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.

Stacy Paul

Well, 12 years ago photography found me, and I found Kortney. I was just starting out and admittedly didn’t know anything about anything, with one exception: I KNEW that I was NOT going to photograph weddings. The thought of botching someone’s wedding gave me palpitations. I’m talking day drinking 2 bottles of wine type anxiety. Weddings were for people who knew camera stuff, and wedding stuff, and all the stuff. Not me. Read more>>

Nikki Jones

In the process of me trying to build my personal brand I did a lot of research and outsourcing. I was trying to find the right aesthetic, the right vibe, I even felt like I needed a logo. Once I decided I needed a logo to represent me and my personal brand, I went to a freelance website I came across to look for someone to who could possibly create a logo for me. That website was called Fiverr. It’s a freelance website that pretty much anybody could sign up for (for free) and offer their services to others. I had used this site pretty frequently. Once I decided I wanted to start being consistent with creating content and growing as an influencer, the idea popped in my mind to offer services to promote other peoples products and or create UGC (user generated content). Read more>>

Rachel Jimenez

My first job in fitness happened on a whim and actually didn’t last very long. I had just recently changed my major from dance to exercise science, so my school schedule had opened up for the semester. I, being the “I’m used to being super busy” person that I am, immediately hunted for a job to fill the time I used to spend in dance classes. Since I was an exercise science major (although not in the program yet), I figured working in a gym was the best thing to do. Little did I know what being a personal trainer actually entailed. Read more>>

Alicia McIntosh

I had no idea what was next after graduating from university, but I knew after three years of babysitting that it was time to move on. I was on LinkedIn searching for career opportunities, and there was an open house for Equinox Personal Trainers. A hiring manager contacted me the year before and told me to stay tuned in after graduating, so I followed every Equinox manager I knew. The open house was the next day, so I went. They were hiring a handful of people for the four locations. I was so nervous for so many reasons. I didn’t feel prepared or as adequate as the other candidates. That morning I played DR Eric Thomas and got myself in the frame of mind to be HIRED! I showed up confidently when it was time to introduce myself to the group. I stood up nervously. Read more>>

Lainie Maroulis

Im Lainie Maroulis and I’ve been doing photography for 5+ years. Starting out wasn’t easy there was a lot more that went into having my first client and building my own business than I thought. The first step was getting a portfolio of my work so that my future clients could see my work. Building my portfolio was fun for me! I would bring my camera anywhere and everywhere to capture any moment. After I had taken classes and built a portfolio next was the big step, how to take my business to the next level. That next step was charging people for my service’s which I did not want to do it sounded way to scary. Read more>>

Lizbeth Hita

I grew up in a hair salon watching my grandmother and mother become amazing stylist and care for their guest but nothing truly prepares you for the rush, excitement, fear that comes with getting your first paying costumer. Now, up to his point I had been blessed to do some shadow work with a great local stylist after I got done with beauty school and later assist my mom on weekends till I had my license but after a few sessions and my license at the salon I truly felt ready to start taking guest. I remember that morning perfectly, I remember preparing everything for a cut and the stylist at the salon encouraging me. I was so nervous but I started the consultation and i guess the nerves got the best out of me I forgot to put on the cutting cape. Read more>>

Alyssa Ortiz

My first cookie order as a business was for a friend for some comical bachelorette party cookies. This was my first order that was going to be presented to strangers, so I was nervous since most of my feedback had previously came from friends and family. But it was at that same bachelorette party that I was able to gain my first customer that was not a friend or family member. I was not present for this party, but my work was. I remember my friend who brought the cookies to the party texting me to tell me how much everyone loved the cookies and that she would be giving them my contact info. So to go from doing work for friends, to having someone new reach out and tell me “I saw your cookies at this party and I’d love to buy some for an upcoming baby shower” was so exciting for me! It was validating to know my work could speak for itself. Read more>>

Amira Hadla

It all started when I was quarantining few years ago. I was baking non-stop at home. One day I decided to post a insta story of my banana bread, a nice person watching my stories from Texas asked me If those were for sale and shipping. I told him: “not really but I could actually try to”. He said: “I would like to order one please” He’s still my client and is a really nice supporter. Read more>>

Jacy Dawn Valeras

My very first client was my favorite songwriter, Kelly Lang. I had gone to see her perform at a local venue here in Nashville and introduced myself to her. I noticed that some of her online content wasn’t as strong as I thought it could be and I offered to help her revise it. That led to me designing her album covers, website, social media content and everything she needed to promote her thriving career. My work with her started landing in magazines like Billboard and little by little, other artists began reaching out to work with me. Without Kelly’s initial belief in me and my work right from the start, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to launch my own business. Read more>>

BRANDI COOPER

When you pick up a camera and decide that this is what you wanna do you start with your close friends and family. That’s what I did and I shot everyone and everything.

Tyemerica Gbandawa

Prior to me starting Kocktail Kulture, I would let people know that I would soon start a mobile bartending school, where I would travel around to different locations to educate people on the proper way to bartend. Nine people were eagerly waiting for me to start teaching. The day came to announce the first upcoming class. I reached back out to those nine individuals via social media, offered them a discount, and sent them the link to sign up for class. Of the nine, one signed up—-Maria. Read more>>

Britini Baker

Suprisingly enough, I recieved my first client when I decorated for my cousin’s wedding. At the time, I hadn’t started Blown Away Designs yet. See I’ve always been crafty and I was decorating her wedding and the pure grounds of us just being family. A guest at her wedding really loved what I did and she wanted me to decorate for her wedding as well. I agreed and it took off from there. 6 years ago, you wouldn’t have convinced me that I would own a balloon design and rental business. Read more>>

Braxton Simpson

I absolutely love this question! My senior year at Tennessee State University, I decided to officially launch Braxton Simpson Enterprises, LLC., because I knew I had the gift of brand development. Whether it be through social media services, supporting individuals in creating community on and off- line, or through career development. My first client was the author of “The Not So Buttoned Up Approach” by Chandria Harris! This was such a fun and unique opportunity because it allowed me to build a strategic social media plan for the launch of her book. Read more>>

Anthony Tucker Jr.

About 2 years ago I got friend requested by a music artist that goes by the name Tashá (Ra’Desha Stoudmire) from Orrville, Ohio. We shared a few messages and I listened to her music and that’s when I decided that I wanted to work with her if she let me. Unfortunately at that time she wasn’t able to pay what I was looking for but I wasn’t worried about the money. We struck a deal and I made my way down to shoot our first video together to her song “Grinder”. After that video we clicked and have been working together for the last two years. I vlog while she’s recording in the studio, to her performances, and events that her team G.N.S. Entertainment puts on. With the help of her I have been able to gain more music artist such as LowkeyT, Rolling Sloan, Soba Cree and many others. Read more>>

Aleah Hosea

I worked at a Restaurant in Montgomery AL, called Wishbone Cafe the owner Paul Dallas gave me an opportunity to show case my art on the walls of restaurant. My first client was a local who visited the restaurant and was just in aw of one of my paintings. I felt so blessed, humble and excited that someone seen beauty in my art and understood what was delivered! Read more>>

Alyssa Esquitin

My very first client I got was through social media. I knew that the best ways to market was gonna be social media and of course word to mouth. Since I was very new I started with a $100 special for the first month. I learned that Instagram has a way to market within the platform and it only cost a few dollars to do a small promotion. I think I did $5 for 1 day of advertising and later that day I got a notification on my Square app that had a confirmation of an appointment and that’s how I got my very first client. Read more>>

Jim Buffington

I met a Bridges To Life staff member who invited me to attend a Bridges To Life graduation ceremony at the end of the 14 week restorative justice program in a prison. I then started as a crime victim speaker volunteer at Bridges To Life in 2004 inside prisons sharing the details of my story of my mother being murdered and my father being convicted of the crime of Capital Murder and sentenced to the Death penalty. My perspective of being both the son of a victim and and the son of an offender provides a connection to both sides of crime. Read more>>

Caitlin Self

When you’re inexperienced in a new field, especially in my field, it’s who you know, it’s what you know, it’s a lot of saying yes to things, and it’s a big fat piece of good luck. My first job in the field was a long time coming, as I’ve written about on my blog, it took me a year from completing my master’s and 6 months after licensure to get my first job. This was tough for me. Read more>>

Mystkue Woods

If I has to choose my first “job” in this field, I would definitely have to say it started on the campus of Towson University. Believe it or not, there was a time when I did not even know or had ever heard of the term Sexologist. I was a sophomore fellowshipping with friends I had begun to build a life-long bond in the Black Student Union office which we affectionately referred to as the BSU. My good friend, a brother of mine, said to me “Aye Sis, you’re good at this, you should be a Sexologist!” I thought is was crazy because I had never heard of the term, nor did I know that it was lucrative. Read more>>

Stephanie Dasher

Five years ago, like many Veterans, my husband was suffering from PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and it was controlling our life. At that time, I was afraid to leave him home alone for fear of what I might come home to. He tried a lot of different therapies, including some experimental ones, without a lot of success. Then, one day, a therapist mentioned Warrior Surf to him, and he, in turn, mentioned it to me. I told him, “I’m signing us up.” His reply was, “Absolutely not.” So, naturally, I signed us up. Straight away, from the moment we landed on the beach, he hated every second of it. He hated all the Veterans; he hated Andy the founder and Greg and anyone that talked to him. Read more>>

Ashley Johnson

I believe that getting your first client or first few clients is probably the most difficult part of starting a new business. Going from “zero to one” is uncomfortable because the question you have to answer is, “how do I get someone to give me a chance?” How will you get someone to believe in you? My advice as a business owner of 16 years is to start by paying your dues. The way I paid my dues was by working as a fitness instructor at a local gym. When I invested my time and energy into another similar business, I was able to get the experience and knowledge I needed to do the job I wanted to do for a living. Read more>>

Holli Bell-Tells

I got my first client through social media. A week after I made my Facebook and Instagram business page, I received a email from someone who ran across my pages on both social media platforms. I read the email, replied to the email, but I forgot to hit send on the email. It was around eleven o’clock the following night the same customer inboxed me on Facebook asking if I had gotten the email she sent. I replied and apologized for not actually sending the email reply back to her. That same night I sent her a full detailed quote and deposit information. She immediately paid the deposit and I added her to my calendar. That was my first catering booking as well as my first traveling catering service I provided. I was so shocked and amazed at how fast everything happened with her trusting me to caterer for her in her home without any prior tastings of my food. I’ve catered a total of three times for her since and each time is fast, well-planned and executed successfully. Read more>>