I closed my first Australian client in a supermarket.
When I moved to Australia, I was on a student visa with strict work limits.
I couldn’t take office jobs or marketing roles, so I had to settle for odd jobs to survive and pay my tuition while I studied for my master’s.
One day, a small business owner came by to offer wine and cider samples. He imported drinks from Europe. My manager asked me to help him set up in the bottle shop.
While we were setting up his stand, I asked him about his business: how he started, what he sold, and why he chose this path.
I was genuinely interested, and the conversation flowed from there.
Then he asked about me.
I told him I was a marketer, but because of my visa restrictions, I was working shifts to get by. He understood. He was an immigrant too, and he respected the hustle.
So I said, “If you ever need help with your marketing, happy to share a few ideas.”
He replied, “Actually, that would be great. We’re about to launch a new website and could use some help on the digital side of things.”
A few months later, he invited me for coffee. We agreed to work together, and he became my first client in Australia.
This was around eight years ago. And here’s why I’m sharing it with you:
It’s not easy to establish credibility when you’re standing in a supermarket aisle with a name tag pinned to your chest. The odds of anyone taking a marketing pitch seriously in that moment are close to zero.
But people don’t always care about any of that.
Some care more about intent, hunger, and work ethic.
That client didn’t care that I wasn’t in an office or had a fancy title. He cared that I showed interest, had skills, and was willing to help.
Credibility matters, but it shouldn’t be the reason you avoid taking your shot.
You can’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect positioning, or the perfect version of yourself. You have to start where you are, with whatever you’ve got, even if your environment doesn’t align with what you envision for yourself.
You will hear more nos than yeses, but that’s how it works. Even $100M brands get more rejection than approval. It’s just the nature of the game.
You still need to take the shot.
If I could close a deal as an immigrant in a supermarket aisle, what’s stopping you?
In fact, reply to this email and pitch your product or service.
Even if you don’t sell anything, reply and introduce yourself.
Until next time, keep creating!
Omara
