How we landed one of our biggest clients?

Not through cold calls, proactive pitches, PR, or schmoozing.
But by hiring a bright intern and good karma.

In the first year of starting my tech-powered digital agency, we made what some would call an odd decision: we took on an intern.
Most early start-ups are in survival mode, laser-focused on keeping the lights on. Training someone who might move on in a few months might feel like a luxury.

But even in the early days, it felt important to “pay it forward” to the next generation.

So we took on a business grad student who worked part-time while finishing her post-grad degree. She was curious, engaged, and very bright. A joy to have on the team.

After a few months, she graduated and landed a spot on prestigious graduate training program at a global CPG giant. We wished her well, proud to have been part of her early journey.

Fast forward nine months.
She called me. Thriving in her new role, she said her boss had an unusual digital marketing challenge and asked if we’d like to pitch.

We jumped on a plane.
Had the meeting.
Pitched.
A few weeks later, the call came: we’d won.

That opened the door for us to one of the biggest marketing spenders in the country. We did standout work, built our reputation inside the business, and soon became the go-to digital agency for the whole company and across many well-known brands.

All because we gave someone an opportunity to work and learn with us.

The lesson for leaders and founders?
Believe in karma and remember it’s a small, small world.
Opportunities given have a way of circling back. Not always, not predictably but often in ways you’d never imagine.

And it goes deeper than that.

Not only is it the right thing to do, but the people who pass through your business will carry the experience with them. How you treat them shapes your reputation just as much as how you treat your clients or the press.

Investing in people is the right thing to do and it’s smart leadership. The returns show up in ways money can’t buy: advocacy, loyalty, unexpected doors opening.

That’s why, in my coaching, I often ask founders to zoom out. Instead of only asking, “What can this person do for us right now?” ask:

·       “What could grow from giving them a chance?”

·       “What’s the story they’ll tell about us when they leave?”

·       “Who gave you a leg up early in your career and what do you still carry from that experience?”

Because the truth is: How you treat people isn’t just about decency in the moment. It shapes the stories they carry forward.  And those stories become part of your reputation for years to come.

💡 How do you think about opportunities you can offer early-career talent?
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👉 Want to build a business that attracts great clients and great talent, not just for today but for years ahead?
Book a free discovery session.  Just DM me, or visit my website (link in the comments below).