Debbie Robinson – JP Services
In honor of women in history month, this week we turn the spotlight on one of our partners located in New Hampshire. Debbie Robinson, of Debbie the JP, has worked full-time for over 28 years administering mental health services in many settings including inpatient psychiatry, corrections and transitional housing. She runs her own business on the side providing wedding officiating, document signing and notary services, which is what brought her to 99 Calls for lead generation.
Debbie’s part-time business of providing document signing and wedding officiating services has been a fun and challenging source of additional income that has funded travel and hobbies. This is Debbie’s first experience with running a business and working for herself and she enjoys having the ability to manage her own schedule and the direction of her work.
When asked how she got into this line of business, she noted that she has worked for years assisting people as they struggle through the most devastating moments in their lives. Conducting wedding ceremonies allows her to take part in couples’ best moments, which creates a much-needed balance. The idea of becoming a wedding officiant took off when a co-worker asked if she knew a Justice of the Peace; her son was getting married and they wanted a simple, intimate ceremony. It got Debbie thinking that this would be a perfect side business to start.
She has since conducted weddings of all types and has signed documents throughout New Hampshire as a mobile notary. She is proud of helping people during the COVID pandemic when in-person services were shut down. She met many people in parking lots armed with her JP stamp to sign titles, wills, loans and other important documents. Debbie has always been driven to help people during times of need.
We asked Debbie what challenges she encountered when starting her business. She said that becoming certified was not too challenging, and she enlisted the help of an accountant to navigate the taxes. The biggest concern initially was that she wasn’t sure how people who were searching for these services would find her. Those concerns were allayed when she forged a relationship with a wedding facility, Alpine Grove, in southern New Hampshire. The owners included her postcards in their prospective client packets, which really helped to launch her business.
A few years later, she relocated to the Lakes Region of NH and needed to establish her business from the ground up again. This time, she utilized the services of 99 Calls for lead generation. “I get more calls than I can handle from the lead generation site to support my part-time business and I turn quite a few jobs down. I’m notified when a call comes in, which allows me to quickly put on my business voice and get work scheduling a document signing or a wedding.”
What is Debbie’s advice for a young woman who is considering getting started as a Justice of the Peace? Debbie reports that although the field tends to be female-dominated, there isn’t a clear advantage to being a female. It’s an excellent part-time or potentially a full-time business that offers flexibility and the opportunity to assist people to solve problems with getting documents signed and provide a much-needed service to the community. She says that officiating weddings is an especially rewarding experience. If you are looking for a part-time side business that is rewarding and allows you the flexibility to set your own schedule, becoming a JP may be the perfect match for you too!