Inside Our $125K Sponsorship Month (as Married Creators)
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)…
99% of Creators Ignore This Brand Deal Angle
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…
Startup Founder Sold A Sponsorship With Zero Social Following
"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…
How I Lost a $6K/mo Brand Deal With Perplexity
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…
Your Follower Count Isn't What Sponsors Are Buying
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…
Leaking our Private Sponsor Planning Call
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…
The Brand Stopped Responding. Now What?
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…
How 1,300 LinkedIn Followers Landed Them Google
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…
I Convinced a 700K Newsletter to Stop Ignoring Ads
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…
I Grilled an Ad Agency CEO on How They Pick Creators
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…
Why brands aren't responding to you
Brand deals feeling slower and more unpredictable lately? You're not imagining it… and there are 5 specific reasons it's happening (plus what to actually do about each one). Why AI slop pitches are killing your cold outreach (and the video pitch fix) How niche creators are weathering this market while generalists get hit hardest The macro forces (tariffs, budget freezes, layoffs) tanking brand marketing spend Why your rates might need a reality check (and smarter deal structures to try instead) The…
31 ways to make brands hate your guts
31 ways to make a brand absolutely hate your guts…and how to avoid every single one of them. Including: Why ignoring a brand's goals during negotiation kills your chances at repeat deals The production and revision mistakes that make your contact look terrible to their boss Post-campaign reporting errors that cost your contact their promotion Why ghosting after the deal is the fastest way to end a long-term brand relationship Grab my book, Sponsor Magnet, to learn how to transform your influence…