How you can land clients in New York without leaving your house.

Guest Post Edition: Nicholas Cheng

A few months ago, I found myself standing at Pier Sixty in Manhattan.

DocuSign was launching a series of videos.

Eighteen, to be precise.

One of them was playing on a giant screen right in front of me.

Our team had made that video. From Singapore. 9,500 miles away.

It felt surreal — watching our work light up not just New York, but Paris, Tokyo, Singapore, and a few other cities at once.

And yet… I haven't stepped foot into most of those places.

Hey there — I’m Nicholas. Founder of Videopulse, a creative studio that makes animations for tech companies.

Also building Tracework.ai, a tool that turns workflows into ready-to-use how-to guides

Over the years, I’ve worked with brands like DocuSign, Samsung, HP, and a bunch of Y Combinator startups.

And every time I catch up with friends, they ask the same question: “How the hell did you land clients overseas without being there?”

Here’s what I learned while making it work.

Lesson 1: The "We Probably Met" Email

After big events like TechCrunch or Web Summit, I’d send cold emails. But not the usual “Hey, we haven't met, but…” kind.

Instead, I’d start with: “Following up from [event-name]…”

Most folks meet so many people at these events, they barely remember half of them. This little psychological hack made my emails feel familiar.

Open-Rates shot up. Replies felt warmer. I wasn’t lying — I was just joining the conversation where their mind already was.

Lesson 2: Sound Like You Belong

I haven't outsource my website copy. I also don’t write it like I’m pitching. I write it like I’m one of them.

How?

By hanging out where they hang out — Slack groups, webinars, even reading their favorite newsletters.

I learn their slang. The casual tone. The words they use when they’re not selling. That’s why my site doesn’t say things like “high-quality motion graphics.”

It says: “Show the world the backend work that’s been brewing.”

Simple. Punchy. Familiar.

Lesson 3: Strategic Favors — But With Purpose

Yes, I’ve taken on unpaid projects. Not just for visibility.

I created videos for Y Combinator startups, because their network is pure leverage.

That’s how I landed on DocuSign’s radar. A YC founder posted my work on LinkedIn.

DocuSign saw it. Game changed. Doing unpaid work isn’t the issue. Doing it without intention is.

Lesson 4: Niche Like Your Business Depends on It

In the beginning, I did everything — websites, social posts, logos.

It was exhausting.

Then I made a decision: Animation, and animation alone for tech companies.

That one move changed the game.

My service became sharper.

My message got clearer.

Referrals got stronger.

When you niche down, people know exactly how to introduce you.

Lesson 5: Show the Journey, Not Just the Destination

People root for stories. Not for polished LinkedIn avatars who look like they live inside a Canva template.

So I share the messy parts.

Selfies at events. That “pizza box moment” when I found out our work was going to New York.

Behind-the-scenes chaos. Because honesty beats hype.

Every time.

Btw, You don’t need a New York address to make an impact in New York. You just need to show up differently.

Through your words. Through your outreach. Through your brand. Thanks again to Shashank for letting me share this with you.

If any of this struck a chord and you'd like to swap notes, I’d love to connect.

Also, quick heads-up — if you’re done wasting hours building how-to guides or training docs, take a look at Tracework.ai.

We’re offering forever-access for early adopters.

Unlock Tracework once.
Use it forever.

Catch you around,
Nicholas

P.S. Curious about Tracework?
Take it for a spin — turn any workflow into a how-to guide in minutes.

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