When businesses are covered in the media, often there is a lot of focus on the initial idea, the genesis moment. Then they almost brush over the middle part – the scaling up part – and arrive at how big and awesome the business is today. It makes for a fun read or in the case of a movie or show an entertaining watch, but it’s also a missed opportunity. The middle part – the scaling up part is where so many small business owners get stuck. It’s the part so many of us need more guidance with and so we wanted to get conversations going on the topic of scaling up.

Tamara Faith

I remember when I set up my vendor space for the very first time. It was a small venue in Downtown LA in the arts distrcit. I came in early to set up and brought in all my decorations, books and all the things. A friend of mine came to help me set up and a few other close friends came to see me shine and support my very first pop up! I was so nervous and so warm hearted at the same time. Read more>>

Allen McClain

Let’s rewind back to 2016, Phoenix, AZ and it is “hot” like open the oven and the heat hits your face hot. I was working at a fortune 500 company in Scottsdale, great salary, but I knew there was more that I wanted to do. I always desire to mentor young men and the opportunity presented itself after I told my wife, “This job isn’t really it, I believe God wants me to do more”. Read more>>

Leila Ciancaglini

let me tell you about how I got my first client. It was back in 2002, when my agency had just started. My English was very basic at the time, but that didn’t stop me from pursuing new business opportunities. I knew someone who worked at a distributor and decided to ask for a meeting with them. I wanted to introduce them to my models and see if they would be interested in working with us. Read more>>

Shaun Burch

The first paying customer came as a referral from someone I met through a friend. My friend is also a photographer and knows my passion for photography. He invited me to do a collaboration at an old warehouse famous for having music videos filmed there. I later learned that one of the models was the daughter of the warehouse owner. Read more>>

Sarah Lines

I can remember back in 2020 when my sister volunteered me to taker her family pictures. Of course I doubted myself because I was so used to landscape photography. The session actually didn’t turn out half bad, so with her encouragement I started a Facebook page. I was so confused on that because I was definitely not social media educated so I was just hoping that my page went active okay and I left it at that. Read more>>

Michael Nzungize

I vividly remember the exhilarating moment when I landed my very first photography client. It was a milestone in my journey, and looking back, I can attribute this achievement to one key factor: my unwavering dedication to consistently sharing my work on Instagram, despite my own doubts about its perceived imperfections. Read more>>

Rhonda Green

Traditional advertising usually means paying for advertisements. Social media has made it easier and quicker to connect with any audience. If you want to run an ad in traditional print, you will hire a graphic designer, purchase the ad space and still wait for the actual article to be printed. This can take a few days or even weeks. Social media is instant and interactive. My first paying coaching client was not someone I knew but someone who saw me on social media. Read more>>

Bassel Bahhur

My first client was actually a very good friend and regular investor client. He probably assumed it was just another day at the office for me, when in fact we were making HomePoints historical first transaction. This was very special to me. We actually have a painting of this property framed in our office in North Olmsted. Read more>>

Nikki Laughlin

Of course in photography, word of mouth is key. I started taking photos of friends and family as favors because there were no affordable options around Columbus. As I started taking more seasonal and event photos for those friends, and as they shared them on social media, their friends became interested. So on and so forth, I’ve had people from out of state reach out wanting me to take their photos by traveling here just for me. Read more>>

Naji Bent-Vasquez

I kickstarted my journey as a business owner by leveraging the power of Instagram. Setting up an account for my studio, I dived into promoting my services extensively. I left no stone unturned as I employed various strategies like word of mouth marketing, distributing business cards, and creating custom graphics to attract attention. Read more>>

Kurt and De Anna Mangum II

The story of our very first client holds a special place in our hearts. Maricela, a remarkable single mom, came to us seeking a healthier lifestyle. She noticed the healthy lunches I packed for Kurt and observed him walking around the Fitness Trail during his breaks at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Seeing this inspired her to take action. Maricela asked Kurt if we could create a customized meal and activity plan to help her lose weight and improve her overall health. We were thrilled to be able to help her on this journey. Read more>>

Dani Adams De La Rosa

I started my dive into photography as the secondary shooter at weddings. I would tackle the detail shots while the main shooter did the first kiss, cake cutting, and all the important moments. During that time I was a hobbyist still learning how to shoot appealing angles, work with all kinds of people and manage different lighting conditions on the fly. Read more>>

Kev Hammond

I went to a Jazz festival back in 2019. I had just started to decide to tale myself seriously as a photographer and I would literally just take my camera everywhere to just brush up on my skills. I had just gotten a new camera and took pictures of everything at the festival and I would post it and tag the street vendors in it. One of the vendors contacted a couple of days after the event and they told me that they liked my work and that they wanted to book a shoot with me for their other business that they have. Read more>>

Pete + Jennifer Simpson

As we were renovating our historic space in downtown Brenham, our exterior patio (complete with loading dock stage, new landscaping and new lighting) was prime for business. We decided to start opening up as an in-place pop-up. We rented a portable restroom and hand-washing unit and got after it. Lots of social media marketing went into creating buzz. We also did a wine tasting giveaway event about a month prior. Read more>>

Haley Folkman

I started taking photos in 2019 while I was attending college in Utah. I started checking out cameras from the school library and would venture to the mountains after class to spend some time by myself and take photos of my surroundings. As I became increasingly interested in photography, I started an instagram account where I posted photos of myself and my friends. Read more>>

Kimberly Caperton

When I acquired my first customer, it was actually through a friend who needed assistance with their social media marketing. They approached me and asked if I could create a quick graphic for them to post online. Given our friendship, I agreed to help them without charging any fees initially. However, when they returned and requested further assistance, I politely mentioned that I would be charging a nominal fee of $10 for my services. They understood the value of my time and agreed to pay. Read more>>

Jayne Blackledge

I began my Library career volunteering to start children’s programming in our local public library. At the time, the library only offered Story Time. I expanded with many different programs. Read more>>

Alexis Goodwin

My very first client was lady a named Regine! I was so intentional on how I would market myself by creating an environment for my preferred clientele. I knew I wanted a client who loves beautiful tablescapes and more. After publishing my business website and marketing myself with high quality images I received my first real inquiry from her. Read more>>

Adam H. Dobbs

I had been practicing furniture making as a hobby when my wife and I lived in California for a few years. When we moved to Nashville in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought I wanted to get into real estate. I figured I would be good at it, I knew Nashville was booming, and I thought it would allow me a little more free time where I could still build some furniture on the side. Read more>>

Natalia Rubiano

My first client was an aviation company. My strategy was to go on Indeed and find some marketing and public relations positions being advertised for which I could offer my services for. I had already been working in the marketing and PR field for a few years and knew what I can contribute to it based on annual reports I had to submit and annual reviews I received. I did not however have “normal” circumstances, which contributed to me getting a company in the first place. Read more>>

Doorae Shin

Working with Clarity Project is my first job in the psychedelics space, but since being a youth activist, my career has centered around environmental issues and social change, from work on immigrant rights campaigns to fighting for environmental solutions like banning single-use plastics among other efforts. Read more>>

Leia Lockheart

My first celebrity job was a good story. So, it’s post-2008-Recession, in a new career as a Massage Therapist living in Hollywood. As soon as I received my massage license, I contacted all of my band friends and asked, “How do I become a Massage Therapist on a band tour?” The roadie, Sasha Resetnikov, with my high school mates’ band, Pepper, responded. Sasha said, “When we are on tour, we always use this agency.” Read more>>

Haley Carter

My first position in marketing was with a company called Doctor Referred, Dylan Pond was the owner of this Dallas based company. Doctor Referred was a multi-specialty marketing company seeking skilled medical liaisons to represent specialists. I reached out to Dylan requesting an in person interview knowing I was nowhere near qualified, I knew if I could get an interview he would see that my confidence, and perseverance would make me an asset to the company. I had to get creative, I knew my résumé wouldn’t be as impressive as my in person interview… Read more>>

Kristie Alicea

Shortly after graduating from Rutgers University, I was part of a dance group that danced as backup for artists and performed at various concerts. I started attending my friend’s Zumba class to improve my cardio for when I performed on stage. My friend suggested that I get my Zumba certification, mentioning that it could be a great way to earn some additional income while also enhancing my cardiovascular fitness. I obtained my Zumba certificate in 2012 and began working at a local gym in Queens, NY. Read more>>

Chris Vega

Here I was in 2017, working at the gate of a state park, charging entrance fees. It was a typical slow day, as weekdays usually were. I would only see a handful of cars pass through. After becoming a certified Personal Trainer and experiencing failure in my attempt to make it in a commercial gym, I felt the need for a change. So there I was, on the verge of giving up and considering a career switch. Read more>>

Courtney Monroe

I started cosmetology school two weeks after graduating from the University of Michigan in 2009. It wasn’t a popular choice – many of my peers started their careers in tech or business or pursued masters degrees – but investing in cosmetology school was a decision that made me feel the most like myself. But what nobody tells you about becoming a colorist/stylist is that it is a TON of work and usually an uphill battle to success. Read more>>

Ivory Morgan-Burton

When starting my business, Storybook Events – I decided to market as full-service. Not just floral, decor, but everything that is needed for a successful celebration. Regardless of it being an anniversary, wedding, corporate or personal gathering. Which I first added wedding officiants, which I am one. Then a professional cake baker exclusive to Storybook Events. Read more>>

Riley Tinnin

When I started my business my capabilities were limited due to the level of equipment I had. I started off just doing concrete drive ways and putting half of the money back into the business upgrading as I went. As I began to get bigger, more capable tools I was able to expand my list of services to house soft washing, roof washing, and now to hot water cleaning services. Read more>>

Ally Turpen

I am going to be 100% honest! I have no idea what I’m doing & no one does. That’s the truth behind business ownership. You can never be 100% prepared and you can never predict the twists & turns that business ownership brings! That’s the dirty truth behind Pin It Co. We are all just winging it. With that being said, in 2013 when I drove through town and saw the empty building that would soon become the place that changed my life. Read more>>

Carlton Williams

I started off small not knowing which lane I wanted to take as a photographer. Since the first time speaking to you guys I have been able to grow my photographer business. I had to take some time to think what it was I had a passion for and that was editorial style photography. I knew that was my most creative form of photography. I took the time to learn new techniques using the outlet YouTube. Read more>>

Nicole Kuklok-Waldman Kate Hennigan

We started the business with just the two of us…both of us doing everything, from business development to bookkeeping to web design! The first piece of advice we give anyone is to let the experts do the work that you aren’t an expert in. Find a good team to support you as consultants. This means finding good referrals for insurance brokers, bookkeepers, web and graphic designers. Don’t waste your valuable time doing things that others can do better and more efficiently than you can. Read more>>

Evelyn Gonzalez

It has been a quite a ride for me to be in the postion of where I am at now in my career as a makeup and hairstylist. I have come across a lot of bumps on the road and made a few mistakes as well. I questioned my self many times if this career was meant for me or was it me just being selfish and foolish in wanting to have a career as a makeup Artist and Hairstylist. having a full time career as a makeup artist and hairstylist does not come overnight. Read more>>

Stephanie Ridgely

I met The Elliot’s first wedding couple at the Today’s Bride show in April 2021 at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. We had yet to start construction but I wanted to meet with couples to learn what they value in a wedding venue and to grow our social media following. Read more>>