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.

Jennifer Radcliffe

As a hairstylist I was doing my clients hair and showing her pictures of some watercolor Christmas gift tags I was working on. She turned to me and asked if I can make a snowman tag and if so she would purchase a set of tags. These tags were intended for my family I never thought of selling them. I was so excited when I went home I immediately made a snowman tag and sent her a picture of it. After she approved the photo I talked to my husband about this new adventure of selling something I love to do. I then figured out how many tags to put in a set and that Christmas season I sold 250 sets of tags. I have been making Christmas gifts ever since. Read more>>

Andrea Shapiro

I had been getting small “side jobs” for a number of years while consulting for other architects. This is a pretty regular practice within the industry, where you work a full time job, and then take on small projects on the side. I finally decided to branch off on my own when I got my first big client. They are investment real estate developer/contractors, specializing in luxury single family homes. And I had met two of the three partners just taking my kids to school. They were dads to the my children’s classmates. One morning, at drop off, I was asked if I was available to join them for prospective client meeting later that day. That job did not materialize, but the relationship between myself and the construction firm did. Within a few months they had given me four homes to design, and at that point it was more than side work. It was then that I stopped working for anyone else, and began my own firm. Read more>>

Ka’Neisha Johnson

Posted multiple ads online. I received a message from a potential client needing a list of apartments that accept broken leases. Took the clients information, worked on the list and sent the list via email. I advised my client they would have to put my information on the apartment application since that is the way I will get paid for my service. The client was approved, moved in 2 weeks later. I received my 1st commission check of $1500 1 month later. Read more>>

Kevin Thornton

My first life coaching client that I ever received that wasn’t a friend or family member came for a great investment I made. There’s an organization called Therapy for Black Men and they created a directory for the men in need of therapist and or life coaches.. That investment gave me nationwide exposure to people in need of coaching. My first client reached out to me and stated he found me in the directory and based on my bio and photos he thought I would be a good coach for what he was looking for. He never had a father figure so he was looking for a coach to help coach him through manhood. We still speak till this day. Read more>>

Martin Bourbeau

I was working as a Surgical Technologist in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I started painting in my unique style and was working to grow my art business. I created an Etsy site and also shared my work at a few local art & craft shows. I was gaining some traction in these locations but I wasn’t able to make back my initial investments by selling small paintings. My wife and I were able to secure an opportunity to display my work in a coffee shop in downtown Minneapolis. We jumped on the opportunity. That coffee shop art display turned out to be exactly the exposure I needed to grow and scale up to the next level. Read more>>

Mike Mena

Yogi said: “You can learn a lot by just watching.” I’m a curious soul. When I see something unfamiliar, I research and find out what it is. My first client was the SEA Lab on the border of Hermosa and Redondo Beach. I used to jog by the facility and wondered what it was. I picked up the phone (yes, we did that in those days) and was fortunate enough to get the facilities director on the phone. His name was Giancarlo Cetrulo and he was very generous with his time explaining that the SEA Lab was a program operated by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps. The SEA Lab rescued animals caught up in the tanks at power stations and retrieved by Fish & Wildlife at the airport. I was hooked and knew I wanted to work with them. Read more>>

Rene Loya

Our story is a testament to trust, support, and the incredible power of community, with one exceptional individual at the heart of it all: Mike Hofmann. Back when our painting company was just a budding dream, brimming with enthusiasm but still finding its footing, we knew we needed that one person who’d take a chance on us despite our newcomer status. Read more>>

Robin Soulant

My very first client was through a networking group I joined. She was also a small business owner, but struggled to find the time to focus on her business and still manage her social media. I always say that networking is critical to small business success. Read more>>

Amanda Parlin

Given this business was born out of occupational therapy and grown through personal art therapy, the first time I was offered to sell creations to a public audience was mind blowing for me. A speech therapist had suggested I sign up for a local craft fair years ago and I impulsively agreed. The night before I was a ball of nerves – this is my own personal journey, who would find joy in my works? Read more>>

Vanessa Loney, CMP

When I first started out, I gave myself 6 months to land my first client or I had to get a job. I had no idea where to start, so I tried methods that seemed to work for others. I cold called and emailed my ideal clients and pitched my services. I knew after 2 weeks of rejections that that was NOT for me! It didn’t feel like I was being my authentic self, and I’m sure they could tell. Next, I thought I could create video content that would attract the ideal client TO me. I had a pretty cool opportunity to attend the NFL draft that year and recorded so much content, and I just knew this would be my big break. I looked at all that footage and felt extremely overwhelmed, because I also needed to edit it all! I quickly decided that becoming a video content creator was also NOT for me. Read more>>

Heidi Shabarek

My first dollar made was a very spontaneous and unpredictable happy day! Let’s take it back to 2017 for a bit. I’m originally from New Jersey and if you’re aware of the state, it is much more diverse there than it is here in North Carolina. Middle eastern markets and dessert shops were minutes away, so you could always satisfy any food craving of yours. When I moved to North Carolina is 2017, I found it very odd that with the substantial amount of Arabs in the community, not one person decided to open up a legitimate dessert shop. It was always little basic knick knacks here and there in some of the Middle Eastern supermarkets, however no real desserts were made fresh daily and with authenticity. This greatly affected me as I’m a sucker for sweets; it’s my sweetest addiction! I don’t drink coffee, I don’t smoke, so I always resort to some type of sweet for my daily pick me up. Realizing that most of my sweet cravings weren’t going to be met in North Carolina, I decided to resort to one of my favorite hobbies. baking! Read more>>

Kristen Owen

Our first client actually came from a Facebook post in a mom group after an Allen hail storm. What Tha Hail is the only women owned and operated hail repair company in the Dallas – Fort Worth area, and we are very proud of that! We also use that to our advantage to gain clients through our mom groups, women – owned business groups, and single females who may not be comfortable going with male – dominated companies. We are working to break the glass ceiling in our industry, and we love watching it shatter! Read more>>

Sael Bartolucci

Back in 2016 when my partner at the time, Jenna and I started House of Hiatus we knew we wanted first and foremost for the business to be wholesale. We had worked in retail both on the design and merchandising side and we knew we did not want to be a fashion brand, we were creating a platform for hotels and resorts to develop cool, comfortable and sustainable robes. This meant producing anywhere from 100 to 2000 units, depending on the size of the partner resort. We studied the hospitality business, focusing on the US market and knew we had a gold mine of resorts close by in Palm Springs, California. So once we made samples of the robes we decided to cold call hotels in Palm Springs and set up appointments with their managers and see if they were interested in the line and really to get feedback on what we were offering. In 2016 linen robes were not common, Instagram had not really take off with businesses yet nor did hotels have IG accounts, the way they do now. Read more>>

Nikki Miller

The first official client I booked was actually a referral from an organization called Be You I volunteered with. One of the coordinators referred me to her. I was excited and nervous because she was going to be photographed for the event she was attending. I wanted to make sure she was 100 percent happy when she left. We actually got on really well and she ending up coming to me about 3 more times after that. Read more>>