Shonta Riles on Building Poppin Notary, Community Trust, and Expanding a Local Service Business

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Shonta Riles, CEO and founder of Poppin Notary, to talk about building a trusted local service business, expanding beyond traditional notary work, and staying deeply connected to the community.

Shonta shares how he launched Poppin Notary in 2016, what it took to earn trust in an industry built on accuracy and reliability, and why customer service is the real differentiator for small businesses. He explains how his background hosting the Deprogram Talk Radio Show sharpened his communication skills and helped him connect with people from all walks of life.

The conversation explores Poppin Notary's expansion into shipping, printing, and private mailboxes, how Shonta thinks about growth without losing focus, and why building locally in Tacoma still matters. From notarizing documents in non-traditional settings to creating a one-stop service hub, this episode offers practical lessons for service-based entrepreneurs.

Topics Discussed

• Shonta's path to entrepreneurship and founding Poppin Notary

• Building trust in a service-based business

• What great customer service looks like in practice

• Lessons from notarizing documents in unconventional environments

• Expanding into shipping, printing, and private mailboxes

• Knowing when to add new services • Avoiding overextension while growing

• Building a business rooted in community

• The Tacoma small business landscape

• Communication skills developed through radio and media

• Leadership lessons learned as a local CEO

• Defining success beyond revenue

Connect with Shonta Riles

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shonta-riles-ab508214/

Website: https://www.poppinnotary.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poppinnotary

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppinnotary