Live Podcast: From Unhappy at 9-5 Job to Quarter of MILLION DOLLARS Notary Signing Agent Business!

Oh my gosh. This is the first mashup I have ever done with Ryan Schooley with his podcast, that Loan Signing Dude. And on the road we meet together for an epic talk about notary public loan signing agents. What's going on, man?

What's going on, brother? How are you?

So good. So some of you guys might remember Ryan from an on the Road that I did. Shoot, man. Was that two years ago? Maybe three years ago?

Yeah, it was probably 2020, I think. Yeah.

Yes. And he was a part time signing agent doing thousand dollars a month. Single father of four at the time. So much has changed in the past couple years. We're going to talk about this, but this is actually not an on the road. He was kind enough to allow me to record this podcast so I can put it on YouTube or all of my channel. So this is a Brian Schooley, that loan Signing Dude. Listen to his podcast little plug. But you're going to control the whole conversation, man. I'm just glad to be on it today and I'll let you take over.

Awesome. Hey guys, what's going down? This is Brian Schooley from that Loan Signing dude podcast and I am about as excited as I can be. Mark Wills from the loan signing system. If you guys don't know him, I don't know how you don't, but if you don't, you should definitely check it out. He's the guy who actually got me started into the notary world. I had no idea. I guess I knew what a notary was, but I just didn't know anything about it. I had never heard of loan signings. I guess I had bought one house in the past, but I almost didn't even realize that the person who came out was a notary. You know what I mean? It was so long ago. It just, I just came in and out and I never thought about it. And if you would have asked me about being a notary, I would have just had nothing to say. But. But yeah, thanks for joining me today, Mark. I consider you my mentor, I consider you a friend and I support you and everything you do and man, you have changed my life.

Hey, thank you for having me, man. Everything you say, I feel the same. I feel like we've created a friendship over the past four or five years. I feel like I've seen your girls grow up, got to be on your show. This is a first podcast I've done. So this goes and maybe I'll be on other podcasts, but within the industry, but excited to hear, man. I'M always down to support any loan signing system student. So if this supports you, I'm all in, man. So let me know. So, yeah, I'm excited to be here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yeah, I've told the story on previous episodes, but you know, how me and Mark met was I was driving around and I was listening to a podcast. It's one of the reasons why I have a podcast now, because I heard it on a podcast and from that podcast, it changed my life. One day I was listening to Nick Loper's son side Hustle Show. It's a podcast about learning how to make money on the side. And I heard you on there and I was like, there's something weird that happened because I believed you. And I don't know that's ever happened ever. I sometimes I hear stuff and I'm very skeptical. I don't know about that or that doesn't seem possible, but for some reason I believed you. And you were saying you could make like between 75 bucks to 150 bucks an hour. And I was like, oh, that is what I need in my life right now.

Yeah, no, I know. I've always told people like I did on, on Nick Loper side Hustle Nation. This is the best kept secret in real estate, man. Everybody wants to be a lender. Everybody wants to be a realtor. Everybody wants to be an escrow officer. Everybody wants to be a title officer. Can I keep going? These little notaries are watching people sign their name up for a hundred bucks for about an hour appointment. And I'm like, I felt like it was my calling to let everybody know about this amazing little niche industry. And dude, I'm glad you heard of me and found me and taking a chance. Let me say something to you real quick.

Yeah.

And I want to say thank you to. There's a subset of loan signing system students who were there from the beginning and who believed in this random dude that started throwing up YouTube videos, this random guy in San Diego. And so from the bottom of my heart, man, thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for trusting me. Because all of you early students, and I think some of you out there listening, know who you are, took a chance on me. And so without you early LSS students, I would not be where I am today. Loan signing system would not be without, you know, the testimonials of success like you, Brian, and sharing your with others really built what we have as a community. So thank you, man.

Yeah, you're welcome, man. You're welcome. I told you this the other day on Instagram, man, I forget what you said, but you posted something. And I'm like, dude, I got a funny story. Oh. About marketing. I joined the Inland Empire Real Estate Association. And so I joined it one day, and I was like, I'm gonna start marketing to these people because I've usually marketed to escrow officers 99%, and then maybe some loan officers. But I was like, I gotta reach out to more different types of people. So I joined the local real estate association, and they had a night, like an event, like a mixer. And I'm like, sweet. I'm going. And so I was like, I'm going to do my thing. You know, I'm kind of good at this. I like doing stuff like this. And I was waiting to talk to this loan officer because I was stepping out and she was talking to a real estate agent. I just posted up next to him and joined the conversation. And I'm like, thinking about all the things I'm going to say to her, you know, and she was. They were in this deep conversation. Then the real estate agent turns to me, he starts talking to me. So now I'm still not talking to this lady I want to talk to. And out of the corner of my eye, I see this lady walking through the crowd, and she's handing out little cards. And she walks right up to this loan officer and she's like, hi. You know, I feel really bad right now. I don't remember her name, but she's like, hi, I'm so and so. You know, I'm a notary. And I was like, no. Like, you know, she swept in, like, when I didn't have a moment, and she, like, gave this pitch and it was like, great. And I was kind of like, man, her pitch is pretty good. She sounds great. And so afterwards, I had just got cut off. So then the loan officer turns to me, she's like, oh, and who are you? And I'm like, I'm a notary. I'm just. I was gonna just forget it, you know, Like, Like. But then I started talking to this notary, and she said she's a loan signing system student. She said she was one of your first. And I was just like, oh, man. Like, I got beat by my own system, you know?

I love it. I love it.

It was cool. It was so funny because, like, she was doing the same thing I was doing, and she, like, beat me to the punch. But the fact that she was a loan signing system student, I was like, what do I expect, man?

Being a mentor and teacher, what I hear is there's truly business for everybody. Like, I think sometimes people would have taken that moment and feel defeated versus, look, there is 25 realtors in here. You take up, I take AB, and we're both crushing it. You know what I mean? And so I think a lot of notary public loan signing agents are like, oh, my God, someone else in the room. And it's just like, look, dude, not everyone can service everyone. That's why I don't believe in a saturation market. There's no such thing thing. It's. There is a piece of pie for everybody willing to go get it. I always tell you students that this business is not easy, but it is simple. There's a difference. I never said it's easy, but it's a very simple business. The simple business is you just got to tell people you're open for business. You know what I mean? And honestly, B, you do that as well as anyone in the loan signing system. Family. And I always tell you students, I'm just the coach. It's the players who make the plays. And it's your effort. It's you going to those networking events. It's you seeing another notary and realizing that there's business for both of us. Like, cool that you're here. So, you know, I hope everyone who listens to your podcast is inspired by you because you put in mass effort, dude. I remember on my show on the road, you would tell me how you would go to work full time, 8 to noon, and then from 12 to 1, you'd market during your lunch. Instead of, like, you know, going and eating in the break room, you're marketing. You'd get back to work one to five, and then you go hit a networking event.

Yeah.

Now people are inspired by that, man. Because I think people see you and they're like, oh, he just got lucky. Oh, he just makes X amount of money because it's luck and it's. No, you were going to escrow companies in the middle of your work day.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then hitting an escrow association meeting after your workday, being a single dad, father of four girls like you made it happen. It wasn't, like, on accident. And so everybody listening to your podcast realizes how amazing you are, bro. Because it's not lost on me. You know what I mean?

Yeah. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you. Yeah, the other day, I had this crazy thought, and I wanted to share it with people because it all seems Very unreal when you're starting. But I was think, you know what? I think the notary commission in California cost like 40 bucks. Is that right?

It's a little bit up since then, but more or less.

We'll say less than 100. Do you remember how much the loan signing system was when I took it?

It was 197, I think.

Okay.

Okay, yeah, it was 197.

Yeah. What was so crazy? I just had this revelation that I was like, dude, I took something that cost me 50 bucks plus another 200 bucks and I turned it into a quarter million dollars. And I don't say that because I'm not a bragging person, but I do say it because I want people to know that there is actually something there. I always say this to my wife, there's like a thousand steps in the right direction that you gotta take. You gotta take a tiny one, a tiny one. But I've been able to take 200 bucks and turn it into a quarter million dollars. And I only say that so that people know that it actually is a reality. Because I hear so many people, they get like so discouraged. And I just want people to know it's out there. It's possible. It is through hard work. It doesn't just come. But like you were saying for me now what I find myself doing is getting up, trying to every day if I don't have a signing from eight to 10, like if there's an opening like I in the day, I spend that time marketing. I mark it on the way to assigning, I mark it on the way back from assigning. And you do have to treat it like it's a full time job. But there are amazing benefits too though. I get to usually always make it to our kids baseball games or taking my daughter to do their driving test or whatever it is. So there is like a lot of freedom too. But yeah, the only way to get there is, is like legitimate hard work.

One of my favorite sayings, and I forget who I learned this from, is there's an idea that money is scarce. There's money out there for all of us. You just gotta be willing to go get it right. There's a mentality of money's hard to get. I actually think money's easy to obtain if you're willing to put in the work to go get it. Money is flowing and what you get in this flow of money really determines to your outlook, your work ethic, your ability to provide value and a service. Money doesn't flow to you just because you have a skill set. Money flows to you because you create value, you give value, you provide a service. And I think what people should be inspired by you is, you know, what you just said, it's like I market in the middle of a signing, on the way to a signing, and that's why money flows to you. That's why you were able to turn 200 into a quarter million. It wasn't on accident. You understood that, like, there are signings out there. There are signings out there for all of us. There's signings out there for whoever's willing to go get it again, man, I'm so proud of the signing agent you become. And I'll be honest with you, I'm more proud of the business owner you've become, the mindset that you've had. And people tend to make so many excuses up instead of creating reasons. You're a single dad for four daughters and working full time trying to build this on the side. Anyone could have been like, dude, I get it. You're raising four girls. I get it. You don't have enough time, but you did it. And that's the mentality of someone who realizes that there's money out there. You just got to go get it. Right. Money isn't scarce.

Yeah.

There's so much money in this world. The question is, are you going to create value? So you deserve it.

Yeah. Yeah.

And that's what you've done.

Yeah. You know, one of the things I was thinking about the other day, the cool part about this business and being an entrepreneur is I didn't have a signing at the moment, and I thought, I'll just go get one. I'll just get. I'll just go get one. And I was thinking, if I worked for somebody else, and let's just say I wasn't scheduled to work today. Like, I'm done. I'm sunk. There's nothing else I can do. But I was like, dude, I could literally get up out of this chair and would go down the street and go call on some accounts, and probably by the end of the day, I could drum up some business. And so that is like a mentality that just recently I was just like, this is crazy. Being your own boss and owning your own business and being a notary, because you really can just like, whatever effort you want to put in, you're going to get return from it and you actually have the option. If I choose to go do it, then I can make money. And if I choose to not do it, then I can sit there and feel bad for myself.

I mean, well, dude, I think it's. I tell you students that everything starts with the moment of self belief. Right. You literally just said the statement, I'm just going to go get it. That starts with you knowing you're capable of going get it. And I think that's what's missing from a lot of notary public loan signing agents is my point is like, there is a total self belief you have that if I wanted to go get a signing right now, I would be able to go get it. And then that resonates when you walk into the office. That resonates when you walk into a new title company. I know I deserve this. And so sometimes it's the energy you bring into the marketing that really solidifies not what you say. And, but it starts all at that moment when you're sitting on your couch, you're like, I'm just gonna go get a signing. And so I don't want that loss of what you said. It's like beautiful because it starts with an utmost belief in yourself. And I hope everybody like hears that from you, man. Because as a coach, I just pick up on these things of like, dude, like, it's not the X's and O's, it's the belief that you deserve an appointment and money and that's why you go get it. That starts there and then it ends with the effort.

Yeah. And you know, I want to say to everybody too, it's not something that I'm like constantly in that, that mode, but it's something that I have to work on all the time. And so people are probably like, you believe like in yourself. And I'm like, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. It is like a mindset that I have to work on to get into. And so it's almost like figuring out how to put myself in gear. So other people might struggle with that and just think, oh, whatever, he has it. But I don't always, you know, but it is something you have to turn on and you almost have to just go through the motions and then the engine starts running. You're out there in the field. Yeah. Yeah.

The definition of discipline to me is doing something when you don't want to do it it. And so when I say when somebody is self disciplined like you, it is, look, I'm not in the mood. I'm a little discouraged, I'm a little bit down, but I have to push myself through it. I think a lot of people think I wake up every day just gung ho and ready to attack the world. And I don't. Sometimes I'm like, man, I don't want to do anything, but I force myself to push through those lulls like you just said. So all successful people have those battles. We just don't succumb to some of those battles. And so, yeah, yeah, I think people think this just comes natural. And I have those moments, too. You know what I mean?

Yeah, you know what? That's. Actually, I had reached out to some of our listeners and asked them some questions. Like. Like, I was like, dude, I'm gonna interview Mark Wills. Like, what would you want to know? Yeah, I know. It's like, I was so stoked. I'm like, this is, like, the craziest thing in my life to have you on my podcast. But okay, that is a question that. That one of my listeners said was like, ask him how he stays so positive and that. I thought the same thing. Cause I'm like, bro, you seem like you're like. Like a diesel engine just, like, firing on all cylinders all the time. So is there anything like, what do you do to stay positive?

No, it's a good question, man. I think you know my story. I was adopted unadopted in Korea when the foster owned a foster home. And so I say that because early on, I learned that you can either play victim to your circumstance or you can rise above it. And so I put everything within perspective. When a lot of people ask me, how do you, Mark, get through the nose? When I started building this business, I had to go through a lot of no's to get to a yes. And so my point is, I put everything into perspective, is like, when somebody tells me no, they don't want to use me as a notary public loan signing agent, I tell myself, that is not painful. Painful is going from foster home to the foster home, that's painful. And so the way I stay positive and the way I work through no's and discouragement is I put everything within perspective. And I think that's really important because I think you. It's easy to get down until you realize your down is really not that down. Does that make sense?

Yeah.

And so I've. I've had a rough, you know, childhood. I always tell people, my childhood's not any rougher than yours. We all have our. Our perspectives of what's happened to us. But I think it's important not to forget where you came from, because I think it makes it easier to have where you're going. And so that's the answer, man. Like, when I have a bad day, I'm like, dude, today's not that freaking bad. I've been unadopted. I bet somebody told me they don't love me. I've been felt like I've been alone and isolated, and so whatever I'm going through is not that bad in comparison. So the answer to the question is, everything I do is within perspective. I don't lose perspective of my struggles and where I've been. And so that's what keeps me motivated and inspired and so positive. Look, dude, today's not bad. No matter how bad today is, I'm telling you, I've had. And I think people that sometimes they forget, like, they've. They are courageous, they're strong, and they're resilient, and. But for some reason, we get in these moments of, like, down moments, and you forget, I beat cancer or I was in a bad relationship and I came out on top, or I lost a best friend, I lost a parent. Whatever this is usually isn't worse than what we've already experienced. And if you can keep that within perspective, I think it makes. That's how I do it. That's the answer. Everything's relative. I've had some moments that are doozies, man, and it's really tough to get a moment that's been as big of a doozy as I experienced. So put everything in perspective is the answer, dude. It's just.

Yeah, that is so good. I do the same thing. I'm like. I'm like, I only had one signing today, and then. But it was only a seller's package. I only got paid 150 bucks, and I'm like, oh, my. Like, my whole life is ruined. You know what I mean? Like, you can get there, but you are so right. It's all in perspective. It's. No, I'm pretty sure that I've had worse days.

That's right. You know?

Yeah.

And saying of. Don't forget where you come from or what you've been through is really, I think, the key to pushing through life and pushing through turmoil. Let's do. You're already a warrior. You've already have your battle Scholars. I'm like, you have one signing today, man. You've had worse days and not having one signing. Don't forget it. So. So be blessed and have gratitude for the one signing. Right? Or even, like, days where you had zero signings. It's. Look, I've had worse days than having zero Signings. I was in a car accident eight years ago. And, you know, like, remembering those helps put things in perspective. And having gratitude for every moment, bro. Like, I have gratitude. I have gratitude for this moment. I have gratitude for, like, you choosing to ask me on this podcast. And so that's how I do it, bro. It's all perspective, and it's all staying gratitude.

That's so cool. I heard somebody say something that's super powerful is, like, taking your story and, like, weaponizing it. It reminds me of what you're doing. The bad now is a comparison. And so now you can live, like, happier or live more fulfilled because you're taking the thing and you're in your kind of. Sometimes comparison is bad, but I guess, yeah, what you're saying is a comparison is good. You're like, compared to that which I overcame, this is, like, nothing. Number one. And I am in such a good spot.

Yeah, I know. So my mentor, Craig Clemens, look him up on ig. This guy is so amazing that his handles at Craig.

Okay, okay.

I'm like, how did you get Craig? I want, like, at Mark, you know?

I mean, I know, right?

Yeah. It's like, right? You just know you were a man when you get at Craig. Anyways, Craig Clemens is. Is my mentor and also Fred, and he has a saying. To your point, Brian, his saying is your story is your superpower. And he goes, whatever you've been through is what makes you great. And we just don't give our credit enough on what we've been through is what he always says. And so I share my story openly. You know, I've been through a foster home. I've been adopted. And a lot of people would run from that, but that is my superpower. My superpower is my story. And allowing to share with everyone else is what makes me, I think, part of me great. And I don't run from that. And so I've just learned. Learned to live within perspective. I've learned to just be like, man, as bad as today is, I've been through worse but not forgetting it. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah, I remember you did, like, a short video, I think. Yeah. Of. Of like, your foster story. And I think I remember the last time I was at the. The conference, you talked about it, and I was like, oh, I didn't know that. And it humanizes people to go, oh, wow. Like, we're the same. Like, we're not exactly the same. We haven't had the same exact struggle, but we all have these struggles where we're like, which can. Can devastate us or they can, you know, cause you to rise up. And so it was really cool when you shared your story. I was like, oh, I didn't know. I guess I've never asked. I mean, it's just. It's really cool, man. I love when people get real. I think that's one of the biggest problems, like, with the. The confusing message sometimes of, like, social media or. Or like watching other people's story of success is like, they don't even have a story. Their life is perfect or something like that. Yeah.

I think the irony is we all have stories, and I still think we give credit to it. Like, I don't ever think, like, I've been through a worse situation than you. We all have what we've been through, and then we all have accounts from that journey. And some people take a divorce super bad. And I get it. Right. It could be devastating to some people.

Yeah.

So my point is, because you went from a divorced family doesn't mean just because I went to the foster doesn't make my story worse than yours at all. We all have a story, and we all survived it, and I think we have to give ourselves credit for that.

Yeah.

And if you learn to really give yourself credit for how strong you are, I think everything else is easy. Dude, like, yeah, hearing no, that you're not going to use me as a notary public loan signing agent. Like, come on, man. I've heard way bigger rejection than the word no as a notary public loan signing agent. And so I put in perspective, like, when I walk into a networking event and someone's like, no, I'm good. I already have a signing service, which happens to me.

Yeah.

I don't feel dejected. I'm like, I've had worse rejection than you telling me, no, you're not gonna use my business. And so I keep that within perspective. And so I think if people learn to do that, I think life becomes easier. And I actually think building your business becomes easier because you're not afraid of the word no. You're not afraid of the word of, you know what? Not right now. It's. Dude, I've experienced this. Hearing a no is, like, not a big deal. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. Definitely more devastating words have been said or things have been done in our lives than some escrow officer that we don't even know saying, like, I'm not interested in.

Exactly. But it's putting that in perspective that makes that moment easier that I want people to learn and put that moment in perspective and the word knows like like next topic you know what I mean next escrow officer like just keep moving It's I'm cool with that because someone said oh I want to take this other notary public loan signing agent trainer I don't feel like that's a slight of on me it's just I can't be all things to all people that's okay and I'm just going to keep going on my journey and I think if people understand that I think business and life and relationships just become that much easier to go through so.

I was also asking some of my listeners some questions and like there was a theme that was going on and it's one of the things I've wondered too is a little bit about your story but like more in work and how you became a notary and all that what was your first job?

I've been a signing agent for.