All About Signing My First Client
I almost didn’t write this.
Not because it wasn’t worth sharing, but because the moment didn’t feel big enough. There wasn’t some dramatic announcement, no flood of Instagram followers, and certainly no inbox filled with inquiries. It came quietly, with a DM, a deep exhale, and a cookie from Crumbl. But it marked the start of something real…the moment I signed my first client.
Burned Before the Breakthrough
I spent months building my agency with intention. I was carefully packaging my offers, designing my processes, and trying to speak directly to the people I wanted to serve. So when a prospective client reached out before I had even officially launched, excited and ready, I was so hopeful. She was warm, enthusiastic, and a woman I was excited to work with. We met. We talked through her goals. I sent her a proposal. We signed a contract. She requested a modified payment plan, and I accommodated it.
And then… silence.
Weeks passed, and eventually she let me know she couldn’t move forward. The timing wasn’t right. The investment was too much. She apologized. I understood. But I was disappointed. More than that, I was shaken! The doubt crept in faster than I expected. I started questioning everything—my prices, my positioning, even my skill. Who was I to charge this much? What if no one ever said yes? What if I’d built all of this for nothing?
The Message That Changed Everything
Not long after, an old friend from my first admissions job reached out. He’d seen what I posted about Eddie’s brand and asked about my services. I felt the same flutter of excitement. But this time, it came with caution. We talked through what he needed, settled on a package, signed the contract, and I sent the invoice.
And again… nothing.
At first.
I braced myself for the same outcome. Told myself not to get my hopes up. Focused my energy elsewhere. I went back to refining my digital product, worked on building out a new client outreach strategy, and tried to release the outcome.
Then one night, while watching TV, I got a text: a screenshot of his paid invoice.
I stared at it, blinking, grinning, not fully believing it. He paid. He followed through. And just like that, something inside me shifted. Not everything, but enough.
The Clarity That Comes from Doing
That project didn’t just affirm my ability to sign a client. It affirmed my decision to build this agency in the first place. As I worked on his social strategy and brand voice, I kept thinking, I DO this. This is what I do. And it felt easy in the best way—the natural, aligned, creatively energized kind of way. I’d originally assumed brand identity would be my primary service. But this project helped me see the power and potential of my social media offerings. It clarified who I serve, what I love to do, and where I shine.
It didn’t radically shift my identity. It simply confirmed it. I didn’t need to overhaul my pricing or my process. I just needed to trust it long enough to see it work.
The Advice I’d Give
If you’re still waiting to sign your first client, here’s what I’d offer:
Don’t rely on one lead. Reach out to several people at once.
Follow up. Don’t sit in ambiguity or silence.
Show your work. The more visible you are, the more confident you become, and the more trust you build with the people watching.
Most importantly, keep going. The doubt is loud, but it doesn’t have to lead.
Small Celebration, Big Shift
I didn’t throw a party. But I did thank God. I told my husband. I bought myself a Crumbl cookie. And I quietly held onto the feeling that something had begun. I was already working on the next offer, still refining how I describe what I do, still thinking through how to make this sustainable. But in that moment, I paused long enough to recognize the milestone.
The payment wasn’t just money in an account. It was confirmation. Of my calling. Of my clarity. Of everything I’ve been building behind the scenes.
If you’re building something of your own—an offer, a brand, a business—don’t underestimate the power of starting small. Stay visible. Stay steady. Keep making, refining, and believing. The “yes” you’ve been waiting for might already be on its way.
