7 Contrarian Ways to Get Clients (While Everyone Else Wastes Time Networking)

Everyone says getting clients means:
→ More coffee meetings
→ Bigger networking events
→ Higher post volume

But here’s what actually works: contrast, not volume.

The seven moves below got me to multi-seven-figures without paid ads, traditional networking events, or templated cold-call scripts.
They work because they flip the traditional client-chasing dynamic entirely.

1. The Exclusivity Playbook

Contrarian Twist
I tell founders: “Canva can do more for you than I can — yet.”

I’ve said: “Don’t hire me. Save the money. Run a quick test first.”

And I mean it — I only work with experienced founders, strong engineers, and cap myself at a handful of active clients.

Psychology Behind It

Exclusivity works because scarcity triggers desire.
People want what not everyone can have — especially when the gatekeeper seems trustworthy.

Impact Snapshot
When I capped my roster, inbound inquiries went up.
One founder said, “That Canva line pissed me off, but it made me realize we weren’t ready.”
Another said, “You’re the only designer who didn’t just take our money.”

Action Step
Tell one prospect why they shouldn’t hire you yet.
Add one clear “Who this isn’t for” line to your site or deck.

2. Radical Transparency

Contrarian Twist
I’ve told founders: “You’re too early. You don’t know your customers yet. I can help you talk to them, but you should validate your idea first.”

Psychology Behind It
Transparency builds trust faster than persuasion.
People trust you more when you clearly show what you won’t do.

Impact Snapshot
That founder came back three months later and signed a $45K project.
Radical honesty doesn’t repel serious clients — it filters for them.

Action Step
On your next call, name one limitation before the client does.
You’ll be surprised how often that earns respect.

3. Anti-Networking: Host, Don’t Attend

Contrarian Twist
I don’t do mixers or conferences. I do dinner tables.

Instead of attending 20 events to be “visible,” I host one intimate dinner every quarter — Afterwork — with six carefully chosen people. No panels. No pitches. Just dinner.

Psychology Behind It
When you host, you control the room — the guest list, the tone, the memory.
You become the signal, not the noise.
People hire peers, not pitchers. Hosting flips you from consumer to connector.

Impact Snapshot
One parent-chat at school drop-off turned into a project a week later.
A dinner party I hosted led to three long-term retainers over 18 months.

Action Step
Stop waiting for invites. Host one small dinner this month (5–6 people).
Join one non-business group where you can meet people naturally.
Make it about conversation, not conversion.

The next three moves shift from positioning to execution:

4. Rejection Therapy: Cold Outreach With Audacity

Contrarian Twist
When I wanted to break into crypto, I didn’t send polished pitch decks.

I researched seven founders I knew were actively hiring designers, then sent blunt DMs about how broken their crypto UX was—no portfolio attached.

Most ignored me. One replied.
It turned into a $160K project.

Psychology Behind It
Audacity cuts through noise. Polish blends in.
When you lead with insight instead of credentials, you position yourself as a peer solving their problem, not a vendor chasing their budget.

Impact Snapshot
Most wins come after the third or fifth touch.
That crypto founder didn’t respond until my second message — where I sent a specific teardown of their product.

Action Step
Find 5 founders in your niche this week.
Send one short note identifying a specific problem in their product.
Follow up once with a concrete idea to fix it:

“Noticed your onboarding has a 3-step verification flow that likely kills 40% of signups. Worth a 15-minute chat to walk through a simpler version?”

5. Slaughter Sacred Cows

Contrarian Twist
I’ve told plenty of founders: “Don’t waste money on branding yet — nail product-market fit first.”
I’ve even referred them to cheaper designers.

Psychology Behind It
Contrarian honesty positions you as the guide, not the vendor.
You don’t lose trust by saying no — you build it.

Impact Snapshot
One of those teams later got into YC.
They still send me projects today.

Action Step
Pick one “sacred cow” in your field.
Share your contrarian stance — with evidence.

6. Ego Is Expensive

Contrarian Twist
The worst projects I’ve taken were ego deals.
Shiny logos. Fancy names. Every one went sideways.

Psychology Behind It
Ego blinds you to red flags.
The best deals feed your purpose, not your pride.

Impact Snapshot
One “dream project” ended with 12 months of chasing invoices.
I’ve since made more money — and slept better — working with founders I actually like.

Action Step
Review your pipeline.
Cross out one ego-bait deal. Don’t pay the ego tax.

7. Give It Away

Contrarian Twist
Most fractionals guard their time.
I give a lot of it away.

If it’s faster to do it than explain it, I’ll just do it.
It creates momentum — and reputation.

Psychology Behind It
Generosity compounds.
Each act plants seeds that grow into reputation, referrals, and reach.

Impact Snapshot
Free favors have turned into five-figure projects.
You can’t predict which ones — but they always circle back.

Action Step
This week, do one thing for free that genuinely helps someone in your orbit.
No scorekeeping. Just curiosity.

Why This Actually Works

Each move flips the traditional supply-demand dynamic:
Exclusivity builds desire.
Transparency builds trust.
Generosity builds gravity.

In a crowded fractional market:
When everyone chases → don’t chase.
When everyone hides weakness → show it.
When everyone networks → anti-network.
When everyone wants logos → let them pay the ego tax.
When everyone attends → host instead.

Different wins.

The Bottom Line

These moves work — but only if you’ve got the substance behind them.

Tactics like scarcity and authority open the door.

What gets you invited inside is

• Years of pattern-recognition and craft

• A reputation that precedes the DM

• A network that trusts you’ll deliver

• A market tailwind you didn’t invent — just timed right

So no, the playbook isn’t bullshit.

It’s just 30% of the story — the loud part.

The quiet 70% is what you’ve been building for 15 years—in my case: leading design at Wealthsimple, shipping AI products, and working with early-stage companies since 2010.

Thanks for reading!
Gev

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