One of the best-kept secrets to gaining new business is giving back to the businesses you want to work for—without them even asking. Last year, I stumbled upon a soccer tournament where various clothing brands played against each other. You’d think these competing businesses wouldn’t get along, but every year, they set aside business and have an absolute blast in a friendly competition.

While walking my dog last year, I photographed the event and shared the photos that same night. Unexpectedly, those photos brought me a few new clients in the following months, just when I really needed it. This year, I happened to be in town again and knew I wanted to return and photograph it for an hour or so.

As I’ve said before, community is everything, but finding communities to photograph can be a huge challenge. My advice is to get out of your apartment as much as possible. It’s incredible what you’ll see happening out in the real world, and it’s a great opportunity to meet people who might need your services.