Accidentally Influential

Show Notes: We run a creator agency. We source creators for brand campaigns every week. And we can tell, every single time, when someone handed their script to ChatGPT instead of showing up themselves. It's not subtle. And it's costing creators deals they should have landed. In this episode we're getting honest about AI. Not whether to use it, because we both use it every day. But where it's activ...

Show Notes: 72% of creator pitches never get a response. Most people assume that means rejection. It usually doesn't. This is our second deep dive into the brand side of brand partnerships — and this time we're hearing from someone who has personally worked with over 300 creators and spent more than $3 million on creator collaborations. Yuliia Storozhuk leads influencer marketing and partnerships...

Your content is great, but you're stuck thinking like a creator instead of a business owner. In this episode Kate and Tea break down the 5 biggest mistakes keeping content creators from making real, predictable money — pulled directly from what they're seeing while sourcing creators for their own agency. If you've been posting consistently and still aren't landing the partnerships or rates you wan...

Creators who negotiate their rates earn on average 40% more than creators who don't. Kate hadn't renegotiated with one of her longest-standing brand partners in over a year. This episode is what happened next. This is a live one. We're walking through Kate's actual renegotiation process in real time — the data she pulled, how she structured the email, what she asked for, and the mindset it takes t...

Every article on the internet will tell you gifted collabs are a great starting point. We're here to tell you that depends entirely on who you are and what you're building — and for most education-based content creators, the answer is more complicated than "just say yes." This is a quick one but it will make you think twice before you hit accept on that next inbound. What We Cover: What a gifted c...

Tea got an inbound from a LEGIT agency. Established brand. Green flag email. $700 for zero extra work on a video she posted two and a half years ago. She almost said yes. Then she read the contract. In this episode Kate reads Tea's real brand deal contract out loud — clause by clause — and breaks down every red flag hiding inside language that was designed to be confusing on purpose. This isn't le...

A media kit won't land you a brand deal by itself. But not having one — or having the wrong things in it — will definitely cost you deals you should have gotten. This is Season 2 Episode 4 of Accidentally Influential, and this one has been a long time coming. We've mentioned media kits in episode four, episode five, episode 27, and basically every time we've talked about pitching brands. Today we'...

Followers are vanity. Community is currency. And nobody teaches that better than today's guest. Mackenzie Heflin is a storytelling specialist and content coach who went from losing her entire business overnight — her Facebook group got hacked and deleted at seven months pregnant — to rebuilding from scratch, going viral 27 days into a new storytelling strategy, and working with over 200 clients on...

If you've been posting consistently and still haven't landed a brand deal, your content might not be the problem. Your profile might be. This is Season 2, Episode 2 of Accidentally Influential — and this season is a full curriculum. Every episode builds on the last. If you haven't listened to Season 2 Episode 1 yet, start there — then come back here. Today we're walking you through our 5-point Bra...

You're Already Doing Brand Deal Work for Free (Here's How to Get Paid for It) Welcome to Season 2 of Accidentally Influential. We're calling this season Land It — because every episode this season is built around one goal: helping you land your first and ongoing paid brand partnerships. And we're starting with the episode we wish existed before we ever landed our first deal. Here's the thing nobod...

Season 2 of Accidentally Influential is here — and we're calling it:  Land It. Season 1 was the wake-up call. Season 2 is the plan. If you're an educator, course creator, coach, or digital product seller who's been building an audience and wondering how to monetize it beyond your own offers — this season was made for you. Because brand deals aren't just for lifestyle influencers with half a millio...

If your videos aren't stopping the scroll, this episode is for you. We brought on Sarah Weiss — speech therapist turned TikTok content and marketing expert, creator of Online Business Talk, and the woman we're officially crowning the Hook Queen — to break down exactly how educational content creators and online business owners can use TikTok to grow, sell, and attract brand deals without ever chas...

We're pulling back the curtain on every income stream we've built through content creation — from brand deals and affiliate income to UGC, digital products, and consulting. This is the episode we wish existed when we were starting out. Fair warning: Kate got her tax return the day before we recorded this and it sent us both into a spiral. In the best way. This is also episode 24, which means we've...

We brought on Leslie of Evolushein — UGC creator, creative director, and creator coach — because she has figured out something most creators never do: how to turn content creation into a predictable, scalable business with retainer clients, UGC income, and $130K+ in recurring revenue every year. If you've been wondering how to become a UGC creator, how to land your first client, or how to stop tra...

We've talked a lot on this podcast about how to pitch brands, how to price yourself, and how to show up like a partner. This episode? We went straight to the source. Noam Giras is the Head of Media Partnerships at Tailor Brands — with seven years of experience and hundreds of influencer deals under her belt. She's also one of the influencer managers Kate and Tea personally work with, which made th...

If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back to last week's episode first — this won't make sense without it. This is the conclusion of our First Brand Deal Blueprint: a four-step system for landing your first paid brand partnership as an EDUcreator. In part one we covered creating content brands would actually pay for and getting crystal clear on who your audience is. Now we're getting into the...

We made this episode to be your home base. If you're just getting started with brand partnerships — or you've been trying to land deals and nothing's clicking — this is where it starts. In part one of our First Brand Deal Blueprint, we're walking you through the first two phases of our four-step framework. And here's the thing: neither of them involve pitching a single brand. Most creators skip st...

We showed up late, hadn't washed our hair, and had 696 unread emails between us. Welcome to Q&A day. In this episode, we're answering the questions we see most from creators trying to land brand deals and sponsored content — and being fully honest about what's actually happening in our own businesses right now. We break down a real UGC inbound Kate received from a brand she loves — why the offer w...

How to Grow on Instagram & Turn Followers Into Paying Clients (Even If You're Stuck Under 2K) - w/ Jenna from @jennaspaige If you're posting consistently on Instagram but not getting clients… If you're stuck at 1K–2K followers and growth feels slow… If you're growing an audience but not making money… This episode is for you. Today we're joined by Jenna Harding , marketing coach and host of the Shi...

Let's talk about the part of content creation no one prepares you for: The hate. In this episode of Accidentally Influential , we're getting honest about: Hate comments on Instagram and TikTok Trolls after going viral Mean DMs Public criticism And the emotional toll of being visible online If you've ever: Posted something that blew up… and the comments turned ugly Felt sick reading negative commen...

If you're a content creator, digital product seller, or coach — this episode is a must-listen. We're joined by Alyssa from @legaldoer , an attorney who helps creators avoid the kind of legal mistakes that can cost thousands — or even ruin your business. We cover everything from how to legally protect your brand deals , to what contracts you actually need, and the surprising ways creators are leavi...

If you're an educator, coach, or course creator using Instagram to grow your business — but feel stuck on how your kind of content could lead to brand deals… this episode is your playbook. This week, Tea and Kate sit down with Mya Nichol , a sustainable business coach, Instagram growth expert, and creator who's built a half-million-dollar business from authentic, strategic content — all while work...

In this episode of  Accidentally Influential , Kate and Teanna sit down with Ryan from Side Hustle Review to have an unfiltered conversation about transparency in the creator economy , ethical monetization, and why honest content converts better than ANY of the quick hacks and *things that work* — even if it grows slower. If you've ever wondered: Does being transparent hurt conversions? How do I m...

We are DONE with the one-and-done brand deal hamster wheel — this episode will change how you build your business. ⁣ This week on Accidentally Influential , Kate and Teanna are breaking down one of the most underutilized, highest-leverage brand partnership strategies in the creator economy: retainers. Whether you're a UGC creator, edupreneur, influencer, or content creator who sells your own digit...

If you've ever landed a brand deal and immediately thought,  "Okay… now what?" — this episode is for you. We're breaking down exactly what happens after the brand says yes — from negotiating contracts and timelines to handling revisions, delivering content, granting ad rights, and (of course) getting paid. If you're a content creator, influencer, or EDUcreator navigating your first (or next) paid...