Tanya Earls shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Tanya , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I most definitely had a very proud moment recently! Educating and working with children and students has been my career for over 25+ years and the journey has always been so rewarding! An amazing opportunity presented itself for me to branch out in my career in addition to currently working in the Guidance Counseling Department of a local high school. On August 7th, 2025 I was sworn in by the Honorable Judge Dodson, Division 10 St. Louis County Courts as a Deputy Citizen Juvenile Officer for juveniles and their families in the St. Louis, Missouri area!
As a Deputy Citizen Juvenile Officer, I will work within the Juvenile Office, handling cases of children and families referred to the Family Court. I am responsible for investigating referrals, gathering information, assessing risk factors, and making recommendations to the court to ensure the safety and well-being of the child while holding them accountable for their actions. I also provide services and support to youth and families, connecting them with court and community resources.
I am so excited and blessed to be a part of making a difference in the lives of youth and their families!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
All about me! My name is Tanya Earls and my career began in the Education/Social Services field 25+ years ago! I have worked very hard in my career, literally starting from the very bottom as an Early Childhood Teacher and working my way up over 25+ years to become an Area Trainer/Director in Early Childhood Education, a Director of Student Services, and now I am in the Guidance Counseling Department at a local High School which is my favorite career move as of yet! I work with some of the best, most caring and FUN experienced counselors around!
I have worked as a Director of Student Services for two local colleges, Allied College and Everest College, providing social services resources to ensure college students would be successful while attending college. I served as an ADVOCATE for the students, especially young women who may have gone through some very serious challenges and trauma in their lives. Along the way, I was also given the AMAZING opportunity to work in the music/entertainment industry serving as a manager for local St. Louis artists as well as working for Radio One St. Louis in the Marketing/Advertisement arena.
As I was working at Radio One several of the DJs approached me to request I start doing radio commercials because they loved my voice! I would go on to provide voice overs for commercials for national and local businesses such as McDonald’s, radio show intros, and much more! I am a lover of music, so I was more than happy to add voiceovers to my resume. In addition, I am a writer so over the years in my career I was able to write several different articles and biographies regarding music, love, entrepreneurship, and more! I wrote several articles for a St. Louis/Midwest-based magazine called “MadFlava Magazine” as well as other publications.
In 2021, I started my own mobile notary business called “Notary at YourDoor! LLC” and it has been very successful thus far! Notary At YourDoor! LLC is a FULL-SERVICE mobile notary business. We specialize in traveling to notarize important legal documents for the St. Louis/Illinois community. The service is especially HELPFUL for older/elderly individuals and disabled individuals who may not be able to drive or venture out to have important paperwork notarized.
I am a fully licensed Notary Public for the State of Missouri. I am also very PROUD to offer FREE notary services to ANY individuals who are victims of domestic violence, suffering from abuse at the hands of their partner or spouse, displaced or unhomed families, mothers/fathers going through legal custody issues with their child(ren) and disability issues in EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I am a true advocate for our community!
I often tell students from my past, my friends, my WONDERFUL daughter Amaya and colleagues my story… I truly believe we all have a hand in who we choose to become regardless of our childhood, economic status, or religion. I was raised by an exceptional single mother and learned my strong work ethic from her! My greatest accomplishment in life has been to be a mother, and my goal is to pass down strength, resilience and all of my wisdom and knowledge about life to my daughter.
My own mother worked very hard to provide me with the best life although we didn’t have much money. Watching my mother work in the cleaning/hospitality field (cleaning homes) gave me a sense of pride, dignity, and again, seeing that hard work pays off! I encourage single mothers/fathers daily to never give up, to work hard, and to stay inspired!
I have been blessed to be able to have my hands in several different pots in my career. It has been so rewarding!
One of the most EXCITING aspects of starting my own small business is the fact I am the first business owner in my small family. The day I received my official business license I was in awe! It was the best feeling. This was also very important to me to accomplish so I could show my daughter we are strong, capable, and can do anything we put our minds and passion to in life!
And lastly, a recent major accomplishment to add to my resume is on August 7th, 2025 I was sworn in by the Honorable Judge Dodson, Division 10 for the St. Louis County Courts as a Deputy Citizen Juvenile Officer for juveniles and their families in the St. Louis, Missouri area! I am so excited to take on this new position and to make a difference in the lives of youth and their families.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
This is a great question and I have a very simple answer: My wonderful mother, Linda. My mother was such a strong, beautiful human being with a heart of gold. She was also a VERY hard worker! My mom was a single mother raising me the very best she could. She worked in the custodial/housecleaning industry and as we all know this type of work can be very exhausting. I remember growing up my mother would sometimes have 2-3 jobs just to make sure she could provide a good life for me. This is admirable, as I can only imagine how hard it was for her sometimes. We were probably considered a lower income family and although we didn’t have much money there was always so much love in my home between myself, my mom and my maternal grandmother, Margaret. My mother sacrificed things in her own life to provide me the best one! Unfortunately my mother passed away due to breast cancer in 2006, but her memory lives on for myself and my own daughter.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
This is a question that lingers in the back of my mind from time to time, especially as I grow older. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the wisdom I’ve gained over the years could have spared me from a lot of unnecessary heartache. We often hear that youth is wasted on the young, but the truth is, there’s so much we can learn from our past if we know how to listen.
One of the most important things I say to some of the youth I work with is, trust yourself and your intuition! I would tell my younger self: “You know more than you think. Trust your gut, your intuition, and your instincts. You don’t need permission from others to pursue your dreams or make the decisions that are best for you and YOUR LIFE.”
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I would have to say something I am very passionate about and committed to is advocacy for women and for Breast Cancer research. Both things are very important to me. I am a strong advocate for women being pro-active and taking care of their physical and mental health. I feel I am so passionate about this since I grew up in a lower class household and my mom did not have a traditional job, as she was a house cleaner for very wealthy people in the St. Louis area and benefits were not provided. She didn’t have access to health insurance which made it very difficult for her to be able to afford to go to the doctor. In the years before 2005 there weren’t as many medical resources or programs just yet to help with medical care or mammograms.
When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 it was discovered she wasn’t going for her annual mammograms because it wasn’t affordable for her. If my mom could of had access to some type of free health insurance maybe this could have helped save her life or give her more time with us. I believe its always a good idea to make sure we educate women on how to seek medical care and to provide as many resources as possible for a healthy mind, body and soul.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I can only hope all of the people that I love and cherish in my life will say they remember me for my loving kindness, my unconditional love for ALL people and for my passion, dedication and determination in my career. I absolutely love what I do every day! I love PEOPLE. I love LIFE. I try my very best every day to treat others the way I like to be treated and to be understanding and supportive for them when they are going through life challenges. Sometimes just lending an ear or saying a kind word can help make someone’s day better. ALWAYS consider that we never know what a person is going through in life, so be gentle. Be intentional!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notaryyourdoor
