was all I needed...I had found my mentor and the plan action. (By the way, here I tell you exactly what she told me to get my notary business started)
That month I got my first appointment and many more after that.
3 months later, I quit my job.
I got married and bought a big house. For 8 year, between 1999 and 2007 I was a very successful loan signing agent.
In 2008 when the housing crisis crashed the markets, we lost everything, our home, our cars and our marriage got severely damaged.
I went into a deep depression.
"You need to get a job" my wife said
"I can't" I told her.
"Why not?" she asked
"Because I don't want to work for anyone else...I don't want to give up my freedom"
"I don't understand" she said frustrated.
"I'll figure it out" I said, not really sure what I was going to do.
She did not answer but she was clearly unhappy.
I asked myself "How can I add notary income in addition to loan signings?"
The answer; attract local business from everyday people who need paperwork notarized (general notary work or GNW) while continuing to stay visible to escrow and signing companies.
To do this, I first needed to show up locally when people looked for a notary in my area (SEO), Then figure out a unique way to build and maintain relationships with my new clients (zag instead of zig).
In fact, I am currently codifying my entire marketing system and will be releasing the first edition of the Notary Marketing System (or NMS for short) later this year (2019).
After consistently doing a few simple things for about two months, I showed up on the first page of google.
After about 5 months I was the #1 notary showing up in google for notaries in my city and I have been on the top position ever since.
I have over 70 5-star reviews and charge twice as much, legally, as the other notaries in my area.
This source on income generated over 50% of my notary profits. The other half comes from loan signings, which means I have essentially doubled my notary income.
Since I'm able to earn a very generous full-time income working only 10-15 hours a week, I have time to do the things that are important to me.
For example; I have since gotten divorced and have full custody of my daughter.
My notary business allows me to raise my daughter as a single dad.
I am also able to homeschool her.
Every morning I wake up at 5:45 am to go to my CrossFit Gym. I go 10 hour a week and I'm in the best physical shape of my life.
In between appointments, I take my daughter to the park, museums and we're always trying new places to eat.
I'm really enjoying my life.
And that's the short version of my origin story.
There's more, but I'll write that some other time.
I wanted to leave my soul-sucking job but I needed to find a way to make money as a notary.
The problem was I had never started a business before and had no idea where to begin.
I went to my dad "I feel so overwhelmed...I don't know where to start".
"I'm in the construction business, which is very different than being a notary. I suggest you find a notary who is willing help you and ask them" he said.
What I soon found out is that most notaries aren't really willing to help you out.
This makes sense, since technically, they'd be training their competition. I got frustrated and eventually gave up. life went on.
I was going to school. In one of my classes the professor gave us a group project where we had to team up with other students in our class.
We were to work on the project outside of class and we all agreed that we would meet a my house once a week.
On the second week, one of the students noticed my notary commission hanging on the wall. "Your a notary?" she asked
"Yes" I answered.
"Is that what you do for work?" she asked
"No" I said "I've been trying to but haven't made any money since I got my license a year ago".
"You know" she said "my mom is a notary and she does it full-time, maybe she can help you!"
"You think she would do that?" I asked, excited.
She replied "I'll ask her and let you know".
The next day I was at her house and in one hour, she told me exactly what to do.
She was a signing agent. She showed me how to sign up with signing companies. She also when over a set of loan documents and briefly explained how to get them signed.
This was all I needed...I had found my mentor and the plan action. (By the way, here I tell you exactly what she told me to get my notary business started)
That month I got my first appointment and many more after that.
3 months later, I quit my job.
I got married and bought a big house. For 8 year, between 1999 and 2007 I was a very successful loan signing agent.
In 2008 when the housing crisis crashed the markets, we lost everything, our home, our cars and our marriage got severely damaged.
I went into a deep depression.
"You need to get a job" my wife said
"I can't" I told her.
"Why not?" she asked
"Because I don't want to work for anyone else...I don't want to give up my freedom"
"I don't understand" she said frustrated.
"I'll figure it out" I said, not really sure what I was going to do.
She did not answer but she was clearly unhappy.
I asked myself "How can I add notary income in addition to loan signings?"
The answer; attract local business from everyday people who need paperwork notarized (general notary work or GNW) while continuing to stay visible to escrow and signing companies.
To do this, I first needed to show up locally when people looked for a notary in my area (SEO), Then figure out a unique way to build and maintain relationships with my new clients (zag instead of zig).
In fact, I am currently codifying my entire marketing system and will be releasing the first edition of the Notary Marketing System (or NMS for short) later this year (2019).
After consistently doing a few simple things for about two months, I showed up on the first page of google.
After about 5 months I was the #1 notary showing up in google for notaries in my city and I have been on the top position ever since.
I have over 70 5-star reviews and charge twice as much, legally, as the other notaries in my area.
This source on income generated over 50% of my notary profits. The other half comes from loan signings, which means I have essentially doubled my notary income.
Since I'm able to earn a very generous full-time income working only 10-15 hours a week, I have time to do the things that are important to me.
For example; I have since gotten divorced and have full custody of my daughter.
My notary business allows me to raise my daughter as a single dad.
I am also able to homeschool her.
Every morning I wake up at 5:45 am to go to my CrossFit Gym. I go 10 hour a week and I'm in the best physical shape of my life.
In between appointments, I take my daughter to the park, museums and we're always trying new places to eat.
I'm really enjoying my life.
And that's the short version of my origin story.
There's more, but I'll write that some other time.
Abraham Zamora
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