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.

Courtney Reed

While in college, it was difficult finding someone to style my hair. I began styling my own hair and other black women on campus noticed. Attending a PWI had its pros and cons. But my hair business began to show me a different side of the college experience. Women started approaching me on campus asking could I give them my stylist’s information so they could get their hair done. My first official client reached out to ask about my pricing. I told her about my hair journey thus far and she decided to give me a chance. Read more>>

Cydnee DeToy

I started my coaching business in 2019 as a very casual side hustle. I told my two best friends that I was “open for business” and they each referred me two clients from their companies. Each of these clients referred me to another colleague or friend, and somehow these first introductions snowballed into almost four years of enough referrals to sustain my side hustle. Read more>>

Carmen Mainelli

When I was in college I needed models for different projects, neighbors and friends of course were thrilled to help! The more photography sessions I did more people were asking to book a session. After about six months I had clients and was charging, although not much at the time, haha! Read more>>

Melvin Mariano

So this actually happened by default/Desperation. What started with a video of me helping people learn how to play the guitar in my style which is called (Bachata) think about it as the blues of the Dominican Republic a small country in the Caribbean. Evolved into me teaching thousands of people all over the world and now helping creators and business find their place in this creator economy by leading with their Identity as their brand. But lets track it back to June 2014. After 6 years of posting videos one particular person had contacted me and asked if i gave personal lessons, prior to that time I’ve had many people request for lessons but I never agreed to doing them because one i was insecure and i was also focused on working my bank job. Read more>>

Kiara Cardoza

To be honest, my very first clients came through word of mouth—friends, family, and the extended web of “friend-of-a-friend” referrals. I offered a $5 discount to anyone who referred someone new, and I kept my services affordable, with facials priced between $20 and $60. I also created a Close Friends group on Instagram where I added clients to share last-minute openings and updates. It became this little insider circle that made people feel connected and seen. Read more>>

Re’Onna Taylor

Honestly, my first real client that wasn’t a friend or family member found me through Instagram—and I’m still surprised she trusted me! 😂 Back then, I was just posting random pictures of my sets, thinking they looked fire… but looking back now, those nails were rough (we’re talking crooked tips and chunky acrylic, lol). Read more>>

Peter Trevino

My journey began when I was working to establish my brokerage. I started using a classic but effective platform—Craigslist. At the time, I was posting over 100 ads daily, promoting the best move-in specials available to attract clients. On average, I would receive more than 50 calls per day. Read more>>

Benjamin Norton

The decision to relocate my business from London to the United States in 2015 meant starting from scratch after several successful years. After settling in, I began reaching out to potential clients via email, but received no responses. I understood that architects frequently receive cold emails, so after a few days, I decided to try a different approach to get noticed. Read more>>

Sean Schuette

I responded to an email for a Content and Speaker Manager contract role for a company’s annual retailer summit. I interviewed over the phone for the role and was brought onto the team to help collaborate on this annual event. I ended up helping them execute the event for five cycles, and it was a great growth experience and an opportunity for my passion for event production to shine. Read more>>

Faith Mallory

Every entrepreneur remembers the moment they earned their first real dollar—not from a friend, family member, or someone cheering from the sidelines, but from someone who simply believed in the work. For me, that moment came in the most unexpected but affirming way.

It all started with a classmate who had been quietly following my journey. She shared my Instagram with someone she knew—someone I had never met—who was captivated by how I manipulated tulle in my designs. That one post turned into a conversation. We hopped on a call, talked about her vision, and before I knew it, I was creating my very first pregnancy robe. Read more>>