A little while back, I did a post on strategic partnerships. (Here it is if you missed it.)

That post didn’t come out of nowhere.

I recently hit my first $15K month (working part time) — something I would have thought was impossible a few years back. One of the reasons I hit that number? A retainer from a partnership I started nurturing a whole 2 years ago.

Yep. 2 YEARS.

That’s the thing about partnerships. They aren’t about work right now (though they can be), they’re about forming relationships with other freelancers and entrepreneurs where you grow with each other and feed into each other’s businesses.

It’s something I don’t think enough of us take advantage of, which is a shame, because they can bring a level of stability to your freelancing that can feel even more sustainable than employment.

That’s why this month, we’re going to talk a little deeper about why they matter, who to keep an eye out for, the contracts around them, and how to incorporate them into your marketing. Ready?

Why Strategic Partnerships Matter

OK, so you know how I said these partnerships can feel more secure than employment? This is what I mean.

I have two partners in particular…they love working with me and vice versa. I offer packages that incorporate their services and vice versa. We also have referral agreements where we get 10% of any work done that we pass to each other. These agreements add up to thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars of income for me each year.

I have the same relationship with a couple of designers (I’m looking for Black designers who do corporate style work, so if that’s you or you know somebody, hit me up) and even a couple of other writers who I’ll pass a prospect on to when they aren’t a good fit.

Here’s the thing.

These people WANT to see me succeed. They want me to charge more and they want to see my business blow up. Part of that is because anything that’s good for me is good for them, but it’s also because entrepreneurs tend to cheer each other on WAY more than employers support employees.

Strategic partnerships (I’m gonna talk about that strategic part in a second) are another connection (besides your own marketing) to a flow of business that can last for years, and even decades.

…you can’t choose just anybody though. It’s got to be people who’re headed in the same (strategic) direction as you and whose business makes sense with yours. Next week, we’re going to touch on how to identify those people.

Megan