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.

Chris Peay

In 2020, we all experienced and were affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deeply rooted disparities in our societies, especially highlighting issues of systemic racism and the digital divide both of which disproportionately affected communities of color, revealing long standing healthcare inequalities. Additionally, with many aspects of daily life shifting online, the lack of access to reliable internet and digital devices among marginalized communities became more evident.  Read more>>

Anissa Morgan

I started my screenwriting consultant business in the middle of 2020. At first, I was extremely scared to take the leap because I had no idea what I was doing or how I wanted to brand myself as a consultant. God gave me the idea to create a YouTube channel called “The Art of Screenwriting” which is an informational tool to help inspire and educate youth and young adults about Screenwriting and film. Read more>>

Carmen Uribe

My career began a little bit backwards. I got married at the age of 18 had all 3 of our children (2 boys and one girl) by the age of 24 . It was a very fun time in my life but I always knew that in my heart I really wanted to pursue a career in the landscape field. My father was a Gardner all his life he came from Mexico in 1969. Read more>>

BRIAN SCOTT Gross

I started my public relations company by complete accident and with the help of a few people I had worked with at a prior company. Upon being let go and figuring out what my next move was, I was contacted by a few different people who wanted to me be their publicist and work with them on the projects they were involved with. Once was starring in a mainstream independent film. Read more>>

Heather C. Orr

My first client was a previous employer who contacted me and asked if I’d do a freelance project for his team. At the time I was contracted with AT&T, so I worked on the project in the evenings after I returned home. I got hooked on the feeling of working independently and earning some extra money on the side. Eventually, I ended up relocating from Los Angeles to New Mexico with my previous partner. I started working full-time on my business since there weren’t many local marketing jobs in the area. Read more>>

Serena Nour

My name is Serena N. and I have a business called Dipped With Love TX. I specialize in making customized chocolate covered fruit and sweets for any occasion. Dipped With Love Tx first began in 2019 and we have been working on expanding and growing ever since! Read more>>

LaKisha DuCreay

I met my first client at a birthday party. A close friend of the family hired me, her name is Deborah. And Deborah lived across the street from the home I grew up in as a child located in Compton California. She wanted to jump start my business, she knew it would be important people at the party that would need my services. Read more>>

Kate Keesee

Interior Design was always just a hobby for me for many years. I rescued road side finds and restored them later selling them to friends and neighbors. After suffering a small stroke in 2015 I decided to share my DIY projects on social media. I had only one space to use a family room that had fresh paint so it became my “blank canvas” Read more>>

Adriana Catano

The first client I had for my CATANO BEAUTY vegan skincare were my own family members and close friends. It was wonderful to be supported by the people closest to me. I have one friend who actually purchased thousands of dollars in skincare for his office staff, friends and family members. That was a big surprise for me. I always say God always sends unexpected angels to surprise us. All we need to do is trust God. Read more>>

Light + Pine Photography

I have been photographing families in Arizona for the past 10 years! I love photographing the genuine love and warmth that comes from being a family. What a gift I’ve been given! It is not lost on me the support I’ve received throughout the years! Read more>>

Rocio Garcia-Colmenero

My first client came when I decided to be bold. I can remember the moment I decided I wouldn’t allow fear to dictate my future. In the pre-Covid winter of 2020, I posted a video of myself on my personal social media explaining what a Virtual Assistant was and why people should invest in one. Read more>>

Ebony Gordon

The inception of my business, Hairista will forever be near to my heart. When I first went off to college at Hampton University, I didn’t even know the meaning of being an entrepreneur. But it was freshmen year when I realized the importance of “looking good” on an HBCU campus. And as a young black girl, I was familiar with the culture of the “black hair salon”, but when I went off to college, my parents made it clear that I would need to find a way to fund that luxury on my own. Read more>>