A few days ago in Abu Dhabi, I attended two events, the Bridge Summit and the Global AI Show, held from 8 to 10 December.
I met many interesting people there. Founders, consultants, creators, and entrepreneurs from different backgrounds. There were no long pitches or formal meetings for me. Most of the good conversations happened over coffee or while walking between sessions.
In one of these casual conversations, someone asked me a very simple question.
“How do you find clients..?”
That question made me smile, because it reminded me of how much my journey has changed.
There was a time when I was actively looking for clients.
- Sending messages/ emails.
- Following up again and again.
- Trying hard to explain my work and prove my value.
That phase was not easy, but it was necessary.
That phase taught me a lot more than I expected. It taught me patience when things were slow and replies did not come. It taught me how to communicate clearly and confidently with people I had never met before. Most importantly, it showed me how valuable trust really is. It also taught me how to accept rejection without taking it personally, how to learn from it, and how to keep moving forward without losing belief in myself.
In that phase, I learned something important.
A “NO” is not always a rejection of you, most of the time, it simply means "Next Opportunity.
Every rejection helped me improve. It made me clearer. More confident. More focused.
Today, the answer to that question is very different.
“I do not pitch for clients anymore. I do not chase them. Now, clients reach out to me.”
They usually come after seeing my work in different places. Some have read my writing. Some have watched my content. Some have heard about me through a shared connection or a simple recommendation. Over time, they see consistency and clarity. When they finally reach out, the conversation feels different. There is respect from the start, clear expectations, and very little need to convince. Instead of selling, both sides focus on understanding and fit.
And at this stage, you also become more selective. You start thinking about alignment, not just money. You think about long term value. Sometimes you say yes with confidence. Sometimes you politely say sorry.
This change did not happen overnight. It started when I stopped trying to sell myself and began sharing what I was actually learning along the way.
I talked about real experiences, real lessons, and even the mistakes that did not work. That honesty slowly built trust, and trust changed everything.
I have shared this before and I believe in it deeply.
I do not attend networking events with the intention of finding clients. I go to build connections, to learn from others, to listen to different perspectives, and to share experiences without pressure.
Clients are not the goal.
Trust is the goal.
Clients are the result.
If you are still in the phase of finding clients, do not feel discouraged.
That phase is not a weakness. It is where your foundation is built. This is the time to learn deeply, to improve your skills, and to become genuinely useful to others. Focus on earning trust before asking for anything. Share what you know, show how you work, and let people see your consistency over time.
Keep showing up, even when the results feel small. Keep communicating with honesty. Keep building relationships instead of transactions. Slowly, people will start noticing your work, remembering your name, and recommending you without you asking.
If you stay consistent, the question will change on its own. One day, you will stop asking how to find clients and start thinking about who you should work with next.
I share these lessons through my writing and my work, not as theory but as lived experience. If you are walking a similar path and want clarity, perspective, or guidance along the way, you already know where to find me. 🙂