COMMUNICATING
Communicating: A Fine Art Mary-Ann Mustonen-Hinds
I
t wasn’t easy for a smalltown girl, born of poor but proud and intelligent immigrant parents, to make her mark on this planet. Raised in Ucluelet, British Columbia, I absorbed the wisdom my parents gave me . . . as an example, the whispered advice that I could be anything I wanted to be. And I did. I became a BC Notary Public.
Fast-track to 1989 With my brand new Notary office at Joyce and Kingsway, I always made sure that I unlocked the door each morning, inviting clients in. Before doing so, I would turn to my team, smile, and say, “The show’s on, everyone; let’s give it our best!” Fridays were for lunching with my favourite mortgage managers, promoting myself and gaining their trust in my business. If I didn’t make the effort, if I didn’t extend my invitation to get together, they didn’t know I existed . . . they didn’t know the chance they were missing to utilize my Notary services. Depositing to the bank branches was also my job on Fridays. It gave me a chance to chat with my business neighbours and say “hi” to the clients who made Joyce/Kingsway their home. How can they know who you are if you don’t show your face . . . show your face at least 9 times or no one knows who you are.
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And smile with your head proudly held high when you walk. It’s contagious. I guarantee it . . . people always smile back.
You just can’t sit behind a computer, thinking people will be beating down your door for your business and your help. You have to go out and earn it! I volunteered to help create the Business Improvement Association for our neighbourhood. We had to have all petitions translated into five different languages. It was no problem for me . . . having a Finnish father and a Dutch mother, I could blend into any culture. It was a fledging project at that time and the Association has really grown. I was also on the Board of the Neighbourhood Community Police Dept. That did indeed help me learn the inner workings of Robert’s Rules of Order and it certainly didn’t hurt getting to know the police on the neighbourhood beat.
You just can’t sit behind a computer, thinking people will be beating down your door for your business and your help. You have to go out and earn it! Be a part of the business community where you may spend over 12 hours a day. Participate in local activities; join in and show you care. Listen to your clients when they are excited or anxious or frightened about what they consider the daunting task of purchasing their first home. Put yourself in their shoes.
Fast-track to 2007 After a sabbatical year of sailing the Mediterranean, I took advantage of being able to work anywhere I wanted. As a result of the TILMA legislation, Notaries were no longer restricted to practise in designated areas. I became a mobile Notary because I love to drive. Nothing else changed. I still care and listen to the needs of my clients and communicate with the many professionals involved in the nonlitigious legal transactions in today’s world. Communicating is the heart of my business. Without it, I would not be providing the service that my clients deserve. I’d be just a name without a face. s
Mary-Ann and her husband Billy Hinds!
BC Notaries Association
Mary-Ann Mustonen-Hinds is a BC Notary who practises in the Lower Mainland by appointment only. Volume 29 Number 4 Winter 2020
