Podcast Summary: Grow Your Local Business

Host: Leslie Presnall
Episode: 5 Things You Don’t Need to Get Your First Local Clients
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is all about eliminating the obstacles that keep new local business owners from landing their first clients. Leslie Presnall, a local marketing expert and life coach, breaks down the five most common things entrepreneurs mistakenly believe they “need” to start getting local clients. With honesty and plenty of personal experience, Leslie explains why these things are not necessary—and what to focus on instead—encouraging listeners to embrace a simple, action-oriented approach.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Ready” Trap and Taking Action First

• Leslie emphasizes how new business owners overcomplicate getting clients by investing time in unnecessary prep work.
• The core message: Meeting people and telling them about your business is the simplest and most effective way to start.
• Many delay action because they feel they have to look polished or have everything in place, but this actually prevents them from making money.

  “Anything else is overcomplicating it in the beginning.” [03:50]

2. Personal Story – Learning Through Experience

• Leslie recounts her own early mistake: designing tote bags for a big event, only to realize she spent more time perfecting tote bags than promoting the event itself.

  “I spent all of my time and energy doing that and my money when I could have just been out marketing.” [07:02]

• The lesson: Don’t get caught up mimicking bigger, more established businesses—just start connecting locally.

The 5 Things You Don’t Need to Land Your First Local Clients

1. A Website

• Not necessary for your first clients; a website is a “nice to have” that can come later.
• Many spend months working on their website instead of meeting people.
• Leslie advises using a Google Doc as a stand-in website—just something simple to share your info.
  • Student example: Chelsea, a doula, used a flyer with a QR code directing to a Google Doc, landing her first client this way.

    “Her Google Doc was her stand-in website. It was the fastest way that she could just get something up and ready.” [14:25]

• Website never feels “done”—don’t let it be a reason to delay.
  • Story of a yoga studio owner overwhelmed by her website; launched with what she had.

    “If you spend all this time on your website, you’re going to end up opening an empty yoga studio but have a finished website.” [18:50]

2. Business Cards

• Business cards are not required for networking or landing clients.
• Leslie’s approach: Get email addresses and send an email on the spot for instant connection.

  • “I open up my email app, type in their email, send them a quick message while I’m standing there. ... So they do actually have my contact and I do that with the email.” [22:51]

• Business cards get lost or become outdated—keeping things digital is faster and more effective.
• Leslie admits she has never had business cards for her coaching business.

3. Professional Branding Photos

• While nice, professional branding photos shouldn’t delay your business launch.
• Many wait to launch until after a photo shoot; Leslie encourages starting first, photos can be added later.

  “You have my permission to open, to be marketing, to get clients without the photo shoot.” [27:02]

4. Branded Email Address

• A professional email (e.g., hello@yourbusiness.com) is not needed at the start.
• Leslie used a Gmail address for years—even after growing a six-figure coaching business.

  • “In the beginning of my coaching business, I was like, I can either spend time figuring out how to get a branded email address … or I can meet people and tell them how I can help them.” [29:40]

• She only recently switched to a branded email as her business expanded.

5. Social Media

• Social media is not a requirement for your first clients.
• Leslie has students who build their business entirely offline.

  • “All marketing works. ... I see so many business owners starting social media accounts early on, and they get caught up in the branding, in the fonts, in the logo, in the branded photo shoots, anything and everything that can slow them down.” [32:11]

• First clients often come from real-life networking, referrals, friends, and family, not just online.
• Social media is a powerful free tool, but shouldn’t be the first obstacle in your path.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Overcomplicating the Start:

  “We get distracted by projects and things and we stop meeting people, we stop marketing, we stop being visible. So then we stop making money.” [02:45]

• Personal Example—The Tote Bags:

  “I ended up keeping them in my closet for, like, seven years. When we moved in 2020, we used them to pack our stuff.” [06:41]

• On Delaying for the Website:

  “A website is never done. ... You're always going to want to be changing your messaging or what this page says or that headline.” [15:40]

• On Business Cards:

  “Business cards end up in the bottom of your bag or you lose them, you never see them again.” [24:41]

• The Permission Slip:

  “You have my permission to open, to be marketing, to get clients without the photo shoot.” [27:02]

• On Branded Emails:

  “No one ever said anything to me. No one ever said that it seemed unprofessional. No one ever questioned why I was using a random Gmail account.” [30:10]

Actionable Takeaways

• Focus on meeting people and telling them about your business—avoid getting trapped behind the scenes working on non-essential assets.
• The first clients do not require perfection or polish; they require action and visibility.
• Use simple, free tools (Google Docs, direct emails) as quick stand-ins for “official” assets if needed.
• Don’t let branding or professional details stand in the way of reaching real people.

Recap (44:08)

• The five things you do NOT need to get your first local clients:
  1. Website
  2. Business Cards
  3. Professional Photos
  4. Branded Email Address
  5. Social Media

“They are all nice to have... but the real point here and the real takeaway: We never want to go behind the scenes, working on the back end of our business for too long where we aren’t just front facing and out there meeting real local people.” [40:40]

Final Note

Leslie invites listeners to join the LocalPreneur Academy for a step-by-step actionable local marketing plan, emphasizing that business growth comes from consistent visibility, connecting with real people, and taking simple, immediate actions.

For those starting a local business: Skip perfection, start connecting today, and focus on becoming visible in your community. Success comes from action, not assets.