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.

julia chebotar

My first real client came through a bit of serendipity. I met his personal trainer, we started chatting about food and health, and she introduced me to him, a busy lawyer and single dad who needed help eating better without sacrificing flavor. I started meal prepping for him weekly, tailoring menus around his long work hours and his kids’ preferences. Read More>>

Debbie O’Hara

I’ll never forget my first client, Beth. The way we started working with each other was like magic. In order to tell you the story I have to go backwards. Growing up I never learned anything positive about money. Money was the reason why my parents fought, why we moved around so much and even why the utilities were shut off from time to time. Read More>>

Horace Barnett

Starting out as a photographer, I used to walk the street and approaches businesses and anyone I came in contact with on. I remember gave a gentleman my business card that I made and printed, I did not even explain to him that I am a photographer because he was so tired coming from work. Read More>>

Melanie Suria

I spent eight years supporting researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and I truly loved the work. It was meaningful and fast-paced, and I had the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than myself. Leaving was a bittersweet decision, but I stepped away to raise my two young children, believing I was closing that chapter of my career. Read More>>

Samantha Leeds

Originally my business started as a small home organization company. I loved helping families living in small spaces make sense of their homes at an organizational level, helping them love the spaces they lived in a little bit more.  Read More>>