As Phillip Hogan was getting ready to finish signing the required documents for a car in 2014, he had his first encounter with a traveling notary.
“I had heard of notaries, but not traveling notaries,” he explained. Phillip was immediately intrigued by the idea, so following their business encounter, he asked this notary how he could get started for himself. Soon after, he received his notary commission in Cobb County and entered a new career path that would lead to even bigger opportunities. He took his time reviewing real estate documents, from their content to how and when papers need to be signed to prepare himself for mortgage signings. Phones began to ring.
A call from a national title company in Clearwater, Florida, in 2016 influenced the next big idea: signing agent services.
“They were sending so much business, that I had to hire other notaries. And someone said, ‘You could start a signing service.’” Phillip slowly transitioned out of signing documents himself and was ready to market for those in need of notaries. Signing Services of America was soon born and will celebrate its eighth anniversary next February with a database of over 65,000 signing agents!
Diving In!
This business welcomed a new chapter of a better work-life balance for Phillip as well, giving him more experiences to interact with wildlife and give in to his love of the water and scuba diving. He discovered this leisure interest as a kid living in Long Island, where his family often partook in fun activities at the pool and beach. As an adult, Phillip spent four years in the U.S. Navy, traveling to continents like Europe and Africa. Thereafter, he became a certified scuba diver, even getting an advanced certification to dive as deep as 130 feet!
Phillip shared that he recently returned home from a two-week expedition in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
“The wildlife in Santa Cruz is able to walk around like cats and dogs do in America. Seals, birds… they’re all just hangin' around. The seals will get on a park bench!”
Phillip’s passion for these bodies of water is not to be taken lightly, as he touched on the subject of climate change and preserving what’s left of wildlife.
“We’re losing our oceans. At 66, I am determined to see as much of the underworld as I possibly can over the next 5 to 10 years,” he says.
Phillip plans to take a trip each quarter of next year and dreams of going to the South Pacific to do more diving.
For more about Phillip and Signing Services of America, visit signingservicesofamerica.com, email phogan@signingservicesofamerica.com, or call 770.984.5399.
