Read this text by the Futur:
https://www.thefutur.com/10-things-you-should-do-now-to-get-more-clients/
If I look back at my clients. Most of them I would be able to track back to single events or persons. I can draw a node tree, that would be intricate, but with more or less no broken link.
It's all about contacts and who you know. But these contacts need to like you, and you need to be trusted to get the work.
In the 10 things sum up, there's a lot of great tips. Not just for designers, but for anyone that want an interesting work life.
So keep on gaining knowledge from different sources, and remember there's no quick fix.
And If there's anything on the list I can help with don't hesitate to contact me! :)
Photo by Andy Beales on Unsplash