We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alicia T. Robinson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alicia below.

Alicia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

As a Mobile Notary Public/ Title Insurance Producer Indipendent Contactor (TIPIC), I have a license that authorizes me to conduct closings on homes here in the state of Maryland. When an individual purchases, sells, or refinances a home in Maryland, a permit is required for purchases. A client is known as the individual I am verifying and signing the closing documents; sometimes, the closing orders may come from entities outside the area. For example, the title company may be in another state and not concerned with the weather conditions. In 2021, we had a significant storm that crippled the area. I have four closings scheduled for the day from different title companies. Unbeknownst to them, there was inclement weather in our area. And when closings are set, they are supposed to happen on that day at the scheduled times. If not, the paperwork must be down again to reflect the new closing date.

Remember I said that I had four closings scheduled for the day? These closings were not near each other, and I attempted to head out with the assistance of my husband to get these closings done; the roads were treacherous, with falling powerlines, icy conditions, falling trees, cars and buses stuck in the streets, and highways. The conditions not only scared me but my husband as well. This was a moment when I realized that our lives were more critical; nothing or no one could have changed the outcome if we had been injured in the process.

Hours after returning home, cold and shaken. I decided I would not jeopardize myself or my husband’s life again. During inclement weather, I will shut down for the day and resume work the following day or the next day after that.

Alicia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello, I am Alicia T. Robinson, also known as “The Notary Lady,” I serve the DMV area. I’m the owner and operator of With This Pen Notary, LLC., a mobile notary public service whose motto is “Ready to Serve and Sign,” I take pride in providing convenient, reliable, and courteous notary services.

For years, I was curious about the other person who sat at the table during my closing, who was not my loan officer. I later found out that it was a Notary Public. Ironically, I had been a Notary Public for 15 years, notarizing the same documents for the agency in which I work. During the pandemic, there was a great need for public notaries in the area who could travel. As a Business Administration major, I decided to put my degree to great use and started my mobile notary service. I used social media and Google to promote my services and received tremendous feedback. I have realized that my business is providing a valuable service to the community.

There are disabled individuals and senior citizens who, in the past, have struggled to get their documents notarized because the service was no longer offered at their local bank or post office. My business provides a convenient solution where I travel to the client’s home and notarize their documents in the privacy of their own home. It brings me great joy when I have satisfied a customer’s need. I have been in the industry of community service for over 25 years, and I’m excited when customers’ needs are met, and they can take care of what is needed with the help of a Notary Public. I take pride in my work and ensure that upon leaving my clients, they are satisfied and are served with a smile.

How did you build your audience on social media?

During the pandemic, a lot of people turned to social media for various reasons. When I started my business, I opted to use a social media platform to reach out to potential customers. I created video content and posted regularly for an entire year. This helped me establish myself in the world of social media. Additionally, I started my own YouTube channel to document my journey and share useful content with my subscribers who were interested in the business.

My YouTube channel provided motivation for potential business owners looking for side hustles or information on becoming a or Title Insurance Producer Indipendent Contactor (TIPIC) license to notarize home closings.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2023, I had a lot on my plate. I had been running my own business for two years, taking college courses, serving as secretary of the local Union Board, being a wife, and raising my children while also pursuing my passion for running. My running journey involved completing a half marathon in all 50 states for Autism, along with my five fellow runners who became like sisters to me (This is a whole other story because we had the time of our lives). My life was a rollercoaster back then and I still don’t know how I managed to do it all. I give all the credit to God above, because without Him, I could not have come this far.

This five-year journey required a lot of patience. There were several times when I felt like throwing in the towel, but I persevered. I did what needed to be done, even on weekends when I cooked a pot of spaghetti before flying out of state for a race. I took my laptop with me on the road to complete homework assignments, conduct meetings, take notes, and prepare meeting minutes. Despite minimal rest, I would wake up at 5:00 am to head out for a thirteen-mile run before going back home to be with my family..

Contact Info:

• Website: www.withthispennotary.com
• Instagram: With_This_Pen_Notary
• Facebook: With This Pen Notary
• Linkedin: Alicia T. Robinson
• Youtube: The Notary Lady
• Yelp: With This Pen Notary

Image Credits
Alicia T. Robinson David Nesbitt Alysha Pulliam-Robinson