Getting your first client is an exhilarating experience, but it’s also an experience that far too many aspiring entrepreneurs never experience. Sometimes, the difference between an idea dying in the idea stage or going on to change the world is getting that first customer – the first tiny win that creates the momentum to make an idea real. So, we connected with some of the smartest folks we could and asked them to tell us the stories of how they got their initial clients.

Sydney Shearer

My first client was a friend of mine I had in high school and it was for homecoming dance. I had just started getting into makeup and I charged her $25. Looking back it was pretty bad, but it lit a spark in me and from them I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Read more>>

Lataija Crowder

Around my sophomore year in Highschool, I was able to wear makeup, but because the bus came early every morning. I either had to wake up every morning at 5 am or do my makeup in the school restroom. Eventually, one day I was fixing up my brows in the school restroom and a young lady came in and started to admire my makeup, she then asked if I was a makeup artist. Read more>>

Jhalesa Seymour

I came up with my first product, the yoni bar, while in college at the University of Central Florida and while making these soap bars in my dorm room, I would give out samples to my friends, roommates, and women on campus for free to get their honest feedback. Before I knew it, I had a bunch of people coming back to me asking for more yoni bars and I knew from there that I had created something extremely special. Once the demand got so high, I decided to start selling the yoni bars officially and eventually worked to create my online store. Read more>>

Andy Brenits

I’ll start by painting with a broad brush…After being laid off from my in-house corporate position as creative director, I found myself suddenly and unexpectedly looking for a new job. While searching for the next opportunity, I decided to pick up freelance design work until I got my next job. Read more>>

Carolina Spitzer

My pottery journey started as a hobby, but quickly became a passion. Working with clay allowed me to express my creativity in a way that other design disciplines didn’t. The natural imperfections of my pottery gave each piece its own, unique character – I believed there was value there, and an opportunity to share it with others. Read more>>

 

Lisa Pfeiffer

I had worked for a cosmetic surgeon and a dermatologist as their esthetician. I was amazed at some of the procedures they would perform on the skin, one after another. Many times not saying no to a client when they should have. I was amazed at the endless medications they would prescribe and all with little or terrible results. Inevitably making the skin worse. I knew there had to be a better way to heal and treat all issues with the skin. From Aging to acne and scarring and sun damage. Read more>>

Angel Sames

The first dollar I made in my business was special for sure. It came with a sense of “wow…could I really do this and get paid for it?!” Back in 2019 I had begun my blog, Mommy-ing Differently. Blogging meant that I had to constantly share about my blog, get eyes over there on my site, and find my people that wanted to read what I was writing. Read more>>

Emily Kelley

I have been more or less on that hustle/grind from a young age and remember selling paintings I created while in high school to acquaintances of my parents, but it wasn’t until starting my business creating illustrations, that I felt the most excited about my first client. Long story short, I left a graphic design job I had just gotten 4 months prior to pursue the idea of creating illustration work and starting a business. Read more>>

 Savannah Levell

When I first started taking photos, I would do the occasional portrait of friends or take photos of any surroundings out of my own passion. From there, I gained a basic understanding of my camera functions and the use of Photoshop. I then took to social media to reach out to people to model for me and help me build a stronger portfolio which in return, really helped with my growth and portfolio. Read more>>

 Gnitter

My first customer actually came at random. I posted a “the process” photograph to my social media story of a garment I was making for myself; he [Trillion] responded to it requesting a men’s, long-sleeved, fitted shirt. The specification between a crochet and a knit stitch was made, and he was able to choose the variation he wanted for his woven fabric based upon the photo he responded to. He chose crochet, which was a delight to me, because at the time I was more familiar with gauging crochet pieces for exact + snug measurements. Read more>>

Vicky Lamb

So I have two different clients I consider as my “first” customers. The first, first one found me through my sister in laws post on Something borrowed Something New’s Facebook group after I had made signage for her wedding. I made her this Coco inspired remember me sign for a table to remember those that could not be there the day of her wedding, Read more>>

Dianna Liner

I started in the business about 20 years ago. I feel in love with the entertainment industry growing up as a child. I sang in the choir in Hight school and college and was in theatre as well. In my 20s I decided I wanted to be in the entertainment industry but on the business side, so I started doing interns for record labels like Columbia Records, Tommy Boys etc working with artists such as John Mayer, Averlast and more. Then. I went on to work in Radio working at top radio stations 104 KRBE and MIX 96.5 in Houston Texas.. Read more>>