Just landed a new client to help activate a workflow on n8n. But instead of being a simple job of activating a template he found on n8n… It turned out to be, “hey can we change this and add this?” So in the end, we went from “just activate this workflow” to “I need to build out extra workflows and create new logic for things to work.” Here’s the thing: I know the deal is dead. Because if I don’t 100% satisfy him, I’ll get a 1–4 star rating, and anything besides 5 stars is bad on Upwork. I don’t want to risk my score, so instead of continuing, I dropped the project and handed over the work I already did so he can keep at it. But the lesson I’ve learned is this: it’s so important to have repeat customers and 5-star ratings. If it’s not possible, it’s best to drop out right away. Because one-off customers or constantly getting new customers is not a great place to be. The goal should be to have people return. Which is why when one of my earlier clients came back and said, “hey I have another project,” I knew I did a good job. Because I didn’t need to sell him on working with me, he simply asked for help. So for me, the goal is: how many people can return for a second round or even more after the first project? Because at that point, it’s easy money.

Client 1: Closed in 2 weeks. Everything felt magical. Client 2: Took 6 weeks. Three discovery calls. Almost gave up. Nobody warns you about this. THE FIRST CLIENT ADVANTAGE: Beginner energy. Desperate for first win. Try everything. You DM 50 people. Join 20 groups. Comment everywhere. Hustle hard. First client comes from sheer volume. THE SECOND CLIENT PROBLEM: After first win, energy drops. "I know what I'm doing now. Next one will be easier." It's not. You get picky. "This lead isn't perfect." "Wrong industry." "Budget seems low." Stop hustling. Start overthinking. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME: Client 1 (Week 2): Invoice automation, $1,200 Weeks 3-8: Nothing Client 2 (Week 9): Form processing, $1,500 6-week gap. Thought I broke something. THE REAL ISSUE: Week 3-4: Delivered client 1, took break Week 5-6: "Started looking" but not seriously Week 7-8: Finally got desperate, hustled hard Week 9: Closed client 2 Pattern clear - hustle produces results. Coasting produces nothing. THE FIX: PIPELINE DISCIPLINE. Don't stop prospecting after closing. Even with active client, spend 1 hour daily on outreach: - 5 LinkedIn DMs - 3 Facebook group comments - 2 community engagement posts - 1 new connection made Keep pipeline full while delivering. THE COMPOUND EFFECT: Month 1: Hustle → Close client 1 Month 2: Deliver client 1 + hustle → Close client 2 Month 3: Deliver client 2 + hustle → Close clients 3 and 4 Momentum builds only if you don't stop. MY CURRENT ROUTINE: Morning: 30 min client work Mid-day: 1 hour prospecting (always) Afternoon: Building/delivering Evening: Content/community Prospecting time is sacred. Non-negotiable. CLIENT ACQUISITION MATH: 10 outreach messages → 2 responses → 1 call → 0.3 clients (30% close rate) Need 3 clients monthly? 100 messages = 5 daily Need 5 clients monthly? 170 messages = 8 daily Math doesn't lie. Volume produces results. THE SECOND CLIENT MINDSET: First client proves you CAN do it. Second client proves it wasn't luck.

6 months in. Time for honest update. THE NUMBERS: Active clients: 5 Monthly recurring revenue: $3,200 Setup revenue (total): $8,400 Hours per week: 20 Hourly rate: $40/hour (ongoing) Not quitting my day job yet. But real progress. THE BREAKDOWN: Client 1: $200/month (invoice automation) Client 2: $300/month (invoice + form automation) Client 3: $250/month (invoice automation) Client 4: $400/month (invoice + data sync) Client 5: $300/month (invoice automation) Plus scattered one-time setup projects. THE TIMELINE: Month 1: Built samples, no clients Month 2: First client closed ($1,200) Month 3: Clients 2 & 3 ($2,600 total) Month 4: Client 4 ($1,400) Month 5: Client 5 ($1,500) Month 6: Focus on delivery, no new clients THE WINS: ✅ Proven I can get clients ✅ All 5 clients still active ✅ Built template library ✅ Positive cash flow ✅ Learning constantly THE MISTAKES: ❌ Overbuilt first 2 clients (wasted time) ❌ Undercharged clients 1 & 3 ❌ Didn't ask for referrals early enough ❌ No systematic outreach (inconsistent pipeline) ❌ Said yes to one bad client (fired them) THE HONEST STRUGGLES: Some weeks: No new leads, scared Some clients: Unclear needs, frustrating Some builds: Took 3x longer than quoted Imposter syndrome: Still hitting hard THE UNEXPECTED POSITIVES: Client relationships: Actually enjoy them Problem solving: So satisfying when it works Learning curve: Faster than expected Flexibility: Work when/where I want THE TOOL COSTS: Make.com: $47/month PDF Vector: $97/month (Pro plan for all clients) Airtable: Free tier Notion: Free tier Total: $144/month Margin: $3,056/month (after tools) THE HOURLY REALITY: $3,200/month ÷ 80 hours = $40/hour Not amazing. But: - Working 20 hours/week (not 40) - Learning valuable skills - Building asset (recurring revenue) - Room to scale THE NEXT 6 MONTHS: Goal: 10 clients, $6,000 MRR Strategy: Systematic LinkedIn outreach, referrals Pricing: Increase to $1,800-2,200 setups Second service: Add data syncing to upsell existing clients