Part 04 — Partnerships
Who helps you scale faster than you ever could alone
When we talk about partnerships I want to make sure it's clear that these are not a nice way to describe our clients nor are they sponsorships or paid placements. No money is going to exchange hands here. This is a strategy to unlock growth, credibility and demand through new distribution channels and existing communities. This isn't directly about revenue, it's more about distribution and reach.
Partnerships give you access to pre-built audiences who already gather and have respect and credibility in a space. This can help you go further faster by plugging into something pre-existing rather than building from scratch.
In Practice
Garden of Earthly Delights Summer Music Series
Dam Stuhltrager Gallery Brooklyn, NY 2007
When we realized we had to host our own shows, we needed a space. Normally, you'd rent a venue with a stage, the gear, a bar, bathrooms — all the infrastructure you need for a show to happen. But we didn't have the budget for that.
So we partnered with our friend's art gallery. We created a mutually beneficial deal: they offered their space and curated an art show, we curated the bands for the backyard, everyone brought their friends, and we split the money.
It worked because both sides brought something valuable. The gallery got foot traffic from the music scene. We got a free venue. The combination of live music + art show gave press something interesting to write about. We expanded our reach beyond just our audience to include theirs.
We ran that series for three years. And here's the compounding part: one of the gallery owners is still one of my work friends today. She's now a senior executive in the art world, and we still catch up, gut-check ideas, and support each other's work — 15+ years later.
That's what a real partnership looks like. Not a sponsorship deal. Not a vendor relationship. A genuine collaboration where both sides win.
Find Great Partners
- Audience Partners: Organizations that already serve your exact target market (Examples: Conferences, communities, trade orgs, media platforms)
- Credibility Partners: Institutions whose reputation validates your platform (Examples: NGOs, foundations, universities, legacy brands)
- Media & Distribution Partners: Channels that amplify your work (Examples: Publishers, newsletters, platforms, content networks)
- Category Anchors: Flagship brands or organizations that define and legitimize your space
- Ecosystem Partners: Non-competitive platforms serving adjacent needs (Examples: Accelerators, communities, networks, events, coalitions)
Be a Great Partner
- Partnerships are built on value exchange and not transaction.
- Work closely with partners to embed naturally into their ecosystem and speak directly to their audience.
- Check in often to make sure it's working.
TIP: PARTNERSHIP OUTREACH TEMPLATE
When reaching out to potential partners, lead with specificity and mutual value.
Here's the template I use:
Subject: [Their Company] X [Your Company] Partnership
Hi [Name],
I've been following [their work/company] and love what you're doing with [specific thing].
I'm working on [your thing] and think there's a natural overlap with your audience/mission. I'm wondering if there's a way we could support each other.
Would love to explore if you're open to it.
[Your name]
*Keep it short. Be specific about the value exchange. Make it easy to say yes or no.
This is a repeatable system for building partnerships that drives growth without ad spend.
PLAYBOOK
Here's what you do: Define your audience and be clear on who you are going after. Do a mapping of top communities, media platforms, conferences, membership orgs and networks where these folks are already gathered. Create a good balanced mix of partners so you are hitting your audience from multiple angles. Reach out to potential partners with something like, "I love what you're building. We're working on something complementary and would love to explore how we could support each other." No money exchanges hands, you are going to exchange distribution.
Here are things you can barter: social posts, email sends, logo visibility on owned assets, profiles or spotlights, co-hosted events, co-published thought leadership, and co-creation.
Things you can receive: dedicated emails to their audience, social amplification, newsletter mentions, event promotion, and community access.
Here's what happens: You're reaching new audiences and growing fast with low effort and zero budget.
Here's what to do after: Make sure you are checking in with your partners regularly. Use quarterly check-ins to learn about new initiatives and what is working and could use improvement with your partnership to add value to both of your organizations.
Here's how to measure success: Audience reach, inbound quality, credibility lift, and long-term collaborations.
TIP: COMPETITION
I don't believe in competition — I believe in partnership and collaboration. If someone else is doing something similar to what you're building, that's not a threat, it's proof there's real demand and momentum in the space. You're not competing for a single seat at a tiny table, you're helping build a bigger one.
Some of the best growth in my career has come from collaborating with people working adjacent to me, learning from each other, sharing opportunities, and growing together. It's not an either/or. It's both/and.