We recently connected with Michol Bobb and have shared our conversation below.

Michol, appreciate you joining us today. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job

Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned in a job that has helped me as a business owner is to always speak up – you have to advocate for yourself and sometimes be a voice for others on matters that are important. I was a union delegate and had to represent over 300 pharmacy technicians as a mediator and had a supervisor that told me not to use them as a reference after I was working there for some years. I also worked in a call center where I was told I was too assertive after giving some of my opinions from a town hall meeting and I learned that working in toxic environments is not for me. So I intentionally try to create a safe space for people to be comfortable with making mistakes in my class and I intentionally use my students feedback to create better classes and new experiences for them.

Also, schedule mental health days – you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. I learned this while working at an internship with the state government while I was in college. A rest day and a hand written thank you card goes a long way to helping you reset your mind and making others feel appreciated.

Michol, 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?

My name is MIchol Bobb, I started creating a community for Maryland notaries back in 2015 to just connect with other like minded people after I got my notary commission. In 2017 I started doing classes to fill a void for notary training in my area because I couldn’t find none that was local to me. In 2018, the state started talking about changing the notary laws. In 2021 the notary education mandate went into effect and on July 25, 2022 – I became the first in-state approved notary training course provider for the state of Maryland.

I focus on foundational training for notary professionals and also business development for those that want to use it as an additional stream of income because not all notaries do it to make money. Some do it as a work requirement and others do it as a service to their local community.

What sets me apart from others is that I focus on professional development. I’m not just marketing to notaries and giving them a bunch of fluff just to make money off of them. I give them real life scenarios in my teachings and let them know what they can really expect on the job to be the best notary they can be. I do a bit of hand holding until you are ready to go out on your own. I also like that my training allows me to grow with you as a notary and that’s how I get my repeat students.

I am most proud that I stayed consistent, even when I felt like giving up and now I am recognized as a state approved trainer, the FIRST in-state approved trainer for Maryland notaries. That’s a very high honor for me to hold because to put it into perspective:
– Maryland has over 60,000 notaries
– Some states don’t require notary training or even for a notary to keep a journal to document a record of their notarial acts but notaries are supposed to help deter fraud
– Notaries in some foreign countries are on the same level as attorneys and lawyers in the legal profession, we are important people and should have standards that reflect as such

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In my own business, like everyone else when COVID came – I had to pivot to learning how to create and build self study courses, learning how to facilitate virtual learning all while still working a full time job from home and transitioning into single parent hood. Life is all about adapting to change. Those that can bend – can’t break. It’s only given me thicker skin to be able to handle anything that comes my way.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I read a lot of self help books. I like the 10X Rule by Grant Cardone. I like Jack Canfield’s Success Priciples. I am shifting my money mindset and reading books now about getting into building wealth. I didn’t think I needed business credit for a service based business- this is just me being transparent – but now I see how it is beneficial for growth. You have to have a larger than life mindset so stretch yourself beyond your own limits if you really want to treat your business like a business and not a hobby. You have to get people to hold you accountable and hold yourself accountable and consistency and discipline is more important than motivation. Also, don’t be afraid to steal confidence from others when you are not feeling 100% – sometimes I have to channel my inner Cardi B – why?? Because she’s a boss that doesn’t take crap from people. I might not ever make her money but some of her values I do have to admire and a little confidence goes a long way! You have to believe in your product or service more that anyone else and don’t be afraid to change if necessary but always stay true to your values and never compromise your integrity to make money.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.notarytrainingnetwork.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notarytrainingnetwork/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotaryTrainingNetwork
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/notary-training-network/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotaryTrainingNetwork

Image Credits
Dawn Aiello