Apply for sponsorship coaching: https://go.creatorwizard.com/ytcoaching

Secure a last-minute ticket to Sponsor Games (Mar 15-18): https://www.sponsorgames.com/

I’m $20K in the red on my upcoming live event, Sponsor Games, and you're about to watch me pitch a brand deal in real time to close the gap.

This episode pulls back the curtain on a real negotiation with Haley Janicek, Head of Creator Community at Kit. Two calls. One deal. Zero polish. Just the raw, messy, honest back-and-forth of what it actually takes to close a sponsorship when the stakes are real.

Here's what we cover:

• Why leading with outcomes (not logo placements) is the only pitch that works on sophisticated brand marketers

• The three-bucket framework Kit uses to decide whether to sponsor any event

• How to "make the math obvious" so brands can justify the investment internally

• What brands actually want to tell you after they ghost you—and why they can't

• The hybrid deal structure Justin and Haley landed on after two calls and a near-stall

Follow our guest: Haley Janicek @haleymjanicek (https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleymjanicek/) | Kit (https://kit.com/)

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

00:00 Justin's $20K Deficit & The Real-Time Pitch

01:44 What Kit Actually Buys (It's Not Impressions)

07:00 Kit Studios & the Amazon Prime Analogy

13:47 The Three Reasons Kit Sponsors Any Event

17:42 Making the ROI Math Obvious for Brands

23:14 The Pitch: $12.5K and the Objections That Followed

29:30 Sponsor Therapy: A Better Alternative to Speed Dating

34:35 Part Two: The Deal Nearly Dies (Then Comes Back)

44:27 The Hybrid Structure That Got Kit to Yes

50:03 Why Long-Term Advocacy Is Worth More Than Any Campaign

53:04 The Final Number: $8,500 + A Free Craft & Commerce Ticket

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]

What does it actually take to grow a B2B creator partnerships program from zero to 44x revenue in under a year? Alex from Perspective breaks down exactly how they did it — and what most creators are getting completely wrong when pitching B2B brands.

Here's what we cover:

• Why small YouTube channels (think 2,000 views per video) can outperform massive audiences for B2B brands

• The hybrid deal structure that makes brands and creators both win

• How to pitch a B2B brand so they actually say yes — and keep saying yes

• The attribution problem every influencer marketer is struggling with

• What the "perfect partner" looks like from a brand's perspective

Follow our guest: Alex llull https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexllull

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

• 00:00 Growing B2B Creator Partnerships from Zero

• 03:35 Why Niche Beats Big Audiences in B2B YouTube

• 06:28 Hybrid Deals: Flat Fee + Affiliate

• 07:16 Tracking Attribution Without Losing Your Mind

• 10:23 How to Find and Vet B2B Creators

• 13:43 Re-engaging Past Partners (The Biggest Missed Opportunity)

• 14:55 What Makes a Perfect Pitch to a B2B Brand

• 18:03 Horror Stories: When Partnerships Go Wrong

• 20:13 Repurposing Creator Content for Paid Ads

• 22:24 AI-Generated UGC: Hype or Reality?

• 24:22 Can Creator Marketing Actually Scale?

• 27:00 The Dream Partner Checklist

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]

What happens when a creator who's 5x'd their revenue goals decides their spouse should quit their stable job to sell sponsorships full-time?

Jenny Wood left Google after 18 years to launch her book "Wild Courage" and build a business around keynote speaking and coaching. Revenue is crushing it. Her husband Jon still has a 9-to-5. And now they're sitting in their kitchen at night, staring at a pro/con list, trying to figure out if putting all their eggs in one basket is brilliant or insane.

Here's what we cover:

• The "never assume it's beneath them" rule that saves marriages

• Why diverse revenue streams are actually safer than a corporate job

• How to avoid the biggest mistake when your spouse joins the business (spoiler: don't kick down the door and mess with everything)

• The $6K deal that sparked their first business fight—and why pushing back is healthy

• Why you can't let "what if it doesn't work out" kill what could be amazing

Jenny shares the exact moment Jon questioned whether her first brand deal would drain the trust battery with her audience. Plus, the real conversation about female breadwinners, menial tasks, and building resentment before you've even started.

Follow our guest: https://itsjennywood.com/

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

00:00 The Kitchen Table Pro/Con List

04:25 Fear of Uncertainty vs. Opportunity Cost

06:50 The Biggest Mistake When You First Quit

09:43 Is There Even Enough Work Here?

11:17 Sponsor Games Event Announcement

12:01 The $6K Deal That Started a Fight

15:47 Trust Battery Drainers vs. Additive Partnerships

16:54 Setting Boundaries When Work Never Ends

18:31 All Eggs in One Basket—Or Is It Safer?

22:15 Revenue Streams Swing Wildly Over 15 Years

23:42 The Marriage Advice That Matters Most

24:26 "Should We Do It?"

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]

Stop hackers from stealing your accounts with Bitdefender Security for Creators. Claim your 30-day free trial today: https://go.creatorwizard.com/bitdefender-pod-q425 Thanks to Bitdefender for sponsoring this episode!

Jenny 5x'd her revenue goals after leaving Google, and now her husband Jon is about to quit his steady nonprofit job to join her business full-time as Director of Brand Partnerships. They're terrified and excited in equal measure.

Here's what we cover:

• Why Jenny's first $6K brand deal almost caused a marriage fight (and what it revealed about trust batteries)

• The "beneath you" trap that kills couples who work together—and how to avoid it

• Why betting on one business with multiple revenue streams is actually safer than a single 9-to-5 paycheck

• The critical mistake I made when I first quit my job to work with April (don't kick down the door)

• How to prevent work conversations from bleeding into every moment of your marriage

Jenny landed her first deal during the 10K Challenge with a 100% conversion rate. But the real test isn't closing deals—it's whether Jon and Jenny can build this thing together without destroying their relationship in the process.

Follow our guest(s): - https://itsjennywood.com/

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Chapters:

• 0:00 - The Decision: Should Jon Quit His Job?

• 0:49 - From Google Executive to Wild Courage Author

• 2:36 - Why Jon Wants to Bet on Jenny

• 4:25 - The Fear Everyone Has About Career Gaps

• 6:50 - My Biggest Mistake When I Quit My Job

• 8:49 - Is Brand Partnership Work Even Enough?

• 9:48 - Sponsor Games 2026 Announcement

• 11:46 - The First Fight Over a $6K Brand Deal

• 14:46 - Trust Battery Drainers vs. Builders

• 15:54 - When Work Never Stops (Marriage Boundaries)

• 16:54 - The "Beneath You" Assumption Trap

• 18:31 - Why Multiple Revenue Streams Beat Job Security

• 20:07 - Don't Assume Your Partner's Limits

• 22:15 - Revenue Streams Will Swing Wildly (And That's Normal)

• 23:46 - Say It In The Moment (Don't Let It Build)

• 24:29 - Decision Made: Jon's Quitting

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Watch what happens when I flip the script and become the sponsor instead of the coach. George Blackman pitches me on sponsoring his UK creator event, and we negotiate a deal live—complete with budget discussions, package options, and real-time pivots.

Here's what we cover:

• Why 15 high-quality leads beat 1,000 random eyeballs for sponsorship coaching

• The "sole sponsor" question every event organizer should ask

• How to integrate a sponsor when they can't physically attend

• The exact moment I realized books-in-hands wasn't the real goal

• Why I traded "sponsored by" slides for newsletter reach

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Follow our guest: George Blackman

https://www.georgeblackman.com/

Chapters:

• 00:00 George Pitches His UK Creator Event

• 02:41 Event Format: Premium, Implementation-Focused

• 05:24 The Sponsorship-Skeptic Attendee Problem

• 07:01 How Would Integration Actually Work?

• 10:27 The Physical Attendance Challenge

• 13:05 Books vs. Coaching: What's the Real Goal?

• 16:01 Budget Reveal and Deal-Making Mode

• 19:51 Reviewing Package Options Live

• 24:17 Choose Your Own Adventure Negotiation

• 28:31 Final Deal: $2K for Package 2.5

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

In this episode, our guest Matt breaks down how his company experienced explosive revenue growth during the COVID pandemic by capitalizing on shifting stock market trends and investor behavior. What started as a $7M business quickly scaled to $25M in just two years, fueled by timely positioning around breakout stocks like GameStop and AMC, smart business strategy, and a surge in advertising sales.

Matt shares how the COVID investing wave created unexpected opportunities, why adaptability was critical to success, and how being in the right place at the right time can dramatically change a company’s trajectory. He also reveals insights from their strongest month ever in 2023, including over $5.2M in advertising revenue, and what that growth means heading into a projected $47–50M year.

If you’re interested in revenue growth, navigating market volatility, or leveraging current events to scale a business, this episode is packed with real-world lessons.

I built a live negotiation simulator and put creators in the hot seat. Watch them tackle real objections—discount demands, equity offers, ROI concerns, event requirements - with 60 seconds on the clock.

Here's what we covered:

• Why clarifying questions beat defensive responses when brands challenge your pricing

• The "can I get back to you" line that stops aggressive discount negotiations cold

• How to handle the "we'll give you equity instead of cash" pitch without torching the relationship

• Why slamming the door on small budgets kills your long-term pipeline

• The landing page audit that turns you from "another newsletter" into strategic partner

You'll hear real creators navigate uncomfortable scenarios - from the Penny Saver comparison to affiliate-only offers - and learn exactly what to say when brands test your boundaries. Plus, the psychology behind why educating difficult prospects actually increases deal size.

This was recorded at Matt McGarry’s Audience Camp: https://audience.camp/

Shout-out to Matt and Ahrif for inviting me and allowing me share this with you!

Come to Sponsor Games (March 15-18, 2026: https://www.sponsorgames.com

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

00:00 Opening the Negotiation Roleplay Game

01:24 Ed's Challenge: Handling Price Comparisons

04:32 Janelle's Dilemma: Unexpected Event Requirements

09:24 Jonathan's Scenario: The Equity Pitch

12:37 Rory's Test: Competing with Low-Cost Publishers

16:05 Why Auditing Sponsor Funnels Is Your Job

19:15 The Affiliate Program Pivot Strategy

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Could you handle 22 brand deals in one month? In this conversation, Logan Nathanson reveals how he delegates 80% of his email workload to virtual assistants, why he's shifting brands toward whitelisting budgets instead of flat fees, and the uncomfortable truth about when champagne problems turn into actual problems.

Here's what we cover:

• How to train VAs to handle brand negotiations without screwing up your deals

• The whitelisting strategy that generated 10x ROI for one brand during Prime Day

• Why saying "I can't guarantee sales" is actually the right answer

• The psychological hurdle of letting assistants see your full income

• How to maintain long-term brand relationships without burning out during holiday seasons

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/favoritefinds_

00:00 Managing 22 Sponsorships During Prime Day

04:06 Testing Whitelisting Strategies with Brands

06:40 When Brands Demand Conversion Guarantees

08:00 Delegating Brand Partnerships to Virtual Assistants

10:09 Work-Life Balance During Peak Sponsorship Seasons

11:20 Building Long-Term Brand Relationships

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]

What happens when you stop treating sponsorships like transactions and start treating them like strategic partnerships?

Justin and Joe pull back the curtain on two recent deals—a $10K sponsorship and a $7K campaign—breaking down exactly how they positioned themselves, what they pitched, and where they probably left money on the table.

Here's what we cover:

• Why custom website videos command premium rates (even without posting to your own channels)

• The exact follow-up strategy that kept a year-long deal from going cold

• How to recover from a sponsorship that didn't work and turn it into a bigger deal

• The mindset shift that lets you charge $10K with under 1,000 views per video

• When to be flexible with contracts (and when to stand firm on your process)

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Sponsor Games 2026 is happening March 15-18 in San Antonio, Texas. Every meal catered. 75 seats. Grab your ticket: https://www.sponsorgames.com

00:00 Justin's $10K Deal Breakdown

02:55 Why Your Trust Extends Beyond Your Audience

04:22 Sponsor Games: Practice Your Pitch IRL

06:43 Bespoke Packages Beat A La Carte Pricing

09:14 Handling the "You Don't Have Enough Followers" Objection

12:53 Make It Easy for Brands to Pay You

14:04 The Follow-Up Strategy That Lasted a Year

16:11 Joe's $7K Deal: Turning a Failed Campaign Into a Win

21:01 Finding Confidence After a Deal Goes Poorly

23:17 Your Unique Superpower and Being Easy to Work With

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]

Web Design Expert Josh Hall recently told me that he landed a five-figure sponsorship deal for his in-person event—without even trying that hard.

But here's where it gets interesting: Josh was hesitant to go deeper into sponsorships. His thinking? "If I can't make it a six-figure revenue stream, why bother?"

So I had to call him out. (And yes, I may have called him a wuss on this episode. You'll hear it.)

In this sponsorship coaching call, we break down:

• Why focusing ONLY on your own products is actually costing you money

• The difference between sponsors, affiliates, and alliances (and why the payment structure matters less than you think)

• Why fixed "productized" sponsorship packages will cap your earnings at 10% of what's possible

• The #1 question that gets brands to reveal their budget 75% of the time

• How to turn your existing referral partners into paying sponsors

• Why your first deal amount doesn't actually matter (but crossing that threshold changes everything)

Plus, Josh shares his biggest "aha moment" about why web designers, freelancers, and agency owners are sleeping on massive sponsorship opportunities sitting right in front of them.

If you've been treating sponsorships like "found money" instead of a strategic revenue stream that serves your audience, this conversation will change how you think about partnerships forever.

Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence into income: https://sponsormagnet.com

Want one-on-one sponsorship coaching? Join Wizard's Guild: https://wizardsguild.com

Connect with Josh Hall:

Web Designer Pro: https://webdesignerpro.com

Josh Hall Podcast: https://joshhall.co/podcast

CHAPTERS:

00:00 The $10K Sponsorship Josh Didn't Expect

02:22 Why Six-Figure Goals Might Be Limiting You

08:51 Sponsors vs. Affiliates vs. Alliances

12:14 Fixed Packages Are Killing Your Revenue

19:28 The Budget Range Question That Changes Everything

29:26 "That's a Wussy Excuse" (Operational Complexity)

34:34 Why Brands Don't Want Year-Long Deals

43:13 The Landing Page That Almost Killed a Deal

48:56 Inventing Sponsorship Opportunities That Don't Exist Yet

For collaborations or partnerships, shoot us a note: [email protected]