Ever wondered what it's actually like to run a creator business with your spouse? I sat down with my wife (and OG YouTuber) April to break down every step of doing sponsorships together — the pros, the friction, and everything in between.

• Why April trusted me completely with the business side of sponsorships from day one
• The exact 8-step "Sponsorship Wheel" we use for every deal — pitching to publishing
• How we split creative vs. business roles (and the fights that taught us to stay in our lanes)
• What it was really like making over $100K/month on sponsorships — and why that wasn't actually the goal
• April's grief journey after losing both parents, and how it reshaped her relationship with success
• Why niching down beats chasing views, and the almost-viral video that made $0

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 Doing Sponsorships as a Couple
01:43 Step 1: Pitching Brands
06:20 Step 2: Negotiation
08:04 Step 3: Contracts
09:11 Step 4: Concept Development
13:24 Step 5: Production Growing Pains
21:57 Step 6: Handling Brand Feedback
24:34 Step 7: Publishing & Engagement
27:01 Dealing With Hate at Your Peak
32:20 Redefining Success Beyond Views

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

Turn your book idea into reality with Lulu Publishing.
Start publishing for free today: https://creatorwizard.com/lulu
Thanks to Lulu for sponsoring this episode!

Every creator pitches brands the same three things: awareness, repurposing, conversion. In this episode, I break down a fourth angle almost nobody uses — churn — and show you exactly how to turn it into a pitch that gets read instead of deleted.

• The ARC framework and the overlooked difference between acquisition and retention
• What churn actually costs a brand every single month (and why it terrifies them)
• Why your audience might already be a brand's existing customer base
• The exact word-for-word pitch script for a retention-based sponsorship
• Three places to find out if retention is a budget priority for any brand you want to work with

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 Pitch Almost Nobody Uses
00:44 The ARC Framework Breakdown
02:18 What Churn Actually Means
03:26 Your Audience Is Already Their Customers
04:08 Sponsor: Lulu Self-Publishing
05:29 The Exact Retention Pitch Script
06:55 How Kit's Haley Approves Sponsorship Budgets
07:30 Finding Retention Budget at Any Brand
08:18 Apply for Sponsorship Coaching

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

"I don't get a lot of brand deals because I refuse to dance on TikTok." Justin hears this excuse constantly, so he's putting it to bed with Bill Flitter's story — a 20-year advertising vet who landed a massive sponsorship for his youth sports startup in just two emails and two weeks.

• Why a complete outsider to "selling" sponsorships closed a deal faster than most seasoned creators
• The moment a sponsor said "yes, go for it" with no limits — and why that stunned Bill
• The exact proposal structure (three tiered options) that made the pitch easy to say yes to
• How a personal, hyper-local PS line added instant credibility with zero track record
• The mindset shift — from "I need this deal" to "I have something of value" — that changes your pricing, follow-up, and confidence

Follow our guest: Bill Flitter, founder of Sideline (fan engagement and loyalty platform for youth sports tournaments) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billflitter/

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 Why "I Don't Dance on TikTok" Isn't the Real Problem
00:37 Meet Bill Flitter and His Youth Sports Startup, Sideline
04:02 The Cold Email That Started It All
05:07 "Now What?" Navigating the First Sponsor Call
09:01 Naming Rights, Surprise Coupons, and the Campaign That Worked
14:06 The Mindset Shift: From Needing the Deal to Having Value
16:00 Why Silence Isn't a No — The Follow-Up Strategy That Pays Off
17:13 Adding Credibility With Zero Track Record
19:28 What To Do When a Brand Goes Quiet

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

What happens when a $6,000/month brand deal falls apart at the finish line? I'm walking you through the entire Perplexity partnership from the very first LinkedIn DM to the moment it collapsed — including the actual proposal, real pricing, and every package I put together.

• The exact video pitch I sent instead of just replying to their DM (and why it worked)
• How I structured a 4-tier proposal ranging from $4K to $16.5K/month
• Why I include a "measuring success" page in every proposal I send
• The moment they came back with a custom package request — and how I built "Package 1.5" on the fly
• What actually happened when the deal fell through, and why I'm not mad about it
• The mindset shift that turns you from a commodity into a true brand partner

This one's different — it's a radically transparent look at a deal that didn't work out, not just the wins. If you've ever had a partnership die right before the finish line, this is for you.

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 I Lost a $6K/Month Perplexity Deal
00:28 The Cold LinkedIn Message That Started It
02:14 Prepping for the Call the Right Way
05:04 Building the Proposal: What I Heard
06:56 Package 1: LinkedIn Essentials ($4K/mo)
07:31 Package 2: The Amplified Package ($7.5K/mo)
08:56 Package 3: Community Builder ($12K/mo)
12:03 Package 4: Full-Funnel Partnership ($16.5K/mo)
12:56 Why I Include a "Measuring Success" Page
16:02 Their Counter-Offer and Building Package 1.5
18:33 The Contract Stalls, Then Falls Apart
19:05 Lessons Learned From a Deal That Died

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

How Elizabeth turned 4,000 Instagram followers into $10,000 in sponsorships in under two months — without a big platform, a media kit, or any sponsorship experience before meeting Justin.

• Why year one and year two of her live event barely broke even (and what changed in year three)
• The "marketing consultant mindset" that separates creators who keep sponsors from creators who lose them
• Why 30-35 cold pitches converted to zero deals — and what finally worked instead
• How to pitch retention campaigns instead of conversion when your audience is small
• The 3-tier sponsorship package structure that made it easy for brands to say yes

Elizabeth is a business coach based in Virginia who runs an annual in-person event in Virginia Beach. Three years in, and this was the first year her event turned a real profit — all because of the sponsorships she landed after meeting Justin at a mastermind.

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

0:00 From 4K Followers to $10K in Sponsorships
1:01 Meeting Justin and Going to Sponsor Games
1:48 Year One: Beginner's Luck
2:16 Year Two: The Lessons in Failure
4:50 The Marketing Consultant Mindset
7:28 Breaking Down the Event's Profit and Loss
9:19 No Creator Is Too Small
10:23 Structuring Sponsorship Packages
13:20 Pitching Retention Over Conversion
16:01 The Marketing Push That Filled the Room

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

Learn how to use a book to build your brand: https://www.creatorwizard.com/lulu
Thanks to Lulu for sponsoring this episode!

Ever wonder what goes into planning a live event where attendees walk away with actual brand deals? In this behind-the-scenes team call, Justin sits down with his event producer Sarah and coaching program director Bianca to plan Sponsor Games 2027 — and get real about what worked, what didn't, and what needs to change.

• Whether to chase niche industry sponsors or stick with broad creator-economy brands
• Why the brand deal giveaway needs to be baked into the programming instead of bolted on
• How to fix the "chicken or egg" problem of surveying attendees before ticket sales roll in
• The behind-the-scenes story of landing a surprise Hard Rock Cafe sponsorship
• Whether Sponsor Games might be leaving San Antonio for a new city in 2027

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 Behind the Scenes: Planning Sponsor Games 2027
01:16 Meet the Team & Last Year's Wins
01:54 Should We Bring In Niche Industry Sponsors?
04:29 Why Newer-to-Influencer Brands Are Easier to Land
06:55 The Logistics Nightmare of Giving Away Brand Deals
08:32 Fixing Our Attendee Survey Strategy
09:22 Was the Brand Deal Giveaway Actually Worth It?
12:58 The Fix: Bake It Into the Programming
14:29 Revisiting Our Northstar Goal
16:09 How Do We Actually Pull This Off?
19:54 Rethinking the Sponsor Agreement Structure
21:13 Why We Need Sponsor Testimonials
23:01 Are We Inserting Ourselves Too Much?
26:11 Building Multi-Year Sponsor Relationships
28:36 Niche vs. Broad: Choosing the Right Sponsors
30:17 Surveying Past Attendees for Better Pitches
32:00 Finding Adjacent Brands Creators Actually Use
34:20 The Hard Rock Cafe Deal Story
35:45 Are We Moving to a New City?
36:50 Positioning the Sponsorship Pitch for 2027
38:48 Lulu's Return as Title Sponsor
40:36 Staying True to What Actually Works

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

Ever send a pitch, follow up once, and then just... stare at your inbox wondering if you blew it? In this episode, Justin breaks down five specific follow-up approaches you can use when a brand goes quiet after your pitch — so you can stop second-guessing yourself and start getting responses.

• Why "just circling back" is killing your follow-ups (and what to say instead)
• The channel-switching trick that gets replies in minutes, not weeks
• How to use the ROPE method to make your follow-up impossible to ignore
• The "lunch and learn" pitch that positions you as a resource, not a beggar
• When it's actually time to let a lead go (and how to do it without burning the bridge)
  

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 Why Your Follow-Ups Aren't Working
00:28 Approach #1: Stop Just "Circling Back"
02:01 Approach #2: Change the Channel
03:16 Approach #3: Get Specific with the ROPE Method
06:26 Approach #4: Offer Something Unexpected
10:47 Approach #5: Knowing When to Let It Go

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

Two travel creators landed Google through LinkedIn — with fewer than 1,300 followers.

Juliana and Martine are a husband-and-wife travel creator duo who turned every brand campaign they complete into a public portfolio piece. In this episode, they break down exactly how they use LinkedIn to get on the radar of marketers at major brands — and why follower count has nothing to do with it.

• Why posting about your creator business on LinkedIn feels cringe at first — and how to push through it
• The "post-campaign summary" content strategy that gets brands to repost your work for you
• How to think about LinkedIn as a portfolio, not a social platform
• Why they pitch outbound every single week even as inbound starts rolling in
• What joining a sponsorship coaching system did for their confidence and deal quality

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 Why Travel Creators Should Be on LinkedIn
01:56 Pushing Through the "Cringe" of Posting
03:18 How to Approach Your First LinkedIn Post
04:49 Juggling LinkedIn With Your Normal Content
06:10 What Content Performs Best on LinkedIn
08:30 Working With Non-Travel Brands Like Adobe
11:37 Thinking About Every Campaign as a Portfolio Piece
12:36 Balancing Inbound vs. Outbound Pitching
14:04 Why Follower Count Doesn't Matter on LinkedIn
15:00 The Cold Connection Request Strategy
15:22 How Sponsorship Coaching Changed Their Business
17:27 Building a System vs. Waiting for Deals
20:27 Advice for Creators Just Getting Started on LinkedIn

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

You have a 700,000-person newsletter and almost zero sponsorship revenue. That's exactly what's happening at footballguys.com — and it's one of the biggest opportunities I've ever seen.

• Why reactive sponsorship strategies keep you stuck working with the wrong brands
• How to build a dream brand list that actually serves your audience
• The psychographic survey trick that turns a pitch into a no-brainer for advertisers
• Why CPM pricing is killing your leverage — and what to do instead
• How sponsorships can become your most predictable revenue stream

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 Leaving Money on the Table at Footballguys.com
01:16 Why They Only Took "Easy" Sponsors
02:52 Editorial Standards and Saying No to Bad Fits
04:02 The Problem with Reactive Sponsorship Strategy
05:24 Building a Dream Brand List Around Your Audience
06:12 Psychographic Surveys and Audience Segmentation
08:18 Reversing the Survey to Engineer Your Pitch
09:44 Overcoming Internal Resistance to Change
11:29 Why Sponsorships Can Be Your Most Predictable Revenue
13:08 AI as a Strategy Tool for Sponsor Outreach
14:08 Sponsorships as Audience Service (Not Just Revenue)
15:34 Every Revenue Stream Has Its Version of Hard

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

Learn how to use a book to build your brand: https://www.creatorwizard.com/lulu

Thanks to Lulu for sponsoring this episode!

Brands like Nestlé, Unilever, and General Motors are spending millions on creator partnerships right now - but most creators have no idea how those decisions actually get made. Today, I’m talking with Gabe Gordon, CEO of Reach Agency, about…

• Who really controls the short list of creators that get picked for campaigns
• Why "here's my rate card, where's the brief" is the wrong way to approach agencies
• How brands are using creator content far beyond a single sponsored post
• The uncomfortable truth about AI slop - and influencer slop
• Why LinkedIn might be the most underrated tool for landing brand deals
• What actually earns you a long-term brand partnership (hint: it's not your follower count)

Follow our guest: Gabe Gordon - [email protected] | reachagency.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