Getting a new buyer to trust your company is one of the hardest parts of winning business, but a recommendation from someone they already know can make that decision easier.
In fact, a LinkedIn and Ipsos’ 2026 Small Business Study found that 61% of businesses said customer or partner referrals produced closed-won deals in the previous year, while the deals that were initiated through warm introductions actually progressed 36% faster than cold outreach.
I spoke with Lemoneight Founder and CEO Claudine Pohl on the latest DesignRush Podcast about what that kind of trust can do for a business.
Lemoneight gets 100% of its work through referrals, according to Pohl. Repeat clients and recommendations have helped the company attract business across the cruise sector without having to chase every opportunity.
“We're not out there looking or asking for meetings. People are asking us for meetings.”
That is a strong position for any company to reach. So, how does a business keep growing once its reputation does much of the selling?
“Sometimes what happens in business [is], you do well, and you get comfortable.”
Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
Who Is Claudine Pohl?
Claudine Pohl is Founder and CEO of Lemoneight, a cruise tourism consulting and training company founded in 2020. Her work covers customer experience, destination promotion, training, social media, and business strategy across international markets.
Make Your Reputation Reach New Buyers
Pohl credits long-term relationships with much of Lemoneight’s success.
Its first client remains with the company today, while recommendations have introduced Lemoneight to other organizations across the cruise sector.
Strong demand, however, can make it easier to stay within familiar circles.
“Are we scaling to the level that we could? I would say no, not at this point, right?”
Pohl says opportunities can go untouched when a company becomes comfortable with where business already comes from.
DesignRush recently explored another referral-led company in Aditude’s $5M growth story.
For agencies, a strong reputation needs to be visible to buyers who have never worked with the company before.
Client recommendations, case studies, reviews, industry recognition, and places where brands compare potential partners can all give unfamiliar buyers evidence to evaluate before making contact.
That lets reputation travel further than the relationships that created it.
Protect Trust When Revenue Is on the Table
One of Pohl’s strongest examples came from Belize.
Lemoneight was offered a tourism police training project that the client wanted delivered online.
Pohl says the company needed the revenue, but she believed that format would fail to produce the result the project required.
She declined and explained why.
“Thank you for the opportunity, but we can't do it. And this is why.”
The decision produced an unexpected result.
“From saying no and doing the right thing came a huge opportunity.”
Belize later invited Lemoneight to participate in a three-year contract.
For agency owners and business leaders, accepting work that is unlikely to deliver can put both the client relationship and company reputation at risk.
Pohl learned a similar lesson after accepting a client she had never met personally. Their values did not align, and the relationship failed.
She now treats client fit as part of protecting Lemoneight’s name in the industry.
The same question exists on the buyer's side. DesignRush found that 77% of B2B buyers struggle to choose the right agency, with fit and trust playing major roles in the decision.
Check Who Is Representing Your Brand
Marketing money can be wasted even when customer demand exists.
Pohl recalls a destination investing heavily to increase its presence in another country. The person representing it locally attended the required events but was not actively finding opportunities for the destination.
“They were ticking the boxes.”
Pohl applies the same scrutiny to PR partners.
“Do they truly understand your brand? That is huge. Do they know your messaging? Do they understand your culture?”
Her point is practical for brands choosing outside support.
A polished campaign may attract views, but the people responsible for it still need to understand what the company represents, who it needs to reach, and why customers should care.
For CMOs choosing an agency, PR firm, or market representative, brand understanding deserves attention alongside experience, past work, and capability.
The full conversation goes much further.
Pohl also discusses:
- How Lemoneight reached 15 countries in its first year
- What Richard Branson told her when she worried her company might fail
- The communication problem she repeatedly sees across governments and destinations
- The most expensive leadership mistake she made while running Lemoneight
- Why she would return to LinkedIn and social media if she had to start again from zero
