So I've had a few people ask me to opine on how to find your first client when you set out on your own.
My initial inclination was "people aren't going to want to hear this," which means it's probably rife for:
A thread.
My initial inclination was "people aren't going to want to hear this," which means it's probably rife for:
A thread.
Let me start by talking about my first client when I set out on my own.
"Corey, I have this problem. You know how to fix problems like this. You just left your job; you've probably got some spare cycles. What do you say?"
In a very real sense, my first client found me.
"Corey, I have this problem. You know how to fix problems like this. You just left your job; you've probably got some spare cycles. What do you say?"
In a very real sense, my first client found me.
In time, that first client and I kept hiring each other back and forth for a bunch of things, until it got to the point where we were just passing $X000 back and forth.
It just got silly, I asked @mike_julian to run my company, and here we are today.
It just got silly, I asked @mike_julian to run my company, and here we are today.
My point is that your first clients are going to come from your friends / professional network. If you don't have an offering that one of those folks is going to pay you for, the rest is basically just theorizing.
You don't need a website, a business card, arguably even an LLC (once you land your first client you can set one of these up within days). None of them will help you sell your offering to people, and that's the single thing that defines success in business from failure.
An undying truism is that people do business with their friends. These are people predisposed to like you, to advocate for you, to throw you money even when you can't articulate exactly what it is you'll do for them.
If you can't sell them, you can't sell anyone.
If you can't sell them, you can't sell anyone.
"Isn't this based on privilege in having a network that extends to people who are in a position to buy?"
You're damned right it is. But that's also why I talk so persistently about doing favors for people whenever you can. That's where your network will come from.
You're damned right it is. But that's also why I talk so persistently about doing favors for people whenever you can. That's where your network will come from.
"Alone, broke, and friendless" is no way to start a business. Get a job; it's worlds easier.
I inadvertently planted the seeds for the Duckbill Group by spending years doing favors for folks. When the time came to sell services, my first five clients were friends.
I inadvertently planted the seeds for the Duckbill Group by spending years doing favors for folks. When the time came to sell services, my first five clients were friends.
Today most of our clients I only know tangentially at best. But it takes a long time and a string of successes to get there.
There are certainly other ways--but this is the way I've found that worked for me.
There are certainly other ways--but this is the way I've found that worked for me.
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