How to find new clients
55 ideas + community wisdom on tactics and hacks to find your next customer as a fractional, consultant, or solo business owner
👋 Hey, it’s Shaina. I’m back for another issue of On Work, the weekly letter on independent entrepreneurship, fractional work, portfolio careers, and more.
Today, I’m sharing a big ol’ list of 50+ growth ideas to help you find new customers — including a bunch of notes from people inside the HG community and other smarties on LinkedIn.
Lastly, a big welcome to the 21 of you who subscribed since last week — Hello! Welcome in. Help me spread the word by sharing with your friends, and please say hello in the comments.
Before we jump in to today’s issue, I want to share a happy update about our new On Work pod: We launched! We’re live! We’re doing it! I’m thankful for the listeners who tuned in, offered feedback, and shared favorite takeaways.
The pod is an extension of the ideas we explore here — it’s for tech folks leaving the 9 to 5 and striking out on their own, and I’m genuinely excited to bring together the entrepreneurs, operators, and experts behind this movement.
The second episode drops next week, and it’s an interview with HG member Harry Siggins, Fractional Chief of Staff and OKR workshop facilitator — He very generously opens up about the struggles of working for yourself, and what he does to keep his head in the game. I know so many of you will relate.
If you haven’t yet, check out our first episode with Jen Burton, fractional CX leader — I’d love to hear from you on what stands out.
Now onto today’s issue.
An obvious thing to read, but a deeply true reality: the single hardest thing about being a solo business is growing your pipeline to find new customers.
So much so, that this is the number one fear I hear from people who would otherwise make the jump to work for themselves. How do I build a sustainable pipeline? How do I ensure I can meet my financial goals and not end up on the streets wishing I had my once-forlorn full-time job again?
I’ve wanted to write this guide for a while, and, admittedly, it’s just a start. I hope to make this a series, sharing the ideas and tactics that are working for you all.
I also wanted to bring in some community wisdom, so I put the ask out on LinkedIn and in the HG community — you’ll find their tips in each section.
Pre-reqs
Perhaps this is silly to say, but in order to grow your business, you need to have 1. a product or service that 2. solves a meaningful problem for 3. a particular customer. I wrote about how to get started on those 3 things in this post.
I’ll say that again: If you’re not clear on what you’re selling, what problem you solve, and who your customer is, start there, and spend time talking to people to refine this. Think of it this way: Once you know who your customer is, you’ll know how to find them online and IRL. Once you know what problem you’re solving, you can speak to those pain points clearly. It all gets easier with this clarity.
Some comfort
Because so much of working for yourself is a head game, I want to send a little love your way as you get into this guide.
At first, everyone gets existential about doing sales when they’re the product. It’s a head spinner, and can feel gross. All those all aphorisms about humility come to mind here. But, success is on the other side of the discomfort, and it does get easier with practice. Keep in mind the ol’ Spotlight Effect from high school psych class: people think about you much less than you think.
The goal is to find the channels that work for you. It’s ok if posting on LinkedIn makes you want to die a little. It’s also ok if you don’t aspire to be internet famous in any way, shape, or form. Internet fame is not a requirement. The goal is to find sustainable channels that you can commit to maintaining, and, importantly, that get you in front of your customer.
Almost without exception, the first handful of people to hire you will be people you already know, or the people that they know. The more you can face the discomfort of talking to your friends and former coworkers, sharing with them what you do, the closer you’ll be to closing a customer. I wrote about a simple approach for engaging your network here.
Coming from someone who runs an online platform for these jobs — you are unlikely to book consistent work through online platforms as they’re quite competitive. Instead, focus on building your own channels and network, and treat online platforms like sugar on top of your own strategies.
Do I really need to do this?
Maybe you’re thinking, “Shaina, I just want a full-time job break. My goal is to work 20 hours a week with a couple customers at most. I don’t think I need a pipeline, and really hate the thought of doing sales.” Erm, ok. This section is for you:
I see two extreme camps in work-for-yourself-land.
1️⃣ The first camp essentially wants to continue being an employee, just doing it for fewer hours each week on contract with one or two companies. They work for themselves to keep income coming in while they break from or opt out of full-time job stress, but don’t aspire to build an empire. This might be you, dear skeptic.
2️⃣ The second camp thinks of working for themselves as starting a business, where they build a unique offering and take it to market. They want to work hard to maximize their income, and envision a larger business in the future as a result.
Great news for First Campers: You can totally land a few clients by asking the people you know to hire you (this happens on accident all the time!). Sometimes, those clients will also refer you to your next clients without much effort, and the virtuous cycle will continue without any “pipeline building” required.
But you can guess where I’m going with this: That’s a tough fairytale to bet your personal finances on. One of those retainer customers will eventually churn, and give you a few weeks notice if you’re lucky. What happens then?
The hard truth is that you need a strong pipeline to sit in either camp.
The hard truth is that if you want to work for yourself, you have to do sales.
Here’s the approach
Finding your channels takes time to develop, and requires a scientific mindset. As you work through this list, pick a few ideas, and try forming 4 - 6 week (better 4 - 6 month) experiments, where you measure the return over time.
Seriously. Don the lab coat and get scientific so you avoid a spray and pray approach. I love how Emily Kramer of MKT1 describes it: Avoid RAM, aka “Random Acts of Marketing.” Dodge the deadly 🐑 by doing the above: think hard about where you have leverage and interest, then commit to a few experiments.
And as you’re building your experiment list, I want you to examine whats on the list using a very important filter:
👉 Ideas to get your customers to come to you (broad reaching efforts that drive inbound leads)
👈 Ideas on how you could go directly to your customers (direct outreach and sales where you contact individuals)
Of course, everyone wants the former, where your ideal customers bang down your door and demand(!) your services, but it’s slower and less predictable until you nail your channels.
No one wants to do the latter, but it is the way.
As you map out your experiments, take stock of how many are “you to them” vs “them to you.” My strong suggestion is to spend your time going to them, but a balanced list is a good worst case.
Here are the ideas
The Wingwoman: Sit down with a trusted friend, and introduce each other to people you each think the other would benefit from knowing. LinkedIn’s search feature makes it easy to target each other’s ideal customers (Click the My Network icon on the top tool bar > Connections on the left tool bar > then Search with Filters to customize).
Warm Intro Map: Use tools like Clay or Dex to map who in your network is connected to your dream clients (e.g., “RevOps leaders at B2B SaaS”). Then, DM mutuals for warm intros. Take inspo from startup founders who need warm intros to fundraise, here and here.
Get the Blurb Ready: Make asking for intros super easy with a prepared forwardable blurb on who you are, what you do, and who you help. Startups who are fundraising are masters of this, so take inspo from them here and here.
Slack Tour: Get to know everyone in community Slack groups (like OGC, Fractionals United, Fractional People People, and so many more). They’re a source of incredible peer referrals. Intentionally DM members whose services align with yours, “Hey, saw your post on [topic]…” or “I think we offer similar services, I’d love to get to know your work!”
CRM Nudge Loop: Load contacts into a free CRM like Attio, Streak, Folk, Notion, or HubSpot Starter and set a monthly reminder to check in with 5 or more people. Use tags like “warm,” “referrer,” or “founder.”
"Quarterly-ish, I send my personal contacts a very friendly check-in email. The format is really simple: I genuinely check in on them, share some updates from my end (business wins and losses, life updates), and make an ask for who they think I should talk to. Sometimes, they don't respond, which is totally fine. But most of the time, I get a bunch of new leads." — Jamie L.
“Networking with a tight pitch has gotten me the farthest. Never pitching, but leading with insightful questions is the way to convert for me. When I need to find a new client, I ping my most hyper-connected friends in network with a tight pitch with the goal being "Im exploring X (a thing I think I’m good at or the market needs), who do you know that is also working or needs help on X?" That leads to lots of intro calls with people and that usually results in a new client now or a lead for later”— Sibi M.
Post-Project Playback: After a project ends, run a quick debrief call to ask: “What part of this was most valuable to you?” Turn that into a case study or testimonial, and ask who else might benefit.
Structured Feedback: Use Tally or Typeform to create a short form asking clients for feedback + permission to feature them on your site, LinkedIn, or newsletter.
"Clone This Customer" Email: Draft an email your client can forward to a peer: “I worked with [Your Name] on [problem]. It made a big difference. Thought you might want to chat with them.” Easy to send = more likely to share.
Zapier Referral Reminder: Set up a simple Zapier automation to email past clients 60 days after a project wraps with a “referral check-in” and a small offer or update.
Referral Sprint: Offer a time-bound incentive (e.g., "Refer someone this month and I’ll give you a free session / donate to your charity of choice"). Make it feel fun and aligned with your brand.
Sneaky Social Proof: Take a screenshot of kind words from a Slack or email exchange (with permission or anonymized) and post with a short reflection on your learnings or process.
Make Them a Star: Interview your client for a mini-profile or podcast-style feature. Showcasing their work elevates your partnership and earns exposure across their network.
Stack Testimonials: Create a simple Notion page or RealNice mini-portfolio with testimonials, screenshots, and mini-case studies. Share it in your email signature and when making intros easy for others.
Video Social Proof: Use Loom to record casual, 1-min testimonials with past clients. Bonus: Ask them to post it themselves and tag you on LinkedIn for max reach.
Client Success Carousel: Turn your biggest wins into short LinkedIn carousels (great free templates in Canva) that break down the before/after. Tag the client for built-in distribution.
“Referrals have been the foundation of my growth. I started with my existing network, then expanded through their connections initially. After year 2, happy clients continue to be my best advocates, and I have strategic partnerships to expand my impact and network.” — Wendy M.
Form an Engagement Pod: Team up with friends in similar niches to engage with each other’s social posts. Use Slack or text to send out links to your posts, and then give out the love as they share theres.
“Who Should I Meet?” Post: On LinkedIn or Slack groups, post: “I’m working with startups on [X]. Who should I know in [industry/function]?” It invites intros without being salesy.
Your Top 10: Make a list of 10 people you’d love to work with, them DM them online. Reach out not to pitch, but to ask for advice on your positioning or services. Relationship leads come naturally from honest conversations.
“Day in the Life” Drops: Post 1–2x/week about what you're working on, questions you're tackling, or behind-the-scenes peeks. It builds credibility without needing to “sell.”
Build in the Open: Share how you're growing your business, results you’re getting testing offers, or framing challenges. It invites feedback and leads.
Spicy Opinion Series: Post hot takes or gentle contrarian views on how startups approach your area of expertise. Pair each with a personal anecdote or insight.
Social CTA Signature: Add a line at the bottom of your posts, “I work with [type of startup] founders on [problem]. DM me if that’s you.” Simple and effective.
Weekly Comment Ritual: Comment insightfully on 5–10 posts from your target audience each week. Become known for smart, helpful replies. Visibility = credibility.
Ask in Public, Close in Private: Post on LinkedIn: “I’m running 3 free 20-min idea clinics for founders on [topic]. Want one?” Then DM every liker/commenter with a Calendly link.
Repurpose Roulette: Use Typefully, Taplio, or FeedHive to turn one piece of content into 5 formats (LinkedIn post, Twitter thread, newsletter intro, short clip, etc.).
Carousel Club: Make educational LinkedIn carousels in Canva every other week, like “3 Ops Mistakes Seed Founders Make.”
“I focus entirely on LinkedIn as my primary platform because it helps me stay top of mind, share insights, and build direct relationships with the founders and operators I love working with. No marketing to date outside of a straightforward website.” — Wendy M.
“My favorite thought leadership/content system is to commit to creating one long-form piece per month (like a newsletter) and repurpose that into short-form posts for the LinkedIn feed. This way you're sharing deeper insights that are related (strategically), which helps your referral partners remember you for the problem you solve.
And you never have to bang your head off the keyboard wondering what to write again!” — Angie J.
Pitch Posted Jobs on Fractional: Search job boards like Wellfound or Remote OK for fractional or interim role postings. Even if it’s full-time, reach out to offer fractional help while they search, or pitch them on why your fractional work is better than hiring full-time.
“Saw This, Thought of You” Angle: Send a DM or email referencing something they recently posted or a news item that ties into your area. Make it relevant, not random.
Mini Audit Gift: Send a personalized Loom or email pointing out 1–2 quick wins or observations for their startup — no ask. Just, “If this is helpful, let me know. I do this for early-stage teams.”
Niche Founder Lists: Build (and share!) a curated list of niche founders you admire in a vertical. It gives you a reason to DM: “I featured you in this. Thought you’d dig it.”
The “I’d Love Your POV” Ask: Reach out for input instead of pitching. Example: “I’m evolving my offer for early-stage founders. Would love to hear how you think about [problem].”
Cold DM > Cold Email: DM hirers on Twitter or LinkedIn instead of emailing. Keep it light: “Saw you’re growing [X]. I help early teams with [Y]. Happy to trade notes if helpful.”
Hyper-Custom Loom Drop: Use Loom to send 1–2 min personalized teardowns of their onboarding flow, LinkedIn presence, or GTM playbook. The tone matters a lot here, so keep it positive and outcome focused — you’re on their team and you want them to win! End with “If you'd want help solving this, happy to talk.”
Classic DM Drip: Use LinkedIn Sales Nav + Phantombuster or Clay to find relevant leads, then add to a lightweight drip sequence with a human-sounding touchpoint every 2–3 weeks.
Product Hunt Lead Listening: Watch for Product Hunt launches in your niche. Comment insightfully or DM founders: “Loved your launch! If you're thinking about [X problem], I help teams like yours with [Y].”
“I’ve gotten several gigs by bypassing FTE job descriptions and pitching the company directly - one just recently via Indeed. It’s a nice way to circumvent the cold call. It’s warmer because you know they need someone like you!” — Sarah D.
“I stumbled into fractional work by accident. After a much-needed sabbatical and some time abroad, I let the wave of tech layoffs spook me into re-entering the job market earlier than planned. I wasn’t quite ready, but the absence of a safety net will do that.
I started applying for full-time roles and kept making it to the second or third round before hitting a hiring freeze, losing out to other candidates, or, my personal favorite, getting ghosted (only to find out later that the hiring manager had been laid off too).
Eventually, I stopped waiting. I reached back out to a handful of companies that had rejected me and said: While I’m not joining your team, I’d still love to help solve some of the challenges we discussed. Here’s how I can support you—and here are my rates.
To my surprise, despite the layoffs, a few said yes.
That’s how I started building my fractional pipeline, by turning “no’s” into “not yets” and offering a path forward anyway. What did I have to lose?” — Kyra S.
Build Relationships with Funds: VCs and Accelerators are always looking for trusted resources for their portfolio companies. Build organic, genuine relationships with teams you can help.
Partnered AMA: Co-host an Ask Me Anything with a tool, investor, or community that already serves your ideal customer. You get their reach, they get your credibility.
Pay for PR: Test out PR as a strategy by joining pay-to-participate communities like Dreamers and Doers.
DIY PR: Use Muck Rack, HARO, or Help a B2B Writer to find journalists looking for startup experts. Offer insights tied to your function, not your service.
Lightning Talk Tour: Offer to give a 10-min tactical talk in founder communities, niche Slack groups, or accelerators (like Indie Hackers, On Deck, SaaS Camp, Startup Core Strengths or Femstreet to name just a few). These communities rely on trust, so get to know organizers organically before you make your pitch.
Newsletter Swap: Find an adjacent solo consultant or creator with a small audience and do a one-time cross-promotion. You feature them, they feature you.
Newsletter Tour: Offer guest content for niche Substacks and newsletters. Use their audience to earn trust fast.
Podcast Pop-In: Pitch to be a guest not on big-name shows, but on niche podcasts for founders in your niche. Prep 2–3 unique, practical ideas no one else is sharing.
“A fave of mine is to follow VCs, funds, accelerators whose portcos you are interested in, and when they announce a milestone for that portco (a new raise, big customer, partnership, etc) you connect with and message the C-level person who would hire you, congratulating them on that milestone and asking if they need specific help (only you can give) on navigating this next phase. Anticipate a problem they will likely have with this new stage, and be clear about how you can solve that problem. TL;DR -- do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good -- test things out, get out there.” — Meg S.
Be Google-Able: Publish 3–5 pages or blog posts with titles like: “Fractional [Role] for Seed-Stage Startups” or “[Function] Strategy Template for Founders.” Even 1–2 leads a year from SEO is worth it.
Create a Framework: Define a named framework or method (“The 4C Ops Sprint” or “Founder’s Funnel Formula”). You get credibility + something to publish + it’ll be memorable.
Whisperer Status: Be active in online groups where founders vent or ask for help (like r/startups, Twitter/X, niche Slack groups). Don’t pitch. Just drop good advice consistently.
“I volunteer at events that target my ideal client profile, particularly at check-in tables. It's a great way to support the ecosystem while connecting with people, and continuing to have my name and face in front of folks who need me! It usually affords me a free ticket to the event, which helps keep networking costs down. I have one tomorrow, they were begging for volunteers for a very popular tech "unconference" that sells out so fast they release tickets in batches. I get an automatic in because of my 2 hour volunteer shift!” — Kaitlin S.
“Fractional is still a relatively new concept for many businesses, and there’s often an education curve around what it actually means and how it can be integrated into an existing team.
In my experience, none of my clients came to me specifically looking for a “fractional” role. They were looking for help with a service or a problem, but through conversation, it became clear what they really needed was senior-level marketing leadership to help them scale. Fractional ended up being the perfect fit for where they were in their business journey.” — Pauline M.
Whew! And there you have it. The first in a hopefully continuous installment of ideas to find new clients. I can’t wait to hear what stands out, or what I missed, in the comments. Happy pipeline building!
Before we head out, some shameless plugs. If you’re into the ideas I write about, here’s a few ways for us to work together:
Want 1:1 time with me to talk about building your independent work? I’ll show up judgement free and candid, and make this hour a super valuable one for you. You can read more and book that here.
Are you a startup who’s curious about fractional hiring? Check out Hello Generalist, or book a call with me here.
Are you a startup operations pro who wants to join HG’s network? We’re on a waitlist at the moment, but welcome your application.
And check out the On Work Podcast to hear from other independent workers — you can subscribe on Spotify and YouTube.
Be well! Until next week, Shaina
Super super list here ! Sharing
This is such a great list Shaina I’ve shared it with everyone who recently pinged me to ask about fractional and part time work :) thanks for sharing, you’ve got some awesome and generous content! I’m Pointing everyone to this substack for advice.