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.

Tanisha Taylor

Every entrepreneur remembers the first time they earned revenue from a client outside their network. For Tanisha Taylor, that milestone was not just a paycheck but a testament to the power of connection, persistence, and purpose.
Landing the First Client: A Story of Initiative and Innovation
Tanisha’s journey to securing her first major client is a masterclass in networking and resourcefulness. Her breakthrough came through a Business Network International (BNI) invitation that led her to the Cleveland Rotary Club. There, she met a key connection who invited her to an open house at Cleveland Job Corps, an organization that supports young adults aged 18 to 24. Read more>>

Austin Starks

For context, I’m a technical founder and software engineer. I always thought that once you released a good product and make a post about it on LinkedIn, people would flock to see how cool the app you made was. This isn’t true.

I released my platform NexusTrade, and quite literally nobody cared. And when I say nobody, I mean nobody, including friends, family, co-workers, nobody.  Read more>>

Ken’ja Pharr

The story of acquiring my first client outside of my immediate network was a significant milestone in my business journey. It was a student from my campus, but from an entirely different field of study. What made it even more remarkable was that she was willing to travel 20 to 30 minutes to reach me. I remember feeling incredibly grateful and excited—this was my first earned $35 from a client beyond my personal connections. Read more>>

Ted Harrington

ISE was born out of a PhD research project at Johns Hopkins in 2005, sparked by a challenge that security researchers and hackers alike find irresistible: something labeled as “unhackable.” At the time, car manufacturers relied on a system called the car immobilizer to prevent vehicle theft. This system worked by establishing a cryptographic handshake between the car’s onboard computer and a tiny chip embedded in the key. If the chip’s response was correct, the engine would start; if not, the system would “immobilize” the vehicle, making traditional mechanical key copying obsolete. Read more>>

Stephanie Moon

Thinking about to my first client, it really all came back to personal relationships. Steph Moon Co is a book marketing + consulting business. I help authors + publishers reach more of their ideal readers so that they can sell more books. Before I started my own business, I worked in Traditional Publishing for over 12 years.

Over that time, I had built up a network of old colleagues and people I had gotten to know over the years. When I first started my business, I was determined to reconnect with them and let them know that I had started my own business and that getting author’s stories into more readers hands was my goal! Read more>>

Glenys Yevi

Getting your first client is always the hardest task for any business. This can be even more challenging regarding modeling: it is a highly competitive market where your portfolio is key to getting you your next booking. Because of this building trust within the creative community and a tight-knit network was key. Read more>>

Mynka Morris

I still remember the exact moment I realized my styling business had reached beyond my city. Up until then, most of my clients had been local—women in Los Angeles and nearby areas. But when I relaunched my services to offer virtual styling, I had no idea just how far my reach could go. Read more>>

Jesilyn Fiel Kamminga

Moving to Texas was a fresh start in so many ways- new city, new people, & the challenge of rebuilding my clientele from scratch. I had spent 12 years of perfecting my craft, co-owning a nail salon for 5 years with my mother in law, and transforming thousands of nails. But now, I was in a place where no one knew me, and I had to prove myself over again. Read more>>

Korto Roberts

My first client was my older sister Helen Roberts. Matter of fact it is because of her Handbykolin LLC is created in the first place. My older sister gives me full permission to start learning makeup on me. I learned how to do makeup by watching YouTube during COVID.

My first dollar my business made was $100 from seling my lipgloss. I was suprise people was actually buying my products I made. I remember telling my family what I made back in profit snd was excited to share with them. Read more>>