Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Miller.
Hi Julie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I became an entrepreneur six years ago and began to build my mobile notary business. I had one foot in employment and one foot in this new and terrifying adventure. I began by attending a Team Referral Network meeting and discovered how much I didn’t know about networking and the positive effects that it has when one is building a business. I met people from all walks of life and learned to give a one-minute commercial, ask my team for referrals and meet with them one on one. It was just the beginning. I added mobile Live Scan to my services and later in 2018 opened up my first storefront, Luna Live Scan + Notary. Both services, the notary and the live scan took off. My success is primarily due to networking, sharing with other notary pals and giving back to the community. By 2019 I met two notaries who vetted and screened me before giving me their businesses upon their retirement. In 2020, I was given a second live scan location and now have two Oceanside locations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been smooth because as an entrepreneur I can schedule my own hours but due to the success, I rarely have time to take off or embellish in self-care. It is also very difficult to find dependable and trustworthy employees. As I build, I need to prepare job descriptions, employee manuals, follow employment law. This is not easy and requires attention to detail and a learning curve about employment law.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have a registered LLC, Moonlight Mobile Notary as well as two Oceanside office locations, dba Luna Live Scan + Notary. I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Business Administration: emphasis-accounting and have worked in corporate, small business and governmental accounting for over 25 years. This set the foundation for my business skillset and has helped when building my business. I have 43 five-star reviews on Yelp as Moonlight Mobile Notary and am building more reviews for Luna Live Scan + Notary. I enjoy my interactions with people and can easily adapt. When COVID 19 first hit, I had to think fast and began screening people before my arrival at their home. I would ask the signer’s anxiety level, “is it mild, moderate, or severe?” and then visually prepare them for the appointment and let them know that I use disposable ink strips for their thumbprint and will wear gloves and a K95 mask. I became the “trusted notary” by attorneys, lenders, escrow companies, financial advisors. I am operating both Oceanside office locations and servicing my VIP clients. I enjoy what I do and during COVID it has been stressful but helping people who need live scan fingerprints for employment or notary services to lower their interest rate, finish their estate planning or transfer retirement money is a critical moment in their lives and I play a small part with helping them move on with their life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe that choosing two essential services both notary and live scan has been a lucky choice. I had no idea nor could I possibly conceive what COVID would do to our economy and health.
Pricing:
- $15 per notarized signature + travel fees
Contact Info:
- Email: jmiller@moonlightnotary.com
- Website: http://www.moonlightnotary.com/
- Facebook: @moonlightmobilenotary
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY4sT_PG72Q
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/moonlight-mobile-notary-san-marcos
