Abi Hill Interview on Why Visibility is the Secret to Winning First Customers

Abi Hill is the founder of Just Starting Out, a UK platform designed to help new business owners gain visibility, build trust, and secure their first customers. Through several years of entrepreneur and consumer research, she has explored the growing gap between talent and opportunity, particularly during a challenging economic period where many aspiring founders struggle to gain traction despite having valuable skills and services to offer.

Known for her people-first approach to entrepreneurship, Abi speaks openly about the realities of starting a business from the ground up, the importance of confidence and visibility, and why trust has become one of the most valuable currencies in modern business. Her work focuses on helping early-stage professionals compete more fairly in a crowded digital landscape while also connecting consumers with more affordable services.

In this interview, Abi shares her perspective on the hidden barriers facing new businesses, the mistakes many founders make when chasing their first customers, and why consistency and human connection still matter more than hype.

Abi Hill, Entrepreneur, Mentor & Coach

What first made you realise that talented people were being held back simply because they were just starting out?

What first made me realise it was seeing how often ability and opportunity simply didn’t match. Over the last few years, I have spoken to well over a thousand people across the UK who were trying to build something of their own, and a pattern kept repeating itself… Some of the most capable people I met were struggling to gain traction, not because they lacked skill, but because they lacked visibility, confidence, experience, or somebody willing to give them an initial chance.

I remember sitting outside my daughter’s football club one evening, trying to find a photographer online, and realising how difficult it was for newer professionals to even appear credible beside long-established businesses with years of reviews and marketing behind them. Around the same time, I also saw friends delaying services they genuinely needed because of rising living costs. It made me realise there was a gap between talented people trying to get started and customers searching for more affordable options.

That was really the beginning of Just Starting Out. I wanted to create something that gave newer business owners a fairer starting point, because everybody has to start somewhere.

From mentoring founders, what usually matters more in the early days, skill, confidence, or visibility?

All three matter, but if I had to choose one, I would probably say visibility. The difficult reality is that people cannot support a business they don’t know exists. I have met incredibly skilled individuals who quietly disappear because they never put themselves forward, and I have also seen less experienced people gain momentum simply because they consistently showed up and made themselves visible.

That said, confidence plays a huge role too, especially in the early days. Many founders assume confidence arrives before action, when in reality it usually develops because of action. Your first customer, first testimonial, first recommendation, and first small win all start building belief over time. Most people are far more capable than they realise, but starting out can feel incredibly exposing, particularly in today’s online world where we constantly compare and despair.

Skill is obviously important because you still need to deliver a good service, but I think many talented people underestimate how much trust and familiarity influence buying decisions. People often choose the business they feel most comfortable with, not necessarily the one with the flashiest logo or long list of accolades. That’s why building visibility and genuine human connection matter so much in the beginning.

What are the biggest mistakes new businesses make when trying to win their first paying customers?

One of the biggest mistakes is trying to look “perfect” before taking action. I think social media and modern business culture have created this pressure for everything to appear fully polished from day one, but in reality, most successful businesses evolve publicly over time. Many new founders spend months overthinking logos, websites, colours, and tiny details, while avoiding the one thing that really moves a business forward, which is speaking to real people.

Another common mistake is trying to appeal to everybody. In the beginning, clarity matters far more than scale. Customers need to quickly understand what you do, who you help, and why they should trust you. If your message is too broad, people just move on.

I also think many businesses underestimate the importance of consistency. Early momentum rarely comes from one big breakthrough. It comes from repeatedly showing up, responding professionally, asking for reviews, improving gradually, and building trust one interaction at a time. Some people give up too early because they assume silence means failure, when really it usually means the market has not discovered them yet.

Why do you think getting started has become one of the most expensive stages of building a business?

One of the biggest reasons is that entrepreneurship has become heavily commercialised. New business owners are constantly being told they need premium branding, expensive software, paid advertising, subscriptions, coaching programmes, professional content, and a 10/10 online presence before they are even “ready” to begin. For a lot of people, that creates the impression that starting a business requires significant money upfront, which can be incredibly discouraging.

At the same time, we are operating in a difficult economic climate where living costs are already stretching people financially. Many aspiring founders are trying to build businesses alongside full-time jobs, parenting responsibilities, or financial uncertainty. The pressure of funding a business while trying to maintain everyday life has become very real.

What concerns me is that talented people are sometimes being priced out of opportunity before they even begin. Some of the best entrepreneurs are practical, resourceful people who simply need visibility and a fair first chance, not thousands of pounds worth of marketing. I actually think many successful businesses start through momentum rather than money. Confidence, consistency, relationships, and reputation can often carry someone much further than an expensive launch ever will.

How can customers tell the difference between genuine businesses and empty hype in today’s crowded market?

Customers have become far more intuitive than many businesses realise. People can usually sense when something feels authentic versus overly manufactured. In today’s market, there is a huge amount of noise, but trust is still built through relatively simple things: honesty, consistency, communication, and proof that somebody genuinely cares about the service they provide.

One of the clearest signs of a genuine business is transparency. Real businesses are usually comfortable showing the person behind the brand, explaining their process, responding promptly, and building relationships over time rather than relying purely on hype or exaggerated promises. Customer reviews, recommendations, and word of mouth remain incredibly powerful as they provide reassurance that somebody else has already had a positive experience.

At Just Starting Out Ltd, one thing we talk about a lot is that trust is often built through tiny signals. Turning up when you say you will, communicating properly, being open to feedback, and treating people respectfully all genuinely matter. It’s also something we try to convey to customers… A professional gardener who is just starting out is unlikely to arrive in a brand-new van with a polished logo and premium equipment. It’s more likely they’ll rock up in an old Ford Transit with tools they have gradually collected from friends, family, or Facebook Marketplace. But they will show up, they will work hard, and they will be trying to build something better for themselves and their future.

What practical steps can someone take this month if they want to grow with almost no budget?

The first step is to stop underestimating the value of consistency. Many people believe growth only comes through large advertising budgets, when in reality some of the strongest early momentum comes from repeatedly showing up and building trust over time. If somebody has almost no budget this month, I would focus on visibility, relationships, and reputation before anything else.

Start by making it very clear what you do and who you help. A simple, honest message is far more effective than trying to sound overly corporate. We are living in a time where emotional intelligence and consumer awareness are incredibly high. Whether somebody is naturally confident (has the gift of the gab), or not, people can usually sense authenticity - and equally, they can sense when something feels forced or insincere.

Then begin talking to people, whether that is through local community groups, LinkedIn, recommendations, networking, or simply even just asking existing contacts to share your work.

I would also encourage people to document their journey instead of waiting until everything feels perfect. Share progress, lessons, behind-the-scenes moments, and customer feedback. Real people buy into real life. What’s your ‘why’? Why did you decide to start this business?

Most importantly, focus on building credibility one small step at a time. One good review, one returning customer, or one genuine recommendation can create momentum that money alone cannot buy.

How do standards and trust help smaller businesses compete with bigger, more established brands?

Smaller businesses often assume they are at a disadvantage because they do not have the marketing budgets, recognition, or infrastructure of larger brands, but trust can be an enormous equaliser. In many cases, customers are not simply looking for the biggest company. They are looking for somebody eho genuinely cares about the outcome, regardless of everything else.

That is where standards become so important. Simple things like being transparent about pricing, presenting yourself professionally, and delivering good service all build credibility over time. Customers remember how a business makes them feel, and smaller businesses often have the advantage of being able to create more personal and human relationships.

I recently had a window cleaner knock on my door who was very clearly trying to build business. I knew this because my windows had only been cleaned the previous week. But I thought about Just Starting Out, our wider mission, and the importance of giving people an opportunity, so I decided to give him a chance.

What followed was one of the most sincere conversations I have had with a business owner in a long time. The job itself turned into a discussion about his life, how redundancy and a relationship breakdown had forced him to return to the UK and effectively start over. I still remember him saying, ‘I literally had nothing, and decided windows was a way forward.’

I think stories like that are important because they remind us that any business is human. Behind many smaller businesses is somebody rebuilding, adapting, surviving, or trying to create a better future. Customers understand that more than we realise.

I also think modern consumers are becoming more conscious about where they spend their money. Many people actively want to support independent businesses, local professionals, and newer entrepreneurs, particularly when they feel there is authenticity behind the brand.

At Just Starting Out, we strongly believe that trust should not be reserved only for businesses that have existed the longest. Newer businesses can absolutely compete, (and nail it), when they combine skill with professionalism.

Your mantra is, “If you want to make waves, pack a swimsuit.” How has that mindset shaped your own journey?

That phrase has stayed with me as it’s really about accepting that growth often requires discomfort, and you don;t know what to expect with change. A lot of people want success, visibility, or momentum, but naturally hesitate when those things involve risk, uncertainty, criticism, or vulnerability. Building a business has taught me that you can’t create meaningful movement while remaining completely comfortable on the shoreline.

There’s a huge difference between hope and faith. If you hope it will rain, you might look out of the window. If you have faith it will rain then you’ll take an umbrella with you if you go out.

There have been many moments throughout my own journey where I have felt unsure, underprepared, or completely overwhelmed, particularly while co-building Just Starting Out from the ground up. When you are creating something from scratch, there is no roadmap! You are constantly learning from mistakes and making decisions in real time. I think many founders quietly carry a lot of this pressure.

At the same time, some of the best opportunities in my career have happened because I was willing to step forward before feeling fully ready. Press features, partnerships, awards, and conversations with incredible people all came from taking action despite uncertainty.

For me, the mantra is really a reminder that courage is rarely the absence of fear. More often, it’s the decision to move anyway.

If one person reading this has been waiting to launch, what would you tell them today?

I would tell them to do it! Aim for 8/10… The other 2 will come in time and can’t be rushed.

Waiting to feel completely ready is often what keeps people stuck. Businesses aren’t built by people who had everything perfectly figured out from the beginning. They’re built by ordinary people who decided to just start.

I think we sometimes underestimate how much growth happens through the process itself. Your first customer teaches you something. Your first mistake teaches you something. Your first difficult conversation, review, rejection, or success all shape you into a stronger business owner over time. Confidence is never something people start with.

I would also remind people to be themselves. You do not need to imitate somebody else’s personality, lifestyle, or version of success to build something meaningful. Some of the most respected business owners that I’ve met simply thrive on treating people well.

Lastly, do not allow fear of starting imperfectly to eat you up and convince you not to start at all. Everybody you admire once had a first day too!

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