What I Learned Working With My First 10 Clients

Nobody tells you how messy the first few clients actually are. There's no playbook for the moment a client asks you to do something completely outside the scope, or when you realize you've been undercharging by half, or when you have to decide whether a relationship that's paying the bills is worth the stress it's causing.

These are the things I learned the hard way. And honestly, I'm still learning.

Lesson 1: You Will Underprice Yourself. Accept It, Then Fix It.

When I started taking on clients, I had no idea what to charge. I'd look at what other people were charging, cut it in half because I figured I didn't have enough experience to justify more, and then wonder why I was working 60-hour weeks barely breaking even.

Here's the thing about pricing: if you're winning almost every deal, you're too cheap. A healthy close rate is around 25-33%. If you're closing 80-90% of your proposals, you're not pricing based on value. You're pricing based on fear.

It took me longer than I'd like to admit to learn that. The fix wasn't just raising prices. It was understanding what I was actually delivering. When you shift from selling hours to selling outcomes, the pricing conversation changes entirely.

Lesson 2: Scope Creep Will Eat You Alive If You Let It

Early on, I said yes to everything. A client would ask for "one more thing" and I'd do it because I wanted to be accommodating. I wanted them to like working with me. I wanted to prove I was worth it.

What I didn't realize was that every "quick favor" was training clients to expect free work. And the more I gave, the more they expected.

The solution wasn't becoming rigid or difficult. It was getting better at defining what's included upfront and having honest conversations when requests go beyond that. The best client relationships I've had are the ones with the clearest boundaries. Not because boundaries are cold, but because they create space for trust.

Lesson 3: Not Every Client Is Your Client

This was probably the hardest lesson. When you're starting out, every client feels essential. Every dollar matters. So you take on work that doesn't align with your strengths, for people whose communication style drains you, in industries you have no interest in.

I learned to look for red flags early:

• They negotiate aggressively on price before understanding the value
• They can't articulate what success looks like
• They want everything but commit to nothing
• They treat you like a vendor, not a partner

Saying no to a paying client when you're early-stage feels terrifying. But the opportunity cost of a bad client is enormous. They take up the time, energy, and headspace that should be going toward work that actually moves your business forward.

Lesson 4: Communication Is the Whole Game

The technical skills, the strategies, the creative work, all of that matters. But the thing that separates a good client experience from a bad one is almost always communication.

I learned to over-communicate. Not in a neurotic way, but in a way that makes clients feel like they're never in the dark. Weekly updates. Clear timelines. Honest conversations when something isn't working.

The clients I've kept the longest aren't the ones I delivered the flashiest results for. They're the ones who felt heard, respected, and informed throughout the process.

Lesson 5: Your Early Clients Shape Your Entire Business

Looking back, the first 10 clients didn't just pay the bills. They shaped the direction of the company.

Working with automotive dealerships taught me how to market in traditional industries that resist change. Working with dental offices taught me the importance of local SEO and reputation management. Working with e-commerce clients during COVID taught me scalable systems. These experiences also shaped how I think about startup marketing spend today.

Every one of those experiences became part of the foundation we built Olunix on. The industries have changed, we predominantly work with AI startups now, but the principles haven't.

Your early clients are your education. Treat them that way. Learn everything you can from every engagement, even the ones that go sideways. Especially the ones that go sideways.

Lesson 6: The Transition From Doing to Leading

There's a moment every agency owner hits where you realize you can't do everything yourself. For me, it happened when I was writing copy at 2 AM on a Tuesday for the third week in a row.

The shift from doer to leader is uncomfortable. You go from being the person who touches every deliverable to the person who builds systems so other people can deliver. It feels like giving up control. It feels risky.

But it's the only way to build something bigger than yourself. And the sooner you make that shift, the sooner your business stops being a glorified freelance operation and starts being an actual company.

What I'd Tell Someone Starting Today

Start with what's in front of you. Help the people in your immediate circle. Charge more than you think you should. Set boundaries early. Say no to work that doesn't feel right, even when you need the money. And document everything, because the lessons from your first 10 clients will inform the next 100.

- MM