We were lucky to catch up with LATANYA MIDDLETON recently and have shared our conversation below.

LATANYA, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

One of the most significant risks I’ve taken in my life was leaving my corporate job after eight years to pursue entrepreneurship. Although I have a degree in business management, I never really saw myself as a full-time entrepreneur. However, after becoming a Notary, and realizing that it was something I could turn into a full time gig, I decided to take a chance on myself.

The decision to leave the security of a corporate job was terrifying, but I knew it had to be done. I was no longer content in my previous job. I weighed all the risks and the worst case scenario was my business failing and me having to get another job. However, I was willing to take that risk to discover my potential. Before actually resigning, I took a four-week leave of absence to test the waters. When I returned to the office I knew it was time to start planning my exit strategy.

Fast forward a little over two years later, and my business, Pretty in Ink Notary Services, is thriving. I even started a second business, Pretty Official Events. While it hasn’t been an easy journey, I have gained valuable experience and insights along the way. Taking this risk has taught me the importance of believing in oneself and taking chances.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m the CEO of Pretty in Ink Notary Services & Pretty Official Events, as well as a wife and mom of 6-year-old twins. I started my journey as a Notary Public in 2019 after a coworker who happened to be my realtor, suggested I become a Notary Signing Agent. For those not familiar a Notary Signing Agent (also known as a Loan Signing Agent) is a commissioned notary public who is specially trained to handle and notarize documents related to real estate transactions. Notary Signing Agents are commonly used in the mortgage industry, where they facilitate the closing of mortgage loans. After doing a bit of research I decided to give it a try.

I took a training course, purchased my supplies, and became a certified Notary Signing Agent in February 2020. I began working part-time outside of my office hours. I quickly realized that this could become a full-time business. By July of that year, I formed my LLC, and Pretty in Ink Notary Service was born. Soon after I took a leave of absence from work to focus on my business. By March 2021, I was a full-time Notary Signing Agent/entrepreneur. In addition to loan closings, my business offers various services, including field inspections, permit running, I-9 employment verifications, courier services, as well as mobile notary services to the general public. As a notary business owner it’s crucial to expand service offerings, not only to attract a broader client base and stand out from competitors but also to ensure business sustainability. Market conditions and interest rates can cause fluctuations in demand for specific services, primarily real estate closing, making it vital to diversify your services to maintain revenue streams and keep the business afloat. Therefore, I stress the importance of having multiple streams of income .

In addition to operating my notary business, I established Pretty Official Events in December 2020 with the intention of providing wedding officiant services. However, I expanded the scope of the business to include event coordination and travel agency services. My passion for organizing and planning events goes way back. I have been planning extravagant parties for my children’s birthdays since they were born, and I even planned my own destination wedding in Cancun in 2013. My idea was to offer local or destination wedding officiant services, as well as honeymoon travel planning. We’ve since expanded to offering event rentals such as photobooths, champagne walls, neon signs, backdrops, bounce houses, concessions, and more.

I’m most proud of building two successful businesses from scratch and being able to offer a variety of services to my clients. I believe what sets me apart is my dedication to providing excellent customer service and my ability to adapt to market changes by diversifying my offerings. I want potential clients/followers/fans to know that I am passionate about what I do, and I’m always striving to provide exceptional service to those I work with.

Despite the demands of being an entrepreneur and a mother, I make it a priority to serve as a valuable resource in the notary community. I take pleasure in sharing my knowledge, I offer personalized coaching sessions and have guided numerous individuals in their pursuit of entrepreneurship. I also facilitate in-person notary networking events and founded The Notary Room, a club on Clubhouse where my fellow notary colleagues and I host rooms dedicated to all things Notary. In addition to that, I also operate an Etsy shop where I sell marketing materials for notaries and those in the photo booth industry.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective approach I have found for expanding my customer base is through online marketing with Google. Establishing a Google profile is crucial for business owners as it is one of the most efficient ways to enhance visibility and foster business growth. The majority of people searching for a product or service turn to Google, so having a strong online presence is essential. Currently, my Notary business is one of the top three businesses that appear on Google Maps when people search for a notary near my location. Thanks to google, I get phone calls, texts and or emails everyday from individuals needing notary services. I’m happy to say I rank in Google’s top three searched results organically, with no paid ads. I hope to have my events rental business also rank among the top three in the near future.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

The start up cost involved with starting a notary business is relatively low compared to other business ventures. Between certifications, training insurance and supplies it cost me about $1500 to get started. Therefore I was able to use the money I earned from my 9-5 to fund my notary business. For my events rental business, however, I utilized business credit that I had established under my notary business to purchase my first photo booth. As the business started to generate income, I reinvested the profits to continue expanding and acquiring more rental items.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Prettyininknotary
• Instagram: @prettyininknotary @prettyofficial_events
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettyininknotary
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latanya-middleton-30b84838/