On My Honor…

# My Business Mission Might Have Started in Girl Scouts

The other day I was sitting here thinking about mission statements. Every business website seems to have one. Companies spend hours trying to come up with the perfect words to explain who they are, what they stand for, and why they do what they do.

As I was thinking about it, something unexpected popped into my head: the Girl Scout Promise.

I was a Girl Scout from first grade through sixth grade. Like many girls, I stood in meetings and repeated those words over and over again. At the time, I probably didn't realize how much they were shaping the person I would become.

The Girl Scout Promise says:

"On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law."

As I sat there thinking about it, I realized that those simple words have followed me throughout my life.

When I became a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and eventually a business owner, I never really sat down and wrote a mission statement. Yet somehow, I've been living one all along.

As a Notary Signing Agent, my job isn't just about stamps and signatures. Every day I meet people who are buying homes, selling homes, refinancing, settling estates, signing powers of attorney, and handling some of the most important moments of their lives. Many are excited. Some are nervous. Some are overwhelmed.

My role has always been to help people.

Not to pressure them.
Not to sell them something.
Not to take advantage of them.

Just to help.

That doesn't mean I always agree with everything happening in the industry. In fact, anyone who has followed my writing knows that I speak up when I see unfairness, misinformation, or practices that hurt notaries. I believe in standing up for what is right, even when it isn't popular.

Maybe that comes from the Girl Scout Law too.

To be honest and fair.
To be responsible for what I say and do.
To be courageous and strong.

Those values don't just apply to children earning badges. They apply to adults running businesses as well.

When I wrote My Life as a Notary Signing Agent: In Today's Gig Economy, my goal wasn't to sell a course or convince people that becoming a notary is easy money. My goal was to tell the truth. The good, the bad, the funny, and the frustrating.

Looking back, maybe that was my mission statement all along.

Serve God.
Help people.
Tell the truth.
Treat people fairly.
Stand up for what is right.

Not a bad foundation for a business.

And apparently, not a bad lesson for a little Girl Scout either.