Starting together
Collaborate well.Protect your name.
You do not need clients to refer. If you want to work with Julian, notice the real problem, ask a clear question, and follow through. This is how a good collaboration starts.
The one sentence to remember
“Call Julian when you need a custom tool or web app built. He does the technical work. I stay on the relationship.”
01 · Spot the signals
Owners rarely say “we need software.” Listen for this instead.
Signal 01
The spreadsheet everyone emails around
A shared file that three people edit, with a version called FINAL_v7. That is an internal tool waiting to happen.
Signal 02
Copying data between systems by hand
Someone retypes orders from email into accounting, or exports from one tool to import into another every Friday.
Signal 03
Software they pay for and work around
They rent a platform that does 70% of what they need and fill the gap with sticky notes and workarounds.
Signal 04
A customer experience that feels behind
Clients still book by phone, sign paper forms, or chase status updates by email when a simple portal would do.
Signal 05
Growth that is creating chaos
They hired three people this year and the processes that worked for five no longer work for twelve.
Signal 06
A quote that scared them off
They asked a large agency once, got a six-figure proposal, and shelved the idea. Right-sized work may fit.
02 · Start the conversation
Four moves, each with words you can borrow.
Adapt these to your own voice. The point is the shape of the conversation, not the exact wording.
Move 01
Ask, don't pitch
Open with a question about their week, not a description of the service. The best referrals start with the owner describing a problem.
Try saying "What's the most annoying manual thing your team still does every week?"
Move 02
Name the pattern back
When they describe a problem, reflect it in plain words. It shows you listened and makes the next step feel natural.
Try saying "So every order gets typed in twice, once in email and once in the books. That sounds like the kind of thing a small custom tool could fix."
Move 03
Offer a low-stakes call
Suggest a short conversation, not a project. Nobody is being asked to buy anything on the first call.
Try saying "I work with a developer, Julian, who builds exactly this kind of thing for small companies. Would a 30-minute call be useful? No commitment, he'll just tell you honestly if it's worth doing."
Move 04
Make the introduction warm
Send one short email to both of you with the context, so Julian arrives already understanding the problem.
Try saying "Julian, meet Sam, who runs a 12-person logistics firm. Their order entry is done twice by hand. Sam, Julian builds custom tools for businesses like yours. I'll let you two find a time; I'll join."
03 · Handle objections
What owners say, and honest ways to answer.
You never need to argue. Most objections are questions, and the honest answer is usually the persuasive one.
"We can't afford custom software."
Many owners picture a large-agency price. Julian scopes to the problem, often starting with the single most painful workflow. The first call is free and he will say plainly if the numbers don't make sense.
"We already pay for software that does this."
Sometimes the right answer is connecting what they already own rather than replacing it. Julian will recommend the smallest change that solves the problem, including no change at all.
"Now isn't a good time."
Respect it and ask when would be. Put the date in your calendar and follow up then. Most first deals take two to three months of conversation, and that is normal.
"What happens if the developer disappears?"
A fair question. The contract, code ownership, documentation, and handover terms are in the proposal, in writing, before anyone pays anything.
"Why are you involved?"
Tell the truth: you are paid a share if they become a client. Honesty here builds more trust than any pitch, and it is how this partnership is meant to work.
04 · Follow up
A cadence that's persistent without being pushy.
- 1
Same day
Send the warm introduction email to both people, with the problem stated in one sentence.
- 2
Day 3
If no time is booked, a light nudge offering two specific slots.
- 3
After the call
A short thank-you and a note on what happens next and when.
- 4
Proposal day
Check the owner received it and ask if anything was unclear.
- 5
Day 7 after
One follow-up on the proposal. Then leave it for the date they gave you.
05 · Dos and don'ts
The rules that keep your reputation intact.
Always
- Say you are paid a share if they become a client.
- Bring Julian in before discussing anything technical.
- Write down the date an owner asked you to follow up.
- Tell Julian what you know about the business before the call.
Never
- Promise prices, timelines, or features before Julian has scoped the work.
- Contact people who have not agreed to hear from you.
- Present yourself as the developer or as an employee of the practice.
- Pressure anyone. A good referral should feel like a favor to them.
Grow together, Earn together
Ready to name your first three?
Tell Julian what you want to make together. You do not need clients to refer. It takes about ten minutes.