There are so many varied experiences when it comes to starting a business. From what we’ve seen, there is no one, right answer. Some people found success by writing a business plan, spending months or years perfecting the idea and only then approaching their first client while others found their first client before they had even settled on a name for their business. Below, you’ll find the stories of how entrepreneurs from across industries and markets found their first clients.

Andrea Reynolds

My interest in photography started in high school. I went to a vocational school, had access to a dark room, made videos, took lots of photos but I didnt really see it making me any money out of high school so it took a backseat in my career. I tried many other varies jobs throughtout the years. I got my Esthetics license, medical billing certifications but I was never really happy in the positions I held. I had my first child in 2014 and became a stay at home mom. It was then that I picked up my camera again and remembered the joy it brought me to take photos. Read more>>

Jessica Swartout

When I knew I wanted to take my hobby and passion for photography to the next level and start a business, it was definitely a huge leap. As a photographer, it always seems to start with taking free photos of as many friends and family as you can to “build your portfolio.” But, when you have to put a value on that is when it gets real. Pricing your work is definitely not easy, at least it wasn’t for me. Am I charging too much—is my work even good enough? Am I charging enough to make money and run a successful business? Should I charge the same as this or that photographer? The struggle is real. Read more>>

Dre Baldwin

Well, that would be two different stories. My first dollar was not a client, but a customer of a product that I created. I first got myself known online through publishing basketball training drills to YouTube; the players who were watching me eventually asked me if I could make programs that would allow them to train themselves the same way that I trained myself. Read more>>

Brianna Warren

How I got my first client that wasn’t a friend/family/friend-of-a-friend would be by using my friends/ family and friend of a friend for my services. Meaning, I’m starting off I did a lot of things for free! I just wanted the opportunity for people to see my work. Lastly, My Father and Mother Wes and Shauntae Warren pushed me to not stop and paved a great pathway for me by leading by example. Read more>>

Janique Abrahams

My first client was actual a roommate of mine who later became a really good friend. I started my business at the end of 2020. I was attending USF St.Pete but had a job in Tampa so I was constantly going back and forth between the two. I decided one day that I was going to take class on the USF Tampa campus so I searched all over for a room. At the end of my Fall term at USF St.Pete I packed my little red Toyota with all of my stuff and drove to my new apartment in Tampa. Read more>>

Arthur Williams

My very first client was a lady that I started planting her balcony garden when I worked at a greenhouse. I actually did her and her daughters gardens for 10 years before I opened my shop. The name Babylon was inspired by her high rise patio garden and of course The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. I wanted to create a lush and opulent environment in Denver’s dry urban cityscape. Read more>>

JUSTIN INGRAM

I was in sales my entire career and was turning 30 and felt like I hit a roadblock in my growth personally and professionally. I ventured into looking into other ‘side hustles’ to make a side income. I found marketing and absolutely fell in love with it and felt it was my passion and true calling almost immediately. I approached a close friend of mine who owned a local business if I could ‘try marketing’ on their business. Read more>>

LaShawn Green

I initially picked up a camera to take pictures of details from my event/wedding planning business. At the time I was finding it difficult to receive images of my work so I could use them to build my portfolio and to write content for social media. So I purchased a Nikon D5600 from Best Buy, schemed the manual, played with buttons and eventually got on everyone’s nerves to let me capture an image of them at any given moment. Read more>>

Lindsay Matteoni

Good ol’ fashion gorilla marketing (pounding the pavement). I chose to get involved with my local chamber, BNI group, chose to give breakfast presentations at real estate offices, got involved with local community events, social media and volunteering, I love talking and getting to know people. In understanding this characteristic about myself, I knew I would be the best voice to make the connection to my first client. It was hard, it was stressful, I cried……. Then, I got my first client. Read more>>

Laura & Brian Coomey

Our first client! We remember her very well as she’s still a customer, and friend, 4 years later! We had the idea for our gluten free bakery, we had the recipes, we had food people would love, but we had no idea how to bring it to the public. Our first try was at a local flea market. We set up a small table with a small assortment of only gluten free baked goods. Read more>>

Farah Nizam

In 2016, my business was so new that I barely understood the sales platform for my online shop. I had painted a few dolls for friends of family and any advertising at that point was primarily through word of mouth. So imagine my surprise when I remembered to check my business email – set up on a whim late one night – to see a message from the Arab American National Museum expressing their interest in stocking my dolls for their museum gift shop! Read more>>

Keith Dixon

In 2011 I came up with the idea that I wanted to sell varsity jackets but the thing was, “how am I going to make this varsity jacket different from what’s on the market?’ My first two varsity jackets were blue and gray and the other one was red and yellow.Upon arrival of the jackets I went to JoAnnes in search of material. I decided the blue and gray varsity jacket would have a Dallas cowboy lining inside of the jacket and the star under the left hand pocket. Washington redskins lining for the red and yellow varsity jacket. Read more>>

Alissa Riedel

My very first paid session was a newborn session in a hospital, talk about nerve-wrecking! First of all, I am not a mother and was not at all comfortable handling a newborn. Second of all, I absolutely hate hospitals so I was a wreck trying to locate the room and make sure I got there on time. I found the room, she held her baby, she loved the pictures, and all was well in the world! That was the only session I have ever done like that to this day, I think stepping so far out of my comfort zone so early on in my career really helped me grow into the photographer that I am today. Read more>>

Jason Ferguson

My first paid project came one of the organizations I worked with at the job I was working at. I remember sitting in a meeting and they were talking about the creative need for the organizations and I step up to offer my services to them. When I first started I had to business partners that pretty much did all of the graphic designs and I handle the sales and marketing. After that relationship went south I had to make a decision to either hire a graphic designer, shut down the company or learn how to do it myself. Well I made the right decision and learn how to do it myself and taught myself graphic design and web design. Read more>>

Nicole Serafino

My first client jodi is very special to me. I had just started using dipping powders and was at the time working in a shop i did not own. She was actually the owners regular client, however she ended up staying with me for years now. She preferred the way i treated my clients, my attention to detail, and my overall business manners. I was nervous at first for sure, but she was kind, understanding, and willing to give me a chance. Needless to say i won her over instantly. My first client, now a friend, and has followed me for years! Read more>>

Jaid Jennings-Liggons

My first client was a friend of the family. She used to let me practice on her growing up & she was asked to be a model for someone’s clothing line for a fashion expo featuring Kash Doll. She referred me to be the makeup artist for the designer’s entire line up of models. I did everyone’s makeup & it was such a great experience & it brought me such great exposure. Read more>>

Denise Zimmermann

I realized I had this gift in 1996 but it would be years before I embraced it. I did soul readings for my friends for years prior to taking a chance on charging anyone. I would have them submit a picture of the eyes of the person and no names, so that I would not be influenced by what I might already have known about that person. The people I did readings for always told me that I needed to charge and that they knew others who want a reading, Read more>>

Liz Wagner

I was consulting for a hotel, and we received a call requesting 100 rooms for tomorrow night and it was someone from a record label, there was a tour on the road. One of my team members asked where they just randomly calling hotels for each city and they replied yes. Once she hung up she turned to me and said, you should be booking their rooms, do you know how much money that is? I immediately got on the phone and called Cash Money Records in New Orleans, I pitched the admin who in turn put one of the CEO’s on the phone, Read more>>