I've been seriously trying to land my first paying AI automation client for about a month now. A little about me: 9 years in IT, from QA Engineer to Head of QA. Now I'm building AI automations with n8n, APIs, and Claude. Here's what I've tried so far: 🔹 Upwork — Sending 1–2 proposals a day, $40/hr, Freelancer Plus. Had a Rising Talent badge. Still no client. 🔹 Fiverr — Just getting started. Not sure whether offering cheap services to get the first reviews is a smart move. 🔹 LinkedIn — Connecting with business owners, asking about their processes and what they'd like to automate. Some really interesting conversations! 🔹 Networking — Talking to local business owners, getting introductions, meeting people. Lots of "sounds interesting, let's stay in touch." But nothing paid yet. I'm learning a lot, but sometimes it feels like I'm doing everything except the one thing that matters -- getting a client. 😂 So I have a question for those who've already made it past this stage: Where did your FIRST paying client actually come from? Was it Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, networking, referrals, or something completely different? And what made the difference? A better portfolio? Lower prices? A free demo? Just talking to more people? I'd genuinely love to hear your stories, especially if you started from zero without an existing audience or connections. 👍 Give this a like if you're also struggling to find your first clients. At least we'll know we're not alone! 😄 And if you've already figured it out, please share what worked. Your experience might save someone months of trial and error. 🙌