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.

Ali Fitzpatrick

Most of my first clients actually were friends or referrals of friends, and they paid me in full. Those were my first dollars earned in my coaching business, and they felt incredibly meaningful. Read More>>

Dani Perez

I originally came from Colombia to do a Master’s degree in 2015, which I completed in 2016. After that, I started looking for jobs, but due to my work visa situation at the time, it was difficult to find something. To get by, I began working in restaurants. Read More>>

Deidra Alexander

I got my first client by sending out a text to let people know I had officially become a travel advisor. My former cubicle mate from a previous job reached out and became my very first client. She booked a three-day Royal Caribbean cruise, and I was beyond excited—especially since I had only been a travel advisor for a few days at that point. Read More>>

Camille Only1 Only1Camille

Fashion was never just something I wore it was something I lived daily. I’ve always loved creating my own look, mixing pieces, telling stories through clothes. As a result, my closet was overflowing with garments, shoes, and accessories collected over time, each one holding possibility. One day, a model friend invited me to help her on a photoshoot. Read More>>

DeTonia Gooden

My first client came about through somewhat unconventional ways. I applied for a position at a non-profit, Markle Foundation, and the hiring manager, Alexandra Peterson, thought I was overqualified for the position and that I wouldn’t have lasted because I would have gotten bored with the work. Read More>>

Jade Pruett

I guess my first client found me. I wasn’t looking to start a business. I was actually pretty against starting a business. But one day in 2020, a web developer reached out on LinkedIn on behalf of an attorney he worked for. Read More>>

Henry DeVries

In 2001 I formed a company called the New Client Marketing Institute. I taught people who sold expertise—professional service firms, management consultants and agency owners—how to generate right fit leads through writing and speaking. I taught 31 key strategies and one was write the right book. Read More>>

Melissa Miller

I love telling the story of starting to build my clientele from the beginning. When I started my business, I had the usual family and friends who hired me, and I was thankful for those who took a chance on me! After awhile, I started calling local charity organizations and non-profits and asking if they had hosted a gala with a silent auction. Read More>>

Jessica Stasik

By the time I photographed my first client I didn’t personally know, I had already been in business for about three years. I spent that time learning, practicing, and building my skills by photographing friends and family, treating it seriously long before it ever paid me. In 2015, things shifted. Read More>>

Laurie Lamson

I was living in San Francisco, starting to transition out of a full-time video producer job, and had just produced a short film I also wrote and directed. Having made my own film and supported corporate clients with their video scripts, I was feeling more confident in my writing, and a friend suggested I start a sole prop to offer scriptwriting services. Read More>>

Shenel Rimando

The first client I had that was not someone I knew was from someone who messaged me on Facebook. I joined a group called “Ask a Local”. Someone was looking for a licensed massage therapist who did mobile massage. I provided my service menu and the client booked with me the next day. Putting yourself out there and not coming across as too pushy attracts the clients you want. Read More>>