The Palmsun Block Swap: How Sharing Career Staples Built a New Graduate's First Client Roster
You finished your degree, updated your LinkedIn, and sent out fifty cold emails. Crickets. The first client feels mythical when you have no portfolio, no referrals, and no network. This guide introduces the Palmsun Block Swap, a structured method where new graduates trade career staples—skills, templates, time, or introductions—with peers and mentors to build a tangible client roster. We walk through the decision framework every new graduate faces, compare three common approaches, and provide concrete criteria for choosing the right path. Who Should Choose the Block Swap—and By When The decision to use a block swap isn't automatic. It fits a specific window in your career transition. The core question is: Do I have something valuable to trade right now, even if I have no paid clients? Most new graduates underestimate what they already own.