Turning the Notary Dream Into Your Reality—No Gimmicks Required

Yuriko Jacobs
Jul 26
3 min read

When I first started down the path of becoming a notary, I was equal parts excited, nervous, and way too deep in YouTube comment sections. Everyone seemed to be saying the same thing:

“You can make six figures in your first year!” “Buy this course and become a top-tier loan signing agent overnight!” “Join my membership for exclusive insider knowledge!”

Don’t get me wrong—I believe in ambition. I believe in education. And I believe that notary work can change your life. But I also believe in transparency, and that’s where things start to get a little murky.

So let’s talk about it.

The Rise of the Notary Influencer Economy

There’s been an explosion of “notary educators” in the past few years—some helpful, some just... hyped. You’ve probably seen them: they flash success stories, post polished videos, and sell courses, templates, coaching calls, and memberships. And listen, some of those folks are legit. They’ve done the work, figured out what works, and genuinely want to help others do the same.

However, not all of them are transparent about how they really make their money.

Because here’s the truth: A lot of these “top earners” aren’t making six figures from notary jobs. They’re making money by selling the dream of notary success to others.

There’s Nothing Wrong with Earning Money—But Let’s Be Clear About the How

It’s okay to charge for your time, your experience, and your materials. That’s business. But if you’re new to this world, it can be hard to tell the difference between someone giving you value and someone just giving you a sales funnel.

Some questions I started asking:

Is this information already available for free or from a trusted source (like my state’s notary division)?
Does this person share both the highs and the lows?
Is the content actionable, or just hype-y inspiration?
Are they a notary now, or mostly a content creator about notary work?

The answers helped me find a better path forward.

What You Actually Need to Get Started

You do not need to drop hundreds of dollars before you’ve even booked your first client. I know that feeling of “if I don’t buy this course, I’ll fall behind.” You won’t. I promise. Here's what I found truly helpful:

✅ Your state’s notary handbook (yes, the actual government PDF—start there)
✅ A supportive community or mentor (many local or online groups are free)
✅ A basic checklist of tools (journal, stamp, printer, etc.)
✅ A business plan focused on local connections, not internet fame

What you don’t need is to be guilted, rushed, or upsold into someone else’s idea of success.

Helping Others Doesn’t Mean Exploiting Them

Most of us got into this work because we want to help people—signing papers in hospital rooms, guiding someone through a tough loan process, showing up when others can’t. That kind of service matters. And yes, we deserve to be paid for it.

So if you ever do teach, share, or sell something in this space, lead with integrity. Lead with experience. Lead with a heart to genuinely support other notaries, not just profit off their uncertainty.

Final Thoughts: You’ve Got This

You don’t need gimmicks. You don’t need guru tricks. What you need is time, consistency, and a willingness to learn (and yeah, maybe a few mistakes to laugh at later). The dream is real—but it takes hustle, heart, and the courage to do it your own way.